Speakers

What Main Criteria Should Influence My Speaker Choice?

If you like listening to loud rock music, you'll probably be best served by large floor-standing speakers. They maximize bass and can be played at high volume. But if you're more into classical music, you might find that a set of bookshelf speakers is sufficient for you.

The size of your living space is another important factor to consider. Bookshelf speakers, powered by receivers with 30 to 50 watts per channel, are sufficient for rooms up to 150 square feet. But in rooms 400 square feet or larger, you'd do better with floor-standing models or systems powered by 80 watts or more per channel. You will also want to consider the amount of available space in the room. In tight-fitting rooms, subwoofer/satellite speaker systems can provide maximum sound with minimum size.

Lastly, consider the power of your receiver when choosing speakers. If it doesn't have enough power for your speakers or listening tastes, you may get poor sound quality--and you could even damage equipment. If anything, err on the side of having a more powerful receiver.
If you don't have a Dolby Pro Logic receiver, and you aren't willing to invest in one yet, the answer is easy--choose traditional stereo. Traditional stereo speakers can always be incorporated into a home theater system as "front" or main speakers if you choose to go that way in the future. You'll simply need to add a new center speaker and at least two surround speakers.

What Are My Speaker Options?
How Much Should I Spend On Speakers?
Should I Get Stereo Or Surround Speakers?
How Can I Test Speakers?



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