Hardware Reference
In-Depth Information
TABLE 3.1
Color coding for sound output plugs
Color
Role
Lime green
Main audio output for speakers or headphones
Dark brown
Audio output for special panning, right to left speaker
Black
Surround-sound speakers
Orange
Center speaker and subwoofer
Speakers differ from one another in the following ways:
Amplification
Most speakers provide some sort of
amplifi cation
, which makes the sound
louder as it comes out of the PC. Without amplifi cation, the sound generated by the PC
may not be loud enough to listen to comfortably. Amplifi cation requires electrical power,
either AC or battery, so any speakers that don't have either type of power are non-amplifi ed.
Amplifi cation is power measured in watts. If there's a subwoofer, it will have its own watts
(more is better), as will each of the satellite speakers. An average wattage for a subwoofer is
around 18, and for each satellite speaker it may be around 6.
There are three ways of describing a speaker's maximum wattage. Make
sure when you're comparing models that you're getting an apples-to-apples
comparison.
Root mean square (RMS)
is the standard measurement of the
wattage a speaker can reliably handle in a sustained manner. RMS maximum
is the wattage the speaker can handle in short bursts.
Peak music power
output (PMPO)
is the absolute maximum the speaker can handle for a split
second, just before it dies from wattage overload.
Shielding
Speakers designed to be used on or near computers typically have shielding built
in so the magnets in the speakers don't interfere with any of the computer's components. In
contrast, speakers designed for home stereo systems usually don't have shielding.
Frequency Range
Speaker systems with a very wide frequency range will reproduce sounds
much more accurately. Look for a frequency range of at least 50 to 10,000 Hz.
Analog vs. Digital
Most speakers are analog. The speaker connector on a sound card
sends analog data to the speaker. However, digital speakers are also available, and hardcore
audiophiles claim that they're better—less background noise and hiss at higher volumes. To
use digital speakers, you have to have a digital out port on the sound card.
