by: Jake Szarcosi

Audio Speakers are devices which convert electromagnetic signals to vibrations.
Sound waves travel through vertical vibrations in compressible media such as air and water. Sound waves can also travel through solids, although the propagation in solids is more complex. These vibrations are then picked up by our eardrums, allowing us to hear a ‘sound’. Sounds have been used as a means of communication and for the collection of information and data on the surrounding environment by humans since time immemorial. A wide range of frequencies of propagation exist. Sound waves suffer from attenuation and interference when travelling through media. The attenuation is generally proportional to the square of the distance travelled, making quality of reception over long distances difficult. Interference caused by other sources of sound can also deteriorate the quality. Therefore in order to efficiently record, transfer and reproduce sound, devices such as audio speakers, audio amplifiers and analogue to digital converters are used.

Audio Speakers are therefore incorporated into all devices dealing with sound – from mobile phones and radios to home theatre systems. These devices are indeed a part of our daily routine and have a great number of applications.

The basic operation of audio speakers has stayed the same over the years. Audio speakers generally consist of a membrane placed in between electromagnets. Sound waves which are converted and transmitted as electrical impulses drive the magnetic fields caused by these electromagnets exerting a force on the membrane and causing the membrane to vibrate hence producing more sound waves. Audio speakers are designed so as to produce sound waves which are within the wavelength spectrum of the human audible region. Over the years, audio speakers have become smaller and smaller and of better quality with more and more electronics to support sound quality.
Audio speakers are part of every audio system, radios, home theater systems, and even simple alarm clocks. In general in home theatre audio systems the speakers are part of a unit of 2 or more including a woofer, a midrange, a tweeter, and sometimes horns or super tweeters. Such systems have speakers specified as “N-way” speakers where N means the number of frequency bands in which the system is divided. A 2-way system consists of so-woofers and tweeters, a 3-Way Speaker System consists of a midrange, with a combination of woofers and tweeters. Most of these systems also consist of an audio amplifier which contains the electronics driving the speaker systems.

The most necessary aspects to think about when selecting of an audio system for your home are the price range of the system, the purpose of the system e.g. if you plan to use it for watching DVD’s a surround sound system would be worth it or f you are thinking about a system for music throughout the home, the system need to be powerful enough for that purpose with enough bass. The space available is also important as it will be determine the size of the equipment. Another important aspect is the ease of installation for those who are not experienced with electrical wiring. Finally the individual’s preference in terms of sound quality is also very important.

Jake Szarcosi is an independent journalist with over 20 years writing experience. Jake is currently employed as a technical writer for many well-known b2b portals and has become the local authority on home audio. Take the time to visit our very useful website for more information on Audio Speakers and Audio Loudspeakers.