Wednesday
Sep082010
Sep 8 Choosing Speakers
The following is an email we received from Kevin LaTour listener to the show and Hi-End Consultant that explains the difference between home theater speakers and music speakers. We post it to spur thoughtful discussion.
Hello Ara & Braden 9/8/2010
It’s been a while hope things are good with the both you, and that the show is doing well.
This is Kevin LaTour you interviewed me on a previous show about the debate over better cables. I appreciated the opportunity to respond to the debate, and hope that maybe some listeners took the time to discover for themselves the improvements that better cables can make.
I answer allot of questions in the Yahoo Answers forums specifically about Home theater questions, some also about turntables and analog playback systems which is my real passion.
But I thought I would bring up a subject that I answer allot on Yahoo answers that you might want to consider for a future show.
I often answer questions regarding the right type or brand of speakers I would recommend for a home theater or music system. I have found that most people don’t know or realize there are differences in speaker design and how it relates to how they should be used and how they sound different.
I first bring to their attention that it’s important to first determine if they are designing a home theater system, a music system or will it be used for both. How important is music or is the system going to be used exclusively for movies or TV? Is speaker placement limited, do they have to be installed into cabinets or built into walls?
I point out that it’s important to understand there is a big difference in the design and sound of “home theater speakers” verses “home music speakers”. If music is important then I strongly suggest not buying “home theater speakers’ but rather hi quality “home music speakers”.
And here is why
Home theater speakers are designed completely differently then home music speakers. Home theater speakers are designed to be directional, with limited dispersion, and are voiced or tuned to be positioned close to walls or in cabinets. Because multiple speakers are used in a home theater speaker system engineers design their speakers to be directional so that you can more pinpoint placement of sounds. Also a “majority ”of home theater speakers are not designed with quality of music reproduction as a high priority but rather the ability to reproduce sound effects.
Some home theater speaker manufactures also voice or tune their speakers to be brighter in the high frequency’s as to compensate for highly damped rooms or because these speakers will be placed behind projector screens which contributes to high frequency loss. Rooms that are heavily damped also contribute to sounds being more directional, and if these same speakers are placed in a more average consumer’s living room will sound overly bright.
Home music speakers on the other hand are designed completely differently. First home music speakers are designed with high quality music reproduction as a priority. Home music speakers are not designed to be directional but rather more open to create a more open, and holographic sound-stage from just two speakers. The only thing to understand with home music speakers is that speaker placement becomes a little more critical. Distances from room boundaries will have a large effect on overall tonal balance and soundstaging, so careful speaker placement is essential to get good sound.
I think it’s important to understand these differences as I feel that most dedicated home theater systems do not play music well at all.
A good music system will be able to reproduce the detail and musicality of instruments and voices with a more open and realistic soundstage from two speakers (as most good music is stereo). I don’t think many people understand that just two stereo speakers can create a very realistic holographic soundstage, if they are positioned reasonably well.
Stereo in most “dedicated home theater systems” playing stereo material sounds like its coming out of two boxes left and right, does not create a realistic soundstage and does not reproduce the delicate tonal quality’s of music. Music in surround does not sound real and is not convincing of listening to real music.
A well designed and setup music system will be more involving and emotional experience.
So I think it’s important for consumers to understand these differences so you can design the system that is right for how it will be used and how you listen.
I have been designing many of my home theater/ music systems utilizing home music speakers as this will give you the best of both worlds. And most hi-end home music speaker manufactures also make center and rear channel speakers so they can be utilized in a home theater application as well.
I think it makes a very interesting subject, and something that’s very important for consumers to understand when considering the purchase of a home music or home theater system.
Best Regards
Kevin LaTour
35 years hi-end audio video specialist
It’s been a while hope things are good with the both you, and that the show is doing well.
This is Kevin LaTour you interviewed me on a previous show about the debate over better cables. I appreciated the opportunity to respond to the debate, and hope that maybe some listeners took the time to discover for themselves the improvements that better cables can make.
I answer allot of questions in the Yahoo Answers forums specifically about Home theater questions, some also about turntables and analog playback systems which is my real passion.
But I thought I would bring up a subject that I answer allot on Yahoo answers that you might want to consider for a future show.
I often answer questions regarding the right type or brand of speakers I would recommend for a home theater or music system. I have found that most people don’t know or realize there are differences in speaker design and how it relates to how they should be used and how they sound different.
I first bring to their attention that it’s important to first determine if they are designing a home theater system, a music system or will it be used for both. How important is music or is the system going to be used exclusively for movies or TV? Is speaker placement limited, do they have to be installed into cabinets or built into walls?
I point out that it’s important to understand there is a big difference in the design and sound of “home theater speakers” verses “home music speakers”. If music is important then I strongly suggest not buying “home theater speakers’ but rather hi quality “home music speakers”.
And here is why
Home theater speakers are designed completely differently then home music speakers. Home theater speakers are designed to be directional, with limited dispersion, and are voiced or tuned to be positioned close to walls or in cabinets. Because multiple speakers are used in a home theater speaker system engineers design their speakers to be directional so that you can more pinpoint placement of sounds. Also a “majority ”of home theater speakers are not designed with quality of music reproduction as a high priority but rather the ability to reproduce sound effects.
Some home theater speaker manufactures also voice or tune their speakers to be brighter in the high frequency’s as to compensate for highly damped rooms or because these speakers will be placed behind projector screens which contributes to high frequency loss. Rooms that are heavily damped also contribute to sounds being more directional, and if these same speakers are placed in a more average consumer’s living room will sound overly bright.
Home music speakers on the other hand are designed completely differently. First home music speakers are designed with high quality music reproduction as a priority. Home music speakers are not designed to be directional but rather more open to create a more open, and holographic sound-stage from just two speakers. The only thing to understand with home music speakers is that speaker placement becomes a little more critical. Distances from room boundaries will have a large effect on overall tonal balance and soundstaging, so careful speaker placement is essential to get good sound.
I think it’s important to understand these differences as I feel that most dedicated home theater systems do not play music well at all.
A good music system will be able to reproduce the detail and musicality of instruments and voices with a more open and realistic soundstage from two speakers (as most good music is stereo). I don’t think many people understand that just two stereo speakers can create a very realistic holographic soundstage, if they are positioned reasonably well.
Stereo in most “dedicated home theater systems” playing stereo material sounds like its coming out of two boxes left and right, does not create a realistic soundstage and does not reproduce the delicate tonal quality’s of music. Music in surround does not sound real and is not convincing of listening to real music.
A well designed and setup music system will be more involving and emotional experience.
So I think it’s important for consumers to understand these differences so you can design the system that is right for how it will be used and how you listen.
I have been designing many of my home theater/ music systems utilizing home music speakers as this will give you the best of both worlds. And most hi-end home music speaker manufactures also make center and rear channel speakers so they can be utilized in a home theater application as well.
I think it makes a very interesting subject, and something that’s very important for consumers to understand when considering the purchase of a home music or home theater system.
Best Regards
Kevin LaTour
35 years hi-end audio video specialist
Reader Comments (1)
Kevin
I've been calling hi-end audio stores in San Diego trying to find you. Shawna just did a Google search and found your blogs. I am designing a dedicated home theater room and I still have the Meadowlark Audio speakers, Aural Symphonics' AS-One Interconnects, etc. that you sold me when you worked at Acoustic Image years ago. I would love to chat before I make any mistakes and it would be great to talk with you again -- We've missed you!
David Pack and Shawna Hutton