Wilson Benesch has never followed the herd. So, what if you have a generous budget, but a compact listening space? Sensitivity: 88 dB/w/wm | Impedance: 6ohms | Biwire: No | Max power handling: 150W | Dimensions: 83 x 16 x 28cm (HxWxD). Drive units are designed in-house and feature elaborate faceplates cleverly-shaped to reduce distortion. As recently requested we are going to give a good rundown of the 10 best Powered Speakers, what their assets and features are and just why that makes them the best.Despite modern conveniences often opting for built-in speakers and headphone outputs, the powered speaker still reserves pride of place for all our quality audio needs. But if Spektor 2s match your budget, these affordable standmounters deserve an audition. These have a larger driver, as well as some changes to the tweeter design and port placement. Sixty clean watts will drive a wide range of speakers, and the GFA-535 still offers satisfying performance—think of it as the ying to the Stereo 70’s yang. The best speakers for your TV (soundbar alternative): Klipsch The Fives Why you should buy them: Classic retro looks and plenty of tech delivering smooth sound. And that's not only by the standards of directly competing active speaker alternatives, but also by what we've been able to achieve in any price-comparable amp/speakers combination. An excellent addition to the 3000i series of speakers. Of course, these are very expensive speakers (£9495, $14,000, AU$18,990), so you need serious amplification to even contemplate them, but if your system allows for them, they really are top of their class. The Audiophiliac's Top 10 speakers from $40 to $400. Cosmetically, there's not much new, but for an inscription on the tweeter surround and a new oak finish option. In a … This gives us complete control over the testing process, ensuring consistency. Inside is on the predictable side, too, with classic speaker design but for some high-density EVA foam behind the driver for extra stability. The B6.2 speakers take what we loved about their Award-winning siblings and build on it with an even fuller-bodied and more mature presentation. There's authority, scale and class-leading insight, whether dealing with subtle, delicate moments or songs requiring soaring dynamics. These are exciting speakers, which really come alive when turned up loud.Â. Its first products – a turntable and tonearm – were made using carbon fibre, something considered exceptionally high-tech back then in 1989. What makes these speakers all the more impressive is that they're still the better buy, despite being a little pricier and noticeably smaller. The Dali Menuet range of speakers has been one of our go-to options for time time when it comes to great speakers in compact form. Bi-wire: No | Driver: 16.5cm mid/bass, 22mm tweeter | Sensitivity: 88dB/w/m | Impedance: 6ohms | Dimensions: 32.5 x 20 x 33cm. On the outside, there’s a lovely Wild Walnut real wood veneer covered in an immaculately applied high gloss finish. A mature and understated pair of speakers, Speaker terminals: Single | Mid/bass driver: 16.5cm | Tweeter: 2.5cm | Sensitivity: 87dB/W/m | Dimensions: 37.4 x 19.5 x 26.8cm (HWD) |. It’s about a big as a shoebox and feels immensely solid. Impedance: 6ohms | Sensitivity: 85dB/w/m | Speaker terminals: Single wire | Dimensions: 29 x 17 x 24cm (HxWcD) | Tweeter: 25mm soft dome | Woofer: 13cm wood fibre, On paper, there’s little to differentiate Dali’s new Spektor 2s from any of their main rivals: the speakers stick to the classic budget standmounter formula like Superglue sticks to fingers. All products are tested in comparison with rival products in the same category, and all review verdicts are agreed upon by the team as a whole rather than a single reviewer, helping to ensure consistency and avoid individual subjectivity. While their looks are understated, and even sonically they refuse to beg for your affection, the Elac B6.2s are mature, transparent performers that confidently outline just what the rest of your system is doing. One-box wireless speakers might take up less space and mean less clutter, but for the best possible sound there's no substitute for a quality pair of stereo speakers. It's a winning combination. Tonally, they don’t have the luscious midrange warmth of the comparable Dalis (below), but they’re admirably balanced and capable of making the best of any recording – even those of poor quality. Unlike the Ruark Audio MR1 Mk2s (above), there's no built-in Bluetooth. The revised 5.25cm mid/bass unit uses a new blend of aramid fibres for the cone, combined with a different shape to improve stiffness and damping, while the tweeter claims a top-end response of 35kHz, adding plenty of sparkle to proceedings. They have the dynamic expression, detail and tonal sophistication to handle anything you can throw at them. Overall build is excellent. In the midrange, they're a little lacking in warmth, but on the flip side, they're very well balanced and can make the best of any recording, regardless of audio quality. One-box wireless speakers might take up less space and mean less clutter, but for the best possible sound there's no substitute for a quality pair of stereo speakers. Sensitivity: 90 dB/w/m | Driver: 3-way bass reflex, AMT tweeter, Kevlar bass drivers | Impedance: 4ohms | Max power handling: 200W | Speaker terminals: single | Dimensions: 105.9 x 25.7 x 35.6cm (hwd). Best Speakers Buying Guide: Welcome to What Hi-Fi? Plus they sound wicked good whether they're hooked up to a standard or high-end system. We’re big fans of this new Debut series. Yet, even against such talented (and larger) competition, we think these Audiovectors posses an utterly convincing blend of talents, particularly their musical cohesion, expressive dynamics and rhythmic nature. Powerful vocals are delivered with nuance and passion, grabbing the listener's attention, and dynamics are handled with subtlety and class. Mission and Q Acoustics offer similarly-good options, and both have their relative strengths and flaws. ... Buy: Edifier P17 $89.99. Instead, it's focused on what it does best: skilful engineering, with granular refinements in each new instalment over the course of many years. Upgrade your home theatre setup with the latest surround sound speakers and accessories from Best Buy. The F501s are an extremely confident calling-card, and it's testament to their ability that they picked up a What Hi-Fi? These sophisticated standmounters deliver a huge sense of scale, much larger than rivals such as the formidable B&W 607s, and boast impressive separation to boot.Â. But no more. The biggest differences are heard in the bass. This is one to buy with confidence. The Wilson Benesch Precision P2.0 can trace their lineage right back to the company's first speakers, the A.C.T. Read the full review: Acoustic Energy AE309, These floorstanders set the bar at this level, Type: 2.5-way floorstander | Sensitivity: 89dB | Impedance: 6 ohms | Mid/bass driver: 2 x 17cm | Tweeter: 1 x 25mm | Dimensions: 110.5 x 27 x 47cm. They're energetic, brimming with insight and riotously entertaining – like a frontman let loose in Vegas. Elac has hit it out of the park. Superb Award-winning floorstanders, right up there with the best. There are no magic ingredients here, no bleeding-edge technology to explain the Oberon 5s’ talented performance – just skilful engineering and steady refinements over the course of many years. The What Hi-Fi? We’re big fans of this new Debut series. But these Dalis are much more than simply the sum of their parts: they ooze sophistication and offer a degree of entertainment that even their most talented rivals struggle to match. The stereo speakers provided in Realme X2 Pro bring out the best sound. Such seamless integration is complemented by a pleasing tonal balance that’s solid through the midrange and bass and crisp up top. The biggest upgrade on previous generations is the upgraded crossover. There’s no shortage of excellent rivals at this price level. KEF’s Reference 1s sound even more authoritative and are capable of greater tonal neutrality. Having spent some time with the new Response DT8 floorstanders, we wish it hadn't been so long.Â. What Hi-Fi? Prefer analogue? We have state-of-the-art testing facilities in London and Bath, where our team of expert reviewers do all our in-house testing. If it's standmounted speakers you want, Elac's affordable B5.2s perform superbly for the money. Sensitivity: 90 dB/w/m | Impedance: 8ohms | Max power handling: 180W | Mid/bass driver: 16.5cm | Tweeter: 25mm | Dimensions: 97.8 x 19.3 x 23cm (HxWxD), It’s been a few years since we last reviewed a ProAc speaker. The 7.5 x 5.9 x 3.1-inch satellites don't take up much … The speakers can be returned to the factory for conversion to either the Avantgarde or the range-topping Arreté spec we have here. Buy it. The big brothers of the A-Line series, these A7s are superb floorstanders that sound great, look great and are compact enough to fit into most homes. Having given these speakers’ smaller siblings a What Hi-Fi? Stereo systems are making a big come back, with Bose and Sony launching an innovative home stereo system recently. The biggest, most premium models in Wharfedale's Evo range are packed with a lot of tech. Fyne Audio has done a sterling job with these mouth-watering floorstanders. We think we’ve found the answer in Audiovector’s R1 Arreté. It's impressive stuff, too. Not only are they great as they are but they can also be upgraded. Though the price of the 805s has crept up over the years, this latest generation is without doubt the most capable we’ve heard. The Companion 2 Series III is among the best computer speakers for most people. The Air Motion Transformer tweeter is normally reserved for more expensive speakers, while the dome midrange and twin Kevlar bass drivers set these floorstanders apart from the crowd. They deliver such an entertaining sound we can’t help but recommend them. It’s rare to find a pair of active speakers at this price that leave us struggling to come up with alternative separates that can match their talents. Like the other speakers in this 3000 range, these are impressively cohesive performers with a smooth tonal balance and easy-going nature.Â. Never heard of Fyne Audio? Of course, these are very expensive speakers (£9495, $14,000, AU$18,990), so you need serious amplification to even contemplate them, but if your system allows for them, they really are top of their class. Well worthy of your consideration. While retaining a broadly similar sonic character, the 606 S2 Anniversary Editions prove significantly more capable than their predecessors. Explore many options on audio speakers from Sony. That's why if you take the plunge and buy one of the products recommended below, or on any of our other Best Buy pages, you can rest assured you're getting a What Hi-Fi?-approved product. Sensitivity: 88 dB/w/wm | Impedance: 6ohms | Biwire: No | Max power handling: 150W | Dimensions: 83 x 16 x 28cm (HxWxD). Build quality is impressive for the money, with a choice of understated wood-effect finishes – described by Fyne as 'superior vinyl'. We think they look great and they have a slim, room-friendly profile. They may look fairly simple but they're also neatly finished, well made and available in a choice of four finishes. These tiny speakers are a brilliant solution, Sensitivity: 86dB | Impedance: 4 ohms | Biwire: No | Max power handling: 100W | Dimensions: 25 x 15 x 23cm. The original Bowers & Wilkins 606 speakers walked off with What Hi-Fi?’s top speaker award in 2019 but it seems there's always room for improvement. If your space is on the larger side you might want to consider bigger speakers, but for most living areas the Dalis will do the job. While they might look similar to their smaller siblings, they do feel more solidly put together. And that's not only by the standards of directly competing active speaker alternatives, but also by what we've been able to achieve in any price-comparable amp/speakers combination. It’s fair to say that these new Debut B5.2 speakers should be considered one of the company’s finest efforts. From all of our reviews, we choose the top products to feature in our Best Buys, such as this one. The idea is to get the best of all worlds - a polypropylene cone in the top unit shoots for natural mids, while a stiff poly mica diaphragm in the lower to deliver powerful-but-articulate bass. Read the full review: Acoustic Energy AE1 Active, Hugely capable bookshelf speakers with class-leading resolution and clarity, Sensitivity: 88 dB/w/m | Impedance: 8ohms | Biwire: Yes | Dimensions: 42 x 24 x 35cm (HxWxD). It’s difficult to think of an amplifier/passive speakers combo that could better these Acoustic Energy active speakers for the money – they do everything with a flourish. If you need something to fill a small or awkward space, in a corner or on a shelf, then these are a fine option. Such has been the consistency of B&W's design approach that it’s easy to dismiss recent generations of the 800 series as just more of the same. So whether you're looking for your first pair of speakers as you build a music system, upgrading an old pair of budget speakers or splashing the cash on a premium pair, we're here to help. The Onkyo SKF-4800 two-way bass reflect floor-standing speakers feature fantastic sound at a wallet-friendly price. They deliver a level of detail and insight that outclasses most rivals, and have an even-handed nature that gives them exceptional balance.Â. They offer everything we would expect from a typical £200/$200 box here, from two-way driver configuration and ported bass tuning right the way through to the 25mm dome tweeter and 13cm mid/bass driver.Â, But these Dalis are much more than simply the sum of their parts: they ooze sophistication and offer a degree of entertainment that even their most talented rivals struggle to match. The list does not have credibility. They sound a lot bigger than their 83cm height would suggest, and they showcase lots of dynamic subtlety and rhythmic precision. Best stereo speakers for 2021. The Q Acoustics 3030is are the largest of the three standmounters in the 3000i range and latest to receive a glowing five-star review. These towers deliver a sparkling performance. These are the smaller, more affordable siblings to the 606s higher up in this list. Awards. It's a competitive price-point, with a number of supremely capable contenders, but when it comes to delivering music that sounds rhythmical and cohesive, these Dynaudio speakers are very hard to beat. It has more than 200 years of experience - and delivers results that total the sum of its parts, if the first of its loudspeakers to arrive in our test rooms are anything to go by. Overall, the Borea BR03 are savvy musical performers with a great sense of scale and an even greater appetite for presenting music in a transparent and mature manner. Bi-wire: No | Driver: 16.5cm mid/bass, 22mm tweeter | Sensitivity: 88dB/w/m | Impedance: 6ohms | Dimensions: 32.5 x 20 x 33cm. The LS50’s Uni-Q driver array, where the tweeter sits in the throat of the mid/bass unit, has been thoroughly reworked, taking in all the refinements that KEF has developed over the past eight years and adding something new in the form of Metamaterial Absorption Technology (MAT). The tweeters have been developed specially for Acoustic Energy’s 300 series, using the company’s Wide Dispersion Technology waveguides to better match dispersion to the woofers, with the aim of widening the listening sweet spot. These B&Ws sound open and dynamic, and while best when really pushed they can do subtle and finesse, too.  You can always use the AUX input to partner them with a turntable or plug in some headphones. Edifier R1280Ts Powered Bookshelf Speakers - 2.0 Stereo Active Near Field Monitors - Studio Monitor Speaker - 42 Watts RMS with Subwoofer Line Out - … Read the full review: Wilson Benesch Precision P1.0. So whether you're looking for your first pair of speakers as you build a music system, upgrading an old pair of budget speakers or going for broke with the best speakers your system, room and finances can accommodate, we're here to help. Find low everyday prices and buy online for delivery or in-store pick-up With complete home theatre systems, mix-and-match speakers, receivers, and subwoofers from Infinity, Klipsch, Harman Kardon, Yamaha, Sony, Bose and more, everything you watch will come alive with room-filling sound. There are improvements in clarity too, with voices offering extra subtlety, while the overall presentation is more natural and transparent. You can't expect a cabinet of this size to deliver particularly deep bass notes but the overall tonal balance is fine, and the trade-off is focus and clarity. And with the LS50 Meta they have delivered a worthy upgrade. With a top-end response of 35kHz, the tweeter should do justice to those soaring highs. We’ve long been fans of Dynaudio’s Contour 20 range and the Contour 20i speaker successfully raise the bar. The cabinet has more bracing for increased rigidity, aiming to reduce resonance, making for less distortion. The result is breathtaking. Type: Three-way design | Sensitivity: 90 dB/w/m | Impedance: 8ohms | Mid/bass driver: 15cm IsoFlare | Tweeter: 25mm Titanium dome | Max power handling: 75W | Dimensions: 98 x 20 x 32cm. Read the full review: Audiovector R1 Arreté, A fun and well-rounded pair of floorstanders, Type: 2.5-way design | Sensitivity: 89 dB/w/m | Impedance: 6ohms | Mid/bass driver: 2 x 13cm | Tweeter: 28mm Wide Dispersion Technology | Max power handling: 175W | Dimensions: 90 x 17.5 x 28cm, It’s testament to Acoustic Energy’s AE309s that by the time we had finished running these speakers in, we’d almost forgotten that we’d swapped them for our usual ATC reference speakers. Shop online for the best amplifiers, subwoofers, and speakers for car audio sound systems. These standmounters set new standards at the price, Max power: 106dB | Sensitivity: 85dB | Frequency response: 79Hz - 28kHz | Impedance: 8ohms | Dimensions: 30.2 x 20 x 27.8cm
 | Weight: 7.2kg. Fantastic desktop speakers blessed with a gorgeous design and superb audio. It’s difficult to think of an amplifier/passive speakers combo that could better these Acoustic Energys for the money – they do everything with a flourish. Power: 2 x 50W | Tweeter: 27mm | Mid/bass driver: 12.5cm | Sensitivity: 104dB | Dimensions: 30 x 18.5 x 25cm (HxWxD) | Inputs: RCA & balanced XLR. Bass is deep but agile, helping deliver impressive scale and powerful dynamics. It is hi-fi mentality at a price that only just nudges into the midrange. Even better, where previous Triangle speakers may have sounded hard or bright, these are perfectly balanced. Solid and unfussy about placement, the Debut B5.2s have the dynamic expression, detail and tonal sophistication to handle anything you throw at them – not to mention enough stretch in their abilities to improve even further when hooked up to a high-end system.Â. The new version is so much more precise and controlled. Arguably the most capable standmounters we’ve heard at the money. Part of the company’s premium R series, the R3s offer a large chunk of the pricier Reference 1’s engineering content and sonic performance at a fraction of the cost. Rivals such as the excellent Fyne Audio F501s might sound a little more exciting, but over a longer listen the Evo 4.4’s easier-going presentation is more natural and convincing. This translates to spot-on timing, a powerful punch and lots of detail and textural insight. Sonically speaking, they're mature, transparent performers that tell you exactly what the rest of your system is doing. This strength translates into an impressive weight at the low-end, but it never threatens to dominate proceedings. And impressively, the dynamics stay composed even when working hard at high volumes. Shop for home stereo speakers at Best Buy. And why can you trust them? It’s rare to find a pair of sub-£500 floorstanders able to compete in every respect with the wealth of quality standmount speakers available at the same price, but the F302s manage to tick all the boxes and more. These superb standmounters set the standard at this price. We've got all kinds of speakers in the mix: floorstanding, bookshelf, desktop, active and wireless stereo speakers all vie for supremacy. Top it off with a balanced, integrated and dynamic sound, and you have a pair of speakers that set sky-high standards for the price. They're particularly composed at high volume, too, which is always an encouraging sign. Choose from the best in Bose speakers. Speaker terminals: Single | Mid/bass driver: 5.25in | Tweeter: 25mm | Sensitivity: 86dB/W/m | Dimensions: 34 x 18 x 23cm (HxWxD) |, Elac's affordable standmounters are brilliant performers for the money.