Speakers

Victor Marquez

The growth of information technology has pushed the evolution of speakers from their very humble beginnings to technologically advanced systems.

Today, you will find speakers in everything, including TVs, computers, and phones.

They are also vital pieces of gadgets needed in all industries, including entertainment, education, business, and even architecture.

But, how exactly do they work and why do you need them?

Quick Summary

In this post, we will go over:

What are speakers?
How do speakers work?
History of speakers
Types of speakers
Why do we need speakers?

…and more.

So, without further ado, let’s get started.

What are Speakers?

A loudspeaker is an electroacoustic transducer.

In simpler terms, it is an output hardware device that converts electrical energy into mechanical energy.

Some speakers are designed to connect with any type of sound system, while others can only hook up to computers.

For computer speakers, the computer sound card creates a signal which is then converted into output.

This is the sound we hear, such as music.

How do Speakers Work?

Now that you know what a speaker is let’s talk about its engineering.

The main job of a speaker is to convert electromagnetic waves into sound waves so we can hear them. In order to do so, it takes in input from an audio device where it sends current back and forth.

More specifically, the electric current is sent through the voice call which produces an electric field that interacts with the magnetic field that the permanent magnet attached to it.

As the signals go through the voice call, the electric charges repel and attract as the musical waveform moves up and down.

As a result, the coil attached to the voice coil vibrates creating air pressure we perceive as sound.

How a speaker works are determined by three things:

Frequency
THD (Total Harmonic Distortion)
Watts

However, the original speaker had a long way to go before getting to this level.

History of Speakers

What if we told you the first speakers weren’t created in a radio or the first PA system?

They were actually telephones.

From there, people were hooked, and many scientists started experimenting with it.

Let’s see a brief overview of the early contribution of the scientists:

In 1861, Johann Philipp Reis was the first to install a speaker on his telephone. But, the sound came out muffled.
Then, Alexander Graham Bell created his first loudspeaker in the United States. But, his prototype also produced intelligible speech.
Using Bell’s design, Werner Von Siemens created an electromagnetic coil-driven speaker in 1877.
Finally, in 1898, Horace Short designed a loudspeaker operated by compressed air that produced better sound than previous speakers.
It wasn’t until 1924, that people could hear news on the radio. This was due to the success of Radiola Loudspeaker created by Chester Rice and Edward Kellog.

This was the early history. However, we feel like it’s important to talk about one of the key inventions that made listening to music at home possible.

In 1954, Edgar Villchur invented acoustic suspension for duplex drivers. This produced a better

bass response in smaller cabinets.

This led to more experiments in the speaker enclosure design and focused their learning on how it affected audio quality.

As a result of their work, people started using speakers in small cabinets which eventually led to listening to music on the go.

In the ’80s, this meant carrying around a heavy boombox on your shoulders.

In the ’90s, it meant keeping your Walkman clipped to your belt.

Now it can mean wireless Bluetooth speakers, car radios, or music on our phones.

Types of Speakers

Subwoofer

In our experience, these speakers are most suitable for your car or home theater if you want to create a surround sound system. They are omnidirectional speakers.

They produce a low-frequency sound and range between 20-200 Hz.

Studio Monitors

If you want speakers for a music studio, we suggest you get studio monitors.

They’re well adapted for playing instruments. When connected to a mixing console and a room with good acoustics, they produce both clear tones and music.

Bluetooth Speakers

Bluetooth speakers are wireless speakers that you can carry around. Nowadays, most headphones are Bluetooth speakers.

You can connect them to any audio device such as a portable media player. You can also plug some Bluetooth speakers into outlets to listen to music and charge them at the same time.

What we love about Bluetooth speakers is the personalization because of the product variety.

However, sometimes they only allow poor connection and a small range which can be annoying.

Wifi Speakers

Wifi speakers connect to your computer using a wireless LAN or Ethernet cable.

This provides fast connectivity and a wide range of your speakers. You can also connect your speakers directly to the internet and play songs and other items from a mobile app.

Loudspeakers

These speakers are the most common types of speakers and have been around for a while. In the past, they were responsible for getting sound from the radio.

Now, they’re mostly used on stage. Since they are made from a woofer and a mid-range speaker they produce stereophonic sound.

So, with a loudspeaker, you won’t need multiple other speakers since they already produce a range of sounds.

Dynamic Speakers

Dynamic speakers are known to produce low-frequency sounds. These are passive speakers that you can connect to your computer. Since they’re small in size, they won’t take up a lot of space in your room.

They are designed to have one or more woofer drivers and tweeter divers. These speakers will be the most suitable for your gaming setup.

Why Do We Need Speakers?

With the advancement of science and technology, computers have become important equipment in all workplaces.

As a result, companies have started to buy computer accessories such as speakers to make them more effective tools.

So, how are speakers important in communication?

Another reason why speakers have become so important is the realm of communication. With the growth of businesses due to the internet, companies have started to decentralize.

Offices and locations may be in different locations, but the delivery of information between the two is still just as important.

As a result, many companies have turned to online meetings to help bridge the gap. This would not work without good speakers.

Therefore, no matter if you’re working in software development, marketing, entrepreneurship, or the gaming industry, you need to invest in a good pair of speakers.

This will remove the risk of vital information being lost and ensure proper understanding from one location to another.

Why are speakers used in the gaming and entertainment industry?

For gaming and entertainment, they allow you to hear all the sounds in the game so you don’t miss anything important in the gameplay.

As a result, they will not only make the game more immersive but also improve your performance and strategy.

Conclusion

Speakers have come a long way since the first microphone was invented in 1875 and will continue to evolve to drive future innovation in technology.

Truth be told, they might be an odd choice of investment to make. But, when it comes down to it they’re extremely important gadgets.

In workplace settings, they not only provide quality audio in communication settings but also make things clear and understandable.

In gaming, virtual reality, and other streaming media, enhance your experience and make the game more enjoyable.

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