Comparison JBL One Series 104 vs Mackie CR3

Speaker sensitivity.

This characteristic is indicated on the basis of how loud the acoustics are capable of producing when a signal of a certain standard power is applied to it. Simply put, the higher the sensitivity of the speaker, the louder it will sound at the same output power of the amplifier. Thus, sensitive acoustics can be effectively used even in combination with relatively low-power "amplifiers". On the other hand, low sensitivity also has its advantages: it allows you to achieve a more uniform frequency response and reduces the likelihood of overloading the amplifier. In the least sensitive modern speakers, this indicator does not exceed 84 dB, in the most sensitive it is 95 – 96 dB or more.

Note that in fact, you have to pay attention to this parameter when acoustics are planned to be used with a separately selected power amplifier. Therefore, for active systems (see "Type"), sensitivity is purely a reference value, and, usually, it can be ignored when choosing.

Impedance is the nominal electrical impedance of a speaker system. Nowadays, a set of standard impedance values are used; the most widely used speakers are 4 ohms, 6 ohms, 8 ohms and 16 ohms.

This parameter is of primary importance for passive acoustics (see "Type"). When connecting such speakers to a power amplifier, it is highly desirable that their impedance matches the speaker impedance for which the amplifier is designed; in case of a mismatch, either overload and distortion in sound (if the speaker impedance is below optimal), or a decrease in power (in the opposite case), are possible.

As for active acoustics, here the impedance is mainly of reference value — the speakers in such systems are initially selected for the corresponding amplifiers. However there is an opinion that a higher resistance reduces the level of interference and has a positive effect on the purity of the sound; however, the difference in impedance between different models is usually not so great that this effect is noticeable against the background of other factors that determine sound quality.

The crossover frequency provided in the speaker design.

A crossover is installed exclusively in a multi-band model (see "Number of Bands"). This is an electronic filter that ensures the division of the incoming audio signal into separate frequency ranges and directs each range to "its" set of speakers. And the crossover frequency shows where the boundary between these ranges lies. If there are more than two bands, there will be several such boundaries: for example, for a four-band system it may be specified "0.15 / 0.8 / 2.8 kHz" or "0.12 / 1 / 3.8".

In most cases, this parameter has mainly a reference value: the frequencies of the built-in crossover are selected to match the operating characteristics of the speakers installed in the speaker system.

The highest power rating of an amplifier that the loudspeakers can handle safely. Too much input power can damage the speakers, so when connecting, make sure that the amplifier's characteristics do not exceed the capabilities of the speakers. It is worth noting that this parameter may be slightly higher than the total nominal power of the acoustics (see below), since in this case we are only talking about the safety of the equipment, and not about the absence of distortion in the sound.

The total rated power of all speaker components, in other words, the sum of the powers of all speakers. As a nominal one, they usually indicate the highest average (rms) power at which acoustics can operate for a long time without overloads and damage. In this case, individual power surges can significantly exceed this value, however, it is the rated power that is the main characteristic of any speaker.

First of all, the sound volume depends on this characteristic: the more powerful the speakers, the louder the sound they can produce if there is a suitable amplifier. In addition, in passive and passive-active models, compatibility with an external amplifier also depends on the power: the output power of the “amplifier” should not exceed the power of the acoustics connected to it, otherwise overloads and even breakdowns are possible.

Detailed recommendations regarding the choice of speakers for power for a particular situation can be found in special sources. However, in general, an indicator of up to 100 W by the standards of modern acoustics is considered quite modest, 100 – 200 W — average, 200 – 300 W — above average, and the most powerful sets give out up to 500 W or even more.

In conclusion, we note two more nuances. Firstly, when comparing different systems according to this ch...aracteristic, one must also take into account the sound format in which they work. In particular, if there is a subwoofer, it can account for a significant part of the total power — up to half or more. As a result, for example, a 2.1 set of 50 W with a 20-watt subwoofer at the main frequencies will not be able to pull out the same volume as a 40-watt 2.0 system: in the first case, each main channel will have only 15 watts, in the second — 20 watts. Secondly, in multichannel systems, the total power can be distributed among the channels in different proportions; so, say, two 5.1 systems with the same total power can differ markedly in front and rear balance at maximum volume.

The total frequency range that the speaker is capable of reproducing. Specified from the bottom of the range in the lowest frequency component to the top of the range in the highest frequency: for example, in a 2.1 system with main speakers at 100 – 22000 Hz and a subwoofer at 20 – 150 Hz, the total value will be 20 – 22000 Hz.

The wider the frequency range — the fuller the reproduced sound, the lower the likelihood that some part of the low or high frequencies will be "cut off". It is worth noting here that the human ear perceives frequencies on average from 16 Hz to 22 kHz, and from a practical point of view, it makes no sense to provide a wider frequency range in speakers. However, quite a few models go beyond this range, sometimes quite significantly (for example, there are speakers with a range of about 10 – 50,000 Hz). Such characteristics are a kind of "side effect" of high-end acoustics, and they are usually given for advertising purposes.

Thus, the lower limit of the range in modern speakers can be within frequencies up to 20 Hz, however, higher values \u200b\u200bare more common — 30 – 40 Hz, 40 – 50 Hz, or even more than 70 Hz. In turn, the upper limit in most modern speakers lies in the range 19 – 22 kHz, although there are deviations both upwards (see above) and downwards.

The diameter of the woofer or combined woofer/midrange speaker(s). The larger the speaker, the lower its operating frequencies and the more sound power it can provide. Therefore, you should pay special attention to this parameter if you want to get high-quality rich bass - especially if we are talking about an audio system without a subwoofer. More detailed information about speaker sizes can be found in special sources.

The material from which the cabinets of the speakers included in the speakers are made. Not only the appearance, but also the sound characteristics depend on this parameter. The most common options are:

— MDF(Medium Density Fiberboard — medium density fibreboard). The most popular material today, found in almost all price categories. At a rather low price, MDF has good acoustic characteristics, almost as good as natural wood.

— Tree. Wood can be classified as a premium material: it looks nicer than MDF, but in terms of acoustic properties it does not have significant advantages, but is noticeably more expensive. Because of this, this material is found mainly among high-end speakers designed for demanding users.

— Plastic. Plastic is low cost and easy to process. Its acoustic properties are worse than those of MDF and, moreover, wood; however, this shortcoming can be easily compensated for. So such cases are very popular nowadays, they are found even in high-end speakers.

— Metal. Most often, metal speaker cabinets are made of aluminium alloys. This provides an elegant appearance, in addition, such cases are very durable, reliable and are not afraid of scratches, dirt and moisture. On the other hand, metal is not cheap, and in some models it gives the sound a specific coloration that may not be to every...one's liking. To eliminate this effect, various design tricks can be applied, which, again, additionally affect the cost.

Note that for systems with a subwoofer (2.1, 5.1, etc., see “Number of channels”), this parameter specifies the material of the main speakers, while the subwoofer is in most cases made of MDF.

The total weight of all components of the speaker system.