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The Best Speakers for Listening to Music

What do you look for to determine a speaker that blends smoothly with your unique needs and requirements?

Are you looking for the best speakers? Maybe you just want an upgrade to high-quality audio fidelity, or your old ones blew out.

So what do you look for to determine a speaker that blends smoothly with your unique needs and requirements?

Obviously, there are many things to consider when you are after the best speakers. This can narrow down to brand loyalty, popularity and reputation, how you perceive sound and what you plan to use your speakers for. Whether you are looking for the best satellite, subwoofer, floor-standing bookshelf, soundbar, or portable Bluetooth speaker, and you’re serious, this article has everything you need to know. Keep reading to discover what to look for in a speaker before you can buy one for yourself, a family member or a friend.

Types of Speakers

Several varieties of speakers are available to pick from. While the massive number of options available can be nerve-wracking, narrowing down your favourite speaker type helps make the selection process easier and quicker. The most common types of speakers include Bluetooth, floor-standing, soundbar, subwoofer, satellite, and more. Some types, like on-ceiling or on-wall, can be installed and plugged in instantly while in-ceiling or in-wall require fixtures or installation. Speakers can be wireless or wired, or both as multi-channel or simple stereo. Personal needs and preferences should drive your speaker choice.

Depth of Sound

Do you want to listen for a soothing base next? Not for how loud it can get but rather how perfectly the speaker conveys its depth. The bass of the speaker needs to be crisp and clean as separate notes. If it sounds like a repeating note that bumps along, that isn’t good. Use a song that utilises an upright bass, providing a walking bassline, such as in jazz tracks, to measure the sound depth. These basslines are designed to alternate notes on each strum since they are acoustic, providing a true-to-life sound. A good speaker allows you to listen to each of these separate notes.

Flawless Refinement and Neutrality

Refinement and neutrality refer to a speaker's ability to sound as close to the real world as possible. Ask yourself several questions, and if your speaker of choice provides answers to them, then it's the best in the market. Does a female vocalist’s soft vocals come through realistically and accurately to how the producer or original artist intended? And does the human voice sound realistically and exactly like a human voice? Does the guitar's string pluck come through accurately? Since a huge range of instrumental and dialogue content takes place in the mid-range frequencies, it is vital to focus your entire listening there. However, you should not ignore high frequencies and bases for their ability to reconstruct the full power and impact in a realistic and convincing manner. The best speaker should suspend your disbelief sense and transport you to the centre of a movie scene or onstage. A speaker that manages to do that features superb refinement and neutrality.

As a rule of thumb, going for speakers from well-known and established brands is always important. These companies have much-needed experience and the financial backing that allows them to create and research their products. Speakers from these companies are able to offer the greatest quality.