| The best array of audio or video components will let | | | | pounds) so they can be wall mounted or placed on a |
| you down if matched with poor-quality speakers. Good | | | | shelf. |
| speakers don't have to cost a bundle, though it is easy | | | | Price range: $100 to over $500. |
| to spend a lot. For a home-theater system, you can | | | | Three-piece sets. Designed to be used as a |
| start with two or three speakers and add others as | | | | stand-alone system or integrated with other speakers, |
| need and budget allows. Size is no indication of quality | | | | these sets combine two bookshelf or satellite |
| WHAT'S AVAILABLE | | | | speakers for midrange and higher tones with either a |
| Among the hundreds of speaker brands available, the | | | | center-channel speaker or a subwoofer for bass. |
| major names include Altec, Bose, JBL, KLH, Pioneer, | | | | Price range: $300 to $800. |
| Polk Audio, RCA, and Sony, and Yamaha. Speakers | | | | Six-piece sets. These systems have four satellites |
| are sold through mass merchandisers, audio/video | | | | (used for both the front and rear pairs), one |
| stores, and "boutique" retailers. You can also buy them | | | | center-channel speaker, and a subwoofer. Six-piece |
| online, but be prepared for shipping charges of up to | | | | sets save you the trouble of matching the distinctive |
| $100 because speakers can be fairly heavy. | | | | sounds of six speakers. That can be a daunting task |
| Speakers are sold as pairs for traditional stereo | | | | at home, and even more of a challenge amidst the din |
| setups, and singly or in sets of three to six for | | | | of a store that doesn't have a decent listening room. |
| equipping a home theater. To keep a balanced | | | | Price range: $400 to more than $1,000. |
| system, buy left and right speakers in pairs, rather than | | | | Other shapes and sizes. A "powertower" is a tower |
| individually. The center-channel speaker should be | | | | speaker, usually priced above $1,000, with a side-firing, |
| matched to the front (or main) speakers. For the best | | | | powered subwoofer in its base. |
| sound, the rear speakers should also have a sound | | | | IMPORTANT FEATURES |
| similar to the front speakers. The front speakers | | | | Lovers of loud sound should pay attention to a |
| supply the stereo effect and carry most of the sound | | | | speaker's measured impedance, which affects how |
| to the listener's ears. The center (or center-channel) | | | | well the speaker and receiver get along. Power range |
| speaker chiefly delivers dialog and is usually placed on | | | | refers to the advertised watts per channel. The |
| top of or beneath the TV in a home-theater setup. | | | | wattage within a matched pair, front or rear, should be |
| Rear speakers, sometimes called surround or satellite | | | | identical. Additionally, a speaker's power range should |
| speakers, deliver ambient effects such as crowd | | | | exceed the watts per channel supplied by your |
| noise. A subwoofer carries the lowest tones. | | | | receiver or amplifier. Speakers sold to be near a TV |
| Price range: under $300 to over $1,000. | | | | set typically have magnetic shielding so they won't |
| Bookshelf speakers. These are among the smallest, | | | | distort the picture with their core magnets. |
| but, at 12 to 18 inches tall, many are still too large to fit | | | | HOW TO CHOOSE |
| on a typical bookshelf. A pair of these can serve as | | | | Consider size. Speakers come in all shapes and sizes, |
| the sole speakers in a stereo system or as the front | | | | so see how they'll fit in your room. Floor-standing |
| or rear duo in a home-theater setup. One can serve | | | | speakers might overwhelm smaller spaces. Bookshelf |
| as the center-channel unit, provided it's magnetically | | | | speakers are often a better fit. But some are quite |
| shielded so it won't interfere with the TV. Small | | | | large, so make sure a model you choose will fit the |
| speakers like these have made strides in their ability to | | | | shelf or niche you've earmarked for it. And don't fear |
| handle deep bass without buzzing or distortion. Any | | | | that you're giving up quality for compactness. Many |
| bass-handling limitations would be less of a concern in | | | | small speakers do a fine job. Style may factor into |
| a multi speaker system that uses a subwoofer to | | | | your decision as well. Some speakers are sleekly |
| reproduce deep bass. | | | | shaped, with silver finishes. Others are more |
| Price range: $100 to more than $800. | | | | conventional black boxes. |
| Floor-standing speakers. Typically about 3 to 4 feet tall, | | | | Focus on accuracy, not advertising. The most critical |
| these large speakers can also serve as the sole | | | | attribute of any speaker is accuracy--the ability to |
| speakers in a stereo system or as the front pair in a | | | | reproduce sound frequencies without over-or |
| home-theater system. Their big cabinets have the | | | | under-emphasizing any part of the audio range. As our |
| potential to do more justice to deep bass than smaller | | | | test have shown time and again, some of the |
| speakers, but we believe many listeners would be | | | | lowest-priced speakers can be among the most |
| satisfied with smaller speakers that scored well for | | | | accurate. Ads often tout two-way or three-way |
| bass handling. Even if floor models do a bit better, their | | | | drivers and the size of the cone inside a speaker, but |
| size and cost may steer buyers toward smaller, | | | | you can't judge sound quality by these attributes. |
| cheaper bookshelf models. | | | | Listen for the differences. Even speakers with |
| Price range: $300 to more than $1,000. | | | | comparable accuracy scores can sound quite |
| Center-channel speaker. In a multichannel setup, the | | | | different. One model may overemphasize treble, while |
| center-channel speaker sits on or below the TV. | | | | another under-emphasizes it. There's no substitute for |
| Because it primarily handles dialog, its range doesn't | | | | hearing speakers, so bring a CD with a familiar piece |
| have to be as full as that of the front pair, but its | | | | of music to the store. Pay special attention to the front |
| sound should be similar so all three blend well. | | | | pair, because those speakers do the most work. |
| Dedicated center-channel speakers are short and | | | | Speakers will sound different at home because of |
| wide (6 inches high by 20 inches wide, for instance) so | | | | your room size, shape, and furnishings, so see if the |
| they perch neatly atop a TV. | | | | retailer will allow a home trial or ask about the return |
| Price range: $100 to over $500. | | | | policy. If you're torn between two choices, buy the |
| Rear-surround speakers. Rear speakers in a | | | | cheaper. Stores may be more open to a return if you |
| multichannel setup carry mostly background sound | | | | want to trade up to a pricier set. |
| such as crowd noise. Newer multichannel formats | | | | Check impedance. If you like to play music loudly, make |
| such as Dolby Digital, DTS, DVD-Audio, and SACD | | | | sure your receiver is rated to handle the impedance |
| make fuller use of these speakers than did earlier | | | | (generally ranging from 4 to 8 ohms) of the front |
| formats. You'll get the best blend if the rear pair | | | | speaker pair. |
| sounds similar to the front pair. Rear speakers tend to | | | | Copyright © 2002-2006 Consumers Union of U.S., |
| be small and light (often 5 to 10 inches high and 3 to 6 | | | | Inc. |