How do I Choose the Best Stereo Speakers?

To choose the best stereo speakers you should consider where you plan to use the speakers and any other equipment you may already have. Speakers for a vehicle, for example, are typically quite different from speakers in your living room for a home entertainment system. You should also ensure the speakers will work well with your stereo system, and take advantage of the equipment you are using with relation to stereo surround sound. It is also a good idea to find retailers that will allow you to actually listen to the stereo speakers you are interested in before you purchase them.

Stereo speakers are devices connected to a stereo system, usually a receiver or media player, that emit sound for someone to hear. There are many different Internet websites that compare speakers and provide you with details regarding the sound quality of each type. You should use these sites to learn about what you should look for and have an idea of what speakers may work best for you. Stereo speakers can be used in a number of different locations, and the location will often greatly impact what speakers would be best.

In a car or other motor vehicle, for example, these speakers will often be used within the passenger area of the vehicle and may be installed directly into the interior paneling of the vehicle. A bass speaker, often called a subwoofer or woofer, and other stereo speakers are sometimes also installed in the trunk or back of a vehicle to provide a great deal of additional sound. While more speakers are not always better, the number of speakers and quality of each speaker can affect overall performance.

For a home theater system, on the other hand, the best stereo speakers will typically utilize the features offered by other equipment present. This means that if a receiver in your home theater can output to seven different speakers, plus a subwoofer, then using eight total speakers will often create the best sound available. This can be especially true if you are looking to create surround sound by using the seven stereo speakers, often called satellite speakers, to create an arch of sound that surrounds a listener. These types of setups are referred to as “7.1 surround sound” or “5.1 surround sound,” where the first number indicates the number of satellites and the “.1” represents the presence of a subwoofer.

While knowing what kinds of stereo speakers you should look for can be helpful, it is usually best to actually hear the speakers before you purchase them. Many retailers will provide you with a space equipped to demonstrate the sound quality that different speakers can offer. You should find this type of retailer before purchasing speakers, allowing you to hear the speaker quality and know you are making a sound purchase.