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Select a manufacturer
from the list:
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ielectronics.com
3047 Bartold Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63143
Phone: (314) 880-0600
Fax: (314) 446-1290
Get Map Directions
The ielectronics.com’s showroom and store are centrally located in Maplewood, Missouri. Our showroom is open from 10 am to 6 pm, Monday through Friday, and Saturday by appointment.
Too busy to stop by the store?
Tell us about your next project, and one of our specialists will contact you to discuss available options. Please call us anytime during store hours at (314) 880-0600 or contact us online here.
Serving clients in Missouri and Illinois
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Select Your Speakers
Speakers have the most influence on how any audio system will sound. With so many speakers available in various shapes, styles and sizes, you may feel overwhelmed when trying to choose. Use this Buying Guide to help you find the perfect speakers.
Why Do I Need All of Those
Speakers?
| Speaker Location
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Function
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| Front Left and Right
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Recreate the front left and right soundtrack with surround sound content and all twochannel (stereo) content.
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| Center
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Reproduces primarily voices and dialogue, which accounts for most of a movie’s or TV show’s soundtrack.
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| Surround Left and Right
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Create a sense of space and depth and are typically to the sides or rear of the listening position. A system may have two or more surround speakers, depending on the audio system’s capabilities
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| Subwoofer
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Delivers low bass and low frequency effects often found in movie soundtracks.
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Speaker Types
Your favorite consumer electronics retailer likely sells many different types of speakers. Use this guide to understand each type and its
role in a home audio system.
| Design
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Description
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Considerations
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| Satellite Speakers
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Small speakers with either a single, full-range driver or a tweeter and mid-bass driver only. They rely on a subwoofer or bass module to reproduce low frequencies. These are typically bundled with home theater “package” systems.
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• Small and easy to mount • Limited power handling
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| Bookshelf Speakers
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Better suited to handle higher power output and bass than satellite speakers, these speakers come in small to medium sized cabinets and usually feature two or more drivers.
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• Require a bookshelf or stands to position them at the proper listening level • Smaller cabinets usually yield less bass response than larger cabinets
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| Floor Standing (“Tower”) Speakers
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Larger, full-range speakers that typically use multiple drivers to reproduce a wider range of frequencies.
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• Typically have highest power handling capability of all speaker designs
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| Built-in Speakers
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In- and on-wall and in- and on-ceiling designs mount flush on drywall or other surfaces to create a custom-installed look.
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• Great choice for a variety of home theater applications where a custom look is desired or where space is at a premium
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| Center Channel Speaker
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Some speakers are designed specifically for the center channel of a surround audio system. Commonly these speakers are designed to sit on top or below a TV set or mount under a projector screen.
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• Ideally the center channel speaker should match (i.e., use drivers with same tonal qualities and specs) the front left and right speakers
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| Subwoofer
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Delivers low bass and low frequency effects often found in movie soundtracks. Typical design is a floor-standing cabinet.
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• A must-have for any home theater or media room
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Four Considerations When
Selecting Speakers
Use this chart to help narrow your choices based on four characteristics.
| Considerations
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How to Decide
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Details
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| Application
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Will they be used primarily for music, movies or both?
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Speakers with a wider frequency response and greater bass response are typically better suited for multi-channel music playback.
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| Décor
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How does the speaker’s finish match the room in terms of size, color and style?
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Speakers come in all sizes, shapes, styles and installation types.
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| Amplification
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What receiver or amplifier will be used? What is speaker’s sensitivity rating?
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Generally speaking, the higher power handling (expressed as watts/channel “RMS”) and sensitivity (expressed in dB), the better.
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| Room Dimensions
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How much power handling will you need to fill the room with sound? Can the room fit floor-standing speakers or bookshelf speakers on stands?
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Larger rooms need higher-sensitivity speakers and speakers that can handle higher power output.
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Auditioning Speakers
Perhaps the most subjective – and important – step when choosing speakers is finding those that sound best to you. Ask the sales associate
to demo different speakers for you and listen for the five qualities below.
| Characteristic
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How
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Listen For
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| Distortion
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Turn the volume to the loudest level you expect to listen at home.
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Distortion of the sound.
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| Soundstage
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Close your eyes and see if you can locate instruments or sounds as if they were on a stage in front of you.
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You should not hear sound from only one speaker, rather the sound should entirely fill the space. The speakers should essentially “disappear.”
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| Dispersion
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Listen at different spots in the room.
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Is there a single “sweet spot” where the sound is remarkably better, or can you move around the listening position and still maintain good sound quality?
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| Treble and Midrange
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Listen to cymbals, pianos and acoustic guitars.
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Highs and mids should be free of echos and not sound overly “bright.”
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| Bass
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Listen to kick drums and cellos for detail and accuracy.
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A constant “boom” or rumble is a sign of inaccurate bass.
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Go to: HDTV 101 Home • Audio Buying Guide - Systems
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