Loudspeakers are an integral part of any computer. Only one task is assigned to this device, but the impressions received from modern games, dynamic films and favorite compositions directly depend on the quality of its implementation.
For this reason, you need to know perfectly how to choose good speakers for your home, gaming or office computer. Our article will help you understand this issue, in which we examined in detail the types of acoustic systems, and also made the most important and simple recommendations on the optimal choice of a device for individual tasks.
Content
Type of acoustics and purpose of its use
The most popular solutions on the market are considered to be 2.0 / 2.1 and 5.1 / 7.1 speaker systems. If you are looking for speakers for listening to music and watching videos on the Internet, then you should focus on stereo. In terms of sound quality, such format models 2.0 will be able to satisfy the majority of average users, and their price will fit within any budget.
Love high volume, want to feel every explosion in the game and movie, and feel the bass and drums when listening to music? In this case, of course, the ideal solution would be the models 5.1 or 7.1, including 1 subwoofer, as well as 5 or 7 radiators, respectively, which are placed around the user to create a surround sound. With such acoustics, you can not only enjoy the highest sound quality, but also accurately understand its direction, intensity and many other parameters that are important for a better perception of movies and computer games.
Of course, devices of this class are very expensive. Even for cheap 5.1 / 7.1 speakers in a store, they will ask you at least 12-15 thousand rubles. The highest quality models with surround sound will cost hundreds of thousands of rubles. In this case, it is better to limit yourself to 2.1 format models. As with two-channel solutions, you get budget speakers. However, due to the addition of the left and right satellites with a high-quality subwoofer, the quality of reproduction of low frequencies will dramatically increase.
Criteria for choosing a computer speaker system
First of all, you need to pay attention to the power and the number of channels. For home use with a modest budget, it is better to purchase models with subwoofers (2.1), and if large spending is acceptable, give preference to multi-channel models. First of all, chasing the power is not worth it, because the sound quality and loudness primarily depend on the sensitivity and the frequency range supported by the satellites. The number of bands also plays a role in this, and the material chosen for the production of the case can also correct the sound for better or worse.
Power
When choosing a good speaker system for your computer, you should consider its power. However, this parameter should not always be very high. So for office models, a power of 2-6 watts is enough for one satellite.This will be enough for making presentations in small offices, playing system sounds, talking on Skype, listening to music at a low volume level and other similar tasks.
For undemanding home PC users, computer acoustics with a 2.1 format subwoofer with a power of 10 to 30 W are perfect. The final choice depends on the preferences of the buyer, as well as the size of the premises. If you do not strive to turn on music loudly and choose a device for a small room, then you will not need more than 15 watts. Loud sound and larger rooms will require 20 or even 30 watts of power.
The highest demands on sound quality are made by fans of games and movies. To get the maximum pleasure from such entertainment, you should pay attention only to the 5.1 or 7.1 formats and the total system power of about 50-80 watts. If you live in a country house or your apartment has excellent sound insulation, which will allow you not to disturb your neighbors, then high-quality acoustic systems with a power of 150, 250 and even 500 W are presented to your attention, which is enough for huge spaces and even noisy parties.
Frequency and sensitivity
Whether you are looking for inexpensive, good speakers, or preferring expensive premium products, the sensitivity and frequency of the model you are interested in makes a huge difference. The first parameter indicates how loud the system will play when the power, by and large, demonstrates the mechanical reliability of the acoustics. So at 95 dB the speakers will play 2 times louder than a system with a sensitivity of 85 dB. As for the range of reproducible frequencies of the speaker models, everything is even simpler here. The average person's ear hears sounds only in the range from 20 to 20 thousand Hz, so when buying a system, you need to rely on these parameters as a standard.
Number of stripes
To buy good computer speakers, you also need to pay attention to the number of strips with which they are equipped. The simplest systems are single-lane, and besides them there are also two- and three-lane. The number of bands in computer acoustics is equal to the number of speakers in a satellite. Additional radiators in the speakers are needed in order to separate frequency ranges, thereby increasing the quality and detail of the sound. Mainly in acoustic systems of popular manufacturers, the high frequencies are separated, for which a small speaker is used. Three-way systems also use separate drivers for the bass and mids. It is desirable that the acoustics for the computer are equipped with at least two speakers.
Body material
The most affordable speakers are models with a plastic case. The appearance of such acoustics may be just great, but in terms of performance, especially when it comes to sound, it is significantly inferior to competing options. The next most popular material is the chipboard body. In terms of price-performance ratio, speakers made of MDF are the best choice. The sound quality in them is much higher, which will allow you to enjoy any content. However, according to the reviews of the speakers, we can conclude that even this option is not ideal, although it is very close. The best solution is, of course, wood. Such satellites turn out to be very strong and durable, and their sound can be called flawless even in the case of budget acoustics models.
Wood is preferred by companies whose activities are mainly based on the production of acoustic systems, since sound quality plays a key role for them.
Useful functions
All the main characteristics of the speakers are presented above, so already according to them you can choose an excellent model for individual requirements. However, users often need a number of additional options.For example, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth modules allow you to connect to acoustics wirelessly from tablets, players, smartphones, laptops and other gadgets. The remote control is also a convenient addition to computer speakers.
If you want to listen to music from external drives without using a PC or phone, then in this case you will need speakers with a USB connector or a card reader. Such models are especially good for summer cottages, where it is not always possible to install an audio system or a computer. Last but not least is the 3.5mm jack. It allows you to connect headphones to the speakers, which is convenient if you don't want to disturb your neighbors or relatives. At the same time, as soon as you connect headphones to the computer acoustics, the entire signal will be automatically transmitted to them.
Which company to buy computer speakers
It is impossible to decide which speakers are best without paying attention to their manufacturer. In this case, first of all, preference should be given to those brands that specialize exclusively in sound. Such companies are always able to offer high quality products that can give great emotions from games, movies and music. However, some other brands also make good speakers for watching movies and other tasks. We recommend paying attention to the following manufacturers:
- Microlab
- Edifier
- Sven
- JBL
- Logitech
Conclusion
Without a device for audio output, the user will not be able to enjoy even half of the capabilities of a modern PC. The acoustic system today is such a significant addition to the computer that not only home users, but also office workers need it. However, in order to get the most out of this class of devices, you need to be very careful about the buying process. To make it easy to choose quality speakers for your computer or laptop, our detailed guide will help you, which contains the most important questions and gives clear answers to them.
