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Anatomy of a loudspeaker



Crossover circuit
Short of elaborating on the science behind a crossover circuit, just think of it as a junction box for splitting and channeling various audio bands to the relevant drivers, for example, low and high frequencies to the tweeters and bass unit, respectively.

Ideally, the supplied signal should be split without any overlapping or gaps between the various bands. In reality, this is almost impossible resulting in potential issues such as bloated bass and "black holes" for a particular sound range.

Accessories
There are quite a number of accessories available for speakers. Spikes, brackets and purpose-built stands are just some traditional addons. Do keep a lookout for speakers with integrated threads and wells for spikes and wall-mounted installations. The former is particularly useful for ensuring adequate damping for maximized speaker driver performance. After all, without a solid foundation, the entire speaker will be vibrating in tune with the drivers' movements. This is something you should avoid if you are serious about getting the best out of your investment.

 

 

    Talkback
lv208306 says...
One who wishes to purchase a set of threatre sound speakers should remember that the sound that you hear in the showroom or any of the hi-fi outlets would be different as compared wth placing them in your hall.

This is due to many factors such as the accoustic and insulation placed in the showroom, proper hi-fi cables instead of the normal black and red electrical wires, shape of the hall, the amp of the amplifer and most importantly, the components of the speakers.

I bought my speaker system from a specialist audio hi-fi shop at The Adelphi. Before I decided on the size and type of speakers and as I have a big hall, the hi-fi specialist came to my house, studied the area and configuration of the hall. He then came up with several appropriate combination systems including the monster speaker cables for me to select. The cost also differs from one to another.

At the end of the day, I spent a substantial sum of money on the speakers and the amplifier but no regret.

The above is only for those who have great passion and appreciation on the clarity and details of the sound quality delivered from the speakers.

If one is serious of wanting a proper set, it's best to go to a specialist hi-fi shop and ask them to visit your house and come up with the appropriate recommendations.

 
 
ferdiei says...
whatever the technical specs says about a speaker system, nothing beats your judgement of hearing when you demo the unit. though Wharfedale is now a chinese company, they still adhere to strict quality standards to produce good sounding speakers, and continually challenging at the top echelons of the AV world. comparing the similarly spec'd B&W DM (in terms of size/power/price..) series with a Wharfedale Pacific-Evolution, I've found that the pacific evo gives better response, a real value for money.

 
 
Jerry says...
No doubt today's speakers improved some but I see decline of fine hi-fi stores. Most chains sell just mediocre systems and many fine brands disappeared into magazines. I'm sure the main reason is cost. 5-7 channel system cost more than 2 channel stereo and since the finest brand's prices skyrocketed, who can afford a great system.
One way around it is a fact, that five small speakers can be as loud as 2 stereo.

 
 
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