home stereo: Hi-Fi Loudspeaker Q and A
The questions below are often asked in Hifi Corner's stores.
Hi-Fi Corner are the oldest established audio specialist in Scotland, with stores in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Falkirk.
FAQ'S on loudspeakers. All Hifi Corner FAQ's are non technical and represent questions often asked by our customers. There are more technical sites elsewhere which cater for those requiring in-depth knowledge.
Should I have a bookshelf or floorstanding speaker?
You should buy what suits you sound wise, is always the correct answer when talking about loudspeakers. Technically larger units can give a deeper bass due to the cabinet dimensions, but size isn't everything. It is better to have a good small speaker than a big bad one! Whilst you may get more bass from a larger speaker, if its not well designed, the larger cabinet can cause colourations (unwanted colouring of the sound).
Why should I have my speaker off the floor?
Most speakers are designed to have their working parts (the drive units) at a certain height. Normally in bookshelf speakers the height of the tweeter (High Frequency or HF unit) should be at head height. Having small speakers on the floor means the height is therefore wrong. The floor also introduces colourations and the bass (low frequency) notes will resonate with it giving a poor diffused boomy sound. Ask a friend to lift one speaker off the floor whilst you listen to it and hear the difference.
Vibrations through the floor also feedback into your hifi equipment, be it a turntable, cd or even amplifier. These vibrations interfere with the music.
The ideal solution is a purpose made speaker stand at the correct height for your speaker. Hifi Corner stores can advise in this matter.
What advice have you regarding speaker stands?
A loudspeaker stand is designed to get your speakers at the correct height. In many speakers (although there are exceptions) this is head height when sitting. The stand should be of stable construction. Its purpose is also to isolate the speaker from its surrounding.
Spikes are generally used on the base of the stand to minimise the vibrations going through the floor. There is a train of thought that the stand itself should be solidly mounted to the spaeker, whilst some people prefer another set of spikes between the speaker stand and the speaker itself for further isolation. Try blu-tack between the speaker and the stand and then the spikes and see which sounds better to you.
If stand can be filled with sand or lead shot, or a mixture, this will give extra density. It is demonstrably better to have filled stands.
Hifi Corner stock and recommend specialised equipment and speaker stands from Atacama, Stands Unique and Soundstyle. The Atacama Nexus stand offering fabulous sound and value for money at present.
http://www.hificorner.co.uk/tips/loudspeakers.htm
Hi-Fi Corner are the oldest established audio specialist in Scotland, with stores in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Falkirk.
FAQ'S on loudspeakers. All Hifi Corner FAQ's are non technical and represent questions often asked by our customers. There are more technical sites elsewhere which cater for those requiring in-depth knowledge.
Should I have a bookshelf or floorstanding speaker?
You should buy what suits you sound wise, is always the correct answer when talking about loudspeakers. Technically larger units can give a deeper bass due to the cabinet dimensions, but size isn't everything. It is better to have a good small speaker than a big bad one! Whilst you may get more bass from a larger speaker, if its not well designed, the larger cabinet can cause colourations (unwanted colouring of the sound).
Why should I have my speaker off the floor?
Most speakers are designed to have their working parts (the drive units) at a certain height. Normally in bookshelf speakers the height of the tweeter (High Frequency or HF unit) should be at head height. Having small speakers on the floor means the height is therefore wrong. The floor also introduces colourations and the bass (low frequency) notes will resonate with it giving a poor diffused boomy sound. Ask a friend to lift one speaker off the floor whilst you listen to it and hear the difference.
Vibrations through the floor also feedback into your hifi equipment, be it a turntable, cd or even amplifier. These vibrations interfere with the music.
The ideal solution is a purpose made speaker stand at the correct height for your speaker. Hifi Corner stores can advise in this matter.
What advice have you regarding speaker stands?
A loudspeaker stand is designed to get your speakers at the correct height. In many speakers (although there are exceptions) this is head height when sitting. The stand should be of stable construction. Its purpose is also to isolate the speaker from its surrounding.
Spikes are generally used on the base of the stand to minimise the vibrations going through the floor. There is a train of thought that the stand itself should be solidly mounted to the spaeker, whilst some people prefer another set of spikes between the speaker stand and the speaker itself for further isolation. Try blu-tack between the speaker and the stand and then the spikes and see which sounds better to you.
If stand can be filled with sand or lead shot, or a mixture, this will give extra density. It is demonstrably better to have filled stands.
Hifi Corner stock and recommend specialised equipment and speaker stands from Atacama, Stands Unique and Soundstyle. The Atacama Nexus stand offering fabulous sound and value for money at present.
http://www.hificorner.co.uk/tips/loudspeakers.htm
