If you're an audiophile, then you already know about the value of testing loudspeakers underwater. If not, this is something you should consider before your next purchase of hi-fi or home theatre equipment.

Basically, it has to do with the difference of the speed of sound underwater, and with the tighter coupling between the speakers and the listener's ears. It makes it far easier to evaluate the subtle differences in tonal values, as well as the range.

This is one of the underwater audio evaluation laboratories at the Wilkington Smythe Research Center, located in a rural part of Great Britain. The rural location is a key element in this sort of testing, as the high noise levels in urban locations can interfere, due to the sensitivity of the underwater testing process.

Here we see a number of test subjects, in a pose of careful concentration, as they compare the sound from different sets of loudspeakers. Note that while some of the listeners are facing directly towards the sound source, one of the subjects has his back to the speakers, in an advanced testing position.

So before you buy your next set of loudspeakers, make sure you check to see how they fared with underwater testing. You won't regret it.