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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I choose an amplifier/receiver?
Unfortunately, this can often be a daunting task. With the multitude of brands and options on the market today, the choices can be quite confusing. While Energy cannot recommend one brand over another, it is recommended that high quality components be used, in order to extract the most from your speakers. Due to a lack of industry standards, amplifier power ratings are difficult to compare. It is recommended to listen to the amplifier and to determine if it possesses the sound quality and power to reproduce the sounds YOU like. A lack of real power will result in driving the amplifier into "clipping", which results in audible distortion reproduced through your speakers.
How do I connect a powered subwoofer?
Connecting a powered subwoofer is extremely simple. Most of today's digital home theater receivers or processors have a dedicated "Subwoofer Output" connection (RCA or Low-Level). Simply connect a male to male RCA connector from the output on your receiver/processor to the subwoofer input on the subwoofer. If your receiver/processor does not have a subwoofer output, using speaker wire (high-level) from the Front Left and Front Right amplifier outputs is recommended. Please ensure you do not connect BOTH Low and High level connections simultaneously, as this will cause damage to your powered subwoofer.
Where should I put my subwoofer?
The location of your subwoofer will determine its performance. The listening room has incredible effects on low frequency reproduction, and as such, the position of the subwoofer relative to the listening position and room boundaries will determine the sound quality it produces. Typically the corner of the room produces the most output, but the bass can sound "boomy" or exaggerated. Positioning the subwoofer along one wall, but out of the corner, produces loud bass, with greater definition than the corner position. The "best" sound quality will result in positions away from all room boundaries, but at the expense of overall output. While these are generalities, they typically hold true for most listening rooms.
How do I blend my subwoofer and speakers?
Subwoofer blending is a term used to describe mating a subwoofer and speaker. The goal is to reproduce all frequencies evenly, therefore if there is a large gap in frequency output between the sub and speakers the result is a sonic "hole". If the subwoofer and speaker overlap in response the result is one of a "boomy" nature. Both are considered unacceptable and will produce poor sound quality. It is essential that the subwoofer "hand off" the duties to the speaker at the right frequency, so that the subwoofer and speaker sound like a pair of large speakers, and not a subwoofer with separate speakers. In a properly set up system, you will not be able to identify the separate components. Placement of the subwoofer, as well as adjustments made to crossover and level controls will assist in blending the output.
How large a subwoofer should I choose?
This is a common question. The size and quantity of subwoofers is related to the size of the audio system, but most importantly, the size of the room. Subwoofers need to be treated differently as bass frequencies react to the room in a very different manner than midrange and treble frequencies. Bass travels in all directions, and escapes into other rooms through doorways and openings. The ultimate choice for subwoofer size depends on your listening room. The larger the room, the larger the subwoofer needed to energize the room, or multiple smaller subwoofers can be an option.
How can I Bi-amp or Bi-wire my speakers?
Many Energy speakers have 2 sets of speaker level inputs, this is designed to allow for bi-wire or bi-amping. With the "jumpers" in place, one would connect these speakers like any other, simply by running speaker wire to the positive and negative inputs. In the case you wish to experiment with bi-wiring, simply connect two sets of speaker wire from the output of your receiver, remove the "jumpers" from each speaker, and connect two sets of wire, one to each set of inputs (high frequency at the top, low frequency at the bottom). Bi-amping requires the use of 2 channels of an amplifier per speaker. Simply connect one channel to the high frequency inputs and one channel to the low frequency input per speaker, after removing the "jumpers". Bi-wiring and bi-amping can result in better overall performance.
What are passive speakers?
A passive speaker is a unit without an internal amplifier. This speaker, with speaker level binding posts on the rear, is designed to be connected to an amplifier or receiver, via speaker wire. Every Energy speaker is designed to accept banana plugs and it is often simply a matter of removing the rubber inserts on the rear of your binding posts to gain access to this input. Choosing speaker wire
The choice of speaker wire is extremely personal. There are many brands on the market that make excellent, high quality speaker wire, which may or may not impact sound quality. The choice of speaker wire is that of the consumer, and Energy speakers does not endorse any particular brand. It is critical that speaker wire be used, and typically the thicker the gauge (AWG), the better.
Speaker Glossary
Cone
The radiating area of the speaker, which moves the air, causing sound
Surround
A fabric or rubber piece of material that attaches the cone to the basket. This piece of material assists in moving the cone and controlling its trajectory.
Voice Coil
Copper winding which amplifier current flows through, in tern causing a reaction with the magnet.
Impedance
There are two major types of impedance, nominal and minimum. Unlike a resistor, a speaker does not have a constant "resistance", the impedance is always fluctuating as the speaker operates. The nominal impedance is the "resistance" that the speaker shows to the amplifier while the speaker is not moving. The minimum impedance is the lowest impedance that a speaker will exhibit, as it operates through its frequency range.
Magnet
The magnet creates a magnetic field, which is constantly charged.
Crossover
A complex series of resistors, capacitors and inductors, which is designed to separate the signals being sent to the speaker and send them to the appropriate driver. This protects the speakers from playing frequencies they are not capable of.
Tweeter
A small driver, which plays the highest of frequencies. Its size limits the amount of power it can handle, as well as how low it can play.
Woofer
A large driver, which plays the lowest to midrange frequencies. Its physical size limits how quickly it can move and therefore how high and low a frequency it can reproduce.
Amplifier
An electronic device which amplifies a signal that is sent to it, providing the power to make a speaker operate.
Power Handling
A measurement of how much power a speaker can accept. Since much of the signal sent to a speaker is converted into heat, this also relates to how much heat the speaker can dissipate. The Maximum Power rating is a measurement of how much clean power a speaker can accept, over a long period of time, without sustaining damage.
Frequency Response
The measurement oh how well a speaker reproduces every frequency in a human's audible spectrum. Since most humans can hear from approximately 20Hz to 20kHz (20 cycles per second which is deep bass, to 20,000 cycles per second which is very high frequencies), this measurement depicts how wide of a spectrum the speaker can reproduce. It is important to note that although some speakers can play a wide range of frequencies, the most important fact is ensuring it plays all frequencies at the same level. A speaker that, for example, reproduces more high frequencies than low frequencies will sound "bright" in comparison to speakers with a smooth response.
Efficiency
Typically measured at 1 watt/1 meter, this measurement indicates how loud a speaker will play when one sends it 1 watt of amplifier power, and measures the volume when being 1 meter from the speaker. The only proper way to measure this is in an anechoic chamber, with the proper testing equipment.
The basics of how a speaker works:
An electric signal reproduced by an amplifier passes through the speaker wire in the form of an analog wave. This wave varies in terms of its frequency and its power, depending on the frequency being reproduced and the volume you have chosen. This signal enters the speaker via the binding posts and through the wiring inside the cabinet is sent to the voice coil. The signal travels through the voice coil, which is in close proximity to the magnet. As the signal's amplitude and frequency change, the force on the voice coil undulates back and forth, in reaction to the magnet. The voice coil rapidly vibrates along the axis of the magnet structure, thereby vibrating the cone. As the cone vibrates, the air immediately around it is pressurized and these pressurized air molecules translate into the sounds we hear.
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