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Useful information about Hi-Fi speaker boxes
For some people, a simple kitchen radio already serves the need for musical sound. But no later than when music becomes a passion, there is no way to go past good hi-fi speakers. Find out what was important when you purchased.
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Hi-Fi speakers: What types of construction are available?
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Surround sound in home theater
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Which case is best suited?
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2- or 3-way system?
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More bass – bass reflex in hi-fi speakers
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Passive or active?
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What do ich need to pay attention to when buying Hi-Fi speakers?
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Our practical tip: Don't save on the speaker cable
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FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions about Hi-Fi Speakers
Hi-Fi speakers: What types of construction are available?
Music connects, gives comfort in difficult times and gives something to every party. To hear the music exactly as the composer imagined, you need good speakers. Unlike popular multi-room speakers, Hi-Fi speakers usually do not offer additional features such as voice control or the like. There are no digital DSP processors inside that should make the sound as voluminous as possible even in small boxes. A Hi-Fi speaker should transmit the music as faithfully as possible to the ear of the listener.
With the designs, you have the choice between rack loudspeakers and large standing loudspeakers. As the name suggests, a shelf loudspeaker, for example the Heco Victa Prime 302 or the Wharfedale Diamond 210, finds its place on the shelf or on a sideboard and is thus also very suitable for smaller rooms. Standing loudspeakers are placed directly on the floor and are more suitable for large rooms. The remarkable volume of speakers such as Dynaudio's Excite X38 gives them a powerful sound. An additional subwoofer can therefore be dispensed with in many cases. In addition, compact loudspeakers are available in the audio area, which convince by a particularly small footprint. In our online shop you will find a large selection of high-quality stereo bookshelf speakers and stand loudspeakers.
Surround sound in home theater
In addition to the classic stereo design, film enthusiasts can also get the cinema sound into their living room. Instead of two speakers for stereo playback, you need at least five speakers plus a subwoofer for lively surround sound. In the center of your seat is a center speaker that is primarily responsible for playing voice. It is flanked on the right and left by two standing loudspeakers. Behind your armchair, surround speakers are mounted on both sides to create the spatial effect. An active subwoofer gives the complete loudspeaker system the necessary pressure and lets film effects be felt. However, a simple integrated amplifier is not sufficient for such a surround sound, you need a suitable audio receiver.
Which case is best suited?
A good hi-fi speaker is made of wood or MDF. These materials do not tend to resonate when the loudspeaker is in operation; they are therefore also called "acoustically dead". Speakers are available made of plastic or aluminum. Manufacturers must make a much higher effort with such materials so that the entire construction does not vibrate cheerfully in time. If a good job has been done in this regard, however, loudspeakers made of such materials can also provide a very good sound experience.
2- or 3-way system?
Hi-Fi speakers differ not only in size and material, but also in the number of ways. This refers to the number of drivers (chassis) installed in the box and the division of frequencies. While a full-range speaker must reproduce the entire frequency spectrum from high to low frequencies, multi-path systems are divided into dedicated chassis. In a 2-way system, the incoming signal is output by a tweeter and a mid-range speaker. In a 3-way system, however, the signal is processed by at least three drivers; in addition to a tweeter, a mid-range speaker and an additional woofer are used. There are standing loudspeakers in which more than one medium or woofer is used. This allows the membrane surface to be significantly increased, was the result of higher levels. The advantage of multi-path systems is that the individual chassis have been optimized for a specific frequency range, was this contributing to a more transparent sound. Due to the more compact format, a 3-way system is rarely found in bookshelf loudspeakers. An additional subwoofer is recommended for real deep bass, also due to the small volumes.
More bass – bass reflex in hi-fi speakers
In order to tickle a proper low tone even from small loudspeakers or to give standing loudspeakers even more power, the manufacturers often resort to the so-called bass-reflex principle in the HiFi-area. The loudspeaker housing has an opening which is provided with a pipe specially adapted to the housing. This bass reflex tube uses the sound emitted from the bass driver at the back and amplifies the low frequencies. The bass reflex port can be located on the front, side or rear of the housing. It is recommended that loudspeakers whose bass reflex channel radiates to the rear are not placed directly on the wall, in order to avoid a number of problems. Alternatively, the bass reflex tube can be dammed with foam. For the same reason, it is advantageous for a bookshelf loudspeaker when the opening is on the front. Thus the compact box can be placed directly on the wall on the shelf without any problem.
Passive speakers or rather active ones?
Stereo speakers can be divided into two types. Once in the Hi-Fi area there are the usual passive loudspeakers, which are connected to a full amplifier in a classic way. With active speakers, an amplifier is located directly in the loudspeaker. So you can connect a CD player or a TV directly to these speakers. Another device is not necessary for operation. While cheaper active loudspeakers only have an integrated amplifier, in high-quality models each chassis is controlled by a separate amplifier.
The fact that the amplifier and chassis are optimally tuned to each other is surely the greatest advantage of such a constructed loudspeaker. Damage due to overload is almost impossible. Depending on which amplifier is to be used in combination with a passive speaker, active speakers can also be cheaper. The disadvantage is that each active loudspeaker with amplifier needs its own power supply. With a passive loudspeaker, however, you are more flexible and can put together your HiFi system individually and, if necessary, exchange individual parts for higher-quality ones. For this, the entire HiFi-electronics requires much more space than a pair of active loudspeakers.
Figure A (Passive Box):
1 = Tone input signal
2 = Amplifier
3 = Tweeter
4 = Woofer
5 = High pass
6 = Low pass
Figure B (Active Box):
1 = Tone input signal
2 = Amplifier
3 = Tweeter
4 = Woofer
5 = High pass
6 = Low pass
What do ich need to pay attention to when buying Hi-Fi speakers?
The sound of speakers is a very subjective matter: What was good sound does not appeal to the other. Ideally, you should listen to the speakers you want before you buy to avoid disappointment. Make sure that your new loudspeakers are made of wood or MDF and avoid plastic housing due to the increased self-resonance. Of course, passive speakers have to match the amplifier's power. The same applies to impedance. You should also consider how to set up the speakers at home. Not all models are suitable for standing directly on the wall.
Our practical tip: Don't save on the speaker cable
There are speaker cables that cost several hundred euros per meter. Such an investment is only worthwhile if you want to advance into the high-end range and want to get the last bit of sound out of your audio system. For normal and high demands it does quite a brand cable from 2.5 mm not too thin².
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions about Hi-Fi Speakers
What materials do the manufacturers use for the loudspeaker membranes?
There are a number of possible materials in the audio field from which membranes can be manufactured. For woofer and mid-range speakers, coated paper, carbon or Kevlar are used. Polypropylene is more suitable for subwoofers, while tweeters use frequently coated fabrics such as silk. Membranes made of aluminum or ceramic are also used in tweeters.
I want to stream music wirelessly to my speakers. ich???????? What do ich need to be aware of?
In this case, you have two options: You can purchase a hi-fi system with Bluetooth built in and pair your smartphone with it. If possible, make sure that the built-in Bluetooth module supports the aptX standard, so you can also stream high-resolution music without any loss. The second option would be an active speaker with Bluetooth functionality, with which you can also conveniently connect your device. However, it does not necessarily have to be Bluetooth. There are also speakers that enable wireless audio transmission via AirPlay.