Perhaps it is the exhilarating thrill of feeling the thump of bass in your chest. Maybe it is the joy of knowing that a body cavity has the power to be moved by the pulsating throb of a bass beat pumping from the speakers (even cheap speakers). However the listener receives the thrill, he is often feeling the power of a subwoofer.

The art of understanding the subwoofer begins with understanding how it can affect sound quality – and understanding sound quality is dependent on your understanding of the terminology to describe that sound quality. There are two main elements of sound and almost all listeners fall into the category of preferring one or the other.

The first is the SQ or sound quality, which really refers to the controlled low boom sound that comes out when you are using a smaller woofer. You normally are using a smaller sealed enclosure when your system gives this sound. Sealed enclosures take up less space than ported enclosures, and the sound is not affected significantly if the design bears some minor mistakes.

The SPL or sound pressure level refers to the huge bass sound that is so strong; you can feel it all over your body. It is in a ported enclosure, which is made like a sealed enclosure but is made with an extra opening so you can attach a port.

The biggest tradeoff with having so much of the sound that comes from a ported enclosure is space: you need lots of it in order to properly set up woofers that can give you big bass sound. Cheap wall speakers or cheap ceiling speakers give you a little latitude in terms of space. Subwoofers are used with these systems and can be tucked under a table, placed in a cabinet, in the ceiling or in the floor. The subwoofer would even give a needed boost to cheap stereo speakers.

There is other terminology you should pay close attention to when you are fielding the specs for subwoofers. The Fs is the frequency the subwoofer resonates. The higher the Fs, the higher the driver will play. X-MAX is the number of voice coil windings that hang over the top magnetic plate in a subwoofer. The more the coil windings move, the more SPL will be created. The BL is the force created by a motor. The more BL, the more control the woofer has.

The most important thing to give attention to when you select a subwoofer for your system is how you will install it. Will you treat it like cheap speakers and try to do the installation yourself or will you hire a professional who can then be accountable for any mistakes if something goes wrong? According to audio enthusiasts, the probability that your system will sound good rests about 80 percent on how soundly you can install it. If you must splurge on any part of the process, it should be this part. It is almost more important than choosing the subwoofer itself.

Discovering the shopping satisfaction of cheap speakers is less about hunting for a bargain and more about finding the least expensive way to achieve the sound quality and display options that you desire for your living or working space. Many people now want speakers that are compact, attractive and have the ability to either blend in with the decor or be easily concealed.

In an age where sound and sight drive any kind of audio or visual equipment that has to compete with the amenities of handheld mobile phones, the Internet and big flat-screen cable television, finding cheap stereo speakers has come down to the art of finding the best bang for the buck. A low price should not mean that a manufacturer skimps on the quality of construction of a sleek appearance.

The T100 Subwoofer offered by The Speaker Company achieves this effect quite nicely. It captures many of the features of other top-notch speakers on the market, but at a minimal cost – until December 31, 2009, it goes for $159.99, a sale cut from the original $299.99 price that is still a bargain. Customers have raved about being pleasantly surprised by the subwoofer system, which tunes easily with many systems, has an excellent bass sound quality and is easy to install.

Cheap in wall speakers and cheap ceiling speakers seem to be a more modern concept of the speaker. It allows the bass and full sound to be evenly distributed more throughout the space of your home rather than compacting it through a standalone speaker that is based in one place in a room. Ideally round speakers installed in a ceiling or square speakers placed in the wall send the vibrations of the music you hear through the wall.

As a general rule of thumb, you should place in-ceiling speakers at equal distances from the space where you will be primarily sitting and listening. Ideally, the speakers should be the same distance apart from each other as they are from you. The distance should be measured in a horizontal fashion from the place where you will be listening and not straight up from a seat. Many listeners use a subwoofer to boost low-frequency sounds with in ceiling speakers, though mid-range and high-frequency speakers seem to work just fine.

Swiveling tweeters for cheap speakers that are in ceiling or in wall allow you to direct the sound toward your favorite listening spot by placing the speakers at an angle. Treble controls and bass controls also let you adjust the sound even after the speakers are already installed in the wall or ceiling. Look for moisture-resistant models if you plan to install in a bathroom or kitchen or a ceiling space where there may be lots of humidity.

No matter which cheap speakers (“cheap” meaning best bargain, not low quality) you purchase to take home, remember that you should always tailor your audio system toward your listening habits and media preferences. Having an impressive way to view home theater or listen to music could make you the most sought after host in your neighborhood.