Quality Speakers

Music, just like the colours and style of furniture

you choose for your new home, can set an

atmosphere. But no matter what music you

choose - Britney or Beethoven - dream audio comes down to

quality speakers placed strategically. Spending some time

planning your audio needs can elevate your new home or

condo from nice to fantastic, and the best time to plan this is

prior to moving in.

You may not have hired a professional audio installer when

you lived in your last home but moving into your dream home

is different, and may be the perfect time to get an expert's

opinion. The placement and installation of your quality speakers

requires some planning, after all it doesn't make sense to

invest in quality speakers if they are not placed

for optimal performance. Whether or not you decide to

hire a professional there are a few rules of thumb that

professional audio installers use.

First, you can't have quality sound without balance. The

sound quality in a room can be off balance for various

reasons: thick carpets and upholstered furniture may muffle

sound; tile flooring or a lot of glass may reflect the sound; low

ceilings may cause sound to be unevenly dispersed; sound

may not carry evenly through larger rooms; etc. It's important

to look at each room individually for the acoustic challenges

it may provide and proceed from there. For example, if the

room is large or has low ceilings it may need additional quality

speakers to allow the sound to disperse properly and provide

balanced sound coverage.

Once you've looked at each room for individual acoustic challenges the next step is choosing your quality speakers.

There is a myriad of styles and shapes to suit each home and

listening preference, from stand-alone box speakers to

models that can be mounted into the walls and ceilings with

no sacrifice to sound.

Next, comes deciding on the placement of the quality speakers,

and this is so important to your audio enjoyment. Speakers

installed in the ceiling usually work well for background

music, however if you've ever been in someone's home for

dinner (or in a restaurant) where the speakers are directly over

the table you'll know how difficult and annoying it can be to

carry on a conversation. Instead, speakers are usually most

appreciated when they face the seating area - whether this is

a dining room table or the living room couch. The seating

areas in each room are usually placed in front of the main

feature of that room, such as a fireplace or painting, and many

audio installers will place quality speakers by the main feature so

they provide both left and right imaging to the seated area.

This provides balanced sound, and that is key to having

superior audio in your home.

Strategic placement of quality speakers in your new home may

not be the first thing that comes to mind when

designing a room, however where you place your speakers will

add to your enjoyment of your new home. Not only that, it

can also change the dynamics of a room - for

example, making a larger room seem more intimate - just as

the proper use of lighting can make a cavernous room appear

cozier. Each home's audio needs are different so do your own

research; you'll find there are quality speakers for every preference.