1. Preliminary understanding of the speakers before listening

A look at the craftsmanship: Common speakers are made of MDF medium density fiberboard with a thin layer of veneer on the surface for decoration: Speakers with real wood veneer exterior decoration, especially rare wood veneers such as rosewood, bird's eye, rosewood, walnut, nan, red oak, etc., have excellent natural wood grain visual effect and smooth and comfortable feel. Especially those with symmetrical butterfly pattern real wood veneer and multi-layer coating and polished piano lacquer. Most of them can be regarded as mid-to-high-end high-quality speakers, and there are very few counterfeit products. Boxes covered with PVC (Sapele) plastic are widely available. Although the workmanship is fine, it is best only , High-end flagship speakers are made of overweight solid wood or multi-layer composite plywood such as rosewood and yellow pomelo, so the weight is very shocking. Often the net weight of a pair of speakers reaches fifty or sixty kilograms. Most of the low-end and mid-range products are made of soft particle board, while counterfeit and shoddy products are often made of low-quality paper and plastic boards, so they are generally lighter in weight. There is a common saying in the audio industry that "experts look at quality and laymen weigh weight." Heavy speakers are definitely better than light speakers. But be wary of unscrupulous merchants who fill the bottom of the sound body with sand, gravel and cement to increase the weight to deceive consumers.

The third is to knock the box: Use your knuckles to knock the upper, lower, left, right and front baffles of the box. There will be a heavy and slight crisp sound on all sides of the box. It feels like the board material is hard and thick, and there are many roots inside. Supported by reinforced ribs, the box structure is reasonable and strong, and has a variety of sound insulation and standing wave prevention measures. The processing cost and difficulty of this kind of box are high, so there are few fake and shoddy products. If you tap the box with your knuckles and it makes a "pop, pop" sound, it means that the board is too thin, the material quality is too poor, and the structure is unreasonable. There is no sound-absorbing material or reinforcement inside, resulting in a large amount of diffuse reflection and standing waves in the box. It is absolutely impossible to get a good playback effect by purchasing this kind of speaker.

The fourth is to recognize the nameplate: Really good speakers have a well-made gold-plated or chrome-plated nameplate mark. The nameplate usually has a distinctive trademark, company, name, place of origin, corresponding indicators, etc. engraved on it. Imported boxes have English words such as: Madeinxxx or Manufacture and corresponding trademarks, speaker specifications, etc. If there is only Designin... (XX design) or only a country name is marked vaguely, or even except for a few simple and extremely loose basic indicators, neither the place of origin nor the manufacturer can be seen, and the trademark has no registered mark. . Most of these three-no products are suspected of being counterfeit and shoddy. Famous brand speakers attach great importance to brand image and corporate visibility, so the nameplate markings are very standardized and exquisite, with all indicators, company names, and origins available. Some nameplates are even made of thin metal plated with 24K real gold, and the fonts on them are concave and convex. The product not only has the date of manufacture, but also has the production serial number, and even the pairing serial number and the ID card that came with the box. For this type of speakers, as long as the price is reasonable, you can generally choose them with confidence.

2. Judge the quality of the speaker from the technical indicators

Sensitivity: the most important indicator of the speaker, which to a large extent determines what kind of power amplifier should be selected for the speaker. How much power is needed to push and so on. The sensitivity of most listening-grade home speakers is between 86-92dB. For the same power amplifier, at the same volume (for example, the volume is turned to 10 o'clock), the higher the sensitivity, the louder the sound. The power requirements and requirements of the power amplifier will be lower. This is what people often say: this pair of speakers is easier to recommend. The sensitivity of many professional speakers used in commercial OK halls exceeds 100dB. No wonder many people feel that the sound is very beautiful when singing karaoke in OK halls, and they can achieve a high volume effortlessly. Don’t think that the higher the sensitivity, the better. Speakers with a sensitivity of over 92dB are made of metal cones, PP cones, etc. that have relatively light and thin cones. This will lead to loss of control over the speaker, resulting in thinner and biased sound quality. It's pretty, exaggerated, and tough, and lacks a lot of details and charm of music. Not very suitable for HI-FI listening use. Many famous brand-name speakers with thick, soft and musical sounds usually have relatively low sensitivity. For example, the sensitivity of top speakers such as British ATC, Italian Famous Instruments, and Zhuoli is only 82dB.

This type of speaker is often extremely difficult to maintain and requires a huge power amplifier with a huge output current to allow it to work in the ideal linear region. The cost will never be small

Frequency range: such as the domestic high-quality Xindak Compass The frequency range of the No. 1 bookshelf box is 60Hz ~ 20KHz ± 2.5dB. 60Hz represents the extension value of the speaker in the low frequency direction. The lower the number, the better the speaker's low-frequency response: 20KHz represents the high-frequency extension the speaker can achieve. The higher the number, the better the audio characteristics. The suffix ±2.5dB indicates the degree of distortion in the above frequency range. The smaller the distortion, the flatter the frequency response curve will be. The distortion level marked by some speakers is ±3dB, and its frequency range should become wider. Some speakers do not indicate this indicator, and the frequency extension range will become very wide. For example, if the Compass No. 1 box above does not indicate the distortion plus or minus 2.5 decibels, the frequency range can be marked as 40Hz ~ 23KHz. It should be pointed out that it is meaningless not to label the frequency range of distortion. If the manufacturer knowingly commits the crime, it can only be suspected of having bad intentions and intentionally deceiving consumers. It also means that the specifications of the speaker are not standardized, and the manufacturer lacks confidence in its products, making it difficult for people to buy with confidence.

Carrying power: a reference indicator of a speaker, expressed in watts. This indicator does not indicate the quality of the speaker, but only provides a reference for selecting a power amplifier: for example, a pair of speakers The carrying power is marked as 10~200W, which means that the power amplifier required to drive the speaker must have an output power of at least 10W, but avoid using an amplifier greater than 200W for full power output. Otherwise, there may be concerns about burning the box. Generally speaking, there is no need to worry about whether a home speaker can be pushed or not. There are only questions about whether it is good or not, and whether it is good or bad. A carrying power of less than 200 watts is more than enough for ordinary households. Do not deliberately pursue too high a level. .

Impedance value: Generally, 8Ω is the nominal value. Most two-way bookshelf boxes have an impedance value of 8Ω. Multi-unit, multi-way floor-standing speakers also have 6Ω and 4Ω. The smaller the impedance value, the greater the current that needs to be driven, and the required power amplifier power is correspondingly higher. In the author's opinion, it is best to choose 8Ω impedance speakers for home use, which are better matched with power amplifiers.

3. A good speaker should have obvious personality

American speakers: focus on strong power and huge dynamics. The wild and unrestrained character of the western cowboys and the infiltration of Hollywood culture and art, the speakers produced in the west. It often shows a free and unrestrained, rough and generous timbre personality. The timbre is bright and beautiful, the sound is clean and crisp, the sound is wide open and closed, and the boldness and roughness reveal a kind of elegance and confidence. The margins of various indicators are very large, which is especially suitable for rock, jazz and heavy metal percussion, professional OK halls and other occasions. But in terms of solo violin and classical string music, the musical taste is a little lighter. However, speakers produced in the eastern United States are more influenced by British and Continental civilizations due to geographical environmental factors. In addition, the famous Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra advocates classical symphony and influences regional culture with a large number of performances every year. Therefore, speakers produced in the eastern region, such as INFINITY, Westlake Audio and other brands, have a soft, delicate and broad and bright style. Regardless of the music resolution, speed, sound field positioning and pine scent, they are obviously different from Western speakers and are very popular in Europe and the Far East.

British speakers: with typical European royal origins, soft and sweet tone, dignified and elegant shape, flashy but not flashy, creating British sound that is gentle, sweet, delicate, stable and elegant. It has a very high status in the field of household HI-FI and even Hi-END, and is most suitable for classical string music and vocal reproduction. Unfortunately, it is less effective in expressing large dynamic scenes and low-frequency volume.

German speakers: fully embody the meticulous, rigorous and self-disciplined professionalism of the German nation. The tone is natural, neutral and gentle, clean and refreshing. It is especially famous in the industry for its exquisite workmanship, which is breathtaking. But strictly speaking, the sound of the German box is slightly colder and tougher, which is more suitable for the playback of pop music.

Others: European voices such as France, Denmark, Italy, Sweden, and Norway are everywhere permeated with the wit and romance of the French, the artistic atmosphere of the Italian Renaissance, and the lively, cheerful and extreme Nordic people. Exquisite traditional craftsmanship: pure and natural sound, slightly exaggerated mid- and high-frequency, but very musical. And it has very good compatibility, making it the best choice for home HI-FI/AV combined use.

Domestic speakers: A few domestically produced high-quality products have formed their own prototypes of style, but they can only be said to be similar to famous brands in a certain country. For example, HiVi is quite similar to American Sound, and the Voice of America Ares series and Xindak Classic series, the Compass series is more reminiscent of the British sound (but maybe the pop and speed parts are slightly stronger than the British authentic stuff). The Xiaoxuanfeng and Jinlang are more or less dyed with a European style: only the "Canghailonglin" bookshelf box carefully brewed by Mr. Zhang Bailiang has a unique flavor, a peaceful and neutral tone, delicate and elegant, gentle yet bold, and a more elegant appearance. Therefore, the traditional Chinese earthen lacquer has been polished in multiple layers, making it antique and natural. It really makes people feel a bit "Chinese". It is believed that it is based on the five thousand years of Chinese civilization, the ancient rhyme of Bian Zhong from Xia and Shang to the prosperous Tang Dynasty, and the magnificent Gongyan music. It also incorporates the unique Chinese implicitness, connotation, colorful emotions, Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism. The essence of traditional culture such as "the golden mean", "integration of two into one" and "governing by doing nothing", I believe that in the near future, there will be a world-recognized "Chinese voice" application.

4. A good speaker should be very durable

When you turn on the speaker to listen to music, I feel that the sound is good at first listen, the sound is powerful enough, especially the middle and high frequencies are bright and moving. The low frequencies are also satisfying. But after listening to it for a while, I felt uncomfortable and very "tired", so I had to turn off the phone and leave. This kind of speaker that makes everyone feel "tired" cannot retain guests because it makes people feel "very noisy" and annoying. If the speaker is "noisy", it means that the distortion of the speaker is large and it is unbearable to listen to. Definitely not a good speaker.

Listening to high-quality speakers is like tasting Chen Huadiao's daughter's red wine that has been buried underground for thirty years, with a sweet, refreshing and long aftertaste. The "sweet" and "warm" musical charm will make you forget time, space, and even your own existence and be immersed in the ocean of music. No matter how long you listen, you will never get bored.

Good speakers have extremely low distortion. So no matter how loud the volume is, it will sound great to your ears. Even if the volume is turned up to full power, the speaker blasts earth-shatteringly, and the low frequency rolls like midsummer thunder, it will only make you feel a realistic and even terrifying shock that is close to nature, but it will never emit a cracking sound that makes you cover your ears and escape. .

Generally speaking: speakers with thin sound, cold and hard tone, and too "fast" speed are not suitable for listening. It is certain that they are caused by thin cabinets, poor sound absorption, oversimplified crossovers, and low-grade speakers. Naturally, it cannot be called a good speaker. A good speaker is very durable. Not only can it retain guests, but the longer the listening time and the more familiar it is, the better the sound will be.

5. A good speaker can hear the smallest information in the music background

A box with high resolution can contain a huge amount of music information, especially the amount of music background information. . This allows people to hear more music details, harmonic aftertaste and multi-angle, multi-directional, diversified and multi-layered music sound fields through the theme units. Listen to the first song "The Forgotten Time" from Taiwan's Dianjiang album "Folk Song Tsai Chin" (film number DJCD-96108). The first few lines are a cappella: "Who is knocking on my window, who is playing the strings, That forgotten time gradually came back to my heart..." When a good speaker expresses this period, although the singing is a cappella, the details are not monotonous. There are 3 seconds, 9 seconds, 12 seconds, 17 seconds. The sounds of breathing between sentences, the sibilant sounds of opening the lips and the reverberation of the final notes of the human voice are as clear as if Tsai Qin is singing quietly to you in your ears. High-resolution speakers can even allow you to hear the subtle sounds of the band turning the pages of music and the performers' footsteps gently sliding on the ground during a performance.

Good speakers can faithfully reflect and reproduce various signal sources recorded on the disc, which can be colorful and so delicate that even a tremor in the air cannot be escaped. Therefore, before choosing a speaker, prepare a CD with a large amount of music information that you are familiar with every day. For example, Zhu Zheqin's "Yang Jinma" (film number YT-84) recorded by Taiwan UFO Records is a CD with an amazing amount of music information. Test CD. Listening to this disc, you can distinguish the howling snow wind of Everest in the background through Zhu Zheqin's crystal clear singing. The Himalayan people push open the firewood door and start the day's work on the squeaky new snow in the morning. You can even hear very clearly a few birds having fun not far away. It is impossible for speakers with poor resolution to provide such a rich musical feast.

Of course, you should be careful when listening to loudspeaker resolution when using particularly explosive signal sources, such as electronically synthesized blockbuster movies, shocking heavy metal rock music, percussion, etc. The huge loudness will cover up the equipment. Many inherent deficiencies.

6. A good speaker can allow you to hear accurate sound image positioning

Sound image positioning refers to where each instrument in the performance sounds. For example, in a large-scale symphony concert, speakers with good sound and image positioning will make you feel the orchestra arrangement as shown in the figure below: the first violin and second violin group are generally located on the left side of the stage, the piano and harp are at the back left, and the right side of the stage is generally It’s the cello array, and later it’s the double bass array. In the center of the stage are the viola array, flute, oboe, horn, bassoon, trombone, trumpet, percussion and timpani.

Good speakers can reproduce the well-defined sound field positioning extremely accurately. Under the guidance of experts, you can hear the sounds of various musical instruments coming from different positions such as the front, back, left, and right of the virtual stage in front of you. It's not just a melodic mix of sounds coming from two loudspeaker point sources. With better speakers and auditioning in a professional audition room of moderate size that has undergone strict acoustic treatment, you can even feel the unique three-dimensional sense of space and presence at a music concert!

Of course, as far as ordinary consumers are concerned, it is impossible to have such a good professional listening room for you to listen to. You can only choose speakers in the harsh acoustic environment randomly placed in audio stores. You can bring a few CDs with you in advance to know the placement of musical instruments, such as Yin Chengzong's Piano Concerto "Yellow River" performed by the Czech Radio Symphony Orchestra and conducted by Adrian Leeper: live recording of the performance. Viewed from the stage: the piano is placed on the stage To the left of the center in the front row is the cello, to the right is the cello, to the back right is the double bass, in the middle to the back is the wind and horns, and to the back left is the violin group, etc.

If you sit directly in front of the speaker and play back the recording, you should also feel the sound field positioning effect that is very close to that of a live theater. That is, the piano sound is definitely located to the left of the center. A good speaker should be able to hear that when the piano is solo, the treble part of the piano sound is to the left and the bass part is in the center. At the same time, you can feel the extremely beautiful sound and image movement produced by Yin Chengzong's hands jumping back and forth on the left and right sides of the piano. With poor speakers, you may hear pianos on both sides of the speaker at the same time, or the double bass that should sound from the right speaker may sound from the middle or left, creating a confusing sound field. The professional term for this kind of speaker is poor phase characteristics or phase confusion.

Another example is when listening to a CD vocal disc, the vocals come from the left and right speakers, but it feels like the singer is standing in the middle of the speakers singing. This phenomenon is called spatial sound source imaging. With good speakers, almost everyone can feel the sound source image. The best speakers can make you feel as if the person is singing right in front of you when you close your eyes and listen. It can even let you feel the height of the person and the size of the singing mouth. This is also the so-called "positioning.