It’s easy to fall in love with a speaker demonstration that rattles the store windows. Just because a speaker has exaggerated bass and high treble doesn’t mean it’s going to sound good down the road. Buyers should research, listen, then decide which speaker to buy.
To Time-And-Phase Align Or Not
The subject of speaker sound is wide and not everything about it is cut-and-dry.
At the most basic level, there are two types of speakers; those that are time-and-phase aligned, and those that are not.
In a time-and-phase aligned speaker, sound coming from a speaker’s tweeter, midrange (if equipped) and woofer reaches the listener’s ears at the same time. This preserves the signal coming from components such as a CD player, media device and amplifier.
Currently, only Vandersteen and Thiel make these time-and-phase aligned speakers. These are companies that have been around for years and have earned a solid reputation.
There is a difference in how these kind of speakers sound, so compare them with speakers that are not time-and-phase aligned. They will reveal the limitations of a sound system and the music or movie sound that plays through them.
This doesn’t mean that buyers can’t enjoy speaker that are not time-and-phase aligned. Companies with high quality speakers include Paradigm and B&W. They each offer speakers in every price category and size level. Their speakers can sound very lively and offer years of enjoyment. Just be aware there is a difference in sound between speakers that are time-and-phase accurate, and those that are not.
What To Listen For
Do shop around! Bring audiophile CDs, low resolution MP3 files, and movies to audition speakers. Good speakers should not make all recordings sound equal. Good speakers will show how weak MP3 is, and how movie sound formats and CDs aren’t created equal.
Film sound, as good as it may be, isn’t high fidelity. Even if the goal is to build a home theater system, it is good to base speakers on how they play music first. If music sounds good on speakers a buyer has their eye on, movies will sound good, too.
Bass is great, but not everything that goes through a speaker (and subwoofers) should sound like a car stereo’s subwoofer. A violin shouldn’t sound like a bass, for instance. Every recording doesn’t necessarily carry a lot of bass. Also listen for exaggerated treble or “air” in speakers. Speakers should strive to sound as balanced as possible.
Components Can Make A Difference Too
According to Richard Hardesty’s excellent Audio Perfectionist website, (www.audioperfectionst.com), source components like CD players and pre-amplifiers set the limit of resolution. Speakers, especially if they’re time-and-phase accurate, will reveal limitations of those components. A home theater-in-a-box components will not necessarily sound as good as carefully chosen separate components, or a good receiver. Consider, if possible, upgrading to better components to maximize a speaker’s quality.
Reading Reviews And Deciding
Magazines and websites can be an excellent resource for up-to-date reviews and technical data. Reviewers of almost any magazine or website can be a good resource, too. Keep in mind that a reviewer’s opinion, no matter the source, is just that; their opinion. It’s up to a buyer to weed out what’s right for them. They can be biased just as this article’s writer can be.
Many speaker manufactures may use many of the same parts across their product lines to save on costs. Some high price speakers may share the same tweeters and midrange drivers. Check their websites, read reviews, and then compare.
In high end audio magazines, reviewers seem to like speakers that are unusually expensive. Not everyone can mortgage their savings on high priced speakers that magazines can get for review. High price and praise may not necessarily equal value and great sound.
Use a budget before laying down the old credit card. Spending thousands more on speakers may get only a slightly better sound than a lower end speaker. In fact, there may be no improvement at all. Nearly every speaker manufacturer makes at least one high priced speaker if prestige is a factor. Some higher priced speakers do sound better than lower priced speakers, but do the research to see if the extra money is really worth spending. Friends may be impressed by glossy speakers, but they don’t have to live with the payments.
Considerations And Caution
Here are some basic and simple considerations about speakers.
- Consider
- ing two excellent main speakers first (left and right), before investing in surround, center and subwoofer speakers for a home theater
- Don&rsqu
- fall in love with speakers just because of how they sound on a movie sound demo
- Consider
- akers that are time-and-phase accurate
- Don&rsqu
- immediately fall in love with speakers because the sales associate put in a CD of The Eagles’ Hell Fres Over
- Consider
- get and space limitations, but be flexible
- Don&rsqu
- always believe media hype over speakers that cost as much as a sports car
- Be cauti
- of tiny satellite speakers
- Consider
- l range three way speakers that include tweeter, midrange and woofer
- Do shop
- igh end stores because they can offer superior speakers at reasonable prices
- Don&rsqu
- base quality sound on DVD or Blu-ray discs; use a well recorded CD or SACD instead
- Don&rsqu
- base sound quality on the local megaplex’s sound system, or a friend’s booming car sound system
- A goo
- > aker will provide enjoyable sound for movies and music
- A gre
- i>eaker will showcase the high quality of recordings, but will exhibit the shortcomings of poor ones, and a great speaker stands out of the way of the signal coming from an pre-amplifier, amplifier and/or receiver.
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