If there’s one thing that has stood the test of time across all cultures in the world, it’s great sound. There are a few things as enjoyable as getting home after a long day and queuing a playlist on an audio system that you’ve customized to your music preferences.
It allows you to mellow out to an imaginative inner landscape where you can detox from the day’s events.
It doesn’t even have to be music that helps you relax. Maybe it’s watching movies, playing video games, or watching live sports. Regardless, you need to have great speakers to enjoy the best sound quality from your media.
Finding great speakers is no walk in the park. For your investment, you need to have a device that will give you really fantastic sound for the longest time possible. You might strike gold by opting for the most expensive. But doing a bit of research before you buy can help you save some good money by finding speakers that are just as good at half the price!
Let’s look at some of the tips you should consider when shopping for great speakers.
1. The Specs That Define the Speaker
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From a technical point of view, you want to invest in speakers that are capable of giving you great sound at the best price.
So how do you figure that out? By analyzing and comparing the specs.
Consider the speaker’s frequency response which indicates how deep its bass goes as well as its tonal range. What are the speaker’s drivers made of? Is it plastic, rubber, or metal? Each of these components has its own sonic properties. What is your ideal speaker’s maximum wattage?
Just like you would factor in certain criteria when buying a car such as the size of the engine in cubic centimeters, horsepower, number of seats, etc, is the same way you would have to consider the aforementioned factors when investing in a set of speakers.
2. Consider the Brand Name of the Speaker
While you might find countless speakers that suit your needs, budget, and taste, you also need to consider the manufacturer of the speaker. As such, you need to familiarize yourself with the top-performing brands in the market if you want to get good value for your money. Some of them include:
Bang & Olufsen
Bang & Olufsen is a leading speaker brand that’s been in the industry for nearly 100 years. Founded in 1925 by Peter Bang and Svend Olufsen, the company from Denmark has firmly established itself in the business with its amazing portfolio of passive loudspeakers and powered speakers with in-built amplifiers.
Sennheiser
Sennheiser is a famous speaker brand known for its amazing, groundbreaking products. The German brand was founded in 1945 by Fritz Sennheiser who had a vision of making audio electronics for both personal and commercial use.
Harman International
Harman International is an American company founded in 1980 by co-founders Sydney Harman and Bernard Kardon. The company deals in the design and manufacture of high-end speakers which have seen the company bag numerous Grammy and Academy Awards.
3. What Type of Speaker Do You Need
Knowing what you’re going to use the speaker will help you determine what kind of speaker it is you need. Are you going to be using it for events? Do you want wired or wireless connectivity speakers? Do you plan on using them for your home set up or do you want one you can carry with you outside the house?
You need to ask yourself these questions to narrow down what speaker suits your needs the most. For instance, if you spend most of your time camping or hiking, a portable speaker with a long battery life will be the ideal choice. If you want to use it for your home entertainment system, stereo sound speakers should provide the best service.
4. How Much Do You Intend To Spend
You also need to factor in how far your budget can stretch. And before you say ‘as little to nothing as you can’, take note that good speakers can last a very long time.
So much of modern technology becomes disposable so quickly, prompting you to replace them with new tech. Spending a little bit more might save you from spending some more money in the long-run.
Establishing your budget will also help you narrow down your options even further and will allow you to see what’s out there that your money can buy. Try and consider whether you’re going to be doing any system upgrading in the future as you might have to factor in added costs to your budget.
5. Where Are You Going To Place the Speakers
You also need to think about the room you’re going to use the speakers.
Most speakers need sufficient room to provide the best performance. As such, the size of the room, its dimensions, and content, as well as where you intend to position your speakers can restrict you to a certain type of speaker.
Buying smaller speakers to use in your living room, for example, may not be such a great idea. The sound from your speakers can reflect off bare floors, exposed walls, and large furniture. Materials such as rugs and cushions can also absorb sound.
For such situations, you need to buy bigger speakers that can produce loud sound without distortion. Small speakers can, however, be great for the bedroom or your home office.
The Only Good System Is a Sound System
When it comes to choosing a speaker with great sound and design, not everyone goes about it the same way. Quality sound and great aesthetics are objective. What sounds bright to someone may be airy to another, so there’s always going to be space for debate on what speaker sounds the best.
While some people will opt to buy the most expensive for assurance, buying expensive speakers alone does not automatically mean that you have the best. You also need to consider the technical features of the speaker, its brand name, as well as where and how you’re going to use the speakers.
A good rule of thumb is to visit a brick-and-mortar store where you can compare several speakers. This will allow you to get a clear picture (or sound in this case) of what you want and don’t.