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A true music aficionado knows the value of their stereo system. When you’re listening to your favorite tunes, you want speakers that allow faithful reproduction and amplification of the sounds that make your favorite music so special to you. Whether it is the throb of a bassline or the scream of a guitar, the best stereo systems make you feel as though you are sitting stage-side at a concert, where the artist is performing just for you.
Most stereo systems consist of a source component, amplifiers, and speakers. The source component brings the signal that provides your music whether it’s radio or your computer. The amplifier makes this signal louder so that it can be heard through the speakers. Most times the source component and the amp come packaged together.
To pick the best system for you, there are a few factors that you would want to consider before purchase.
The Source Component
If the quality of the signal from your source component is low, this affects the rest of your stereo system, even if everything else is of the highest quality.
It’s a good idea to spend the bulk of the money you have allocated for your purchase here since a high-quality signal allows your amp and your speakers to perform at their best.
Your choice of a source component will be determined by how you like to listen to your music. Do you sit at your computer working and listen through your headphones? Do you push back the furniture and dance to music in your living room? In the first scenario, the quality of your computer will matter to the sound quality you get out of your headphones. In the second, the quality of your radio, CD player, or streamer will determine the quality.
The Speakers
The kind of speakers that will suit your source component best is the second thing you should consider when putting together and purchasing your sound system.
You must select your speakers according to the space you’ll be using them in. The professionals behind Audio Pro point out that if you want quiet, nighttime music in your bedroom, a smaller speaker set with less power and gentler bass might be more suitable. These same speakers may sound “tinny” in a larger room of your house.
Speakers are manufactured with different specs like their frequency, impedance level, sensitivity level, and power handling. There are a number of well-known manufacturers who have speakers that meet all of your requirements, with a variety of specification combinations that will suit you. You will want to consider the specifications of your speakers as well.
All you need to do is make a selection based on your room size, your needs, and your price point.
The Amplifier
In the scheme of things, the amplifier comes last. If your amplifier does not come as part of your source component, you purchase this last because you need to know the specifications of the source component and the speakers you are connecting your amp to.
The trick here is to match the specifications of the amp, to those of the source component and the speakers. Failure to do this at best may result in poor sound quality and the worst-case scenario, blow out your speakers and amplifier.
Most times, the three components can be matched within a range, but it is a bad idea to go too far above or too far below. If in doubt, you can consult store staff for advice on matching up your stereo system.
Other Factors
Once you’ve worked out what source component, speakers and amp you are going to purchase, here are some other factors you are going to have to consider once you get it home:
- Set up: Even though you’ve accomplished the hard part and built the system, you still have to figure out how to set it up in the space you have chosen for optimal sound. Ideally, your speakers should be set up in an equilateral triangle from your listening position and both speakers should be of equal distance from each other and you.
- What other components will need to connect to your stereo system: Will you be connecting to the cloud, streaming music, listening to music on your phone, or connecting to some other external advice?
You have an immense amount of respect and love for your music. Honor it by listening to it on a stereo system that allows you to hear it with the best sound reproduction. These are some ways you can pick a stereo system that does this.