Home audio systems: features, selection, installation, reviews

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

The market for sound equipment has always been specific and complex for ordinary people, who were required to know many nuances in creating acoustics. Equipping a home with such equipment is a particularly important undertaking, since we are talking about the close relationship of a person’s personal space with sound. One way or another, when choosing audio systems for the home, it is not enough to be guided by the basic principle of price-quality. In some cases, there is every opportunity to purchase equipment that is optimal for specific purposes for little money, and sometimes, due to circumstances, it is necessary to solve elementary tasks with large investments.

Case material and dimensions

Although manufacturers are actively advertising compact models of audio systems, the size of the speakers and the resonant qualities of the cabinet still matter. Simply put, small sound emitters simply cannot “pull” low frequencies. That is, high-quality audio systems for the home have at least average dimensions and a case that provides optimal acoustics. The second condition, in fact, depends on the material of the case. It must be said right away that wood is preferable. For alladvantages in the form of low price and practicality of plastic cases are incomparable with natural analogues in terms of sound quality and the same low-frequency processing. For those who hesitate due to a modest budget, it is worth offering the medium-priced option from MDF, but even in this case there is a certain compromise with the quality of the system.

Basic acoustics

Now you can move on to the main performance indicators that characterize the operation of any audio system for the home, and not only. So, the optimal indicators can be as follows:

• The sensitivity of the emitters (speakers). In essence, this is an indicator of the sound pressure generated by the system. For home use, the acceptable sensitivity level is 90 dB or more.
• Frequency range. This characteristic can be considered as the main one. The frequency corridor of sound waves that the system will be able to reproduce depends on it. It must be said that the best audio systems strive to be as close as possible to a range that is identical to the perception of the human ear. Therefore, you can safely purchase options with indicators of approximately 18-20,000 Hz.
• Number of sound bars. This is the number of satellites, that is, speakers that will operate at different frequencies. The best configuration is 5.1.
• Equipment power. The higher this value, the greater the maximum volume will be. But it is important to consider that this limit should be at least 30% higher than the potentialamplifier. The average output for home audio systems is 50 watts.

Features of portable systems

The advantage of stationary speakers is that they are able to provide the best sound quality. In turn, a portable audio system is deprived of this advantage for several reasons. Firstly, its design is focused on mobility, and not on winning music reproduction, for example, due to the use of the same plastic. Secondly, the very place of operation of such devices is rarely advantageous in terms of sound quality.

Either way, this type of equipment has its advantages. They lie in the very mobility that allows you to take the systems for a walk, cottage, office, etc. In its modern form, a portable audio system has little in common with 1.0 configuration mono speakers with a 3.5 mm jack. In the model lines of Sven and JBL, for example, you can find good stereo devices with 2.1-type subwoofers.

Installation

Unlike other types of equipment, sound systems require a special approach during the installation process. It is necessary not only to securely fix the equipment and its elements, but before that, and more importantly, to choose the right layout. As a rule, ordinary users have to deal with 5.1 equipment, although 7.1 systems are increasingly common. In both cases, the installation of audio systems involves the location of the speakers according to the following rules:

• Rear and front speakers are positioned at the height of the user's ears - typically 1m from the floor.
• The front speakers and the user's head should form an isosceles triangle with a vertex angle of approximately 60°.
• The distance from the radiators to the listener should correspond to the distance to the front speakers, at least approximately.

Reviews on audio systems

Connoisseurs of high-quality sound today have almost no problems with choosing the right equipment. Restrictions can only be due to the amount for which the audio system is purchased. Prices vary on average from 7 to 15 thousand rubles. If we consider the average price category, in which models from Sony, Samsung, Pioneer, etc. are presented, then only limited functionality can cause negative opinions. For example, it may be the lack of wireless connectivity of equipment.

Also, sometimes there are complaints about the build quality, although manufacturers of even inexpensive musical equipment are very careful in the manufacture of cases. It is logical that Hi-End systems supplemented with Life Style prefixes cause the least amount of negative judgments. These are the products of JVC, Bose and other companies specializing in the audio segment. Such systems are praised not only for impeccable acoustics, basic sound quality, functionality and ergonomics, but also for exclusive design. However, such equipment also has a minus - these are the most expensive audio systems.

Conclusion

Until recently, it was believed that it was impossible to determine how good the sound is at an amateur level. Therefore, audio systems for the home were chosen, rather, not according to the criteria for evaluating sound, but according to functionality, the same dimensions and beauty of design. But the situation has changed, technology allows you to achieve such heights of purity and depth of sound reproduction that these characteristics become paramount. Accordingly, those who want not just to have a sound background at home, but to enjoy music, should comprehensively analyze the equipment, carefully calculating its performance.