Home Speakers Vs. Auto Speakers
Home speakers and auto speakers are more similar than you might think, but the main differences come in the the function of each and the overall look of your set-up. These differences are important to explore because you probably have both car speakers and home speakers--regardless of the quality of your set-up.
Other People Are Reading
-
Parts of a Speaker
-
Speakers--whether for the car or home -- have a few standard parts. These are the magnet, voice coil, driver, spider and diaphragm, according to Popular Mechanics. The voice coil is a metal coil that wraps around a cylinder and conducts electricity to the magnet; the diaphragm is the "cloth" or flexible fabric that you see on the surface; the spider connects the voice coil and diaphragm and is a piece of material with "accordion" folds that move with the diaphragm and voice coil.
Home Speaker System Parts
-
Home speaker systems have three main components. First, the amp--or head unit--is where you put in the cassette, CD or plug an MP3 player. This is the part of the system that gives the unit its power and allows you to control volume, EQs and other preferences. Second, the speakers are where the sound generated by the amp comes out. Because home speakers are more visible in the home than car speakers, they usually have an aesthetically pleasing look (like wooden or streamline black casing). Third, the subwoofer is the device that looks like a speaker but produces only low-end noises for the sound system. The subwoofer gives the sound extra power and a wider range of sounds. The speakers are responsible for projecting the mids and highs in the system, and the subwoofer is responsible for projecting the lows.
-
Home Speaker System Function
-
Because much more goes on in the home than in the car, the home speaker system often serves as background music or less of a focal point than the car speaker system. This makes for less of a need for certain parts of a home speaker system, like the subwoofer, for example. Others use their home speaker system as part of their home movie theater or for surround sound. For this use, the speaker system must contain all of its parts, especially the subwoofer--to give the film the audio it deserves. Figure out what you need and purchase the parts you need based on your assessment.
Car Speaker System Parts
-
Car speaker systems have a similar lineup of parts: the head unit, where the cassette, CD or iPod is hooked up; the speakers; additional speakers for additional sound; and a subwoofer. In a car system set-up, the speakers are placed strategically around the car to give it the best possible sound (in the doors, on the dash, on the back window dash, etc.). The subwoofer is usually placed in the trunk of the car, often built into the floor of the back.
Car Speaker System Function
-
Music takes a more prominent role in the car because there are fewer distractions. People tend to hold their car audio systems to a higher standard than their home systems. In a car speaker system, a subwoofer is standard, whereas in the home, it's not as essential for a simple music system setup (this does not apply to systems used for movies).
-
