= Balance And Frequency Range Of The Speakers - Measuring A Speaker'S Quality

Dating back from 1876 when Graham Bell was given the patent for the electrical loudspeaker, the speaker remained fairly the same until the 1950's when it was given its modern design and use.

A speaker or a system of speakers is an electromechanical device producing sound with the help of an electric transducer. Of the components that make up an audio system, the speakers are probably a crucial part of it, since they are responsible for conveying music and the miscellaneous audible differences that accompany music.


In order to adequately reproduce a number of frequencies, loudspeakers usually are accompanied by several drivers, more than one especially required for high accuracy applications. Constant findings in the field have led to other improvements in the quality of the sound conveyed by speakers, by either introducing computer based aid, temperature adhesives or improving the type of materials used to manufacture speakers.

It is thus vital to carefully choose the adequate speakers for the desired audio or video environment. Because each room is configured differently, it would need a specific system tailored after its needs. For example, in the case of large rooms, speakers with more power and high accuracy levels are required so that sounds are not distorted by the large size of the room. You could also opt for large amplifiers to ensure a continuous flow of the music throughout the whole room. Other factors need to be assessed as well, such as the type of speakers, their frequency range or balance tuning.

Frequency range describes the interval between how a speaker can accurately play high and low frequencies. Some speakers modify high notes in an unpleasant way while others may simply not be able to convey low notes. As a result, a balance must be attained so that each sound is played accurately, albeit on a different level. Balance not only deals with differently tuned sounds, but it also ensures all sounds reach the human ear simultaneously so that close proximity sounds are heard along with less proximity sounds.

Another situation happens when the speaker's frequency range is not satisfactory. Balance is not attained between sounds and thus when increasing the volume, sound is distorted. In some cases, low volumes may not be played or the speaker may play all tones, soft or harsh, in the same way.

To identify a speaker's capabilities when it comes to balance or frequency range, a human voice recorded piece of music should be played. If the speaker is able to accurately reproduce human voice in that it sounds the same as in reality, it means the speaker well balanced and its frequency is good.

Speaking of frequency range or balance, another factor comes into discussion concerning the speaker quality. Directivity is a figure of merit for antenna, measuring the power density of a radiation pattern from a source and thus indicating how much of the total energy is radiated in a particular direction. Because it brings into equation both balance and frequency, directivity gives an accurate description of how well a speaker would interact with a certain room and what kind of sounds are heard by a listener. A high value of directivity attests the quality of the speaker.