Speakers

Here at Newegg, we offer a wide selection of speakers for all your home entertainment needs. Whether you need speakers for the outdoors, a television room, or to hear your stereo throughout the house, you can find great audio equipment in our online catalog. As with all of our home electronics, our speakers are not only state of the art and priced to please! You will not find superior value anywhere on the Internet.

How to Choose Speakers

The key to choosing the right speakers is understanding what the specifications mean. The most basic detail is the configuration, which is expressed as 2.0, 2.1, 4.1, and so on. The first digit refers to how many speakers come with the set, and the numeral to the right of the decimal point refers to how many subwoofers come with the system. A subwoofer provides a strong bass that many standard speakers are incapable of playing.

Another factor to consider is sensitivity, which is measured in decibels (dB). Highly sensitive speakers (anything over 92 dB) can produce clear, high-volume sound without much amplifier power. Speakers with less than 88 dB are considered inefficient; sound will be distorted on these speakers without the help of a high-quality amplifier.

Frequency response is also important. Ideally, you want speakers that can reproduce the entire spectrum of audible frequencies. The lowest frequency detectable by the human ear is 20 Hz, and the highest is 20,000 Hz, or 20 kHz. If speakers cannot play something as low as 20 Hz, the only way to hear everything you are supposed to hear is by purchasing a subwoofer.

What about Watts? Unless you plan on hosting a heavy metal concert in your backyard, you will probably never blow your speakers regardless of the amplifier you use. Distortion causes blown speakers far more often than volume. To avoid blown speakers, never exceed the recommended wattage on your amplifiers. This will prevent distortion. By playing music at a comfortable listening level without distortion, your speakers will be just fine.