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Superior speakers determine the overall sound quality of your system so making the right choice is absolutely crucial, however the range, technicalities & jargon associated with buying can be very confusing.

To help you choose the most suitable speakers this Christmas, we’ve put together a two part buying guide covering everything you need to know. Part One deals with the many types
of speakers available and important information about specifications.

Part Two deals with what to do once you’ve narrowed down your shortlist.

Consider your room size & needs

Floorstanding speakers generally have the best overall sound because the speakers and enclosures are performance matched. They do take up floor space, which is a consideration for some homes, however, most floor speakers are well-crafted enough to make attractive furniture pieces. They can combine small woofers, mid-ranges and tweeters in a single unit.
Book shelf speakers are a good alternative if you’re stuck for space but they tend to lack the bass output of their floor standing siblings. One solution is adding a small sub-woofer – a dedicated bass speaker – that can be hidden out of sight, allowing a big speaker sound with small speakers.
Satellite speakers are very small speakers that are used with a subwoofer and take much less space.
In-Wall speakers have good sound and the grills can be painted to match the walls.
On-wall speakers are very popular with flat-panel televisions.
Outdoor speakers are weatherproofed to withstand the elements.

Speakers can be sold individually or as multi-unit speaker systems:

Stereo: Often used to describe any multi-speaker group, stereo speakers are, correctly, 2-channel audio, meaning there are two sound tracks and each speaker gets one. Most music is still recorded in stereo and a pair of good speakers can really make your music sound the way it is supposed to sound.
Surround sound: Multi-channel speaker systems identified by the number of channels or speakers in the group: 5.1, 6.1 or 7.1 are most common. Each channel is a different audio signal, allowing sound engineers to blend volume, pitch and other factors to produce realistic 3-dimensional effects. Speaker systems always include a centre speaker for the core sound, dialogue, music, etc. All others are called satellite speakers.

A full range of speakers sizes & types can be seen here http://www.monitoraudio.co.uk/ranges.php

Know your specifications

If you want to choose the right home speaker, you’ll need to understand a little techno-jargon: Here are the specs that matter most:

Power: Measured in watts (abbreviated W), it is the amount of electrical energy each speaker can use before being damaged. Most speaker makers provide a maximum peak power wattage figure and a continuous wattage figure. Using the continuous wattage figure, aim for speakers whose power handling capability is higher than the amount of watts your amp is capable of outputting.
Frequency Range. Measured in Hertz (Hz), it is the range of pitches. This is the range of sound from low deep bass through to treble and beyond. A wider frequency range will generally equate to more realistic audio. While most speakers can generate audio up to the range of human hearing (about 18kHz), sound frequencies above and below the range of human hearing can also influence audio perception, dramatically improving sound quality.
Impedance: Measured in Ohms (abbreviated by omega, the horseshoe-shaped Greek letter) this is a measure of how much of a load the speaker is to an amplifier. Amplifiers and speakers are usually rated at 4, 8 or 16 Ohms. They work best when the numbers match; mismatched components can give you bad sound or damage each other.
Sensitivity: The most important spec to look for when choosing speakers. Speakers with a high sensitivity spec will provide a greater range of audio volumes per watt of amp power.

Above all, don’t be bamboozled by specifications & always ask a reputable hi-fi dealer if you’d
like further information, a full list of U.K. dealers are available here http://www.monitoraudio.co.uk/distributors.php?page=38 or here for dealers worldwide

http://www.monitoraudio.com

For more information, please contact Mick Thorburn on 0034950 453340 or contact him at
mick@thorburnmedia.co.uk