Choosing the best speakers (by national anthem)

Image by Rose and Trev Clough. Used under Creative Commons.

Unless you live under a rock, there’s a pretty good chance you’ll be tuning in to some international athletic competition in the coming weeks. With hundreds of awards to be presented, you’ll no doubt be treated to a sizeable sampling of national anthems. This got us thinking: Which speakers are best for which anthems?

Using recent historical data, we chose the top anthems you’re likely to hear this year, and selected the best speakers for each that will maximize your listening experience.

So, without further ado, our top speaker picks (complete with a little trash talking), by country:

China — Energy RC-10

If the People’s Republic is as competitive as they have been before, we’ll likely be hearing “March of the Volunteers” a lot in the near future. Fortunately, this upbeat tune actually isn’t bad to listen to. To complement China’s anthem, we picked Energy’s RC-10 bookshelf speakers. Like China’s ultra-competitive gymnasts, these speakers are small, but very dynamic and surprisingly powerful. But since Vann’s is an authorized dealer for everything we sell, you won’t have to worry about any faked birth certificates with this pair, contrary to those gymnasts. Like the anthem, these Energy speakers are bright and lively, so they should bring out the best in each other.

Energy RC10 Pair

Russia — REL T1

In Soviet Russia, medals win you. And as Russia’s anthem plays, you’re going to want a sound system with plenty of bass. Our perennial competitor’s regal hymn requires a high-performance subwoofer like the 300W, 10” REL T1. This sub’s dominant low-frequency playback is the perfect complement to the heavy “State Hymn of the Russian Federation”.

REL T1

Great Britain — Mirage OMD-15

From the opening drum roll, “God Save The Queen” (or “My Country ‘tis Of Thee”, as it’s properly known) demands a speaker with precise clarity. With the Mirage OMD-15, you’ll get just that. Exceptional fidelity will allow you to hear every detail of the UK’s national song, which is important, since you’ll hopefully only have a couple chances to listen to it.

OMD-15

Germany — KEF iQ90

More than any other anthem on this list, “Song of Germany” needs a speaker with solid performance across the entire frequency spectrum. With a frequency response from the lowest rumbles to sounds in the dog-whistle range, KEF’s iQ90 is up to the task. From the lowest lows to the highest highs, this floorstanding speaker will play Germany’s anthem with the kind of precision only Germans can truly appreciate.

KEF iQ90

United States of America — Definitive Technology BP7006

We’re pretty sure “The Star-Spangled Banner” will be played a lot at this year’s competition. And what better way to hear America’s anthem than through the incredible Definitive Technology tower? With its podium-worthy treble performance, we declare the BP7006 to be the best speaker for doing justice to our nation’s official song.

Definitive Technology BP7006