The Cheap Speakers Guide

Music. Movies. Theater. Road trips. Recitals. Comedy. There are so many reasons for quality speakers; ones with crystal clear sound, heavy bass, heavenly treble, and even aesthetic style. And not surprisingly, for as many different occasions there are that require speakers, there are just as many variations in speakers, depending on where they are going to be used. If you are looking to buy some new speakers for you home, office, or wherever, it is important to know a little bit about the different types of speakers; which ones are best for what situations. And almost never do you find a single speaker that satisfies your sound needs; which is to say that in order to have a good sound system, you need a complete set of speakers; a set which includes many different speakers that each play a certain role in overall sound quality.

There are surround speakers, which are sometimes called floor speakers, which are very common in most home theater systems. They are usually a combination of small and big drivers. There are woofers and tweeters. Woofers pump out the bass, or lower frequency sounds, while tweeters produce the lighter, higher frequencies.

Bookshelf speakers are quite popular as well; they are often placed, appropriately, on book shelves. Some of them can be stacked on top of one another, and they’re also popular with newer boom-boxes, or you’re average CD player.

There are wall speakers too. While this isn’t exactly a separate category, as much as it is a specific place to put virtually any type of speaker, it is very common to place speakers on various walls throughout homes or even outside near a patio area.

Which brings us to outdoor speakers. You can actually buy outdoors speakers that are made specifically to withstand heat, moisture, and other weather conditions, but also to distribute sound evenly over an open area.

Wireless speakers are becoming more and more popular. They are perfect for those places where no cords are available, or even in the case that you want to take your speakers outside, but not permanently. Even though these speakers are wireless, there are also versions that are considered “wireless” in that they don’t need to be directly hooked up to cable, but you can plug them into a power source, so a battery isn’t necessary.

Whatever your specific case is, just be sure to research the different types of speakers online. Prices vary according to brand and speaker type, but you can find some really good deals on used speakers or even new speakers at online stores and auction sites. Good luck!

You can find out more about mp3 speakers at www.mp3speakersguide.com

Last year when I was in Argentina, I began to learn Tango with an American girl I met in Rosario. We became obsessed with Tango, and we wanted to practice anytime we could. One weekend, we decided to go to Uruguay for a few days, but we didn’t know if we would have a chance to practice dancing until we got back. While we were in the Bus Station of Buenos Aires, I noticed some small speakers in a little kiosk. I went to check them out and discovered that they plugged into the headphone port of an iPod. I had brought my iPod, but I was very skeptical of the battery life of the speakers. Well, I tried them out right there in the kiosk, and to my surprise the sound was crystal clear and the volume of the tiny system was seriously impressive. I just knew that the battery life couldn’t be very long. But they seemed to work well enough, and what really attracted me to them was their portability; I could take them anywhere; the beach, the roof, etc. because they didn’t need to be plugged into a wall. The speakers did come with a built in rechargeable battery, which is charged through the USB port of a computer.

I spent 80 pesos on those cheap speakers (about 20 bucks) and can honestly say that that was one of the better investments I have made. They are so small; two little speakers in a box about 3”x 5”x 2” and I can take them anywhere, and they last forever on a single charge. I would say that they average about 3 hours with volume as loud as it can go! It doesn’t take them very long to charge at all either, probably 30 minutes at most.

These speakers were seriously the cheapest speakers they had in that booth, and they came in a little cardboard box, with virtually no information on it whatsoever, and not a brand name anywhere. So, I’m sorry that I can’t give you any more specific information about these particular speakers. But I will say, that if you find a tiny little boom box that charges from a computer and plugs into the headphone jack of an iPod, don’t pass them up! They’re loud, clear, and last an awesome amount of time!

Subwoofers are where the power comes from; that spine-tingling, window-rattling bass that makes the neighbors call you up and say, “WTF?” Ahh yes… a sound system just isn’t a sound system without subwoofers.

Ranging anywhere from 8″ to 21″ in diameter, a subwoofer is a complete speaker in itself which is specifically made for those low frequency sounds to back up the main speaker. They range is usually about 20-200 Hz. Most all standard sound systems include subwoofers, which are cased invariably inside braced plastic or wooden boxes, which vary in shape according to speaker placement.

There are many different things to consider when thinking about subwoofers: equalization, phase control, amplification, servos, etc. It’s all very confusing for the layman or laywoman. Basically all you need to know is that these things are responsible for that pounding, vibratory beat that allows you to feel the music. They are found in most car stereo systems, home theater systems, and stadiums.

Prices vary, just like everything else. You could spend anywhere from 50 dollars to 500 dollars depending on which particular brand or model you purchase.

There is much ado about where to put a subwoofer in order to gain maximum benefit, especially in the home environment. While it is often said that a subwoofer’s place is in the corner of the room, which indeed is often good placement, it may not always be the best option. It’s probably best, if possible, to have an expert come to your home and examine the situation firsthand, as every room’s acoustics varies, so it may be best to leave the position of your subwoofer to an expert.

It should also be noted that no one should use a subwoofer as their sole or main speaker, because subwoofers are specifically designed to enhance the lower frequency sounds, or bass, and not the lighter frequencies or treble.