Audio is just as important as visual requirement.

A quality speaker cannot perform without quality data for it. The speaker cables are the ones responsible for "transporting" these data to the speakers, therefore be sure to get a quality cables too! This is especially true for high end speakers. You can always try it out and return the cables if it doesn't make a difference.

Plan where you are going to place your speakers and plan accordingly. You do not want to bring home you new sound systems only to realize that the cable are not long enough.

Once you are sure that your cables are long enough, consider next whether you will need a speaker stand. A tower speaker do not usually need a speaker stand. A small and medium sized speakers, however may need one. Since mid-range and treble frequencies are very directional, it would be ideal if you ear is at the same level (height) the speakers are. If you have carpeted room, look for speaker stands that can be installed with spikes. Spikes can "tighten up" bass response by reducing sound-muddying vibrations thus providing greater quality.

The Different Types Of Speakers 

 

There are several different types of speakers you can choose from. There are

1. Floor standing speakers
2. Bookshelf speakers
3. Subwoofer or satellite systems
4. In-wall or in-ceiling speakers

Floor standing speakers, commonly known as tower speakers are the most common and standard speakers. They are often three-way speakers, meaning they can reproduce high, medium and low frequencies. These are very powerful and very large in size but they also the most expensive and consume the most power.

Bookshelf are ideal for those with limited space or budget. They are smaller in size which you can usually place on a shelf (thus the name) and still offers excellent performance. However, they are often only 2 way with no bass. Therefore many people who bought this model often purchase a separate powered subwoofer to give the system a deep bass.

Satellite system are really really small. Some even small as your palm. Therefore it take very little space. You can easily place them anywhere convenient to you. That's their main advantage. However, their sound quality is directly related to their price. A satellite system that can reproduce a high quality sound is often much more expensive than it should. It also doesn't come with a bass unit. The bass is an omni-directional device, meaning it is hard to tell where the sound is coming from, therefore it can be placed anywhere out of your way but still fill the room.

In-wall / in-ceiling speakers are normally used for commercial applications. The main advantage for this kind of speakers is that it saves space. Some higher end ones can produce a high quality playback while blending seamlessly into your room. However, just like any small-size speakers, they do not come with a bass. Grilles and brackets needed to blend the speakers with your wall are often sold separately and once installed, it is very difficult to move them. Therefore consider where you want to place it before purchasing. Lastly, the installation of an in-wall speaker is more difficult than the installation of a traditional speaker. You'll need to run the wire in the wall and so I would suggest that you get professionals to do it.

 

How To Choose The Right Speakers? 

Again, everyone has different preferences and therefore I would tell you which brand and model to go for. Instead you should listen to them first before investing.

The first rule to follow when buying speakers is never to check out only "brand name" products. Some manufacturers of high-end speakers do not do much marketing and if you are not an enthusiast, you probably haven't heard of them, especially manufacturers of hand crafted speakers.

Budget for everything that you are going to need before going shopping. From the speakers itself, the stand, the cables, the installation (if any) and the warranty. Maybe also the shipping.

Your speakers is part of your furniture. Make sure that it also appeals to you visually and matches your room.

When auditioning the speakers, bring some cds to test it. Do not bring engineered cds. Instead, bring a male and female vocals, bass or drums and instrumentals. You would want all these to sound clear and crisp.

Always make sure you test-run the speakers before you buy it. The listening is very important. Choose to test in a quiet room with little disturbance. Estimate the size of the room to the room you want to place the speakers in. If the listening room is much smaller, it might appear to have less bass in a bigger room.

Pop in your cds and play them. Do not request to play it in the highest volume possible like some morons do. Some speaker sounds fine at large volume but sounds compressed at lower volume. Instead, listen to the cds at the volume like you normally would.

Last but not least, trust yourself. You are the one who is going to listen to it, not the salesman. Don't ask them to make the decision for you. If you like it, then get it.

 

In-wall and in-ceiling speakers have become some of our best-selling models, and it's easy to see why. They finally sound good enough to satisfy those who care about audio quality, and are also a great solution for folks who don't want to give up their floor or shelf space to traditional speakers. Below, we'll take a look at the things you should consider when buying in-wall or in-ceiling speakers.

How they work: the basics

An in-wall speaker works like a regular speaker. But instead of being attached to a cabinet, it's mounted in a frame and set into your wall. It uses the wall cavity as a large cabinet, giving you more bass than you might get from a stand-alone speaker of the same size.

An in-ceiling speaker works essentially the same way, except that — you guessed it — it's installed in your ceiling. For the most part, in-wall speakers tend to be rectangular, and in-ceiling speakers tend to be round — but there's no reason you couldn't install a rectangular in-wall speaker in your ceiling, for example, if that's what you preferred. Almost all in-wall and in-ceiling speakers have paintable grilles, so you can camouflage them in your walls or ceiling.

In-wall and in-ceiling speakers use your wall and ceiling cavities as large speaker cabinets.

Using in-wall and in-ceiling speakers

Two of the most important things to think about when shopping for in-wall or in-ceiling speakers are how you're going to use them and where you'd like to install them. For example, you'd probably buy a different type and number of speakers for surround sound in your home theater than you would for background music in the kitchen. Before you start looking at specific speaker models and features, you'll need to decide how and where you'll use them. You can find detailed recommendations for a number of different rooms and setups in our in-wall and in-ceiling speaker placement article.

Deciding between different speakers

Wherever you're installing your in-wall or in-ceiling speakers, there are a few key factors to consider while you shop:

• Frequency response (Hz) — The range of human hearing is about 20-20,000 Hz. Frequency response tells you what portion of that range a speaker can reproduce. For example, a speaker with a frequency response of 50-20,000 Hz handles a larger portion of that range than a speaker with a frequency response of 65-20,000 Hz. You'd generally hear deeper bass and more balanced sound from the 50 Hz speaker.
• Power handling (watts) — A speaker's recommended power specification usually tells you the maximum amplifier power the speaker can handle; often, its minimum power handling is included as well. This information tells you how much power your amp or receiver should have to safely drive your speakers. For example, a 100-watt RMS receiver would be a good match for a speaker with recommended power of 20-100 watts.
• Sensitivity (dB) — A speaker's sensitivity, or efficiency, rating indicates how effectively it uses the power it receives from your amplifier. Speakers with higher sensitivity ratings can be played louder without straining your amp. In fact, a model with a sensitivity rating that's 3 dB higher than another speaker's only needs half as much power to deliver sound at the same volume.

Here are some other features to consider, depending on where you're installing your speakers, and how you're going to listen to them:

• Swiveling tweeters — Some in-wall and in-ceiling speakers come with swiveling tweeters, so you can angle the sound toward a preferred listening spot. For example, in a home theater setup, you might angle the tweeters in your surround speakers to get more realistic sound effects.
• Bass and treble tone controls — It's impossible to know exactly how in-wall or in-ceiling speakers will sound in your home until you install them. Bass and treble controls let you tweak the sound for your space, even after your speakers are in.
• Moisture-resistance — If you're installing speakers in a potentially humid area, like a bathroom or kitchen, look for moisture-resistant models. They'll stand up to humidity better than other speakers.

Stereo input speakers — perfect for small or awkward spaces

A single stereo input speaker plays both the left and right channels of stereo music through one woofer and two angled tweeters. They're a great way to add background music to small or awkward spaces, where having two speakers isn't practical. For example, you might install one in a walk-in closet, two in a large bathroom, or three down a long hallway.

A single stereo-input speaker plays both the left and right channels of stereo music through one woofer and two angled tweeters.

What about a subwoofer?

If you're using in-wall or in-ceiling speakers for dedicated music listening or for home theater, a powered subwoofer is a must. It fills out the low frequencies, giving you warmer, more realistic sound. Many subwoofers are small enough to tuck behind a couch or table. We also offer subs that install in your wall, floor or ceiling for an elegant, space-saving solution.

5.1 Setup

This system has six channels: five full-range channels, and a low-frequency effects channel (the .1 of 5.1) usually expressed through a subwoofer. Many DVDs and digital broadcasts feature a Dolby^® Digital (5.1) soundtrack, so this will give you optimum sound for most programming. It also most closely approximates the sound in most cinemas.


6.1 or 7.1 Setup