Personal Speakers

Personal Speakers - a Buyers Guide

In the bad old days, most people were content to purchase ultra cheap plastic speakers, usually costing just a few pounds. These plugged into the headphone socket and were usually reliant upon the output of the CD player or portable cassette player (for those of us old enough to remember those) to create the sound. More advanced models were battery powered and included a basic amplifier. Powered or not, few produced a satisfactory sound.

As MP3 players and other portable devices have become increasingly popular, an entire industry focused on aftermarket accessories has emerged. Not least of these accessories are Personal Speakers. Whether you want an iPod docking station with built-in speakers to play music in the kitchen as you cook - or you are off on holiday with friends and want to hear your favourite bands in the hotel room - if you want to share your music you will need to invest in some Personal Speakers.

Key Considerations

Amplifier

Most of the higher priced Personal Speakers and docking stations will come with a built-in amplifier. This offers the benefit of improved sound quality (the output from the headphone socket on most devices is entirely inadequate for reasonable sound reproduction) and reduced power consumption from the audio device itself: unlike unpowered speakers, there is no need to crank the volume to the highest setting in order to hear the output. The downside is that of course the amplifier requires a power source (see below). More expensive models use miniaturised versions of the latest digital amplification techniques found in their larger home theatre and hi-fi siblings which should result in improved quality.

Battery Life

Assuming your Personal Speakers come with a built-in amplifier, it is worth checking the average battery life. Amplifiers vary wildly in efficiency with many producing vastly more heat than sound! Battery life will also be affected by any additional functionality such as backlit displays and the device controls found on some docking stations.

Connectivity

This is determined by the audio device or devices for which the Personal Speakers are intended. Some of today's devices are so miniaturised that manufacturers use ultra slim proprietary connectors for the headphones. If this is the case, you may be restricted to buying Personal Speakers from that manufacturer. It is essential that you check the connectivity options are sufficient for the various devices you may wish to use with the speakers. Other frequently found connections include standard RCA/phono line-in; optical and even wireless options.

Power Output and Consumption

Manufacturers' measurements are notoriously inconsistent. The most widely accepted standard is Watts RMS but some manufacturers use Watts 'Music Power' or other measurements, usually designed to make the figures appear higher! Mainstream Personal Speakers range from 2W to 100W. Higher output is not necessarily a guarantee of better sound quality although it is an indicator. The greater the power, the less the amplifier needs to work at your regular listening volume. Again, the greater the output, the greater the power consumption which, for battery powered Personal Speakers is clearly a consideration as this will determine both operating time and long-term running costs.

Power Source

If portability matters you will need a battery powered option. Most Personal Speaker systems provide both battery and mains adaptor options. You should check whether the mains adaptor is included in the price - these can be relatively expensive if bought as a separate item.

Same Manufacturer or Third Party

Many of the major manufacturers now provide personal speakers, often purchased separately from the original audio device. These usually offer the advantages of compatible styling; voltages and input/output options and connectivity. Moreover, where speakers are part of a docking station, devices from the same manufacturer should of course be physically compatible. In some cases, however, the downside is that a manufacturer of an exceptionally good MP3 player may not be as expert in the production of speakers. All of the issues inherent in full sized speaker systems exist in their personal versions. The creation of speakers is, to some extent, an art form - just take a look at the pedigree of many of today's leading audiophile speaker manufacturers. If connectivity / compatibility allows, it may be worth considering third party options in some cases.

Size

Size matters a great deal in loudspeaker construction. By definition, Personal Speakers are designed to be as portable and lightweight as possible but this comes at a price. Although many of the leading manufacturers use clever electronics to mitigate this, the lower midrange and base frequencies of Personal Speakers will never be as rich or have the same impact as those of a full-sized speaker system. As you may expect, there is therefore usually a trade-off between size / weight and sound quality. In general, the larger and heavier the speaker system, the better the sound quality is likely to be. You need to decide where the balance lies.

Sound Quality

There is no substitute for listening to your favourite music through your proposed Personal Speakers before purchase. It is also important that, if possible, you try them with the audio device for which they are intended. Some things don't improve in combination!

Speaker Format

Most Personal Speakers are 'two way' i.e. each speaker has a 'tweeter' to handle the high notes and a 'midrange' to handle the mid and lower frequencies. This is a proven design and offers better sound quality than a single drive unit but requires more space. Some also adopt a 'bass reflex' design which uses a 'port' - a tuned hole leading through a tube to the inside of the speaker cabinet to improve bass depth and extension. Others may further enhance this with 'mega bass' type bass extension capabilities within the amplifier's circuitry. Some Personal Speaker configurations include a separate bass driver or subwoofer to further improve low frequency reproduction.