when you buy speakers, what do you actually look and check to determine the sound quality of the speakers?
i normally look at wattage for power output, look at the number of speakers per satellite (ie. tweeters, bass, etc..) and the size of the speakers.
the only true way to judge is to actually listen to them and judge it that way. I never look at the specs. I have Bose speakers for my computer and I :wub: them but they are expensive compared to others out there
^^^ if im ever looking for a speaker set, i always ask to hear it first You need to turn it up too, see if theres much distortion at higher levels~
I use a set of Klipsch. Again, one of the more expensive brands out there, but well worth it. If you are really that concerned with the sound quality, there are a number of things you should look at, not just your speakers. For instance, you should probably be looking at your sound card as well. No sense in getting 7.1 Dolby compatible speakers if your sound card only supports 2 channels. If you have a good sound card, here's what I would look for. - Total subwoofer output (in watts). Make sure the sub is separately powered. You will get a lot more response out of it if it has its own power source. - Output level (in dB) - If you want something that will blow your neighbors eardrums out, the higher the number, the louder it will go with less distortion - Frequency response - Again, if you want that bass to really shine, the greater the frequency range, the more it will be able to recognize and respond to. - Power handling. - This will tell you how much each speaker can handle. Take for example if you got this crazy idea to route your computer speakers through a home theater amp that supplied 500W of power. If you speakers are only rated for 60W max, you can go ahead and flush your $300 that you paid for your uber nice system down the drain.
things to note. Bigger is better most of the time. ever wonder why new cell phones sound crappier than last gen phones, they're slimmer and the speakers are more compressed. my advice is basically try to test the set out with some music and scan for audio artifacts from the mp3. I'm not a huge audiophile though so I'm not good at making too many recomendations in this area.
