the big one: how do you choose speakers? By what features, data?


I am curious how the experts choose speakers when upgrading? What are the priorities, what would make you stretch your budget?

Based on e.g....

  • brand/company’s reputation
  • price
  • sensitivity
  • crossover frequency
  • compatibility with existing amp, etc.?

I don’t have buyer’s remorse for my last pair but I sure made some stupid choices until I got there, that I could have avoided if I had known about this forum sooner.

 

grislybutter

Showing 1 response by jchiappinelli

It's not that difficult. 

1) First, you need to decide on which speakers will work in your room. For any given room, some speakers just won't be able to perform up to their capability if they cannot be properly located. For example, a pair of panel (dipole) speakers need to be placed well off the wall behind them. If your room is too small to accommodate this need, you will never get your moneys worth from them.

2) Once you have eliminated those speakers that won't work in your listening room, decide which are best suited to the type of music you like to listen to. A little research will give you a general idea of speaker suitability for your music preferences.

3) Once you have narrowed down the list from steps 1 & 2, determine the amplification needed for the speakers to perform as designed. Some speakers require lots of current, others can be driven by only a few watts of power. Speaker impedance curves and sensitivity will dictate this. 

4) Now that you have identified the speakers that will work in your room and what is required to properly drive them, determine what you can afford. 

5) Most important, try to get a demo in your listening environment. How they sound to you is the most important thing but how speakers sound in an audio showroom or your buddy's room does not necessarily tell you how they will work in your room.

6) Finally, consider cosmetics, WAF, place of manufacturer (if that is important to you) and support.

J.Chip