How to use turntable speakers
Spending more money on a turntable speaker may seem absurd, especially to those who want to save by getting a vinyl within built speakers. While this is another way to go about it, we do not recommend it for various reasons. For example, such turntables tend to occupy more space, are bulky, and produce poor sound quality.
With the right turntable speaker, you get to enjoy several benefits that can enhance your music experience. First, you get less vibrations and resonance in the turntable, which allows your vinyl’s needle to read the record with precision. The result is a raw sound that makes high quality music. Secondly, a dedicated turntable speaker will be of much higher quality than the speaker built inside the turntable. Since most manufacturers may not want to sell their wares at high prices, they may opt to use low quality parts when making the internal speaker to save cost. This means you get to experience less technical problems when you get a turntable speaker as the overall quality is much better. An external speaker may be much expensive but at least it is designed to offer you the best quality sound. Finally, turntable speakers allow you to connect to several speakers and even use an amplifier to improve sound level and the quality of sound.
Determine turntable speaker type by room size
It is obvious that you should consider your room size when buying any speaker. A small speaker like JBL Professional 305P will not offer the best form of entertainment in an arena. For small to medium sized rooms, you can get away with smaller bookshelf speakers but you may need some larger speakers when catering to a larger room. If you or your guests are sitting more than twelve feet from the speakers then it is fair to consider this a large room. Also, remember that larger spaces or rooms tend to diffuse your musical sound a bit more so you may want to reduce the distance between the entertainment area and the sitting area.
The acoustics of the room will also impact sound quality. Rooms that have a lot of hard surfaces will reverberate sound and make it sound more distorted. Some of the surfaces that can affect the quality of your music include tile floors, mirrors, hardwood floors, and even wood panels. One way of preventing plain surfaces from distorting sound is using sound absorbing foam in your room. The foam will absorb any unwanted sound radiations. Alternatively, you can use carpets and rugs to cover the plain surfaces. These thick rugs can help to absorb and diffuse the sound waves. Of course, the perfect room is one which incorporates both reflective surfaces and some thick surfaces that can diffuse some sounds too.
Price range
Like purchasing other audio equipment, your budget will play a huge role in determining the quality of speaker that you get. After all, don’t you get what you pay for? You can be easily tempted to invest in a pricey turntable speaker, especially if you are a music lover and want the best out of your vinyl speakers. However, you do not need to splurge on a turntable speaker to get the best sounds. A reasonably priced vinyl speaker like Sony SSCS5 may also offer you the same benefits and features that a costly speaker would.
One way to save some cash is to get powered speakers that do not need preamps or receivers. You may fork out a bit more at the time of purchase but you end up saving more over the years. Investing in a good subwoofer is also a great way to enhance your bass without affecting the quality of sound that you get.
Features to consider while buying the best turntable speakers
With the several number of turntable speakers on the market it is not difficult to purchase one that does not work for you. You may like the design of a vinyl speaker only to find out that it is too small for your living room. To avoid such scenarios, there are a couple of features that you need to consider before making a purchase. Here are some.
Active vs passive
There are two common types of turntable speakers including active and passive speakers. Active speakers do not need a connection to an external amp. They come with a power plug and you can directly connect the speakers to the turntable. The in-built amp in an active speaker is directly powered by the electric source. Active speakers are easy to use as you just need to plug and start playing.
Passive speakers, on the other hand, are those that do not have a power plug or an in-built preamplifier. You will have to rely on an external amp and may need some extra wiring than necessary. While this may seem like a downside to most, the ability to choose your desired amplifier is welcome to a real audiophile.
Most of the speakers in our review are active speakers.
Wired or not?
The re-emergence of vinyl as a preferred audio equipment means that there are a lot of vinyl with new technology such as Bluetooth capabilities. If you have a new age vinyl with a bluetooth connection then it is only wise that you get speakers with bluetooth connectivity such as PreSonus Eris E4.5 BT and Edifier S2000pro. Bluetooth vinyl speakers are great since you can use them with a variety of devices such as your phone. They are also wireless, which means you will have a tidy home entertainment system.
That said, many vinyl speakers will offer both RCA connections and bluetooth connectivity. Having the standard connections will ensure that your speakers are versatile too as many older devices use RCA connectivity as their main connection mode. These are easy to set up and do not need any extra equipment apart from wires.
Dimensions
Since there are scores of turntables speakers out there, it may be difficult to find the perfect size. You don’t want to be the customer returning the vinyl speaker because it is too big although it delivers the perfect sound quality. The perfect size vinyl speaker depends on the space of your room and your needs. While the dimensions of the speaker will not impact the performance of the speaker, knowing them comes in handy when you want to move them or are limited in space. If you will be moving the speakers constantly then you need to choose portable speakers such as the PreSonus Eris E4.5 BT. If not and space is not an issue, you can go with a larger model.
It is recommended that you get vinyl speakers that complement the size of your turntable set up. Bookshelf speakers come in handy as vinyl speakers since they produce some great sound quality and are portable too. If you need more base then you can get an extra sub to complement the other speakers without affecting sound quality output.
Frequencies
Each speaker has a frequency rating, which is simply the audio frequencies that they produce. The human ear can listen to sounds ranging from 40 Hz to 20Hz with the higher frequencies being treble and the lower frequencies representing bass sounds. The best vinyl speakers are those that can replicate a balanced frequency response as they produce better sound quality.
A speaker that is unable to balance the frequencies will produce unclear sounds. If you love listening to heavier genres of music that need a lot of bass then you might have to prioritize speakers that have lower frequencies.
Guarantees
A guarantee includes an assertion from the manufacturer that the products delivered are of the promised quality. It can also include warranty terms that promise to repair or replace any defective products that are delivered to the client. Guarantees helps clients to ascertain which products are of a high quality while manufacturers can use them to build a trusting relationship with their customers. Ideally, you want a vinyl speaker with the best guarantee terms and warranty period. The JBL Professional 305P and KRK RP8 Rokit 8 stand out with a 3-year limited guarantee period for each.
Power
Each speaker also has a power rating which measures its power output. The power in speakers is measured in watts and will give you an idea of its performance and power consumption. You should also be aware of a speaker’s sound pressure level, which is the maximum volume you can play the speakers and is measured in decibels. Vinyl speakers with a high-power rating such as the Klipsch RP-600M that has a 400W rating are much more likely to offer a louder performance but they consume significant amounts of power. Passive speakers consume less power as they have no in-built amplifiers.
Sound quality
One of the main reasons for the resurgence of vinyl is the quality of sounds that it produces. They have become popular over the years since they are a lossless format that produce a high quality of sound as it was made. Unlike other digital formats such as MP3s that need speakers to correct their imperfections, vinyl speakers only need a speaker that can deliver high quality notes.
Finding the best turntable speaker is not going to be a walk in the park judging by the high number of speakers out there. You will not only have to look for a good quality speaker but you should also consider the acoustics of your rooms. All in all, you need a great vinyl speaker that delivers a crisp, clear, and audible sound.
Design
The design of the turntable speaker is important too. A lot of people search for a design that can complement the retro style that their turntable oozes. A well-designed turntable speaker can easily enhance the aesthetics of your home or your studio. While design has always been a personal preference, some designs are definitely better than others. Wooden speakers such as the Edifier S2000pro, for example, give a vintage look that can pair so well with your turntable. You can also go for an attractive vinyl speaker that has a matte black gloss finish if that will complement your home entertainment system. High-end turntable speaker tends to have better designs bot in the interior and exterior. This is because they also include good quality parts that are more elaborate.
Durability
A lot of vinyl speakers on the market are quite pricey, which means you will want to make the most out of them before they give in. However, just because an item is costly does not mean that it is the best quality or most durable. For this, you need a speaker that is made of good quality material that will not wear and tear after a few uses. It is essential that you check the durability of your speaker’s cabinet, bracings, and the driver material too. You also need a vinyl speaker made from good quality material such as the JBL Professional 305P that will be guaranteed to last you for years.
Phono Preamp
A turntable produces weak audio signals that first need to be amplified first before they are sent to a speaker. This is where a phono preamp comes in, especially in cases where the speaker does not have its own in-built amplifier. You can connect them directly to your vinyl if you do not know whether they have a built-in preamp. If the sound is too low or cannot be played then you need to get an external preamp. Most of the active turntable speakers that we reviewed have in built preamps and you will not need to invest in one.
Break in period
Many people do not know that they need ti break in their speakers after purchase. However, you aren’t just supposed to judge your new speakers by their first tone. Breaking in your speakers is a great way to kick start the life of your speakers. But what exactly is a break in and why should you do it?
Breaking in is, essentially, playing music across the wide frequency range. Think of it like warming your muscles before you start exercising as those speaker parts haven’t moved for long too. In the same way you stretch your body after weeks of inactivity, you also need your speakers to run for a while so that they get a perfect tone. How long should you do this? Well, this depends but just remember that the more you use them the more they sound better.
