A hundred years ago, the music at the festival was arranged simply: the people called the accordion player simpler, the richer ones called the pianist, the violinist, and even the whole orchestra. Then the live sound was replaced by gramophones, radios, tape recorders, etc. Nowadays, it is no longer possible to turn on music or amplify the presenter's voice without a good speaker system. Indeed, the toastmaster will not shout toasts into a megaphone. But the school and the summer cafe need different sets of speakers, and it can be difficult to choose them without a competent specialist.
To install the right equipment in a hall, you need to be able to calculate its acoustic characteristics. If you just buy the first speakers you come across with an amplifier and place them in the corners, there is a risk that somewhere the audience will be stunned, and somewhere they will not be able to hear the words of the speakers. Systems with the same characteristics but different manufacturers give different sound.
Speaker systems are divided into two types: active and passive. In the first, the amplifier is built into the speaker, in the second, it is located separately. Therefore, it is enough to connect active systems to an outlet, but passive systems need an amplifier to make money. In other words, active systems work like regular computer speakers. They are connected to the network and to the sound source. Passive are like headphones that don't need to be plugged into an outlet.
The main plus of active speaker systems for most users is ease of connection. Thanks to this same advantage, there is a second - mobility. Such a system is not difficult to dismantle and move to another place, even on the street. As a rule, they are convenient to use in schools, kindergartens, country camps, etc. One and the same system is easy to install first in the assembly hall for a matinee or disco, and then on the street platform - for a line-up or fun starts. Active acoustic systems are also beneficial for the owners of summer cafes, since the equipment can be removed to the warehouse in the cold season or even taken from the street every night when the cafe is closed.
In passive systems, mobility is replaced by other advantages. First of all, they are noticeably cheaper. However, the low price in this case does not correlate in any way with the sound quality. Passive systems are usually more powerful than active ones. And most often they can be combined with an existing amplifier. This option is more suitable for restaurants, assembly halls, music schools. That is, rooms where the speakers are used permanently, where there is no need to regularly move them somewhere. A passive system is practical if the owner of the room is satisfied with the amplifier he has and wants to upgrade only the speakers themselves.
The number of bands indicates whether sounds of different clarity will be transmitted through one speaker or through several. The higher the listener's exactingness to sound quality, the more sense it makes to acquire two, three, or even five-band acoustics. A two-way system is especially useful for a movie theater or nightclub where separate transmission of deep bass is important. For this, a subwoofer is used. It will also be more practical when used outdoors. Three-way gives a smoother sound, conveys the speaker's speech as intelligibly as possible. This is because in a 3-way system, the bass, midrange, and treble sound are transmitted from different speakers.
The power of the system does not speak about the loudness of the speakers, but about its mechanical reliability. Loudness is indicated by another characteristic - the sensitivity of the system, the level of decibels that it is capable of delivering. Also pay attention to such an indicator as frequency: some systems are designed for a range wider than what the human ear perceives. This is not done for the sake of beautiful numbers, so the sound will be fuller and more harmonious. Typically, active systems have a wider range.
What is definitely better not to save money when choosing a system is the material from which the speakers are made. Plastic ones, of course, are noticeably cheaper and lighter, but at medium and high frequencies they can give an unpleasant rattling sound. To avoid this, manufacturers change their shape, for example, But still, they cannot be compared with columns made of wood or chipboard. The wooden case gives a much better sound quality.
