The range of computer speakers that is available to you today has increased manifold. There was a time when choosing a pair of computer speakers was child’s play with limited options available. With the advent of technology and the wide scale acceptance of computers as a multipurpose piece of equipment, the outlook has entirely changed with the demand for sophisticated and specialty built speakers on the rise with manufacturers from all corners of the world seizing upon the opportunity.
Broadly speaking, choosing a pair of computer speakers is much akin to choosing a home theater or an audio speaker system if you’re looking at the quality of sound output. A few years back, a sound card had to be installed on the motherboard as an add-on to generate decent quality sound out of the computer’s external speakers, but with the progress of technology, the norm of the day is integrated sound cards, which are available in 5.1 and 6.1 channels on pretty much every Intel, Asus and other motherboard especially the desktop models. However, for those unconcerned with budgets and those who want their computers to emit sounds resembling real life, an additional sound card is still the better option. Computer speakers are a necessity for laptop users and the sound output from them is severely hindered by the laptop’s small sized, low power speakers which were installed there due to space constraints. Whatever is the case, unless one is attuned to or prefers using only headphones, a set of computer or multimedia speakers are a necessity. The standard audio connection used will be a 3.175 mm (1/8 inch) stereo jack plug often color-coded lime green (as per PC 99 standard). USB speakers are available as well, which are powered by the USB port at 5 volts (200 milliamps). The connectivity for the speakers can be either accomplished through wires or one of the wireless varieties and before you ask, wireless multimedia speaker systems are capable of producing surround sound as well, making a home theater speaker system less desirable.
Choosing computer audio speakers on the basis of your specific need offers the following three options. If the primary use of the computer is for data processing, web surfing or sending emails etc, then a simple pair of magnetically shielded speakers will do. For getting the best of sound while playing DVDs and the like, a powered subwoofer in at least a 2.1 channel setup will be fine, but a 5.1 channel will bring you the best of all worlds. For the music enthusiast, with a dedicated add on 3D sound card installed, a multi channel (a 5.1 or a 7.1 setup) will be a rewarding investment. There are special speakers available for gaming purposes and they have proven to be very good once hooked up to your PS3 or Xbox.
Technically, while buying computer speakers, the basics that one needs to look at are the frequency response ( which is a measure of the high and low frequency sounds which the speaker can produce), the Total Harmonic Distortion (which indicates the amount of distortion created as a result of signal amplification) and the Wattage (which is a measure of the amount of amplification possible). In other words, the tonal sound quality of the output should be as natural sounding as possible. No frequency should be automatically and electronically suppressed or exaggerated. The subwoofer shouldn’t be too loud, with the good ones giving the feel that all the bass is coming from the satellite speakers alone. Altec Lansing, Harman Kadron and Creative Labs make some of the most popular computer speakers ever sold.
In simpler terms, the approach to buying should be essentially personalized. Everyone has a different definition for great sound and a different taste for music. Tastes affect the perceived quality of a set of speakers. The speakers should also esthetically blend in with your existing setup. There are many reputed brands available and one should check the configuration and warranties as well as the option for free shipping before buying. Amazon’s top sellers list includes the Logitech S220 2.1 Speaker System with Subwoofer, the Logitech Z-2300 THX-Certified 2.1 Speaker System with Subwoofer ( 19% discount and free shipping) as well as the Altec Lansing iMT620 inMotion Classic Portable iPod Dock with Rechargeable Battery and FM Tuner at 31% off of the list price. This makes these speakers the cheapest that are available anywhere online.
Specialty Speakers - Check out more specialty speakers. This Section features speakers from the famous ORB Speakers to Marine Speakers, to Rock Speakers and many specialty speaker types in between! Click below to see more on the specialty speaker that interests you.