Então, se você é como eu e se considera um verdadeiro audiófilo, pode pensar que é aceitável gastar muito dinheiro em um bom conjunto de alto-falantes.
No entanto, quando eu estava olhando os preços, comecei a me perguntar se os alto-falantes caros valem o dinheiro.
Os palestrantes caros são melhores e valem a pena?
Então, alto-falantes caros são melhores?
Geralmente, alto-falantes caros farão um trabalho melhor do que alto-falantes econômicos, principalmente se você estiver procurando pela qualidade de áudio mais verdadeira. No entanto, é mais importante garantir que os alto-falantes façam o que você precisa, em vez de se concentrar no preço. 
Olhar:
A questão é que quando se trata de decidir se alto-falantes caros são melhores, você acaba usando um termo muito subjetivo.
Caro para uma pessoa pode não ser caro para outra. Acho melhor garantir que os palestrantes façam o que você precisa e que você ainda está trabalhando dentro do orçamento.
O restante deste artigo fornece mais informações sobre o que procurar em bons alto-falantes e algumas dicas sobre como encontrar o melhor para suas necessidades.
O que procurar em bons palestrantes
Como mencionei, caro é um termo subjetivo, mas para os propósitos deste artigo, vamos defini-lo como um valor maior do que você geralmente pagaria por um equipamento semelhante.
Ao mesmo tempo, a qualidade é subjetiva, pois um conjunto de alto-falantes pode ser incrível para jogar ou assistir filmes, mas não muito bom para ouvir música.
No entanto, a qualidade pode ser medida usando termos objetivos. Há certas coisas que você deve procurar em um bom conjunto de alto-falantes que os definem como de boa qualidade, incluindo:
Grave profundo
Se os alto-falantes pretendidos têm um subwoofer ou não, é irrelevante.
Confira minhas principais recomendações de subwoofers para cada orçamento com base em testes reais em ambientes domésticos realistas. De qualquer forma, você deve esperar graves profundos que são perceptíveis em qualquer volume.
Limpar agudos
Os agudos são a extremidade superior do espectro de ondas sonoras, e um bom conjunto de alto-falantes deve continuar a fornecer agudos nítidos, independentemente do volume.
Tonidez
Alto-falantes de alta qualidade devem ter pouca ou nenhuma distorção de som quando você os aumenta.
Alto-falantes de baixa qualidade começarão a distorcer e vibrar quando ficarem muito altos, e isso deve ser uma indicação de desempenho ruim.
Sensibilidade
Alto-falantes de boa qualidade geralmente devem ser mais sensíveis do que alto-falantes ruins. A sensibilidade refere-se a quanta potência o conjunto de alto-falantes precisa para produzir som e, portanto, alto-falantes mais sensíveis exigem menos energia para produzir o mesmo volume.
Decibéis
A sensibilidade do alto-falante é medida em decibéis de nível de pressão sonora para cada watt de potência do amplificador, geralmente medido a 1 m de distância dos alto-falantes. Isso tudo parece muito confuso (e é), mas tudo que você precisa saber é que
bons alto-falantes estarão entre 85 e 91 dB , e nada menos do que isso não vale a pena olhar.
Estes são alguns pontos gerais a serem observados ao escolher um conjunto de alto-falantes. Muitos deles podem ser testados simplesmente ouvindo os alto-falantes, embora isso obviamente não seja algo que você possa testar antes de comprá-los.
Outra dica útil, principalmente se você estiver comprando online, é ler as avaliações dos usuários. Os fóruns são um bom lugar para esse tipo de informação, pois muitos audiófilos gostam de compartilhar suas experiências para ajudar os outros.
Se esses números não foram suficientes para ajudá-lo a tomar uma decisão, ou você está procurando estar muito bem informado antes de partir, aqui estão mais algumas coisas para procurar:
Impedância
A impedância do alto-falante é a medida de quanta potência um alto-falante precisará para funcionar e é medida em ohms. 8 ohms é uma medida bastante padrão e certamente fará o trabalho.
Você também pode obter alto-falantes que funcionam em 4 ohms, mas são muito mais caros e você precisará de um amplificador muito melhor para usá-los em todo o seu potencial.
Distorção Harmônica Total
Esta é a figura que mede a precisão com que os alto-falantes reproduzem o som de uma fonte de áudio. Você precisa procurar números baixos aqui ao escolher alto-falantes de boa qualidade e deve esperar ver entre
0,05% e 0,08% .
Direção
Isso mede o tipo de volume que os alto-falantes podem bombear em rajadas curtas, por exemplo, picos de som enquanto assiste a um filme. Se você quiser isso, procure alto-falantes com grande headroom.
Você pode usar uma combinação (ou todos) desses números para decidir se um conjunto de alto-falantes é de boa qualidade. Como mencionei, o mais importante é garantir que eles façam o que você precisa, e isso deve ser mais importante do que o preço ou a qualidade objetiva.
Por exemplo, um conjunto de alto-falantes mais barato pode ser perfeito para jogos, mas seria inútil para música. Preste atenção às suas prioridades para restringir sua pesquisa e, em seguida, traga medidas objetivas para fazer sua escolha.
Agora que você já sabe o que procurar, siga os conselhos do vídeo abaixo sobre a seleção de alto-falantes.
Como selecionar os palestrantes certosAssista a este vídeo no YouTube.
Do Different Audio Tracks Make The Same Demands On Speakers?
Realistically, sound waves are sound waves, and so one set of speakers should be appropriate for all jobs. However, this isn’t actually the case due to the different demands audio will put on the speakers.
I looked into this because I mainly wanted to use my speakers for music, but also wanted ones that performed well when watching films.
So, in a nutshell, sound waves come in a wide range of frequencies. Music, as a general rule, contains a much wider range of frequencies than a film’s audio track would, but conversely you typically won’t find many lower frequency tones in music tracks.
Sure, songs will have bass in them, but unless you’re listening to church pipe organs, you won’t be going that low.
On the flipside to this is film audio. Special effects will tend to use much lower frequencies than music, and need to do so at much higher volume.
If you think back to the last explosion you saw in a cinema and remember how deep and resonant that bass was, then you’ll understand what I mean.
The other thing to bear in mind is that the dynamic range, which is the difference between the ends of the volume spectrum, and the frequency range, which is the range between bass and treble, are both generally much larger in films.
Music stays within a reasonably confined range of both frequency and dynamics, whereas there’s much more scope in a film.
So, what does this mean for you when it comes to choosing a set of speakers? Basically, it means that if you want to watch films and have good quality audio, make this your priority. A set of speakers that has the range needed for good audio quality will have absolutely no problem keeping up with any music you play through them.
You obviously need to make sure that the speakers are also capable of handling dialogue, which means they need to be very clear, regardless of the volume.
Also, all speakers should have a subwoofer installed somewhere (whether this is integrated or separate doesn’t matter), otherwise they won’t be able to handle the bass needed for either films or music.
Does The Size Of Speakers Make A Difference?
One of the things I noticed when researching different speakers is that there’s a growing market for very compact speakers, both in stereo and surround sound systems.
When it comes to a home theater setup, you might be thinking smaller is better, simply because it can offer a cleaner and less cluttered look.
However, when it comes to speakers, size does tend to matter. Bigger speakers will generally be more powerful, and capable of putting out louder audio.
Also, bigger speakers give manufacturers more room to include bigger, and often better, parts. They also tend to put out better and deeper bass, and can do so at pretty much any volume. You should also find that proportionately, large, high quality speakers will be cheaper than small ones.
That said, you can still get compact speakers that pack a punch, but they will be much more expensive. Some high-end models can really deliver excellent bass and do so at very high volumes, but these are usually top of the line speakers, and will be outside most people’s price range.
You should also bear in mind the size of your room. Large speakers will do a much better job at filling a big room, and you’d probably find that small speakers wouldn’t be capable of delivering the volume and bass needed.
The reverse isn’t true in small rooms though, and if you’ve got the space, stick with larger speakers. You’ll have better sound and will probably be able to go much louder than necessary.
Surround Sound Vs. Stereo, Which Is Better?
When it comes to picking the right speaker system for your home theater, the type you choose will have a big impact on the price you can expect to pay.
Remember, more expensive isn’t always better, but there will be quality increases with price increases. As a general rule, surround sound systems will be more expensive simply because they have more speakers.
Choosing the right speaker system for your home theater should be one of the most important decisions you make, and you should ideally build the rest of your setup around this decision. So which is better, surround sound or stereo?
Stereo
- Stereo speakers are the typical and most common choice, and come in pairs (this is where the stereo part comes in).
- Stereo speakers divide sound into two channels, which are generally labeled as left and right.
- All music tracks are recorded in stereo, so this is their default output. Music can be played through surround sound, but it obviously doesn’t use all the speakers.
- What does this mean for you? If your home theater is mainly going to be a music listening station, stick with stereo. You won’t get full use out of a surround sound system.
- Stereo is also fine for films because it’s the standard audio track for these too. So if you just want a good set of speakers that don’t break the bank, stick with stereo.
- Stereo speakers can also be paired with a separate subwoofer to make them a 2.1 channel system. This is still recognized as stereo, so won’t have any impact on your music (apart from making the bass much deeper).
Surround Sound
- Surround sound systems typically come in 5.1 and 7.1 channel systems. This refers to the amount of speakers (5 and 7 respectively) that are connected to the system. The .1 refers to the subwoofer.
- These are the best choice if you want a home theater that prioritizes films over everything else.
- Many film audio tracks offer surround sound (particularly Blu-Ray, which may even give you several options).
- Surround sound systems can still play stereo tracks, but the audio will only come from the two main speakers, and the rest will remain inactive.
- Surround sound is generally more expensive, but you’re paying for the extra equipment.
The main takeaway from this is that surround sound is great for films, but will still only play music in audio. So if you want a music heavy home theater, go with stereo. If not, go for surround sound.
Tips For Getting The Most Out Of Your Speakers
Hopefully I’ve made it clear that price isn’t always the thing to look at, and that while quality and price are both subjective, there are some things to look for when choosing speakers.
You might decide to spend that little bit extra on some speakers to make sure you’re getting as much as possible from your audio. However, they won’t be worth the investment if you cut corners elsewhere, so here are some helpful tips for getting the most out of your speakers.
1. Don’t scrimp on audio cables
You’re probably going to need to connect things up to your system, and for this you might need to buy some wires. If this is the case, make sure you don’t cut corners.
Poor quality wires will lead to loss of sound quality, and might not be able to keep up with the demands your speakers are making on them.
You ideally should look for wires with the best conductivity. The best metals for this are copper, silver, and gold. They might cost a bit more, but it’s definitely worth the investment to get the most from your speakers.
2. Room acoustics are everything
Why spend hundreds (maybe even thousands) on a good speaker system, only for the sound waves to bounce around the room?
Hardwood floors are one of the worst culprits for reflecting sound waves, and should generally be avoided in home theaters.
If you can’t do much about this, lay down a rug to help absorb sound better. You can also buy acoustic panels to help deal with reflection issues.
Read my article on acoustic panels 3. Nothing should sit in front of the speakers
This should go without saying, but I’ll say it anyway:nothing should block the speakers. There should be a clear path between the speaker and your sitting area, so if this isn’t the case, make it so.
While it might not have a noticeable effect on volume, it can massively impact clarity, making your expensive speakers essentially worth it.
Read my article on which way a subwoofer should face 4. Be very careful with your speaker placement
This point basically follows up from the previous two points, and is the most important. Speaker placement is crucial, and should provide appropriate coverage for the whole room. If you notice any quiet spots, reposition and try again, or add more speakers.
There’s no real correct placement for speakers in terms of layout, but you should always aim for balance. For example, if you have 2 speakers, make sure they’re equal distances away from your seating area.
The same is true for 5 and 7 channel systems, but these require a bit more work. All rooms are different, so trial and error is your friend here.
5. But also be careful with your seating placement
You’ve probably noticed that I consider setting up a home theater to be a military exercise, but it is. Everything needs to be carefully positioned to get the most out of the potentially expensive equipment. Seating is important here too, as you need to be able to enjoy your home theater.
The most important rule is don’t place your seating in the middle of the room if using a single subwoofer. There will be a massive bass void directly in front of the sub, meaning you’re missing out on the best bit.
Either position your seating slightly off center, or install 2 subwoofers to compensate for audio gaps.
Final Thoughts On Expensive Speakers
When it comes to speakers, expensive isn’t always better, but you will generally get better performance from higher end equipment.
While there are objective measurements you can use to test a speaker’s quality, it’s much more important to ensure they do what you need them to.
There’s little point in getting a set of speakers that are fine for music, but can’t keep up with the demands of film audio. After all, don’t you want to get your money’s worth from those expensive speakers?
