Loudspeakers come in all shapes and sizes. In fact, there are now speakers for every taste and to meet any decor need. Speakers are no longer just big functional boxes but can be pleasing to look at as well. There are big speakers; tall speakers; bookshelf speakers and in-wall, on-wall and in-ceiling speakers.

All speakers, though, are critical to your listening enjoyment, whether it's classical or rock music or a loud or soft movie. They must be able to make music sound sweet and a train wreck sound believable. A speaker is comprised a multiple "drivers" that produce high and low sounds. Woofers produce low bass sounds, tweeters produce higher-pitched sounds and midrange drivers produce the sounds in the middle. A two-way speaker means the unit has two drivers: one woofer and one tweeter. A three-way speaker has a woofer, a midrange and a tweeter. A four-way speaker may include two woofers, a midrange and a tweeter. As prices go up, the size of the drivers increases.

One feature common to all speakers is terminals, or connectors. If given the choice, always select binding post terminals over spring clip varieties to provide better connections.

Types of Speakers

Front or main speakers can be used with a stereo system or home theater. Depending on their use, many are magnetically shielded so the speaker drivers don't interfere with the TV picture if the speaker is placed near the set.

Front channel speakers come in many sizes, from unobtrusive bookshelf models to floorstanding tower varieties. Meanwhile, many smaller or satellite models fit unobtrusively in living and family rooms and sound terrific. Some can even be placed on stands. Virtually all smaller speakers include a woofer and a tweeter. However, a subwoofer may be needed to overcome a lack of bass from small woofers. A handful of models only include a midrange driver and a tweeter, and will definitely require a subwoofer for low-bass sounds.

Center channel speakers are designed to sit on top of or directly beneath the television set or video display. These units offer a low profile with a horizontal orientation and are designed for reproducing dialogue in the most realistic and natural-sounding way possible. They also reproduce on-screen action and effects faithfully. All are magnetically shielded to prevent interference with the video picture, and most models include at least one or two smaller woofers and a tweeter. Keep in mind that despite its size and appearance, the center channel is the most important speaker in a home theater system, as it relays all the dialogue and much of the other sounds in a movie or program.

Rear, side or surround speakers are smaller units that can be placed on stands or mounted to the side or slightly behind and above the listening area. They carry surround effects mostly to enliven the experience and provide a feeling of presence. Rear speakers are either bipole or dipole in design. Both have drivers facing in different directions to fill the room with the ambient sound, though a dipole speaker can create an even more nondirectional sound.

Satellite speakers normally include woofers and tweeters and can be used as front, center- or rear-channel speakers. In many cases, they are packaged together. Some manufacturers repackage their car audio speakers in small cabinets and call them "satellites."

Tower with sub speakers are two speakers in one box. The lower portion houses a powered subwoofer with separate connectors, eliminating the need to place a large subwoofer in the corner of the room or beneath a table. Both parts of the speaker are magnetically shielded so the unit can be placed near a TV.

Subwoofers are low-frequency effects (LFE) speakers that reproduce only the lowest bass sounds. All of the train crashes, explosions and numerous background noises such as doors slamming and hooves thundering demand the bass response that only a subwoofer can provide.

A subwoofer typically resembled a big black box. It is usually placed in a corner, under a table or behind furniture, though it can be located anywhere in a room, as bass is nondirectional. It usually consists of one large woofer or more.

These speakers produce their low sounds by moving air, so the bigger the woofer, the more air it will move. Subwoofer drivers range in size from about 5 to 18 inches in diameter, with the majority falling in the 12-inch range. Some of the enclosures are ported, meaning they have a hole on the side or the bottom of the cabinet for air intake. The port helps add a thump to the bass.

Subwoofers are either active or passive. Active subwoofers have their own internal amplifiers. Passive subwoofers require power from either your audio/video receiver or an external amplifier and are less costly than powered subs. Many audio/video receivers have subwoofer output jacks on their back panels. All subwoofers have either volume control or input level dials.

In a typical home theater setup, only one "sub" is needed. If you are planning to add certified THX components, two subwoofers are required.

Not all subwoofers are housed in squarish black boxes. Some come in a base cabinet on which a 36-inch direct-view or 50-inch tabletop rear projection TV can sit. The base may house a center channel speaker as well. A few other manufactures have built subwoofers into pieces of furniture such as end tables and coffee tables to make them completely unobtrusive. These pieces of furniture come in several styles and finishes.

In-wall and in-ceiling speakers are placed inside wall or ceiling cavities, usually between two studs or joists. They are also called architectural speakers. Because the wall or ceiling cavity is shallow, most models range in depth from 2.5 inches to just under 5 inches. The speaker grille rests flush with the wall. Both the grille and frame, which normally come in a matte white finish, can be painted so the speaker blends into the wall or ceiling.

Virtually all in-wall speakers are rectangular in shape and can function like stereo speakers for music or front, center or rear speakers in a home theater. In-ceiling speakers are usually round, with the tweeter placed in the center of the woofer, which saves on space but does not produce as robust a sound as in-wall speakers do. Some in-ceiling models can also be square in shape.

On-wall speakers are newer and are designed to complement wall-hanging plasma and LCD video displays. Flat-panel speakers from a handful of manufacturers can hang on the wall but give the appearance of an in-wall speaker. Some models may be painted or have works of art printed on their grilles so they appear as decorative wall hangings.

Outdoor speakers are rugged and weatherproof and can be mounted on your home's exterior or under the eaves. Good outdoor speakers will resist the effects of wind, rain and snow. Several companies also produce landscape speakers that look like rocks so that they can blend into a garden or be placed behind shrubs.

Be sure to point landscape speakers toward your house and not at your neighbors. Also remember that with several strategically located speakers as opposed to one or two, you can play them at lower volumes and effectively fill the spaces between, providing you with great sound as you move around.

Wireless speakers are untethered to your audio/video rack and free you from looking at unsightly wires or difficult speaker cable routing. Wireless speakers are powered and need to be plugged into a wall socket, though some also operate on batteries. Keep performance in mind, however: Many things can happen that interfere with the wireless signal.

Speaker Features

Power is measured in watts per channel. In most rooms where you listen to music at low to moderate levels, 20 to 30 watts per channel is adequate. You'll probably want to send more power to speakers in a home theater or media room. The best surround sound will result if all speakers in a room receive equal power.

Sensitivity is even more important than power. This is measured in a rating of about 86 to 93 decibels (dB). The higher the rating, the more sensitive the speaker is and the better it will perform without high amplification. A difference of just 3 dB in sensitivity is roughly akin to doubling the amount of amplification.

Signal processing allows the speaker's sonic characteristics to be adjusted to complement the room's acoustics. This is often called digital signal processing (DSP) or room response control.

Speakers that are THX certified meet strict criteria in producing a soundtrack as it was intended it to be heard.

Nominal impedance is the electrical resistance as measured in ohms. The lower the ohms, the more efficient the loudspeaker. Most speakers are rated at 6 or 8 ohms.

Frequency response is basically the range of sounds a speaker can reproduce. Full-range floorstanding speakers, such as those that reproduce sound from 30 Hz to 20 kHz, are great for music and movies. Many bookshelf or satellite home theater speakers operate from 60 Hz to 20 kHz. Dedicated subwoofers provide sounds only in the 16-to-32-Hz range and are often designed to complement satellite speakers in providing a cohesive theater or musical experience.

Timbre (pronounced "tamber") refers to the tone or distinctive sound of a speaker. You should timbre match your speakers by purchasing several of the same models -- or at least models from the same line or manufacturer. That way, the speakers will generate a more uniform sound.

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