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Posted on: August 5, 2010

Speak Up

The speed of sound gets faster with every new audio system. Here’s how to stay ahead of the next sound wave

By Jeff Schnaufer
CTW Features

Pump up the volume: Don’t underestimate the value of a quality home audio system. Experts suggest spending 25 percent to 35 percent of your TV budget on speakers and electronics. Image courtesy of Entertainment, Communication and Control Systems

Today’s advances in audio systems are not so quietly changing the way we listen to music, watch television and enjoy our favorite DVDs and Blu-ray films.

But are consumers really listening for the latest advances, or is everyone just missing the beat?

TV Diet

Many Americans are ponying up thousands of dollars for flat screen televisions, yet scrimp on the sound system. That’s a mistake, says Lake Oswego, Ore.-based Vance Dickason, editor of “Voice Coil” magazine and author of “Loudspeaker Design Cookbook” (Audio Amateur Pubns, 2005).

“Can you imagine going to a big theater with a 1,000 seats and listening to the new ‘Star Trek’ film with a boom box sitting below the 80 foot screen to provide the sound?” he says. “It just wouldn’t be the same experience as you get with the huge professional theater speaker systems.” “The same thing is true of your home theater experience. If you have $2,000 to spend, split the amount to include at least 25 percent to 35 percent of your budget on the sound system (speakers and electronics).”

A low-cost option is a sound bar, a long horizontally mounted cabinet along the bottom of the flat screen that costs $200 and up and, Dickason says, features sound quality that “is significantly better than listening to the built-in flat screen speakers.”

There are a number of quality manufacturers of these kinds of speakers with brand names such as Klipsch, Polk Audio, Infinity, Niles and Dickason’s personal preference, the Artison on-wall and sound bars speakers.

Small Wonder

The latest trend in whole house sound systems is the new small ceiling speakers that look like small recessed ceiling lights, Dickason says.

“These smaller footprint speakers are less obtrusive into the home environment and are almost so small they go unnoticed,” he says. “These are being provided by all the major ceiling loudspeaker brand names such as Sonance, SpeakerCraft and Niles with prices that start just below $100.”

iPod Innovations

“Nearly all audio system manufacturers have iPod docks in their portfolio of products,” says Lewis Rosenthal, president of EnCom Alliance Corporation in Valley Stream, N.Y.

“At one end of the spectrum are the many choices in portable or table top speaker/dock systems” he says. “The Bose SoundDock has been a leader in this product class for some time.”

Top audio system manufactures have also integrated the iPod Dock with their receivers, Rosenthal says.

“In this class we prefer docks that provide network capabilities,” Rosenthal says. “The Denon iPod Docks, ranging from the ASD-3N to the ASD-51W, are designed to work with Denon AV Receivers and provide easy-to-use graphical interface displayed on your HD flat screen TV. And [when] played on your theater system speakers, provide a great music experience. In addition, Select Denon Receivers from their Custom Integrator (CI) line include technology to restore the sound lost when music is compressed for iPod use.”

The Great Outdoors

Get your groove on with garden speakers.

“Like small outdoor flood lights, garden speakers have a stake so they can be pushed into the ground and then be aimed at the listening area in the same way you would aim a light to illuminate an area of your back yard,” Dickason says. “They are easy to install and fairly unobtrusive, certainly less so that the larger rock shaped outdoor speakers.”

Most of the major loudspeaker brand names are selling these kinds of products, Dickason says, particularly those companies that specialize in ceiling and outdoor speakers such as Sonance, SpeakerCraft and Niles. Prices start at less than $100.