Music has a strong connection with most people and it instantly transports people to an enjoyable, immersive experience. A great stereo sound system at home has the power to move you and give you the choice to discover more of the music that elevates your spirits.
That’s why to help you enjoy an immersive listening experience within the comfort of your home, we decided to prepare a quick guide for you that covers everything that goes into the making of a stellar sound system at home.
Here are the major considerations to keep in mind
If your listening space is large, you will need larger loudspeakers that provide better amplification. But if your room is small, very large speakers can over-drive the space, leading to an overbearing sound that lacks control. A definite no-no would be to placing the speakers too close to the side and rear walls, or even the corners as that can lead to significant amounts of ‘boom’. Ideally, you should place your speakers equidistant from your listening position.
Plan where you propose to put your speakers before you make the purchase. The best thing to do would be to audition the speakers as well as systems in various rooms that are similar to your living space. To give you some idea of what would best cater to your space needs, experts at Ooberpad can advise you. Nevertheless, the final word is yours. What sounds best to your ears, is the best pick.
Do you like to play CDs or LPs? Do you prefer streaming everything either from your own network library or online services?
To ensure optimal performance, you must rationalize your choices. Instead of opting to put together a system that does it all, simplify and spend more of your allocated budget on each of the elements and you will get what is nothing short of a truly stellar experience. An easy way to do this is to keep one-third of your budget on your principal source (music streamer, record player or CD player). Also, the best part about building a music system from separate components is that you can always add further music sources later.
Consider spending a third of your total budget on amplification. Keep in mind that the amplifier you choose has a sufficient number of inputs to fit your current and future needs. Also, if you have a large room, an amplifier with ample reserves would be a good fit.
Want to avoid the struggle of driving a pair of speakers to the levels you require? Then, plan for better quality and do not hesitate to spend on amplification more suited to the task of working well within its capabilities.
Loudspeakers come in a wide range of cabinet sizes and design choices. You also have a better choice of aesthetics, both traditional and contemporary. Generally speaking, larger speakers pack more punch with a bigger and deeper sound due to their ability to shift air, which is key to the sound delivery. But if you live in a house where space is at a premium, you should consider picking more compact designs for the speakers. It would be worth mentioning that if you pick standmount speakers, checking out some dedicated loudspeaker stands should be your next step.
The acoustics of the room significantly influence the sound. You will get a different sound result if you place your speakers on a hard, polished floor surface than when you place them in a warmer, softer, carpeted room. You can easily rely on your dealer who would be able to recommend equipment able to compensate for your acoustics. So, while making the purchase, do not forget to mention the properties of your living space.
Consider spending a total of 10% of your system budget on cabling, as good quality audio cables help let through more of the musical signal. It would be helpful to know that the cables with a high silver content tend to foster a tonally sweet sound. On the other hand, the solid-core cables facilitate a more powerful presentation.
Also, here are our best home stereo sound system recommendations:
The Elac Debut 2.0 F5.2 - a 3-Way bass-reflex floor standing speaker that can deliver up to 140 Watts of output. Improving on its award-winning predecessor, the Debut F5.2 floorstander sets a higher standard and delivers an amazing sonic performance.
The Elac Debut 2.0 B6.2 - a 2-Way Bass Reflex bookshelf speaker that can deliver up to 120 Watts of output. Improving on its award-winning predecessor, the Debut B6.2 sets a higher standard and delivers an amazing performance from a compact build size.
It is the seventh generation of the iconic 600 Series stand-mount speaker. Raising a toast to the sound with the B&W 606 S2 Anniversary Edition - an amalgamation of the best of both worlds; a powerful stand-mount speaker, in an aesthetically appealing compact package
A perfect fit for smaller spaces, the 607 S2 Anniversary Edition unlocks incredible insight and dynamism in your music. Leveraging the same game-changing technologies as its siblings, the 607 S2 Anniversary Edition is ideal for enjoying your music or providing surround sound as part of a home theatre system.
Hopefully, these tips will help you put together the stereo sound system at home that will make your spine tingle! So start building a great sound system at home, without worrying about compromising on the music experience.
