Putting together a decent hi-fi system has never been simpler: most components, be they sources, amplifiers or speakers, will work together. Sources have an output suitable for any amplifier, even the mystery of record player/amp matching being solved with built-in phono stages or, in extremis, Bluetooth connectivity, and most amplifiers have more than enough power to drive a wide range of speakers, so you don’t have to get too obsessed with impedance or power or sensitivity figures.

Of course, there are some very basic rules to follow, but they’re mainly guided by common sense: for example, a pair of very small speakers will struggle to fill a very large room with sound at high levels, not least because the smaller drivers they use won’t be able to move enough to energise the air in the room sufficiently. Sound, after all, is about air moving, and shifting a lot of air is a matter of a large driver area with a good range of movement.

Similarly, very large speakers may prove too much for a more compact space, especially if there’s not sufficient space to get them away from the wall behind them, which can over-boost the bass, and especially corners, which will increase the ‘horn’ effect. There’s nothing wrong with using larger speakers in relatively small rooms, and indeed some compact floorstanding designs can be a viable – and more elegant – alternative to smaller speakers used on stands, but only if the speakers are designed to be used close to walls: otherwise, they can simply take up too much space.

Larger speakers, with multiple drivers, tend to be more sensitive than smaller models: again, it’s all about that greater surface area for shifting air, and the efficiency with which larger ‘motors’ – the electromagnetic drive systems – turn electrical energy into physical movement. They can usually also handle more amplifier power, whereas pushing small speakers with excessive amplifier output can risk damage.

But we’re talking extremes here: speaker manufacturers quote a range of amplifier output to which they’re best suited, and by far the most important part of that range is the lower figure, counter-intuitive though that may seem. So, if a speaker has a recommended amplifier power of, say, 25-100W, you should ensure the amplifier delivers at least 25W, and not worry too much if the amp manufacturer quotes a maximum output of 125W, for example.

Why? Well, an amplifier of too low a power may not be able to drive the speakers adequately, especially if you sit some distance from your speakers, as acoustic output reduces drastically with distance. What’s more, the amp will have little in reserve to handle the dynamics of the music, especially if you like relatively high basic playback levels, and when the amplifier runs out of energy it starts ‘clipping’ the waveform of the sound, which can damage speaker drivers.

So why doesn’t a more powerful amplifier damage speakers? Well, if you hit a speaker with a 100W maximum input power with a 500W amplifier and play it flat out, then there is plenty of potential for damage, but then music isn’t like that: even the most powerful amplifier will probably only be delivering a few watts when playing gentle music, or even more complex content at ‘sensible’ listening levels. Most of the power will only be delivered for a fraction of a second to handle the peaks in the recorded content – those dynamics again – so what more amplifier power will give you is both more dynamic headroom and, usually, a better ‘grip’ on the music, meaning the ability to both drive and control the speakers better, giving a more precise view of the music.

In terms of speaker set-up, the best advice is to follow the suggestions in the speaker manufacturer’s manual, but to take them as suggestions, not law. Most companies will suggest variations on the ‘golden triangle’ – in which the distance between the speakers should be the same as that from the listening position to each speaker – but will also state minimum distances from the wall behind the speakers and the side walls. The latter is a matter of controlling first reflections, as sound bouncing from the wall to the listener can confuse the stereo image. But in most circumstances you can avoid this problem by angling the speakers in toward the listening seat a little, which will also help firm up the stereo image.

What you’re aiming for is that sense of a solid image of the performance between the speakers, and with an impression of front to back depth: with the speakers too close together the image will appear small, and with them too far apart the central image will collapse. Toe-in can help, but not all speaker companies agree: for example, DALI will tell you that the dispersion of its speakers is designed to be wide enough not to require any toe-in to firm up the image – as mentioned in these pages before, the other meaning of the company’s name, it says, is ‘Don’t Angle Loudspeakers Inwards’.