What are the different types of loudspeaker?

May 06, 2019

What are the different types of loudspeaker?

Breaking up the frequency range.

The generally accepted range of human hearing is between 20 and 20,000 Hz. Though there are nuances and extenuating factors, we’ll make this our basic yardstick. In hi-fi, this range is broken into thirds: low, mid, and high frequencies.  

Who is responsible for what? 

Separate components of a loudspeaker are responsible for reproducing one or more of these thirds. The components responsible are broken into either tweeters or woofers.

Tweeters

    • Take care of the high frequency range only: somewhere between 2,000 and 20,0000 Hz.

Woofers

    • Can take care of both the mid and low frequency range: roughly between 20 and 2,000 Hz
    • But, they can also be broken into separates: one or more woofers for mids, one or more for bass. Mids: roughly between 200 and 2,000 Hz. Lows: roughly between 20 and 200 Hz.  

Two-way Loudspeakers

Typically designed for bookshelf loudspeakers, there is a single tweeter responsible for reproducing the high frequency range and a single woofer responsible for reproducing both the mid and bass frequency range.

Two and half-way Loudspeakers

Typically designed for floorstanding loudspeakers, there is a single tweeter responsible for reproducing the high frequency range, a single woofer for reproducing the mid frequency range, and a single woofer for reproducing the low frequency range.

Three-way Loudspeakers

Typically designed for floorstanding loudspeakers: there is a single tweeter responsible for reproducing the high frequency range, a single woofer for reproducing the mid frequency range, and two woofers for reproducing the low frequency range.