Speaker Systems for your Entertainment Center

One of the major components of any entertainment system, your speakers form the audio component of your setup. Whether you listen to music or want to watch movies, high-quality sound will leave you satisfied with your choice.

When you are trying out speakers in the store, remember to take along music or movies that you are familiar with to get a better sense of the speakers in question.  Also remember that due to varying acoustics, what you listen to in a store or in a dedicated viewing room can sound different then your home environment. 

When buying speakers, look for the words “warm” and “bright”. The term "warm" is generally the opposite of “bright”, where there is a softer sound with low emphasis on higher frequencies. “Bright” tends to indicate speakers with an emphasis on sharp, clear sound. Either term is probably an over generalization, and the best choice is to listen to as many speakers as you can and decide for yourself which sounds better.

While coloration and shape of the speakers is a secondary consideration at best, if you do have a choice the color should match the surroundings. The idea is to make the speakers as unobtrusive as possible, blending them in with the background. Square or rectangular speakers can be stacked if necessary, although curving or triangular ones will fit better into corners.

During speaker installation position them, evenly spaced, on either side of your centerpiece - usually your media cabinet - for a uniform sound. Make sure that you have enough outlets handy for your speakers, as each one may need its own cord. Subwoofers are speakers designed to boost the bass, and should be distributed equally on either side of the centerpiece along with the other speakers. If you are using amplifiers, make sure to distribute them to speakers evenly on either side, and consider boosting the subwoofers as well or you will not get a high enough bass output.

Remember to take your time and enjoy the process.  A good set of speakers will last you many years, so only make a purchase if you intend on keeping them.  If you have a limited budget, instead of buying a substandard complete audio system (6 or more speakers at once), you may want to consider buying a few higher quality speakers one at a time, saving up for the remaining speakers in the future. Buying the right speakers is important, and you will know the right choice just by listening.

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