Speakers For A Computer: Acoustics For A PC, Tablet And Laptop. How To Choose An Acoustic Computer System?

2024 Author: Beatrice Philips | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-18 12:09

Working or playing at the computer, we can get from it some kind of visual information thanks to the monitor, and with it the sound information, which is transmitted through the speakers. In today's article we will look at the types of music speakers for a computer, their characteristics and how to choose the right one for yourself.

Description

Today there is a huge selection of acoustics for a computer, and it is rather difficult to imagine a PC without speakers. In this case, watching a movie, listening to music is simply impossible. therefore for the full operation of your computer, you should take care of choosing the right acoustics.

Some users use additional laptop speakers.

It should be borne in mind that computer speakers do not reproduce sound of impeccable quality. And if we are talking about perfect sound on a PC, then you have to connect a good speaker system. Speakers for computer equipment are suitable for those who are not too picky about sound quality. But, even knowing this, it is quite difficult to choose a decent acoustics for your PC.

High-quality speakers must suppress electromagnetic radiation, have small dimensions, they must have the necessary connectors for connection and must be compatible with a sound card on a particular computer. The different options are called:

• 2.0 - two front speakers;
• 2.1 - two front speakers and a subwoofer;
• 5.1 - two front speakers, two rear speakers, a center speaker and a subwoofer.

Classification

Today on the market you can find a huge number of different computer speakers for any requirement and budget. They are classified according to several criteria.

Information transformation

All these devices are divided according to certain criteria, the first of which will be the principle of converting an electrical impulse into sound. There are the following varieties:

• analog;
• digital.

The sound quality directly depends on the principle of receiving an electrical impulse. For the user, the difference will only be in the way the speakers are connected, which will require different wires and connectors.

By the number of channels

Another fundamental difference between some speakers from others will be the number of channels. Music systems can be of two types :

• two-channel - this is the simplest option, which uses front speakers in the amount of 2 pieces, these models have an analog way of connecting to the sound card connector;
• multichannel - this type of speaker system can have from 3 to 7 speakers that reproduce sound from different channels (left and right front, left and right rear, side, center).

Multichannel devices produce surround sound that can be produced when the speakers are positioned correctly in the room. Most often, such systems are used in televisions, which creates the effect of a movie theater. It is advisable to connect such devices to special sound cards that have a sufficient number of connectors to divide the speakers into channels.

In conventional audio systems, the number of speakers can be from 1 to 3. When there is only one speaker, it has to reproduce sounds of all frequencies, and this significantly reduces the quality of the output recording. If the speaker is 2, then the smaller one will be responsible for the high frequencies.

If there are 3 speakers, then the one that is the largest will reproduce low frequencies and we can assume that this is a built-in subwoofer. The sound quality on such a system will be significantly better than on a single speaker speaker.

By the presence of a sound amplifier

The presence of an amplifier allows you to level, reduce or increase the sound on some speakers. This is primarily aimed at improving sound quality. However, you can use such a unit as a device that allows you to get maximum power from each speaker, often at a loss in quality. Musical speakers with amplifier are divided into:

• active - they are equipped with a built-in amplifier and can be connected to any device;
• passive - they do not have an amplifier, and it is undesirable to connect them directly to a computer.

You can find an audio system that has all sorts of functional characteristics. It all depends on the conditions in which the speakers will be located and work. Also, a lot depends on the preferences of the user.

This means that there is no need to choose the best equipment based only on the parameters of the system. Each vending acoustic equipment or speaker must first be listened to.

Specifications

An audio system for computer technology has many characteristics. Let's consider the main parameters of speakers for modern PC models.

Materials (edit)

The best material for making music speakers is considered wood … This is due to the fact that it is it that conducts sound through itself with minimal distortion.

A speaker made of wood is always heavier than its plastic competitors, which means that it is more resistant to vibration at maximum volume levels. Modern acoustic systems are made of MDF panels, but there are also models made of solid wood.

Plastic is also used in speaker designs, and, as a rule, these are cheaper models. This inexpensive material has several disadvantages compared to wood - it rattles a lot at high volume levels.

Gaming speaker options differ in design from the rest and have backlit inserts, luminous power circuits and transparent speaker walls.

Power

This characteristic affects the volume and strength of the sound. The speaker power level is divided into:

• nominal, at which the speakers operate without overload and sound distortion;
• maximum - at this power level, the speakers continue to work, but sound distortions are possible;
• peak - this is the power that the device will withstand in a short period of time and will not burn out.

For an average room, a 50-watt speaker system is sufficient. For a living room, home theater or gaming studio, 100 watt systems are suitable.

It should be noted separately "Chinese watts ". They were measured according to the PMRO system and indicated the power that caused the burnout of all electronics. So a small office stereo the size of a soda box could have 500 watts.

To date, the PMRO system is almost never used anywhere. Even semi-legal manufacturers have switched to the RMS system.

Band frequency

Sound waves generated by speakers have vibration frequencies that are measured in hertz. The human ear is capable of hearing sounds in the range from 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz. Manufacturers focus their products on this gap.

Sensitivity

This parameter affects the maximum volume that the system transmits. This value is measured in decibels and shows how much sound pressure the speaker creates, having a power of 2 watts at a distance of 1 m.

If two systems have the same power, the louder the one with the higher sensitivity. The optimal value is 90 dB.

Dimensions (edit)

The strength of the sound depends on the size of the speaker. Because of this, a good and powerful speaker system is large. Large desktop speakers take up a lot of space.

If this is an office option, then large "boxes" on the table will only get in the way. In order not to clutter up the space around the monitor, you can use small speakers with a screen mount. They are attached to the monitor with clothespins and do not interfere with the view.

Number of stripes

This characteristic indicates the number of speakers. Active mono-sideband loudspeakers have in their design one common radiator for all frequencies.

If there are two speakers in the column, then one of them plays the high frequencies, and the other - the middle ones . Three-way devices are designed to reproduce all frequencies from the highest to the lowest.

Such systems can reproduce sound from a standard 3.5 mm jack, but in this case all speakers will work in normal stereo mode. Equipping the system and sound card with an optical input will make the connection task easier.

If you want to fully enjoy the sound of a system, for example, 5.1, then you also need to record music or a movie with 5.1 sound. Only by fulfilling all these rules, it will be possible to fully hear what such a musical system is capable of. But, unfortunately, real recordings with 5.1 sound come across quite rarely.

Control

Adjustable buttons and rotary switches are located on the subwoofer or one of the speakers. All controls can be on either side.

The most convenient way to control computer speakers is to adjust from the computer itself . This is due to the fact that too frequent rotation will inevitably lead to wear of the rotary switches, albeit after a long period of time. Some speakers come with a remote control, which is very convenient and practical.

Modern speaker systems support Wi-Fi and can be controlled remotely from the center via a smartphone and synchronized with a microphone via Bluetooth.

Features of choice

The choice of an ordinary buyer is based on several criteria that speakers for a computer must meet. Let's analyze the most popular ones.

The most common purchase requirement is price . It is important to remember that you will not be able to purchase a good product for a modest amount. In this case, you will have to choose between price and quality. The lowest-priced music systems sound about the same, so you can choose based only on their appearance. But this does not mean that the principle is the same in other price ranges. The more expensive the model and the brand, the more common are unusual engineering solutions in it, and it has high-quality components.

Sometimes the main selection criterion is the brand that released a particular product. This approach is not always a guarantee of a successful purchase, since a certain brand could establish itself as a manufacturer of some good technology, but not acoustic systems . This may not even be the main direction of the company, and sometimes the speakers themselves are manufactured by another company under a contract.

If the brand has its main direction in the form of acoustics production and once became famous for a quality product, this does not mean that its products are still the best on the market to this day. The chances of purchasing a quality product from such a manufacturer are, of course, great, but they do not give a 100% guarantee.

When looking for the best branded equipment, it is imperative to find out which manufacturer released it and what other equipment it offers. It is better to read the reviews that other buyers leave about the computer speakers of the chosen brand. So you can find out for sure whether you can trust the manufacturer whose products you liked.

There are also buyers (most of them), for whom the main criterion when choosing is appearance, sound quality and functionality. When considering such criteria, users sometimes stop chasing a low cost, because a decent amount will have to be paid for a high-quality and perfectly working thing.

The choice of speakers is not as simple as it might seem at first glance. Therefore, it is impossible to choose one universal model from all those on the market. But you can highlight the main points that can indirectly indicate the signs and other points of a good product.

• You shouldn't be fooled by beautiful packaging and powerful advertising. Thus, they try to attract the attention of inexperienced consumers. And large inscriptions on small boxes promising a power of 1000 watts should immediately alienate an understanding person.
• Pay attention to the material from which the case is made. As described earlier, wood is the best material, while cheaper models are made of plastic.
• The size of the acoustics. Remember that small speakers will not produce powerful sound. If you place them in front of you and watch a movie while sitting at the computer, it will be quite bearable, but if you move a little further, the sound will not be so high quality. We can conclude that good models of modern speakers should have a voluminous body.
• The dynamic head plays an important role in the selection of the optimal acoustic devices. A worthy option would be a two-way system with two speakers in the column and a subwoofer with a phase inverter circuit. With this arrangement, the speaker system will produce a much wider range of reproducible frequencies. With the presence of a phase inverter in a similar scheme (with a sufficient body size and well-made design), the sound will be accompanied by low frequencies.

Manufacturers and best models

As mentioned earlier, there is no universal speaker model that would suit absolutely everyone, but you can select individual options that will best suit certain requirements. All listed speakers are wired.

GENIUS SP-U120 - these are small flat speakers, which will be quite enough for an office computer. They do not take up much space on the table, but they will not be enough for the house. This brand produces many speaker models, most of which can be found in business offices.

SVEN SPS-619 - These are speakers with two speakers in a high-quality wooden case, which are suitable for watching movies and games. They have a larger size and a total power of 20 watts.

EDIFIER R1100 . These speakers are equipped with three speakers of different frequencies. This popular and high-quality system will appeal to fans of listening to loud music at the computer. Users report the soft and pleasant bass produced by this 60W system.

SVEN SPS-820 … Gaming speakers in a nice wooden case. There are two boxes with one speaker in each and a separate subwoofer with additional settings.

LOGITECH Z-506 . A multifunctional 5.1 system would be a good purchase for creating a great sounding home theater. Wall-mounted speakers with two speakers provide excellent sound at various volume levels. The model is of high quality, reliable and durable.

Canton Movie 75 Silver … The popular premium speaker system. Consists of six units that reproduce sound. Equipped with special hidden controls. White compact audio speakers are not only functional, but also practical and stylish.

Trust GXT 629 Tryan RGB . This is a high-quality, powerful speaker system that uses color music. The acoustics have a backlight adjustment. Stylish speakers will successfully fit into the gaming interior. It is impossible not to pay attention to such a striking technique.

Connection rules

After you plug the speakers into an outlet and connect them correctly to the sound card of your PC, they will work immediately. But if this does not happen, then you will need to follow a certain procedure to configure them:

• install the driver for sound;
• configure the driver for your speakers;
• configure additional options.

To choose the driver you need in a particular case, you need to know the model of your sound card. If you have a discrete card, you can find out its model by looking at the name on the box. Its driver is included.

The model of the built-in type card can be found using additional programs that scan the internal equipment. Such a program will independently determine the map model . This is a very convenient solution if you cannot find out the name of the sound card in any other way.

After installing and successfully finding out the model of your built-in card, you need to download the driver for it and install it. In most cases, the CD with the required program is included with the audio equipment itself. If there is no one in the kit, you can independently find the necessary programs on the network.

When the correct driver is installed, you need to reboot the system . The new boot of the computer will be accompanied by sound. Now, if you wish, you can make the final setup of the speakers through the control panel or using the adjustments located on the device casing - each user himself chooses how it is easier and more convenient for him to set up the speaker system.