Comparison Alesis Elevate 5 vs Soundking FP206A

General specialization of the speaker system.

These days, by this criterion, we distinguish home, concert, monitor, public address, outdoor, and cinema systems, as well as solutions for expanding existing AS. At the same time, the intended use isn’t a hard rule—many models also allow nonstandard use cases. However, it’s still simpler and more convenient to choose a speaker according to the application it was originally designed for. The specific features of speakers for different purposes are as follows:

— Home. A type of AS intended, as the name suggests, for individual use at home. Note that the specs of such models can vary widely—from the simplest bookshelf speakers to powerful multi-way speakers designed for home theaters and high-quality audio systems.

— Concert. A distinguishing exterior feature of AS intended for concerts is their large size and high nominal power (in some models it exceeds 1 kW). The latter is indispensable for vast spaces—halls, stadiums, etc.—where the sound also has to overpower the audience’s reaction (sometimes quite loud). Buying such speakers for home use makes no sense—not only due to the high price, but also because instead of high-level inputs (as in home AS) these systems have a connector for specialized equi...pment, musical instruments, etc. Most often concert speakers are sold in a 1.0 configuration (see “Number of channels”) so that sound engineers can assemble the required speaker setup from a specific number of components.

— Monitor. The primary purpose of monitor speakers is sound quality control; accordingly, all such models offer extremely high accuracy in reproducing every detail, a flat FR, and virtually no distortion. This makes them indispensable for professional use (for example, in recording studios): a monitor speaker will let you pinpoint all flaws in the input signal, including amplifier noise, editing inaccuracies, etc. Like concert models (see above), these systems are usually equipped with specialized inputs; however, using monitors for home listening makes little sense for another reason as well: all sound imperfections that go unnoticed on regular speakers will show up—and can noticeably spoil the impression. And the price of such models is quite high.

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— Outdoor. Speaker systems designed for installation outside. They can be used, for example, to provide sound for parties at a country house or outdoors, to play music on café summer terraces, etc. All models of this type necessarily have a moisture-resistant, corrosion-resistant enclosure (see “Water resistance”) for adverse weather; in addition, they are usually protected against UV exposure. Outdoor speakers can be mounted in different ways (see above), but suspended options are the most common.

— Cinema. Models intended, as the name suggests, for use in movie theaters—primarily not in “home-size” rooms for 6–10 viewers, but in large entertainment complexes with dozens or hundreds of seats. Cinema speakers have the following common traits. First, they are all passive, intended to be connected to specialized amplifiers; accordingly, high-voltage inputs in the form of binding posts or Euroblock sockets are used. Second, the power of such devices is quite high—100 W and above. Third, cinema speakers are usually produced in a 1.0 format (see “Number of channels”)—in other words, such models are not complete speaker systems, but individual components used to assemble a specific multichannel AS. This format makes it possible to select speakers as precisely as possible for a specific auditorium. By installation type, cinema speakers are usually floorstanding, in-wall, or wall-mounted. The latter are most often designed for installation on side walls, while the first two go behind the screen. Floorstanding versions can in fact consist of two parts—a classic low-frequency cabinet and a horn for MF and HF.

— Speaker system expansion. A specific type of speaker not intended for standalone use and used as an add-on to traditionally designed speakers. Such models are mainly used in multichannel surround systems—to extend the soundstage vertically; they have a distinctive look: relatively compact size, a slanted top panel, and a driver built into that panel. This way, the drivers aim the sound upward—so that, after reflecting off the ceiling, it reaches the listener and creates the impression that the sound source is above. Using “expansion” speakers lets you avoid specialized ceiling speakers. This is especially convenient given that ceiling speakers are usually in-wall/in-ceiling and fairly complex to install, whereas expansion modules often allow installation directly on top of the main AS components. Also note that this type of speaker may be originally designed for specific main speaker models; it’s worth confirming this before purchase.

Possibility of using an acoustic system for monitoring the near field. Monitoring is called sound quality control - for example, during recording in a studio; for this, columns of the corresponding purpose are used (see above). The term "near field" means that acoustics are designed for use at a short distance - up to 1.5 m from the listener; such speakers have a relatively low power and are best suited for small rooms (as well as other conditions where there is no extensive space or it is not required) - in particular, amateur and even home studios.

— Outdoor. As the name implies, these speakers are designed for installation on the floor and have a corresponding design: for example, in most models, the cabinet has a large height, selected in such a way that the speakers are at the optimum height when placed on the floor. In addition, floor acoustics are designed with the calculation of the influence of the floor itself on the sound; this allows you to achieve evenness and good depth of low frequencies. Floorstanding speakers in general have the highest power among all types and are usually designed for large rooms.

— Shelf. Shelf speakers are relatively small in size and are designed to be placed on shelves or stands of a different kind, at a significant elevation from the floor (the optimal height is considered to approximately correspond to the location of the listener's head). The advantage of this placement is smooth sound at all frequencies. In addition, such models usually have less power than floor standing ones and are well suited for small spaces — besides, the shelves can be mounted on the wall like a wall speaker.

— Floor / shelf. This type includes multi-channel (see "Intended use") systems in which one part of the speakers is designed for floor installation, the other for shelf installation. The former usually include front an...d, sometimes, rear speakers, as well as a subwoofer, while the latter include a centre channel and low-power rear speakers. See above for floor and shelf installation details.

— Embedded. Speakers designed to mount directly into the ceiling or wall. Often such models do not have a case at all — its role is played by niches in which speakers are installed. According to the shape of the case, namely the mounting hole, such acoustics can be round, oval, rectangular and square. The main advantage of embedded systems is that they take up a minimum of space in the room, moreover, they can be made almost invisible, and in general they are easier to fit into the design than any other type. At the same time, built-in speakers are the most difficult to install, require the participation of a qualified specialist, and it is also very difficult to rearrange an unsuccessfully installed speaker.

— Wall. Such speakers are very similar to bookshelf speakers in a number of characteristics (see above): in particular, they are small in size and power and are designed to be installed at the level of the listener's ears. The key difference is its own mounting system, thanks to which wall-mounted models do not require shelves or other supports and are hung directly on the wall during installation. This led to another difference — acoustic characteristics: they are designed for the fact that there will be a blank wall behind the speaker. Because of this, wall models should not be placed on shelves, even if the design allows it — the sound will be far from optimal. In addition to options with a traditional design, wall acoustics also include the so-called "dipole" speakers: These have 2 speakers facing in different directions and are designed to be mounted on the side wall in premium home theater systems for maximum surround sound.

— Suspended. As the name suggests, speakers of this type are suspended from the ceiling or other base on flexible mounts during installation — these can be either cables or their own cables. Most ceiling models are informational (see "Purpose"); this is due to the fact that one of the easiest ways to block a large room is to install an omnidirectional speaker under the ceiling. At the same time, high-end home systems can also be suspended: the fact is that such placement maximally removes the speaker from shelves, walls, etc., and thus minimizes distortion caused by foreign objects (especially since they are not are always made from acoustically optimal materials).

— Landscape. In addition to an unusual appearance for acoustic systems and stylization for elements of landscape design, this type of acoustics also boasts very stable cases. So, speakers, usually, are not afraid of temperature changes, direct sunlight or precipitation. At the same time, they are designed to play music in open space. They can be freely installed in the yard, many manufacturers initially complete their solutions with a special mounting system to protect the acoustic systems from theft.

— Linear array. A line array is an acoustic system in which several speakers are stacked vertically, directly one above the other. Due to this, such a system generates cylindrical sound waves (rather than spherical, as in classical acoustics). Such waves are distinguished by good “range”, the volume of linear arrays does not decrease as the distance increases as much as that of conventional speakers. This allows you to achieve a uniform and loud sound even in large spaces such as stadiums or concert halls. But at short distances (of the order of several metres), such characteristics are not required. Therefore, the main field of application of line arrays is concert acoustics (see "Purpose").

— 1.0. Single-channel(monophonic) audio system. "Alone" such speakers do not provide a sense of surround sound, but can be used as separate components for multi-channel surround sound systems.

— 2.0. Normal stereo sound: two speakers responsible for the left and right channels. Allows you to create a minimal illusion of "surround" sound by simulating the displacement of the sound source in the space in front of the listener.

— 2.1. A dual speaker system that creates a minimal illusion of "surround" sound, and a subwoofer that delivers powerful and rich sound by adding bass and ultra-low frequencies.

— 3.0. System of three speakers(centre and two front). According to some manufacturers, such systems in small rooms are capable, with some tricks, of reproducing full surround sound without rear speakers.

— 5.0. A set of five speakers(two front, centre and two rear), which allows you to reproduce a full surround sound, which is subjectively perceived by the listener not only in front, but also behind him.

— 5.1. A set of five speakers and a subwoofer for low and ultra-low frequencies, allowing you to reproduce a full surround sound, which is subjectively perceived by the listener not only in front, but also behind him. 5.1 systems ar...e one of the most popular multi-channel audio formats, widely used, in particular, in home theaters.

There are also much rarer options due to narrow needs:

— 1.1. Systems in the form of a subwoofer, on which a general range speaker is installed on top. They are found mainly in concert acoustics — it is convenient to assemble systems for powerful and rich sound from such components.

— 2.2. Further development of the idea embodied in systems 1.1 (see above); in fact, these are sets of two identical speakers of 1.1 format. Such sets are produced from the considerations that for concerts, especially in relatively small rooms, it is often enough just a pair of 1.1 speakers; it is more convenient and often cheaper to buy two such speakers at once than to buy them one at a time.

— 3.1. A system of three speakers (centre and two front), as well as a subwoofer for bass and ultra-low frequencies. It is a "stripped down" version of the 5.1 system; according to some manufacturers, such systems are capable of reproducing full surround sound in the absence of rear speakers, due to which they are perfect for installation in small rooms where it is not possible to place full-fledged 5.1 acoustics.

— 4.0. A variation of 4.1 systems (see below), devoid of a subwoofer, otherwise completely similar.

— 4.1. Simplified version of 5.1 format (see above); such systems usually lack either a centre or one of the rear channels. Anyway, other things being equal, they are cheaper than full-length 5.1, but their sound quality is significantly lower.

— 4.2. This category includes mainly concert acoustics (see "Intended use"), which is an extended version of the 2.2 described above. In 4.2 systems, not one, but two total range speakers are installed above each subwoofer. Thus, you can achieve better and richer sound.

— 5.2. A variation of the 5.1 described above, supplemented by a second subwoofer — this has a positive effect on the quality and accuracy of bass reproduction. On the other hand, setting up such systems is somewhat more complicated.

— 6.1. Extended version of 5.1 format: two front speakers, a centre speaker, three rear speakers (left, right and centre) and a subwoofer for bass and extra bass. It is characterized by a more accurate transmission of surround sound in the rear sector, but is quite rare.

— 7.0. Extended version of multi-channel audio with five main channels (eg 5.1). In this case, the five main channels are supplemented with two more, which allows to achieve a more voluminous and reliable sound. Most often, additional channels are located at the back ("rear right" and "rear left"), but depending on the specific sound format, other installation options are possible — for example, on the sides of the user.

— 8.1. Systems providing 8 main sound channels plus 1 low frequency. The specific distribution of the main channels may be different, depending on the model. However, all 8.1 systems differ, on the one hand, in good reliability of surround sound, on the other hand, in high cost and complexity in setting up.

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.

Rated power of one front speaker. See "Total Power Rating" below for details on power rating. Here we note that the higher the power, the louder the system component can sound — of course, with a properly selected amplifier. In addition, this parameter is very important for matching with the amplifier: it is desirable that the output power on the corresponding amplifier channel be less than the power of the speaker. If the incoming signal is more powerful, distortions in the sound and even damage to the speakers are possible, and if it is weaker, then the sound volume will decrease (in other words, it will not be possible to use the full potential of the acoustics), but this moment will be critical only for listening at maximum volume.

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....