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