Are you tired of listening to your favorite music and those action sequences through thin-sounding, inbuilt speakers of your TV?
If so, it’s time to upgrade your sound and purchase home theater speakers. It can be a difficult decision because there are a plethora of options available at different prices. Besides, what sounds pleasing to one ear might not sound sweet to another. In this guide, we are going through all the aspects you should consider to choose the best home theater speakers.
What are the Types of Speakers?
Deciding the type of speakers depends on many things like personal preference and how you want them to look and sound. What’s more, different sizes of rooms need different types of speakers. In bigger rooms, bigger speakers can be used. However, if you have a smaller room, then it’s not a good idea to grab your hands on large speakers that take up a lot of space.
Now let’s have a look at different types of speakers used in home theater setups.
Bookshelf Speakers
Bookshelf speakers tend to be compact and have a driver that is not bigger than 6-6.5 inches. They are ideal for smaller spaces and usually set on an entertainment center. However, you can also mount them to the wall. These home theater speakers can produce impressive sounds or be disappointing depending on the brand and quality.
Tower Speakers
Tower or floor-standing speakers are significantly large and usually sit right on the ground. They have multiple drivers that range from 1-10 inches to cover a wide frequency range. These speakers are available in an array of size. Some comprise small-sized drivers and are thin, while others include large drivers and are quite wide.
Wall-Mounted Speakers
Wall-mounted speakers are slightly smaller than bookshelf speakers and designed to be mounted on a wall. Since they are not too large, the size of their drivers will also be smaller. To mount these speakers, you will have to run some cables through the wall unless you don’t mind cables hanging down the wall.
Center Channel Speakers
Center channel speakers are equipped to provide some balance to your home theater sound system. They typically contain a variety of different-sized drivers to cover a wide frequency range. The volume level of these speakers can be adjusted independently of the other speakers in your system, allowing you to balance the overall sound with more flexibility. On top of that, center channel speakers are the spot where almost all of the dialogues and voices will emanate, so placing them below your TV will create a natural balance between the audio and the video.
Subwoofer
Whether it is a staccato gunfight scene or a rumbling volcano sound in a 4K nature show, the subwoofer produces the deep, resonant sound. They have various drivers of 8,10,12, or 15 inches and are dedicated to handling low-pitched frequencies in a home theater sound system. If you have a large space, you might need more than one subwoofer. Placing one more sub can improve the overall bass quality and spread the sound more evenly in the room.
In-Wall or In-Ceiling Speakers
As the name implies, these speakers are mounted inside a ceiling or a wall. They are an excellent choice for home theatre usage if you are comfortable cutting the holes and running cables inside the wall or ceiling. Thus, they will take no space in your room, unlike bookshelf or tower speakers.
In-wall or in-ceiling speakers have various drivers in different sizes, but no driver is larger than 8 inches. If you want to hide the speakers, you can set them up behind an acoustically transparent project screen. It will also make you feel that the sound is coming from the screen itself.
What are the Technical Specifications to Consider When Choosing Speakers?
High-Resolution Audio
Home theater speakers designed to deliver high-resolution audio have the best sound quality. This refers to sound or audio with more than 44.1 kHz sample rate and/or over 16-bit linear bit depth.
Impedance
Impedance is measured in ohms and determines the power handled by speakers. Most home theater speakers are rated 6 or 8 ohms. Since you will need a balance of power, ensure the impedance of speakers you purchase matches the impedance of your receiver or amplifier. For instance, if you have a receiver of 8 ohms, consider a speaker of 8 ohms too. It will prevent overheating and distortion, which can damage your equipment.
Frequency Response
The frequency response is usually between 20 Hz to 20 kHz and responsible for the range of audible frequencies the speaker can reproduce. Choose speakers that cover a good range.
Power Handling
The power of speakers is measured in watts and determines how much power a speaker can receive from a receiver before it begins to distort. While purchasing one, make sure to check the watts/channel your receiver can put out.
Final Words
Bad speakers will always let you down if you are fond of watching movies, listening to music, or playing games. Don’t settle for poor home audio when there are a host of solutions out there. Armed with all this information, you can make the best decision while choosing home theater speakers.
Home Theater Speaker FAQ
Q: What type of speakers is suitable for my small room?
A: For smaller rooms, bookshelf speakers are the best choice. They can be placed on a TV stand or media shelf. But make sure not to put them behind the furniture as it will deteriorate the sound quality.
Q: How can I improve the sound of my center channel speaker?
A: A center channel speaker handles the 50% soundtrack of a movie and carries most of the dialogue. Setting it up at ear level when seated, around 30 to 50 inches off the ground, can help you get the best sound results.
Q: Is it necessary to choose speakers of the same brand?
A: Since each speaker brand has its own sound qualities or voice, we recommend using speakers of the same brand for each location. It will give your evenly balanced sound in your room.