Best bookshelf speakers 2023: from passive to powered and for every budget

The best speakers travel successful each shapes and sizes, but if you’re looking for nan Goldilocks middle-ground betwixt “bite-sized” and “monolithic,” we’re betting that a coagulated group of bookshelf speakers will fresh nan bill. As nan sanction indicates, these are speakers that are usually nary taller than a ft aliases two, making them perfect for placing on, er, bookshelves, speaker stands, and moreover definite types of wall mounts.

But for illustration each things audio, not each group of bookshelf speakers is created equal. There are speaker brands and models that waste for little than $150, and flagship brands that will tally you complete $2,000. There are besides immoderate bookshelf speakers that are champion utilized for machine setups, while others are champion relegated to nan backmost of a situation sound system.

That’s why we’ve put together this database of nan champion bookshelf speakers that covers everything from affordable listening to speakers that you tin link your grounds subordinate to.

Bowers & Wilkins

Bowers & Wilkins 607 S3

Best wide bookshelf speakers

When it comes to audio royalty, Bowers & Wilkins is simply a marque that deserves each nan prestige it tin get (not that it's wanting for it). From its astonishing floor-standing speakers to its subs and satellites, B&W’s dedication to value and capacity ever shines through. And arsenic acold arsenic bookshelf speakers go, we can’t deliberation of a amended sanction to telephone our favorite.

The exemplary of prime is nan B&W 607 S3s, and we can’t extremity talking astir really overmuch we emotion them. With their elegant creation and two-way configuration, nan 607 S3 look regal nary matter wherever you spot them; a ocular that perfectly matches up to nan pristine and elaborate capacity you’ll get from this stereo setup. Compared to nan previous B&W 607 S2s, a caller titanium dome tweeter has been implemented, which gives nan S3 procreation elevated scope successful nan higher-frequency range.

The wide soundstaging connected nan S3s is wide and immersive. In execution, nan B&W 607 S3s are champion utilized arsenic hi-fi speakers, but pinch a small finesse, they activity beautiful good pinch astir home theatre setups, too. When it comes to euphony playback, we would beryllium observant pinch genre-matching, though. B&W speakers are stellar for jazz, classical, and vocally-driven singer-songwriter tracks.

This isn’t to opportunity you can’t head-bang to a small Metallica pinch them, but you whitethorn beryllium a spot disappointed by nan 607 S3’s deficiency of aggression — adding a subwoofer tin thief pinch that. These are exquisite and refined bookshelf speakers that do rather a bully occupation astatine sparkling a ray connected your music.

Amazon

Audioengine A1-MR

Best budget-friendly powered bookshelf speakers

We emotion Audioengine products present astatine Digital Trends, truthful location was nary measurement we weren’t going to characteristic thing from nan company’s catalog successful our bookshelf speaker roundup. And what amended badge of grant to alert location pinch than “best budget-friendly powered speakers?”

At only half a ft tall, nan Audioengine A1-MR present nan benignant of sound we’d expect from overmuch larger speakers, and that’s each acknowledgment to nan type of engineering and build that spell into these bad boys. In position of audio, we deliberation you’ll beryllium amazed astatine really overmuch bass and precocious wave articulation nan A1-MRs tin propulsion off. That’s besides acknowledgment to nan cabinetry and drivers, which see a 3/4-inch tweeter and a 2-3/4-inch aramid woofer for each speaker.

As acold arsenic beingness connections go, you’ll person entree to a 3.5mm auxiliary larboard and an LFE output if you consciousness for illustration adding a subwoofer. The erstwhile is bully capable for plugging successful a telephone aliases tablet, but wherever nan A1-MR genuinely radiance is successful nan wireless department. Once you’ve downloaded nan Audioengine Control app (for iOS and Android), you’ll beryllium capable to adhd nan A1-MR to your Wi-Fi network, which unlocks a bevy of music-streaming options.

This includes AirPlay and Spotify, arsenic good arsenic hi-res audio options via nan likes of Tidal, Qobuz, and Amazon Music support, amongst different platforms. When networked, you tin besides usage nan Control app to group and alteration what audio sources are playing connected what speakers. Add up to 12 A1-MRs to nan aforesaid Wi-Fi network, aliases put successful the Audioengine B-Fi streamer to power up to 12 afloat audio systems (including non-Audioengine speakers). Small but mighty, each for conscionable complete $200.

Crutchfield

Wharfedale Diamond 12.1

Best budget-friendly passive bookshelf speakers

Wharfedale doesn’t hit astir nan bush, and we admit each nan straight-shooters of nan world. This is an audio institution that builds and engineers speakers to springiness you unthinkable sound, and they’re not going to costs you excessively overmuch either. In nan lawsuit of nan Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 bookshelf speakers, nan marque continues to people large successful nan value department, while keeping our slope accounts intact.

This clip around, Wharfedale is moving pinch mica-infused polypropylene, incorporating nan materials into nan Diamond 12.1’s 5-inch Klarity woofer. This helps nan cone to support its style and to respond to audio signals arsenic quickly arsenic possible, meaning you won’t person to interest astir missing a azygous item successful your favourite songs.

At only 15 pounds each, these speakers aren’t excessively dense to move astir either. Seeing arsenic we’re moving pinch passive wiring though, we presume wherever you first spot nan Diamond 12.1 is wherever they’ll proceed to unrecorded for years, arsenic agelong arsenic you support them successful bully condition, which intends giving them a cleaning each erstwhile successful a while. Unlike different items connected our list, this besides intends you won’t find features for illustration Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity connected these speakers either.

The Diamond 12.1 are champion paired pinch an amplifier that dishes retired 20 to 100 watts per channel, and nan speakers sound awesome crossed a wide scope of euphony genres. But what astir location theatre usage?

For situation sound configurations, we really urge utilizing nan Diamond 12.1 arsenic rears (we besides urge installing banana plugs to your speaker wire for easier connecting and disconnecting). While they tin clasp their ain arsenic beforehand stereo channels, nan benignant of nuance and subtlety that a beingness speaker requires is much in-line pinch nan Diamond’s capabilities.

Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Sonos Era 100

Best Wi-Fi bookshelf speakers

Wi-Fi euphony streaming is simply a next-level experience. And erstwhile it comes to Wi-Fi-equipped bookshelf speakers, Sonos is 1 of nan apical names successful nan game. About arsenic intuitive arsenic plug-and-play cognition gets, nan Sonos Era 100 is nan company’s next-gen type of its Sonos One speakers, and they’re everything we could want from nan brand’s latest and greatest.

Considering nan Era 100’s woofer is 25% larger than nan Sonos One’s, we expected immoderate reasonably large sound from nan speaker, but successful our testing of nan product, we were utterly blown distant by its decibel delivery. Listeners tin expect well-balanced mids, crystalline treble, and punchy low-end performance. Sure, there’s immoderate distortion astatine highly precocious volumes, but considering really overmuch scope nan Era is tin of astatine only 60% aliases 70% volume, we uncertainty you’ll request to crank it past 11 (if you know, you know).

Like Sonos speakers of years past, nan iOS-friendly TruePlay characteristic is here, but pinch a caller twist for Android devotees. Thanks to immoderate improvements to nan calibration tool, Android instrumentality owners tin now usage nan Era’s built-in mic to calibrate audio to a listening space. Technically though, this is nan “quick” type of nan usability though, and nan much precocious type of TruePlay is still an iOS exclusive. We've besides sewage a adjuvant roundup connected how to spot and position immoderate Sonos speakers, including nan Era 100s, anyplace successful your home.

On apical of Wi-Fi connectivity, nan Era 100 besides supports Bluetooth and Apple AirPlay. You’ll besides beryllium capable to power nan speaker utilizing some nan Sonos S2 app (iOS and Android) and Alexa. Due to an ongoing conflict betwixt Sonos and Google though, you won’t beryllium capable to interact pinch nan speaker utilizing Google Assistant.

Amazon

Kanto YU6 powered speakers

Best bookshelf speakers for turntables

Hi-fi listening is peculiarly satisfying erstwhile you’ve sewage nan correct speakers moving pinch nan right grounds subordinate aliases turntable. Finding this perfect matchup tin beryllium difficult though, which is why we’re gladsome that nan talented minds astatine Kanto person developed nan YU6 model. At first glance, these look for illustration conscionable astir each different brace of affordable bookshelf speakers retired there, but nan YU6 houses an full hub of inputs and outputs. Oh, and main amongst these ports is nan hard-to-find built-in phono preamp for wiring up your grounds player.

This intends you tin interface your turntable straight pinch nan Kanto YU6 bookshelf speakers, truthful nary worrying astir integrating a abstracted amplifier aliases receiver. Decibel output maxes retired astatine 200 watts and hovers astir 100 watts RMS for nan average-listening volume, which intends these puppies tin get plentifulness large for immoderate listening abstraction you request to fill. We tin besides convey nan YU6’s 5.25-inch Kevlar driver, 1-inch silk dome tweeter, and handcrafted MDF cabinetry for giving these speakers other powerfulness and personality.

Even if you don’t scheme connected hooking up a turntable, nan Kanto YU6 are besides a phenomenal group of bookshelf speakers for Bluetooth. Once paired to your phone, tablet, aliases computer, nan YU6’s Qualcomm aptX support guarantees immoderate incredibly elaborate sound erstwhile streaming euphony from platforms for illustration Apple Music, Tidal, and Qobuz.

While we do wish location was a companion app to spell on pinch these speakers, nan included distant power does fto you set tone, balance, volume, and playback. The YU6 besides travel successful respective different finishes (bamboo, walnut, and white), truthful you’ll beryllium capable to snag a brace that champion matches your LP lair arsenic you build your grounds collection to respectable heights.

Best Buy

Edifier S1000W Wireless Hi-Fi Bookshelf speakers

Best for connectivity options

The Edifier S1000W is nan type of speaker that houses galore astonishing capabilities, but without being each in-your-face astir it. Seemingly, this is conscionable a beautiful brace of powered bookshelf speakers that hap to sound great, too. What we really person connected our hands though is an fantabulous group of wireless hi-fi speakers that are built to tackle immoderate audio sources you person successful mind.

In position of connectivity options, nan accustomed suspects are each here, including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, integer optical, coaxial, and analog RCA. But erstwhile you see nan truth that nan S1000W supports 24-bit/192kHz playback, nan $550 value becomes rather nan steal. Being capable to perceive to lossless recordings is simply a privilege usually reserved for a stellar brace of headphones (that whitethorn costs arsenic overmuch arsenic nan S1000W), which makes nan S1000W moreover much appealing.

We’re besides large fans of nan Alexa integration. Having a bunch of Echo speakers scattered astir your location tin commencement to make 1 manic, truthful nan truth that nan S1000W has its ain far-field mic strategy is simply a spot of a blessing. This intends you’ll beryllium capable to bask nan afloat benefits of your Alexa ecosystem, without adding different Echo Dot to your surviving room.

While nan summation of an LFE output would sweeten nan woody moreover further, we can’t responsibility Edifier for not wanting to present nan other awesome path. Plus, nan institution is cool capable to springiness you entree to nan Edifier Home app (for iOS and Android), which you tin usage to watercourse tunes via AirPlay, Spotify Connect, and Tidal. The champion part? There’s nary paywall to person to break through.

Derek Malcolm/Digital Trends

Q Acoustics M20 HD Wireless Music System

Excellent for computers and beyond

Computer speakers are a dime a dozen, and nan reality is that not galore of these products are very good. Sure, for arsenic small arsenic $20 aliases $30, who wouldn’t want to put successful a brace of desktop monitors that opportunity they sound awesome connected nan box? But if you’re nan type of personification who cares astir your PC audio, you should get comfortable pinch nan thought of spending conscionable a small more. And if you really attraction astir your desktop sound, you’ll bargain nan Q Acoustics M20.

Yup, they’re going to tally you $500 aft tax, but carnivore pinch america here. These powered bookshelf speakers are incredibly versatile. One look astatine nan backmost of these will uncover a big of analog and integer ports, but you tin besides bask your euphony wirelessly, acknowledgment to nan M20’s Bluetooth 5.0 support. Now propulsion aptX Bluetooth and hi-res euphony streaming support connected apical of it, and you’ve sewage yourself 1 handsome speaker sundae.

With its 2 Class D amps per speaker and fantabulous furniture bracing, these are astir apt champion suited for those of america who want a coagulated group of PC gaming speakers, aliases moreover an replacement group of workplace monitors for moving pinch music-editing software. This isn’t to opportunity that watching YouTube videos connected your MacBook pinch nan M20 won’t beryllium amazing; they conscionable whitethorn beryllium a spot overqualified for lighter media.

One aliases 2 grievances: We don’t attraction for nan remote, and we wish nan speakers could beryllium connected to Wi-Fi. Neither of these qualms are deal-breaking, but nan controller is astir arsenic plain arsenic they come, and for $500, we’d for illustration much than conscionable Bluetooth for wireless streaming options.

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