Active speakers, and why to use them with your TV

One of the main problems of modern televisions is the lack of good quality tech for sound. While it is true that many TVs incorporate specific functions for sound reproduction, such as multichannel simulations and other technologies, the best solution to improve audio is, without a doubt, to use a pair of external powered speakers and finally enjoy some powerful sound.

In general, the speakers present in "TVs" are small and of poor quality. This is because to preserve wafer-thin modern TV design, the teeny tiny audio components are used that do not offer the desired sound response, not even in listening quality, because as viewers we are not able to identify the dialogues or the origin of the audio effects present in series and movies; nor in output power, since most of the time and depending on the content you have to regulate the volume constantly.

Given that, if you want to solve the universal problem of sound on television, at VULKKANO we give you the answer you need. Read on!

What are active speakers?

Active speakers are speakers that have an amplifier inside, and therefore don't need any external electronics.

They are recommended for use with all types of domestic sound sources such as turntables, CD players, Hi-Res players, streamers, etc. but, above all of them, they are an ideal alternative to connect to the TV and start listening to every detail of your favorite content.

The advantages of active speakers

To start with, if we use them with the television, these speakers have multiple advantages associated with the ease of connection, the use of the physical space in which they are placed, and of course, the sound quality. Let's analyze them.

Components

At the start of the article we talked about the fact that the audio components in televisions are scarce, in the case of active 2.0 speakers, it is important to know what each one of them is intended for and what frequencies they are responsible for within the set. Although there are several, we focus on the three most important: woofer, tweeter and bass reflex.

Woofer

If we look at the structure of a speaker on its front panel, the woofer is located at the bottom of the speakers and is the transducer responsible for reproducing low and medium frequencies. Furthermore, its performance is, in part, preceded by its size, which in the most common active speakers and usually ranges between 4" and 8".

Tweeters

As opposed to the woofer , the tweeter is responsible for the reproduction of high frequencies or treble. It is a delicate component within the set due to its small size and its location on the front of the speaker, always being located above the bass transducer and with the responsibility of not "dirtying" the sound with unwanted sibilance.

Bass reflex

The bass reflex is usually located at the rear of the speaker and is an open port enclosure that allows air to pass between the speaker and the outside. It directly supports the reproduction of low frequencies and its location, with a minimum distance from the wall, is essential to avoid distortions.

As we can see, the speakers have various components that fulfill a specific function and their operation as a whole gives rise to what we know as the sound profile , which will vary depending on the materials used, the size and the previous development by the manufacturer. the engineers.

However, for television, it is best to look for a balanced sound profile with very clear dialogue reproduction, but with the forcefulness and nuances offered by the bass and treble in soundtracks or sound effects such as footsteps, thunder or gunshots.

The best solution to improve television audio is, without a doubt, to use a pair of external powered speakers and finally enjoy powerful sound.

Connectivity

Connectivity and the difference between some connections and others is essential if we talk about the pair formed by TV and speakers. Let's see which are the most used.

HDMI ARC

HDMI ARC - Audio Return Channel - connection , present on most current televisions, is the most suitable for connecting our active speakers because it is designed specifically for audio playback.

With the aim of bringing together the possibility of playing multi-device video and audio in a single cable and connection, HDMI ARC allows us to send sound from a TV to an audio system taking advantage of its high speed, and at the same time, control the volume management from a single command. If your television integrates HDMI, there is no discussion.

Optics

Before the standardization of HDMI ARC, the optical digital connection was the most used and continues to be one of the options most valued by users. The DNA of this type of connection is the signal transfer with a very low level of interference but with a speed lower than that of HDMI. However, if your TV does not have an ARC input, the optical connection will be your great ally.

Bluetooth

Bluetooth connectivity is already a common feature in audio devices, and, although it can be used to connect the speakers to the "TV", it is not the most recommended because some unwanted guests can "sneak in" such as cuts, latency and the inevitable reduction in sound quality. Even so, if both the TV and the active speakers integrate a wireless connection and you do not want to have visible cables, you can use Bluetooth and take advantage of its advantages.

Design: Active 2.0 or desktop speakers?

Aesthetics is another of the keys when choosing speakers for television, since it is not the same to opt for a 2.0 stereo pair or a desktop speaker designed with the same components as the previous ones but in a single body. , more similar to what we would find in a sound bar.

Although this is a matter of taste, it is true that both the pair of speakers and the desktop speakers have some differences between them. For their part, active 2.0 speakers give us a broader "image" of the sound, this is what is called the sound scene. By being separated by differentiated left and right channels, we will be able to identify as listeners the origin of the sounds, and therefore, have a more extensive audio scene. Tabletop speakers, however, have the advantage of saving a lot of space thanks to their more compact format and ease of placement if we think about small rooms.

Our active and desktop speakers, A6 ARC or VULKKANO T50 ARC , are associated with your TV thanks to the incorporation of HDMI ARC, SUB output and a selection of finishes for all users.

What if we add a subwoofer?

Another debate that arises when we consider adding active speakers to our television is whether to place an external subwoofer or not . Well, our recommendation is that if there is no danger of disturbing your neighbors and you have enough space to place it, the answer is YES.

To choose the subwoofer, you must first ensure that your active speakers integrate "SUB Out", which you will immediately identify on the rear panel. From there, you only need an LFE cable to interconnect the subwoofer with the speakers and start vibrating with extreme bass and sub-bass reproduction, putting the icing on the sound cake so that your TV finally shines.

At VULKKANO we have a selection of 6" and 8" subwoofers to complete your audio experience.

Subwoofer yes or no? Our recommendation is that if your neighbors are not particularly complaining and you have enough space to place it, the answer is YES.

Which active speakers to choose

At this point and if one thing has become clear to us, it is that active speakers considerably improve the audio of television , but as we have seen, our choice will be determined by different aspects to take into account. As a summary and to decide which active speakers to choose, we recommend focusing on:

• Room: The size of the room is important when choosing speakers. If it is small or medium in size, a stereo pair with good power that surrounds the entire space with sound will be enough. If we talk about larger spaces, you should consider going further and exploring the universe of multichannel home cinema; while if it is very small in size, you can opt for a desktop speaker, with a performance similar to that of a sound bar.
• Components: without wanting to become an obsession, it is interesting to look at the components of our assets and their size. Opt for woofers of at least 4" and tweeters that are made of good materials. If the components are good, the sound quality will be excellent.
• Connectivity: the main protagonist and the origin of this article. Although more and more TVs incorporate HDMI ARC as standard as a more interesting connection, remember that you can also use optics or use active Bluetooth speakers and forget about cables. In any case, try to avoid connections such as auxiliary or RCA, since the quality will be reduced.
• SUB output: whether or not to add a subwoofer is also an important question when we consider improving the audio of our television. You already know that the more sugar the sweeter, so if you have space at home and want to get up from the couch every time you watch a movie, don't hesitate.
• Design and construction: although we have not delved into it, aesthetics and construction are also relevant. Everything will depend on your tastes and needs, but our recommendation is that you always opt for speakers that are well built not only to look, but also to touch. The use of quality materials and a careful design will end up completing the sound experience you are about to undertake.

As you know and finally, at VULKKANO we have a wide catalog of active speakers for TV and other accessories that will help you decide if your television finally starts to sound like it deserves. Discover them!