Good speakers act as the key component to getting the best possible audio experience from a home theater system. Without the right speakers, the home theater setup wouldn’t be worth much in terms of sound quality. When looking for home theater speakers, an individual can find the same in a large variety of types and sizes. It is the understanding of different types of speakers that helps in developing a great plan for the home theater budget. This speaker buying guide will break down the basics aiding an individual in making a wise decision when shopping for a new home theater setup.

  • Tower / Floor Standing Speakers: 

As the name suggests, these speakers usually find their place on the building’s floor. Floor standing speakers, also called tower speakers, stretch at most three to four inches off the ground. Although it has been seen that size of the speakers either has no or little correlation with the sound quality, large speakers are louder. Floor standing speakers are better equipped to produce more bass and thus, are best suited for large spaces.

  • Subwoofers:

Powered with deep, rich bass notes, subwoofers provide high sound quality. Most subwoofers available in the market are ‘powered’ which implies that they contain a built-in amplifier and a crossover network letting one adjust the sub’s upper-frequency response so that it can be blended in with the main speakers effectively. It is to be noted that the performance of subwoofers is greatly affected by their placement so do place them properly.

  • Bookshelf Speakers:

A great alternative to the tower or floor standing speakers, bookshelf speakers are the best choice for smaller spaces. They are significantly smaller in size and feature a woofer or mid-range driver and a tweeter. While these speakers can be placed on the bookshelf, placing them on a speaker stand will provide high sound quality. A shelf absorbs a significant amount of sound the speaker puts out while a speaker stand allows the free radiation of the sound.

  • Center-Channel Speakers:

Center-channel speakers live between the front and right speakers and thus, are an integral part when it comes to setting up the home theater speakers. When used in the home theater system these speakers are usually placed just below the screen. Center-channel speakers specialize in mid-range frequencies and are responsible for producing the majority of dialogues when watching movies or shows.

  • Surround Speakers or Satellite Speakers: 

Satellite speakers, also referred to as surround speakers are designed in such a way that they can be placed behind or off to the sides of the listening space. These speakers are equipped with a tweeter and a woofer or mid-range driver. While satellite speakers can be used as a stereo pair, they are usually complemented with additional speakers.

Conclusion

Speakers provide the interface between an audio system’s electronics and the real surroundings where sound is to be played. This above-mentioned guide will help in understanding the features and functions of different types of speakers allowing one to purchase the right home theater speakers.