Many modern computers come with built-in speakers (think of all the laptops, tablets and smartphones that can play audio), but the sound of all these devices can be improved with higher-quality external speakers. The issue, then, is connecting these speakers to the computer. How do we connect speakers of all types to our computers? The…

When shopping for loudspeakers or laying the plans for a speaker system, the terms “active” and “passive” show up quite a bit. What are the differences between passive and active speakers? The simple difference between active and passive speakers is that active speakers require power and passive speakers don’t. This is because active models have…

Humming, hissing, buzzing, and noise, in general, can quickly ruin our audio experience with speakers. Knowing the causes of and solutions to our speaker noise issues can save us a lot of grief and frustration when it comes to getting the best results out of our audio equipment. What causes speakers to hum, buzz and…

Speakers have become commonplace in our day-to-day lives. Wherever there is electricity and electrical power, speakers can function (and often do). Why do loudspeakers need power, and how are they powered? Loudspeakers require power if they have built-in amplifiers, active transducer elements, and/or built-in wireless receivers. Speakers and monitors requiring power typically get it from…

Since the first commercial digital recordings were released in 1971, eager listeners have been listening to digital audio through their speakers. Today, nearly all the audio we listen to through our speakers is digital (even with the resurgence of analog audio vinyl records). Are speakers analog or digital devices? Though speakers are regularly connected to…

It’s an awful feeling to find out a speaker that once performed amazingly well has been blown and rendered unusable. Understanding the reasons behind speaker blow-out and the potential fixes will help us to comprehend the occurrence of blow-out and what to do about it. How do loudspeakers blow out, and how do we avoid…

Speaker drivers are meant to oscillate back and forth to produce sound and require a design and materials to do so effectively. It makes sense, then, that a speaker would require a bit of breaking-in to reduce the initial stiffness of its construction and to move (and produce sound) more optimally. Do speakers need to…

Whether it’s a cheap pair of computer speakers, a high-end surround sound system, or an arrangement of loudspeakers for live sound venues, you’ll often find grilles or mesh in front of the speakers. However, this is not always the case! Why do some speakers have grilles/mesh and others don’t? Speaker grilles/ meshes are used to…

Popping a crackling in our speakers is sure to raise concerns regardless of what we’re listening to. What causes speakers to pop and crackle, and how do we fix it? Speaker popping and crackling are caused by interrupted electrical current (audio signals) or, in other words, a loose or dirty connection. To fix crackling and…

Speakers (including loudspeakers and studio monitors) are transducers that convert audio signals into sound waves and are often connected to computers (laptops, smartphones, etc.). To fully understand the audio signal flow of speakers in terms of inputs and outputs, we must also comprehend the definitions of input and output devices in computer systems. Are speakers/studio…

If you’ve ever touched the end of a cable that was plugged into a speaker, you’ve likely heard a buzzing sound. Common examples include handling the auxiliary cable in the car when trying to plug your phone in or handling a patch cord when plugging it into an electric guitar while the amp is on….