How to Buy Speakers

Big, Small, or hung from the wall?

Speakers are arguably the most important component in your audio system. While the ultimate quality of your home theatre's sound also depends on the quality of your source material, amplification, etc., it's the loudspeakers that actually convert all that electrical energy zipping through the wires back into sound waves.

And, while dollars spent can help translate into sound quality received, it ain't necessarily so. These days, you can get really good sound from speakers worth only a few hundred dollars. Likewise, you don't necessarily need huge, hulking cabinets to give you the sound you want, which is great news for those living in small quarters or who don't necessarily want monolithic behemoths in their living room.

There are probably more speakers brands, models, and types available than any other audio or video component, which shows just how personal a choice good sound is. It's also extremely subjective: a speaker your neighbour says sounds great might grate on your ears, and vice versa. Likewise you don't want to have an argument with your spouse about which speakers to buy. Any divorce lawyer Columbus Ohio can testify to the fact that divorces have happened over much less.

So rule of thumb number one when looking for speakers is "Trust Your Own Ears."

Type Casting...

The most conventional speakers are the ones that come in box-like cabinets. These can be floor standing models, smaller units you mount on a stand, or tiny little things that mount with wall brackets. The smaller the speaker, generally, the more "bass challenged" they can be (it takes a certain amount of air movement from the speaker "driver" to create the long wavelengths of the lower frequencies), which is one of the reasons separate bass speakers (subwoofers) are popular now: they can add the missing ooomph to a small pair of speakers.

Three piece systems, with two "satellite" speakers that handle the high and midrange frequencies and a subwoofer module to crank out the bass, have become increasinly common over the past few years. An advantage to this setup is that the satellites can be mounted or placed just about anywhere (within reason, of course - you don't want to put them in a closet!), from mounted on wall brackets to in a wall unit (beware sitting them on a shelf, though, 'cause they can move around when the sound gets loud!), while the subwoofer - which isn't nearly as sensitive to where it's located - can be hidden out of sight behind or under furniture. This leaves you with more room for furniture - what a concept!

Now Speaking…

For a typical home theatre, you'll need several speakers. Conventional stereo audio requires two, which will probably double as the main speakers for your Dolby Surround system. Add to that a centre speaker (usually different from the main speakers, and magnetically shielded so they don't cause coloured splotches on your TV) and at least one pair of surround speakers. You may also want a subwoofer to ensure that, when the Star Destroyer comes on screen at the opening of "Star Wars," your floor shakes with the proper authority. A subwoofer isn't always necessary: if your main speakers put out enough bass to peel the paint from your walls you may find it redundant.

Of all these speakers, the two main (front) ones are the most important, as this is where the lion's share of your sound is going to originate. Next in importance for a home theatre is the centre channel, because that's where most of the dialogue and sound effects originate. You can get away without a centre channel (using the Dolby Pro-Logic "phantom" mode), but it isn't nearly as satisfying and should only be used until you can afford a proper centre channel speaker (and centre channel amplification).

Surround channels are used mostly for effects and you can often get away with a smaller, less expensive pair here. This is only a rule of thumb, though. If you're building a real THX system (which is supposed to have equal power into all channels) you'll want a better class of surround speakers. THX recommends dipoles, speakers that "fire" both forward and backwards, though of course the THX police aren't going to break down your door to check up on you; you will, however, have to live with the knowledge that you're bastardizing the THX standard for which you've paid extra cash.

But we digress…

Picking the Litter...

Choosing a speaker obviously depends a lot on the room in which they're going to be located (and your wallet size, of course). If you live in a broom closet, speakers the size of coffins are definitely out. That said, however, the opposite doesn't necessarily hold true; you can fill a big room with sound from small speakers if the speakers are of high enough quality and their amplification is up to snuff.

Speaker choice also depends on the rest of your audio system. If they're not matched to your amplifier, for example, they could sound lousy or even be damaged by the amplifier (or vice versa). You should keep two things in mind when matching your speakers to your amplifier (for this article we'll use the word amplifier to mean receiver as well): impedance and power.

Impedance is basically the speaker's resistance (measured in Ohms) to the electrical current the amplifier sends it. High impedance doesn't necessarily mean high quality, however, nor does the reverse hold true. Low impedance speakers merely means it takes more current to drive 'em to the same loudness as a higher impedance speaker.

But impedances should be matched between amplifier and speakers, so if your speakers are rated at 4 ohm impedance (or 8 ohm, or whatever), the amp should be rated similarly.

If you're running more than one set of main speakers (for instance if you're powering a second set in a different room from your main system) you may need higher impedance in your amp. If in doubt, check the specifications of your potential amp and speakers or ask your dealer.

Power is the fun part 'cause power can translate into POWER! The power rating of a speaker - and the amp- is an important matchup because if your amp is too powerful your speakers could end up as little black smoking ruins on your living room floor. Likewise, too little power and your speakers won't be used to their potential and may go on strike for higher wages.