Detailed Guide on Finding the Perfect Speakers for your PC

Your desktop PC is incomplete without a good set of multimedia speakers. Without speakers you won’t be able to enjoy music, gaming or do voice chat. I mean to say that your computer is totally mute in absence of speakers. Speakers are available in different configurations and types and every user has its own requirements when choosing speakers. So here in this post I will show you on how to choose decent quality speakers for your PC.

Important things to Look for in Computer Speakers

Here are the most important things you should look for in choosing speakers for your computer.

Speakers Configuration

Speakers come in different configurations which are being mentioned below:

2 Channel Speakers

These are basic stereo speakers and you can find them easily at any computer or electronics shop. They do not have subwoofer so there is virtually no bass effect present in these speakers. They are cheap and are used mainly for the purpose of just having sound in your PC. They come with one 3.5mm jack.

2.1 Channel Speakers

These are stereo sound speakers and consist of one subwoofer and two general speakers called satellites. These speakers can produce bass effect because of the presence of subwoofer unit. These speakers are great for listening music and gaming. Also if you want raw loud music then nothing can beat a good set of 2.1 channel speakers. They come with only one 3.5mm jack.

4.1 Channel Speakers

The term 4.1 channel is a bit misleading as there are no real 4.1 channels speakers present today. I mean to say that 4.1 channel sound does not exist anymore and 4.1 channel speakers are basically 2.1 channel speakers with two extra satellite speakers. 4.1 channel speakers are also very rare to find and only few companies makes them. Like 2 channel and 2.1 channel speakers almost all 4.1 channel speakers comes with only one 3.5mm jack.

5.1 Channel Speakers

These speakers are known as Dolby Digital Sound (DTS) speakers as they can produce the 5.1 channel sound or DTS sound that you experience in the movie theaters. These speakers come with one subwoofer and 5 satellite speakers in which one is the center speaker. It is a bit complicated to configure these speakers because of the number of wires involved in them. It must also be noted that for experiencing DTS sound your audio or movie must also be encoded in 5.1 channel sound effect.

5.1 channel speakers comes with three 3.5mm jack and either you should have 6 channel sound card or your motherboard should have integrated 6 channel audio capability to use and configure 5.1 channel speakers in your PC.

Recommended 5.1 Channel Speakers Setup for Room

Here below is the recommended setup for 5.1 channel speakers in your room.

Configuring 5.1 Channel Speakers in your PC

Computers with 5.1 Channel Supporting Motherboards

Front cable: To Line out.

Rear cable: To the Rear-Out

Center / Subwoofer cable: To Center / Subwoofer Out

Computers without 5.1 Channel Supporting Motherboards

Front cable: To Line-out

Rear cable: To Line in

Center/Subwoofer cable: To Mic-in

There are also 7.1 channel and 9.1 channel speakers but they are very rare and not widely used.

Loudness

You can estimate the loudness of a speaker by viewing the RMS value of the speaker. Many people think that loudness depends on PMPO but it is totally wrong. It is just marketing gimmick and the real and correct way to judge speaker loudness is by noting down its RMS value, which is generally printed or specified on the speaker manual or its box. Higher the RMS value, the loud will be the speaker. To know more about RMS value read the article below.

Speaker RMS and PMPO Values Explained

Sound Quality

By Sound quality I mean how well a speaker is able to produce the sound without any cracking or noise especially at high volumes. This can only be judged by listening to the speaker before making a final buying decision.

Extra Features

These features may not be present in budget features but if you are buying a decent set of speakers then you should look for features like Digital Display, Remote and FM Radio.

Local vs. Branded

Well as I have always said that you should always buy branded components and devices. Local speakers may be able to fulfill your basic need of sound but if you are into listening great quality music, playing high end games and watching HD movies with DTS sound effect then you should invest money in good branded speakers only.

Recommended top brands of speakers are Altec Lansing, Creative, Logitech, Philips, F&D, JBL.

Buy Branded Speakers Online

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