I have another collaborative post for all of my fellow music lovers out there.
Want to upgrade your sound quality but don’t want to spend thousands? Decent audio equipment needn’t cost a fortune. Only diehard audiophiles will be able to tell the difference once you start venturing over the one grand mark. Here are a few tricks that will ensure you get the best audio equipment for your money.
Don’t opt cordless
Cordless headphones have their advantages. Wires can often get tangled in pockets or snag. When opting for cordless headphones, you don’t have any of this hassle. However, cordless headphones are much pricier as a rule – those that are cheap may be cordless at the expense of bad sound quality. Many of the best headphones under 200 dollars have a cord but don’t sacrifice clarity. If often listen to music or stream films through headphones whilst stationary, you may not even need them to be cordless.
Don’t spend extra on cables
You’ll find lots of so-called ‘premium speaker cables’ online. These aren’t worth paying for. They might be a bit a more durable, but they won’t give you any better sound quality. The only time to pay more for speaker cables is if you’re looking for longer cables or ones for specialist use outdoors.
Choose a sound bar over a surround sound system
Those wanting their own home cinema often opt for surround sound speakers. These may include multiple speakers including a subwoofer for bass. Most of these speaker setups are fairly expensive. A cheaper alternative could be to buy a sound bar. These single speakers are designed in such way that they bounce sound around the room like a surround sound system (although not quite as effectively). You can get a good quality sound bar from as little as 200 dollars. On top of providing you with a home cinema experience, it will take up less room as you won’t have to position multiple speakers around the place.
Use an AV receiver
Surround sound systems do have their pros – you have more ability to customise where different sounds go by positioning each speaker exactly where you want it to be. For those with their heart set on a surround sound system, it could be worth buying an AV receiver and building your own speaker setup. Decent AV receivers can be purchases as low as 500 dollars – they can be a little complex, although there are plenty free guides online that can help you out.
Embrace stereo
Many people neglect old-fashioned stereo speakers when in fact they can be just as impressive when it comes to sound quality. Modern stereo speakers around the 300 dollar mark can sound even better than a soundbar, even if they don’t give you that same surround sound experience. Stereo speakers also have a greater range when it comes to design allowing you to blend them in with any kind of décor you may have in your home.
This post was a collaborative effort – please check out my disclosure policy for more details.