Tutorial
Displays and Video Diffusers
"We call the speakers placed on the left and right of your television or projection screen the "main" speakers. These are generally classic hi-fi speakers, like those you use for your stereo system. In theory, they should be acoustically and visually aesthetic.A recurring question pops-up concerning main speakers, as to whether it is possible to make a home cinema system with one’s own hi-fi speakers. In fact, film sound tracks contain extreme low frequencies that are more pronounced than in hi-fi, which is where the question arises. This solution comes in the form of a sub-woofer. This being said, in most cases, a good pair of loudspeakers should be amply sufficient.
Several parameters should be taken into account when choosing your main speakers.
- Firstly, define the maximum space that they should be able to take-up. Don’t forget you’ll have three or four others to install and that your living room shouldn’t be disfigured. The space that you devote to your system is an affair of personal taste. However, it’s better not to go too far, because the bigger a speaker is, the bigger the room that harbours it should be. The results can be dramatic if you choose an over-imposing pair of speakers for a room that’s too small: a big speaker effectively needs space to develop its potential.
- You should then define a budget, which is again a personal affair. Nevertheless, it’s better to keep in mind that you’ll have to go on to buy rear speakers, the centre channel speaker, and maybe a subwoofer … so it’s best to spread the budget rationally for all the speakers, each just as important as the other in Home Cinema. If you are particularly fond of music, you will probably want to give more importance to your main speakers, without creating major disproportion. In Home Cinema, the other speakers should be more or less at the same level.
- The last remaining factor is that of pleasure. Don’t choose your pair of main speakers on the whim of a good critique in a specialist magazine or on the advice of the salesman. These factors should orient you, but it is up to you to choose your speakers for their sound quality. Don’t forget as well that they will also serve to play music in stereo. "
