Speaker Buying Guide

Written by Richie - Published on Feb 28, 2023

So you have decided to buy your first speaker, or maybe you are thinking of upgrading. With so many options out there it can be a minefield trying to figure out what to buy or what speaker is best for you. Int his guide we will offer some helpful advice and tips, as well as some of the pitfalls to try and avoid. 

So you have decided to buy your first speaker, or maybe you are thinking of upgrading. With so many options out there it can be a minefield trying to figure out what to buy or what speaker is best for you. Int his guide we will offer some helpful advice and tips, as well as some of the pitfalls to try and avoid. 

While everyone will have their own opinions, thoughts and desires for their new speakers, here are a few things to consider which might help narrow down your choices. We will expand on each of these below:

Budget may seem like a very obvious thing, but it is worth taking a little bit of time to consider your budget carefully. This will allow you to have a better idea of what speakers are available around you r budget but also helps to give you an expectation of what you can achieve within your given budget. 

One piece of advice we would encourage you to consider is to leave a little bit of your budget for speaker cables (unless you have something comparable already.) The reason for this is there is no point in purchasing a beautiful new speaker and then it being let down by inferior cabling. We recommend a minimum of 10% of your budget should be allocated to your cable choice. 

Another way to think about it is you wouldn't buy a sports car and then put on old, cheap tyres, because all the benefits of the your new car can't be apprecite due to the inferior tyres. Its the same idea for speakers and cables.

Bear in mind budgets can be adjusted with the use of 0% Finance, low rate finance, or buy now pay later so this is a fantastic way to be able to upgrade or buy a better speaker without having to wait!

Every person is going to have a different listening room. This will range from different sizes, to different layouts and even considerations such as reflective surfaces like windows or French doors. Your room will impact your speaker choices. Size is a key element to consider, as not all speakers will work in all rooms. A simple example is large floorstanders will not work in a tiny listening space, it will overload the sound, have inflated bass and just be a horrible sound. Similarly having small bookshelf speakers in a large open space will generally not work, as the sound will be thin and it will be unable to properly fill the space. In essence this has the opposite effect, where there is thin bass, no dynamics and a very unfulfilling sound.  

Sadly, there is no real "guide" that allows you to figure this out, however that is where we, as a dealer, can come in to help. We have been fully trained and heard every product we sell, and therefore we know what will work and what will not work in certain rooms. For example there are some speakers that require a minimum distance of 9 feet between the two speakers to work. That is not going to be possible in some rooms, and therefore you can disregard that speaker completely, because regardless of how well it works with your amplification or how much you like how they look, they simply will never sound right. 

Don't panic though, room sizing sounds very complicated and worrying however as a dealer we can help you narrow down the options, and make sure your new purchase will work in your room. 

One of the most important things to consider when purchasing new speakers is what equipment you are pairing it with. This is important for two reasons: 

1. Are the speakers able to be driven by your current equipment 

2. Will it sonically be a good match to your current equipment

Lets look at Point 1 first. It is important to check if your amplifier is powerful enough to drive the speakers you are considering. Every amplifier will have different power outputs and all speakers will have different power requirements, and it is key to make sure you match those up correctly. A speaker that is hard to drive will not work with a low powered valve amplifier or Class A amplifier. You will never get the dynamics, volume, bass or mid range to achieve a good sound, and you may also damage the amplifier by overdriving it regularly. 

Point 2. What we mean by a good match is two fold, are the sound signatures similar and also is the amplifier suited to your speakers. Firstly, each brand has a particular sound signature and it is important to match your electronics to your speakers. This will give you an overall synergy in the system, and really it is best to speak ti us as a dealer if you haven't heard them together as we can advise if it is a good match.

Secondly, you don't want to match an overly powerful amplifier to a very sensitive speaker. It is not about damaging the speaker with too much power, but it will never really sound right. The speaker will be overdriving, and strictly speaking it does work, but and it is not designed for that much power handling. You therefore get this thin, bright sound and its really harsh and unenjoyable to listen to. Essentially the amplifier is over "idling" and you aren't getting the best from it.   

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Most people will agree that this comes second to the sound, and naturally that is the case for most people. Now, it is worth mentioning that in some cases, aesthetics don't come into it at all, so if that is the case for you, please disregard this point. With that being said, as most of us will use our systems in our homes, speakers are essentially becoming part of the furniture. For that reason, aesthetics may play a part in your decision. If that is the case, it is worth checking what products come in the finishes you may desire, as in some cases they may only offer one finish, which may not work for you. 

Speakers come in all shapes and sizes, and you can choose from ultra modern designs to more traditional and retro styles. We stock a huge range of speakers, so we will be able to find something that is to your liking.

In some cases, speaker manufacturers will also create special and custom colours to match your interior. There are lots of options and we are always happy to try and help create something a little special...

It is worth taking the time to have a think about what you want from your speaker and if it is also something that is upgradable or will have resale value in the future. As always we can also do trade ins which can always help with upgrades. 

It is always worth consulting us as a retailer, if nothing else it gives you the reassurance that you have made a good choice. If you are however confident in your choice, then go for it! If you have done your homework and made a considered decision, then you can sit back and enjoy your new purchase. 

We hope this guide has helped in some way to answering some of the questions, and giving you some of the things to consider when purchasing speakers. As always, this is a generic guide, and if you want more personalised advice, or have any questions, please always feel free to get in touch with us.