We can help you find your first pair of speakers as you create a music system, upgrade an existing set of cheap speakers, or spend the cash on a luxury pair.
One-box wireless speakers may take up less room and cause less clutter, but for the finest music experience, nothing beats a good set of stereo speakers. That is why we have compiled this exhaustive list of the top speakers. All of these pairings will help you get the optimum sound quality out of your source set.
There are a variety of speakers in the mix, including floorstanding, bookshelf, desktop, active, and even all-in-one stereo speaker systems. Continue reading for our list of the best hi-fi speakers on the market right now.
Table of Contents
OUR TOP PICK
KEF LS50 Meta
[amazon box=”B08HGHTWYL”]
The original LS50 speakers were in good shape, but after eight years, KEF decided they required a makeover. And they’ve produced a respectable improvement with the LS50 Meta.
The LS50’s Uni-Q driver array, which places the tweeter in the throat of the mid/bass unit, has been fully rebuilt, including all of the improvements gained by KEF over the last eight years as well as something new in the shape of Metamaterial Absorption Technology (MAT).
KEF’s method of dealing with the sound that comes off the rear of the tweeter dome is MAT, which is a plastic circular maze of tubes on the back that promises higher absorption for cleaner, less distorted highs.
Pros
- Outstanding sonic transparency
- Presentation that is subtle and accurate
- Technology that is cutting-edge
Cons
- At this price, nothing.
Wharfedale Diamond 12.3
[amazon box=”B092WBBJB6″]
Wharfedale’s Diamond collection now includes a genuinely superb (and reasonably priced) floorstander. Indeed, we’re so satisfied with the musical performance of the Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 that it’s now a two-time What Hi-Fi? Award winner.
The Diamond 12.3 aren’t a particularly intimidating pair of floorstanders at 98cm tall, so they’ll fit into most areas. They’re smooth, even-handed, and extremely polished for the price. If you provide them a bad signal, they’ll smooth down rough edges and reduce undesired aggressiveness without seeming like they’re suffocating the music.
In terms of construction quality, the cabinets are meticulously made with a typical straight-edge style and a neat foot arrangement. The 12.3 is available in four finishes: black, walnut, white, and a sophisticated light wood, all of which belie their low price.
Pros
- Excellently balanced presentation
- Midrange that is expressive and revealing
- Build and finish are both pleasing.
Cons
- At this price, nothing.
Elac Debut B5.2
[amazon box=”B07QYFBDK4″]
If you’re looking for standmounted speakers, Elac’s B5.2s are an excellent value. They have the dynamic expressiveness, intricacy, and tonal sophistication to handle everything. They also sound fantastic whether connected to a normal or high-end system.
They’re also not picky about where they put things. As a result, unlike other speakers, you will not have to design your room around them.
Inside is a 5.25cm mid/bass section with a novel aramid fiber combination for the cone. It also employs a new form to increase rigidity and damping, hence lowering resonance. The tweeter, with a top-end response of 35kHz, should do justice to those soaring highs.
They lack warmth in the middle, but they’re incredibly well balanced and can bring out the best in any recording, independent of audio quality.
Pros
- Sound that is detailed and well-organized
- Strong construction
- Uncomplicated personality
Cons
- Competitors are fierce.
Dali Spektor 2
[amazon box=”B01N33PMBV”]
On the surface, there’s little to distinguish Dali’s new Spektor 2s from their primary competitors: the speakers adhere to the standard cheap standmounter concept like Superglue adheres to fingers. They include everything you’d expect from a cheap speaker, from the two-way driver configuration and ported bass tuning to the 25mm dome tweeter and 13cm mid/bass driver.
But these Dalis are much more than the sum of their parts: they exude elegance and provide a level of pleasure that even their most brilliant competitors can’t equal. The listener’s attention is captured by powerful voices delivered with finesse and emotion, while dynamics are handled with sensitivity and class. They’re also exceptionally composed at high loudness, which is usually a good indicator.
Mission and Q Acoustics are both excellent choices, with their own set of advantages and disadvantages. However, if the Spektor 2 is within your price range, these low-cost standmounters are worth a look.
Pros
- Sound that is agile, articulate, and expressive
- Excellent detail resolution
- Uncomplicated personality
Cons
- Nothing noteworthy
Elac Debut 2.0 B6.2
[amazon box=”B07ZTZGTY9″]
The smaller siblings of these speakers (B5.2, above) are current What Hi-Fi? Award winners. As you can expect, we were excited to hear what their older brothers could do. And we’re happy to report that we were not disappointed.
So, what is the distinction between the two models? These have a bigger driver as well as various design and port positioning tweaks to the tweeter. The cabinet features greater bracing for enhanced stiffness, with the goal of reducing resonance and resulting in less distortion. While they may resemble their younger siblings, they appear more securely put together.
They are mature, honest performers who tell you exactly what the rest of your system is doing. It has a hi-fi attitude at a price that is little above the midpoint.
To put it simply, we love this new Debut series. The B6.2 speakers take everything we liked about their Award-winning siblings and improve on it with a more full-bodied and mature performance. Elac knocked it out of the park.
Pros
- Extremely translucent
- Don’t impose their own personality on them.
- Dynamic and rhythmic
Cons
- Poor sources are unforgiving.
Wharfedale Diamond 12.1
[amazon box=”B08Y9BCSDY”]
Wharfedale started from scratch, and it shows. Everything is brand new, from the drive units to the cabinet structure. The end product is a pair of 31cm-tall tiny boxes capable of making the most of low-cost hi-fi components.
The sound is well-organized, coherent, and musical. They provide a nice soundstage that is spacious and steady even when recordings get layered and demanding for the price. We also enjoy how the Diamonds handle larger-scale dynamics, providing more authority and scope than one might anticipate from speakers of their size and price.
However, this is a competitive market, and Wharfedale’s excellent standmounters are under pressure from capable competitors (such as brilliant Elac Debut B5.2, above). Nonetheless, the excellent Diamond 12.1 should be high on anyone’s wishlist.
Pros
- Detailed but easygoing personality
- The middle is smooth and flowing.
- Build and finish are both pleasing.
Cons
- Competitors are fierce.
Dali Oberon 5
[amazon box=”B07H2NNQT7″]
For much of the previous decade, our go-to “cheap” floorstander was a Q Acoustics model, which is now the 3050i speakers in the company’s lineup. But not any longer.
Because the Dali Oberon 5 completely outperforms it. What makes these speakers even more amazing is that, while being somewhat more expensive and substantially smaller, they remain the superior deal.
How did Dali do it? Not by cunning or high-tech voodoo. It hasn’t even made any significant technological advancements to affect the game. Instead, it’s concentrating on what it does best: skilled engineering, with tiny adjustments in each subsequent installment over many years.
The end product is stunning. They sound much larger than their 83cm height suggests, with plenty of dynamic nuance and rhythmic accuracy. They’re musical, entertaining, and tiny enough to fit in most spaces. If your living room is huge, you may want to investigate larger speakers, but for most living areas, the Dalis will suffice.
Pros
- Both entertaining and educational
- Dynamic expression
- Uncomplicated personality
Cons
- Competitors are fierce.
BUYING GUIDE
First and foremost, establish a budget. Your components should be evenly matched, both tonally and in terms of price, so think about this before splashing out on a new pair of speakers that can’t compete with the rest of your setup.
You should also ensure that your speakers are appropriate for your space. Most speakers require some room to sound their best, so avoid purchasing speakers that are too large for your listening location. This is also an excellent opportunity to think about whether you want bookshelf or floorstanding speakers. Larger speakers provide more volume, but again, room is required.
There is also the option of passive or active speakers. Most speakers are passive, meaning they lack internal amplification and must be powered by an external amplifier. Active speakers with amplification (and occasionally DAC and streaming smarts) are becoming increasingly popular since they can connect directly to your source without the need for an amp, however they do require a power connection. If you’re interested, have a look at our list of the finest active speakers.
Check out our comprehensive guide to selecting the correct speakers for a more extensive explanation of everything you should think about.
CONCLUSION
This article analyzes and investigates the best hi-fi speakers available in 2022. We hope that after reading these reviews, you will have more information and wisdom to choose the best product for you. Thank you for believing in us and utilizing our website as a resource. Have a nice day and come back to our website soon.
