Speaker Sound Coloration

Speakers represent one of the most important choices you can make as to the final sound that you will be hearing in your home entertainment room. They also have a very wide price range, and can be purchased for less than $100 per pair, and up to more than $70,000 per pair. You might ask the question, “what the heck is inside there to make them so expensive?” The answer is similar to why some amplifiers cost so much. The more expensive speakers are generally made in very small quantities, with custom built speaker drivers, and fine cabinet work. In general, you get what you pay for, but the tonal characteristics of each speaker system differ, perhaps more than any other component in a sound system. Thus, it is imperative that you listen to a large number of speakers to find the ones that sound best to your ears. Some will have a bright sound, others a strong midrange, and others a very deep bass. Although some are more neutral (tonally correct) than others, no speaker reproduces the audio spectrum (the human range of hearing) perfectly. They all “color” the sound to varying degrees, regardless of price. This coloration is something built in, depending on the preferences of the designer. Finding speakers that satisfy your preferences takes some time and effort.