Sound & Vision at Home 2014

INTRODUCTION TO LOUDSPEAKERS
Loudspeakers
have changed
dramatically over
the past few years
and nowadays you
can get outstanding
performance from a
vast range of stylish
designs – some grand
and imposing and
others so tiny that
you will barely notice
them.
Your options are, broadly speaking, traditional
wooden speakers that have been the mainstay of the
speaker market for years and give great sound. They
are available as bookshelf, stand mounted or floor
standing designs and can look very elegant. If your
goal is excellent reproduction of music then these
are still the best choice, although they are larger than
some of the alternatives now available.
The most common of these alternatives are known as
sub sat systems, as they use a subwoofer to produce
the bass frequencies with satellite speakers for the
rest of the frequency range. The advantage of this
approach is that the bass can go deeper than in most
traditional speakers, which is particularly useful in
Home Cinema systems, and the satellite speakers can
be small. Unfortunately they can sound poor if they
are not well designed or if they are not set up properly
in your room. They can be stand, shelf or even wall
mounted with the sub tucked away near a wall.
The third approach to speakers is the custom installed
way, where speakers are fitted discreetly into ceilings,
walls and even rocks in the garden! This is a great way
to lose those boxes but it generally compromises the
sound unless you buy the very best. They are ideally
suited to bedrooms, bathrooms, pools or patios,
where the ultimate sound quality is not the main
requirement or the use of more traditional speakers
would be inappropriate. Ceiling fitted speakers can
also be used in home cinema systems (in combination
with a floor mounted sub woofer) or as a discrete
solution to where to put the rear speakers.
And now there is a new speaker option that has
developed from the iPod docking market. As Apple
AirPlay® and Bluetooth® have developed as ways
of transmitting music without too much of a loss
in quality, manufacturers have offered another
loudspeaker option. In this scenario the speaker and
amplifier are built into one box and the music is sent
straight to it wirelessly, controlled by a phone or a
tablet. This approach offers neither true stereo nor the
ultimate in fidelity but it is a simple (even portable)
solution that will suit many people. These speakers are
great in kitchens and other rooms where a traditional
hi-fi solution is unnecessary. Bluetooth® enabled
speakers can also be connected wirelessly to many
Panasonic TVs.
Whichever alternative you choose you will still need to
think about how the speakers will react with the room
and where you will place them. As you would expect,
our staff have great experience in matching systems
to rooms and will gladly guide you.
And remember, loudspeakers are like car engines:
they’re mechanical devices that need to be run-in.
Treat them gently for the first week or two and you’ll
find that as time passes their sound will improve
noticeably.
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