The computers developed so much in the last decades and today they are popular all over the world. Most of the people, no matter their age, had probably used or at least seen a computer in their lives. And almost all the people from the industrialized countries are having a personal computer at their home. Since the home users began to use computers, they were also interested in having some sound on their computer. No matter if they were playing a game, watching a movie, listening to music or any other activity, people definitely need to have some computer speakers. Today there are so many kinds of speakers to choose from, in different shapes, sizes and prices. There are also many audio equipment producers, and some of the big names on the market are: Creative, JBL, Harman Kardon, Logitech, Altec Lansing, Genius, Bose and others.

Depending on the number of speakers they have, there are a few types of audio systems. First there are the 2.0 systems, or simply stereo speakers. These are two small speakers that will give a nice and simple stereo sound. Some stereo speakers are more powerful and capable of giving a complex sound, but most of them are simple. So if you want something a little more better than this, you can get a 2.1 system. This is composed out of 2 stereo speakers and also a subwoofer. The sound quality of a 2.1 system is pretty good, and you can enjoy some nice sound on your computer. But there is something even better: the surround sound system. These systems are composed of a center channel, a subwoofer and a few satellite speakers. These can be 4 satellite speakers (in the case of a 5.1 system) or 6 speakers (in the case of a 7.1 system). These kinds of speakers are specially made to give you that surround feeling and that’s why it is really important to arrange them correctly. If the arrangement is good, then you can enjoy some great feelings, such as the sensation of someone being behind you.


The center channel gives the high sounds while the subwoofer brings the low and deep frequencies (the bass) meaning that you will enjoy a rich sound, with all the sound frequencies. Beside the audio systems there are also other types of speakers that can be used with the computer. For example there are the wireless speakers. They don’t have any wires and they can be used among a certain distance from the receiver. So you can have the computer in one room, and the speakers in another room, or even outside the house. For outside you can also use the outdoor speakers. These are specially designed to resist on any weather conditions, so you can enjoy the sound anywhere in your back yard or near the pool. For your home you can also use some floorstanding or bookshelf speakers. So these are the most important speakers, and if we skipped some of the types of speakers just let us know.

Usually, any computer comes with some default stereo speakers. But the quality of these is not so good, and most of the people are choosing to buy a new set of speakers. So if you want a better sound quality you can always switch between stereo and 5.1 speakers.

Like we mentioned before, a 5.1 system is usually very good and it is more than enough for a small apartment room. If you have at least 100 watts of RMS power, then you should be satisfied. The system will give you a nice sound, through all the sound ranges with a deep and powerful bass for music and a nice surround feeling for movies and games. A 5.1 system can be more difficult to install than some stereo speakers…but usually all the systems come with color coding cables and connectors, to make the installation more simple. So just follow these codes, and the instructions from the user manual and you should be ok. The satellite speakers will also come with longer wires, allowing you to place them in all the corners of the room. The only problem is that you will have to find a way to hide all the wires, or at least place them somewhere where they are hard to be seen or to walk on. Most of the satellite speakers come with mounting brackets, so they can be mounted on walls, which will make them sound better than if they were sitting low on the floor.

When buying a new 5.1 system, be careful to check out the sound card from your computer. If you already have a sound card that supports surround systems ( or an integrated sound card with these feature) then it is ok. But if you have a classical sound card, with 3 connectors, then it is recommended to buy a 5.1 sound card. This will make the system sound much better, so you can enjoy it at its maximum capacity. Don’t worry if you don’t have one, because they are usually pretty cheap. You can find some good sound cards for just about 20 dollars.



So after you get the appropriate sound card, and after you install the system and all of its wires and components, you have just one more step to do: to install the appropriate drivers. These may come along with your speakers or with your sound card on a CD, but if you didn’t get any CD don’t worry because you can find them on the internet. Just search for the driver recommended for your speakers and sound card. After installing it, browse the software and be sure to have all the correct settings. The number of speakers must be right (6 speakers or 5.1 system) and also all the volumes had to be turned up. Also make sure that no speakers is muted. After doing all this, the system should work properly, and you are ready to enjoy the great feeling of a surround system. Good luck!