Introduction
Now that all of the internal components for computer audio have been discussed in the previous three parts of Understanding Computer Audio, it is time to look speakers. Speakers generate the final audio quality that a user will hear and even great internal components can all fall apart with a very poor pair of speakers. Conversely, exceptional speakers will not help a poor audio processor. With this in mind, let's take a look at what to consider when looking at speakers.
Notebook Speakers
Before going any further, its time to address notebooks. Currently no notebook system has a speaker solution that will provide a very high quality audio reproduction. Most solutions will sound very tinny and high pitched with very little low frequency. In addition, there tends to be a lot of noise transmitted over the speakers due to the limited space and close proximity to all of the internal components.
So, what can one do about notebook audio to improve things? The simplest solution is to get a good pair of portable audio headphones and plug them into the notebook. Another solution is to hook the notebook to either amplified external speakers or use new USB based sound solutions. These allow for more dynamic ranges to be produced then the internal solutions.
Amplification
Amplification is a tricky subject for consumers. Most systems are listed with their total wattage for all the speakers. The problem is one higher wattage system can end up sounding terrible when compared to one with half the rated wattage. This has to due with the current, type of amplification, size of speakers and even the speaker cable. Don't be trapped into only looking at wattage.
The best thing to do to test the speakers is to listen to a set in a store and adjust the volume from low levels to much higher levels. You will likely annoy others in the store, but you want to see how the sound is reproduced at higher volume or amplification. Good speakers should sound clear through all volume levels. Poor speakers will tend to pop or have distortion especially on the lower frequencies.
Wires, Wires Everywhere
As the number of speakers in a system increases from the simple two speakers to the 5.1 surround configurations, the number of wires proportionally increases. When looking at computer speakers, it is important to look at what wires they use. Typical speakers will include interconnects that run from the computer to the subwoofer and amplifier. From here, all of the satellite speakers will connect into the subwoofer for the power.
Most inexpensive speakers will come with some sort of fixed wiring solution. These will be predetermined lengths of cable with a fixed connector such as a mini-jack or RCA connector that plugs into the subwoofer or amplifier. The advantage to this is that it helps reduce the costs by providing a standard system for the manufacturer. The user also has a very simple time connecting them as no wiring striping is involved. The problem is that the speaker wires have a fixed length that will restrict where the speakers can be located in relation to the computer and amplifier. This can be very problematic if rear speakers must be routed a certain way to hide wires and the cable lengths are not long enough.
More expensive speaker systems may come with standard home stereo speaker wiring. The advantage to this is that the speakers can be placed in any location as long as you have enough wire. The speakers tend to come with a thin gauge of wire that will provide adequate levels of sound, but for better quality the user can replace it with different specialized wire. Expect to have to spend more time in setting up these types of speakers.
Mounting
The majority of computer speaker systems are designed to rest on the desk that the computer sits on. The stands will typically be manufactured from plaster and have a fixed angle for the speaker. Some systems will come with adjustable stands that allows for better directional placement of the speakers. This can be important if the speakers need to reside above the listener and need to be angled down.
Wall mounting is an option for some high-end speakers, but be careful. Make sure that the speakers use a standard screw mount system so that adjustable mounts can be used to place them in locations with proper directional adjustments. Many systems will come with fixed wall mounts that allow for them to only point in a single direction.
Conclusions
Most computer systems come with a fairly generic set of amplified speakers that can leave room for much improvement. If the computer is not going to be used for music, movies or even gaming than these speakers will probably be sufficient, but for the other tasks third party speakers will improve the audio quality. When looking at the speakers, just be aware of what is included in the package and make sure those speakers fit with the way you intend to use the computer for audio and how those speakers will be placed.
