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Materials matter. Some would argue that speakers are the life and soul of a sound system. The lungs that breath; the voice that sings your music. Finding the right speakers for your sound system is a critical choice, and there are a plethora of options to choose from. Driver types also vary from the more common dynamic drivers to more power-hungry and exotic-looking planar magnetic drivers. The overall sizes and number of drivers per speaker can vary, along with their respective prices. Driver technology and circuitry design have come a long way, and one thing in particular to keep in mind when choosing the right speaker for your setup are the materials used. For instance, Focal uses Beryllium in many of their tweeter designs, lending a transparent and dynamic sound. Materials affect the overall sound signature, so be sure to ask our Moon Audio support team (Contact Us) if you have any questions about speakers and how they’ll match up with the rest of your system.
Focal, MK Sound and Bryston have a great range and variety of speakers for all sound situations. Whether you are looking for a pair of desktop speakers, floor speakers, or a full-blown home theater system, Moon Audio has everything you need to find the right speaker for your system.
Both bookshelf and floor speakers will produce great sound. It really depends on your personal preference in how you want to set up your system. Floor speakers are just that - speakers that reside on the floor of your room, usually taller and more vertical than other non-floor speakers. Bookshelf speakers are called as such due to the fact that they are small enough to fit on a bookshelf or desk. Due to the more compact nature of bookshelf speakers, they are usually sold in pairs; floor speakers on the other hand - especially more expensive options - are often sold on a per-speaker basis (though sometimes it’s the opposite - it really depends on the brands selling criteria). .
One interesting thing to note is that the cabinet design itself will lend specific acoustic properties to the music as well. For instance, the cabinet work of the Focal Kanta No2 Speakers utilizes high-density polymer and is designed and made to create acoustic softness and warmth: the density and stiffness of the front panel and cabinet materials, softened angles, and double port vents. The Kanta No1 speaker is a bookshelf variant of the No2 model for reference.
So at the end of the day, it will be up to you what your budget is and how much room you want to commit to your high-fidelity sound system.
Every case is different. Speaker dynamics, room sizes and treatments all very and play a very important role in determining the best placement for your speakers. Be sure to talk with one of our support specialists to learn more about what might be optimal for your personal system.
One key fact is that planar magnetic speakers require much more room than dynamic speakers primarily due to the design. They require more room so that they can effectively displace air for the best performance possible, which is why it is not a good idea to place them near or around walls. Dynamic driver speakers are directional, so whatever orientation you place them does not matter.
Not necessarily, but larger speakers are, generally speaking, more powerful, and therefore able to perform better at quieter and louder volumes. Frequencies don’t compete with each other as much. However, there are a plethora of factors to take into account not just how good the speaker is, but also how it will perform.
Let’s reiterate the opening statement of the intro: materials matter. Just because a speaker is bigger doesn’t necessarily mean it will sound better. Take a look at the materials the speaker is made from, the design of the cabinet or enclosure, the signal going to the speaker, etc… There are a number of things to consider. The performance can be affected by such things like the acoustics of the room, the amount of power going to the speaker, again, the quality of the signal or music going to the speaker. Making sure your speakers are getting just the right amount of power, good high-resolution audio, acoustical treatment in the room and placement can make all the difference in the world.
Good qualities in a speaker is really up to user preference. What one person might find desirable, another might find repulsive. We all hear music differently, and like such, we should tailor our systems to our preferred genres of music and listening styles.
That being said, there are certainly qualities in speakers that we should avoid. Poor connection points, shoddy connectors and materials, chamber resonance inside the cabinet are some factors you should always stay away from since they will assuredly bring down the quality and fidelity of your music.
You can also make some slight improvements with hardware like the IsoAcoustics OREA Isolation Feet for speakers. Isolation feet are able to eliminate parasitic vibrations and increase sound clarity and focus. With a capacity of sixteen pounds, the Bordeaux is ideal for heavier components like monoblocks, speakers, power conditioners, and turntables.
Not always. There are typically two different types of magnets that are used in speakers: neodymium and ferrite. Concerning the overall size of each of those magnets, ferrite magnets are very large and heavy, but in most cases, neodymium magnets are more powerful than their ferrite counterparts but come in much smaller sizes.
Some people might argue that different magnet types can affect the overall sound of the music, but that is a debate for another day.
At the end of the day, the best way to determine this argument is by listening to the speaker. Only you can tell what sounds best to you. If you have any further questions, feel free to reach out to our Moon Audio support team.
A speaker requires power to be able to output an analog signal. Without power you will not be able to hear any sound.
That being said, you also do not want to overpower your speaker because that can also be detrimental to the sound quality or even physically damage your equipment. Speakers can come with built-in amplifiers, in which case they are called powered or active speakers. Unpowered or passive speakers on the other hand do not have a connected power source.
A powered speaker already has the power supply or amplifier built into the cabinet. All that is needed is to plug the speaker directly into an outlet. An unpowered speaker is just that: a speaker that requires power to function. An external amplifier would be required in this case to connect to the speaker so that it would be able to output the analog signal.
One is not technically better than the other, but using an external amplifier or unit allows you more control over your music. Powered speakers also tend to be more popular with pro-audio applications rather than high-end consumer audio.
With passive or non-powered speakers, you will only have to worry about running a speaker wire connector, rather than an extra power cable with an active speaker. Another major difference is that if something were to ever go wrong or get damaged, it is a lot easier to assess the cause (and usually cheaper) with passive speakers. With active speakers, the combined technology of the speakers plus the amplifier and other electronics make it that much more difficult to assess if anything were to ever go awry (not to mention the added weight of active speakers over passive).
One added benefit of active speakers is that they lend themselves to Bluetooth or wireless applications. With housing all the electronics under the chassis, the consolidation of components makes it easier and convenient to make a standalone unit that simply requires power - especially in the form of smaller, more portable speakers that have rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. But for more audiophile-grade home speakers, we are usually referring to larger, passive speakers with multiple drivers within the housing.
Speaker impedance refers to the power load a speaker places on the amplifier; this is a very important aspect to consider when choosing a match between speaker and amplifier. Technically, impedance refers more to the “resistance” a speaker offers to the current supplied by the amplifier, and it is measured in what we call ohms.
Impedance “impedes” or restricts the current supplied by the amp, and therefore the lower the impedance, the more current can flow to that speaker. A greater power current also requires the amp to produce more power and work harder. Be sure to check your speaker settings to make sure you have sufficient power for the best performance and sound quality.