If you're looking to buy a new pair of stereo speakers, whether it's a compact bookshelf (or standmount) model or a larger floorstanding pair, you've come to the right place.
What Hi-Fi? has been reviewing stereo speakers for over four decades, so we know what makes a good pair of speakers at their respective price points and the value it delivers to deserve a spot on your shopping list. Clarity and detail, engaging dynamics and rhythms, even tonal balance and accurate soundstaging are the sonic traits our expert review team listens out for, along with ensuring the build quality is of a good standard for the price.
Whether you're buying your first-ever speakers, looking for a step-up model to upgrade your hi-fi system or going for broke with a high-end pair, our curated list of recommended speakers should suit your musical needs, budget and room.
You'll even find some of the best prices from around the web for each model so you can compare with rival speakers, but be sure to check whether the figure quoted below is for just one speaker or a pair. You can read more about how we test speakers, get the best tips on choosing the right speaker for your needs, or scroll down to see our top recommendations.
The quick list
With innovative tech, exceptional performance, and unbeatable build quality, we'd recommend these to anybody.
These unfussy speakers face stiff competition, but they're still the undisputed kings if you're on a tight budget.
It’s tough to make a truly talented and affordable floorstander, but Wharfedale has cracked it. Ignore these terrific towers at your peril.
Open, refined, dynamically expressive and heaps of fun, new B&W's 607 S3 are the standmounters to beat at this price.
Insightful and entertaining, with clarity, detail and expressive flair in spades. Match them properly and they're truly brilliant.
Read more below
Hugely entertaining speakers with heaps of refinement, pair the Rubikore 2 with the right kit and you'll be delighted by their talents.
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One of the best sound-per-pound models, these plain-looking speakers deliver astonishingly refined and gorgeous sound.
Recent updates
27th September 2024: The freshly-reviewed five-star Dali Rubikore 2 is our new premium standmounter pick, while the KEF R3 Meta remains a great alternative. We are also reviewing new models from Epos, Mission, Q Acoustics and KEF – stay tuned to see which new speakers make this list.
I'm the Hi-Fi and Audio Editor of What Hi-Fi? and have been reviewing hi-fi speakers for over a decade. I have tested and listened to every pair of speakers listed below, and can genuinely recommend each model for their excellent build quality, superb sound and value for money at each price level. Regardless of your music preferences, I'm confident you'll be able to find a speaker that suits your needs and sonic tastes. Just remember to take care when matching with your source and amplifier and, if you're able to, always demo before buying.
Best speakers overall
The original LS50 speakers were absolutely terrific in their own right, but KEF eventually decided that they could do better. Eight years on from the original LS50, the LS50 Meta were born, and they've proven to be a truly worthy upgrade.
KEF reworked the LS50’s Uni-Q driver array, where the tweeter sits in the throat of the mid/bass unit, 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). MAT is KEF’s way of coping with the sound that comes off the back of the tweeter dome via a circular maze of tubes on the back which absorbs sound more effectively and results in cleaner, less distorted highs.
While the basic sonic character is instantly familiar, the Meta have gained serious new levels of clarity and finesse that the original speakers couldn't manage. The LS50 Meta sound clean and tight, but they still offer muscle and dynamics to give your music plenty of oomph, character and interest.
As far as we're concerned, the LS50 Meta are some of the finest sound-per-pound (or dollar) speakers around, setting the standard at this level to which others should aspire.
Read our full KEF LS50 Meta review
Best budget bookshelf speakers
If you're in the market for talented, unfussy and deeply engaging standmounters, the Elac Debut B5.2 remain some of our favourites. The affordable standmounters are brilliant performers for the money, and even though they're not costly, they're versatile and unfussy about where you place them. Add to that some really rather remarkable level of detail, dynamics and tonal sophistication, and you're looking at a seriously attractive budget proposition.
Much of the speakers' skill is thanks to the redesigned 5.25cm mid/bass cone. It uses a fresh blend of aramid fibres, the stiffness and damping of the cone have been improved, while a responsive tweeter adds life to the top end. They're nicely made, too, and while they won't set the world alight with their looks, they won't draw any negative attention, either.
Tonally, the comparable Dali Spektor 2 have a bit more warmth, while the Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 offer serious balance and cohesion. Still, the Dalis are seriously capable of making the best of any recording, even those that aren't particularly decent in the first place.
Elac has been at this hi-fi lark for a while now, with the Debut B5.2 feeling like the culmination of a lot of experience and nous. For this sort of money, they're truly exceptional.
Read our full Elac Debut B5.2 review
Best budget floorstanding speakers
The Wharfedale Diamond range is something of a classic series already, and its truly outstanding, affordable floorstander model may be the pick of the litter. It's now a three-time What Hi-Fi? Award winner, and those don't come around very often, we can tell you.
At 98cm tall, the Diamond 12.3 aren't a particularly imposing pair of floorstanders, so they'll fit into most spaces without much fuss. As for build quality, the cabinets are carefully crafted with a traditional straight-edge design and a tidy feet arrangement. The 12.3 are available in four finishes – black, walnut, white and a classy light oak – all of which belie their relatively modest price tag.
In terms of sound, they're smooth, even-handed and much more refined than you'd expect given the price. They're even rather good at dealing with shoddy recordings - feed them a poor signal and they’ll round off rough edges and downplay unwanted aggression without sounding like they’re unduly smothering the music.
If you're looking for reasonably-priced floorstanders that will fool your friends into thinking you've paid a lot more, the talented Wharfdale 12.3 are the pair for you.
Read our full Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 review
Best mid-price standmount speakers
B&W's entry-level 607 S3 speakers are the British brand enjoying a real hot streak. The smallest and most affordable stereo speaker that B&W makes, the 607 S3 have replaced the previous Award-winning 607 S2 Anniversary Edition speakers, amping up the levels of performance in the process.
The 607 S3 standmounters have been updated throughout, boasting a new 25mm titanium decoupled double-dome tweeter, a new elongated tube loading system, a revised motor assembly for the 13cm Continuum mid/bass driver and higher-quality crossover components. The two drivers overlap to improve integration, while B&W claims the use of titanium should result in more refined and detailed high frequencies. All of that has led to some serious gains in terms of sonic performance.
You will need to be careful about partnering, though, as that rather forward, excitable treble does need some balancing out. Get it right and you'll be handsomely rewarded with a detailed, cohesive, agile and energetic sound. The overall presentation is more open-sounding than the previous iteration, while the higher sonic reaches are sweet and refined as each note lands with precision are genuine verve. Basslines are taut and firm, and while they don’t go as bone-shatteringly deep as bigger speakers (or even as big as the bigger 606 S3), they certainly land with impact.
Best of all, the 607 S3 will appeal to anyone who likes their music to take them on something of a metaphorical journey. The British-made towers are immensely fun to listen to, offering clarity and refinement running parallel with a zippy, deeply musical core. So many manufacturers prioritise analytical detail to the detriment of dynamics and musical interest, but B&W S3 haven't fallen into that trap: they're a delight from top to bottom.
Read our full Bowers & Wilkins 607 S3 review
Best mid-price floorstanding speakers
Q Acoustics' new 5000 series sits in between the budget 3000 series and the premium Concept range. The 5040 is the smaller of the two floorstanders in the range and should fit neatly into most rooms, with a solid and well-made build quality and an unassuming, uncomplicated design.
New to the range is the Continuous Curved Cone design for the mid/bass drivers. This new driver has a geometry that Q Acoustics claims to combine the rigidity advantages of a standard conical cone profile with the high-frequency break-up characteristics of a more flared design.
Q Acoustics' previous efforts have tended to be unfussy, but these 5040s need a bit more care with positioning and partnering equipment to get the best out of them. Pair them up with more refined partnering electronics and the 5040 sound wonderfully clear and precise, with ample grip and agility to deliver an intoxicating sense of fun. We're keen on the way these towers sound composed and controlled, and that sense of organisation doesn’t fade when the music becomes demanding or complex - they're spacious, well-focused sound with impressive stereo imaging. Tonally, these floorstanders sit just on the lean side of neutral, but not so far as to cause issues or fatigue.
While the more expensive Wharfedale Evo 4.4 provide a sophisticated alternative, Q Acoustics 5040 are even-handed performers that simply step out of the way of the music and let songs shine. Partner these floorstanders with some care, and you'll be rewarded with a wonderfully expressive and insightful performance that's unbeatable at this price level.
Read our full Q Acoustics 5040 review
Best premium standmount speakers
It’s not a description we use very often, but we dubbed the marvellous Dali Rubikore 2 “very present speakers” when we reviewed them earlier this year. As we go on to explain, the spectacular Dali standmounts are “in the room, interacting with everyone and having a good time, truly in their element when fed something melodically upbeat and with a standout vocal”. The premium standmounts don’t shy away from being the centre of attention; rather, they’re an active part of the listening experience, dynamically and keenly conveying their musical cargo with a thrilling sense of enthusiasm.
Still, they’re able to rein themselves in when the moment calls for it. As we stated in our review, the Rubikore 2 “walk the fine line between indulging in a likeable personality and being careful not to imprint much on the signal. Lively but honest, fun yet disciplined, they strike the balance between being entertaining and informative”. The treble and bass notes are agile, lucid and well-defined, yet it’s the midrange which shines the brightest, providing warmth and richness with outstanding levels of insight and expression.
Internally, the Rubikore 2 feature a 16.5cm mid/bass driver which uses the brand’s paper and wood-fibre cone for greater midrange clarity, also incorporating Dali’s Soft Magnetic Compound magnet material technology for reducing sonic distortion and an all-new tweeter unit derived from the high-end flagship Kore speakers’ Evo-K Hybrid driver. The build quality is strong and Dali opts for a mature and refined look that will appeal to anyone who has followed the company’s fortunes for a good while.
Provided you pair them with an amplifier which can tame their ever-so-slightly forward treble reproduction – the Arcam A15 or Naim Nait XS 3 are excellent candidates for the task – the Dali Rubikore 2 will reward you endlessly with their vivacious, expressive and deeply insightful nature. At this premium price level, the superbly talented KEF R3 Meta offer a bigger soundstage and more ferocious punch, but the Dali counters with greater degrees of subtlety and a more organic sense of rhythmic cohesion.
Read our full Dali Rubikore 2 review
Best premium floorstanding speakers
PMC has something of a reputation for high-end hi-fi, and while the superb Prodigy 5 have wound up as our best premium floorstanders on this list, they're actually miraculously good value.
To achieve this, the Prodigy 5, much like their five-star Prodigy 1 standmount siblings, have been designed to eke out as much sound-per-pound punch as possible, letting considerations over design and aesthetic flourishes fall away in the pursuit of the best audio you can get for the price.
Boy has the effort paid off, though. PMC has hit the sweetest of sweet spots with the Prodigy 5, balancing subtle details and musical flourishes with a perceptibly heightened sense of presence, poise and confidence. In terms of sonic performance, we didn't hear many better speakers this year, and it was the Prodigy 5's musical chops that really earned them that 2023 What Hi-Fi? Award. Looks may be important to some, but PMC's dedication to all things sonic has paid serious dividends in our books.
The Prodigy 5 seem to be adept at giving the best of all worlds without a hint of sonic sacrifice. While comparatively priced rivals substitute space for precision or dynamics for subtlety, PMC’s unassuming towers are truly comprehensive performers. There's so much scale and breadth to them, yet they never seem to sacrifice the intimacy or nuance of a piece, either. It's a remarkable trick, and one that had us wanting to test more and more tracks to see what the Prodigy 5 could do with them.
All in all, a marvellous success story. Worthy winners, indeed, and an excellent pair of slimline floorstanders.
Read our full PMC Prodigy 5 review
Also consider
There are plenty of excellent speakers that we couldn't fit into the main list above, so here are some more alternative options, both new and old, that we recommend to anyone looking for a new pair of speakers.
Dali Spektor 2: These long-running favourites are an affordable alternative to the Award-winning Elac speakers. We like the way these compact speakers have a fluid, natural way with midrange and dynamics, making them an entertaining listen on a budget.
KEF R3 Meta: There's no doubt that the R3 Meta remain some of the best premium standmounters on the market. Wonderfully transparent, refined and entertaining performers that have been built to the highest standards, they deserve a place on your shortlist if you want a large soundstage and ample punch.
Neat Petite Classic: If you're after high-quality sound but don't have a large space to accommodate larger speakers, these petite bookshelf speakers will win you over with their immense sense of fun, excellent rhythmic precision and agility. Just don't expect a huge amount of bass extensive or scale.
Monitor Audio Studio 89: These slim-profiled, beautifully finished speakers are ideal for small spaces, offering a superbly clear and detailed sound along with an agile sense of timing that will get your feet tapping along to the music.
Q Acoustics 5050: If you're able to extend your budget further than the Q Acoustics 5040's asking price and can accommodate larger speakers, these flagship 5050 floorstanders are worth serious consideration. Extra authority and detail, greater balance and maturity are sonic talents you'll get above the cheaper 5040 model.
Wharfedale Evo 4.4: Wonderfully organised speakers that are transparent and subtle with high detail levels. These Award-winning floorstanders reach high volume levels and fill a room easily, and offer a neat balance between attack and smoothness.
Triangle Borea BR08: Thrilling dynamics, lots of punch and rhythmic drive: these Triangle floorstanders are expansive and spacious, and a huge amount of fun. They need careful partnering and a large room to flaunt their talents.
Epos ES14N: If analysis, organisation and control are high on your list of priorities from a speaker, these large standmounters will impress. An open, natural way with voices warm us to their considerable talents, and they also offer exceptional clarity, dynamics and detail. Some might prefer more energy and rhythmic drive, but these premium speakers reward long-term listening.
How to choose the best speakers for you
First things first, decide on a budget. Your components should be evenly matched, both tonally and in terms of price, so consider this before breaking the bank on a new pair of speakers that the rest of your kit can't do justice. If anything, an overly expensive amp or source will strain and stretch your speakers, and while some may be able to cope, others will be worse off as a result of some overly ambitious pairing kit.
You also need to make sure your speakers fit your room. Most speakers require a degree of space to sound their best, so be sure not to buy speakers that are too big for your listening area, and make sure you're the right distance away from your new purchase.
This is also a good time to consider whether you want bookshelf or floorstanding speakers. Bigger speakers mean higher volumes but, again, you need the space, and more driver units don't always mean better sound.
There's also the choice between passive and active speakers. Most speakers on this list are passive - they have no amplification inside, so require a separate amplifier to work. Active speakers with amplification (and sometimes DAC and streaming smarts) are increasingly popular and can connect straight to your source, no amp required, though they do require a connection to mains power. Check out our pick of the best active speakers if you're curious.
For a more detailed explanation of everything you should consider, check out our complete guide to choosing the right speakers.
How we test speakers
Here at What Hi-Fi? we review hundreds of products every year, including plenty of speakers of all shapes, sizes and types. So how do we come to our review verdicts? And why can you trust them?
The What Hi-Fi? team has more than 100 years of experience in reviewing, testing and writing about consumer electronics. We have state-of-the-art and acoustically treated testing facilities in London and Reading, where our team of expert reviewers perform all of our in-house testing. This gives us complete control over the testing process, ensuring consistency, reliability and clarity at all times.
We use the same process when testing all hi-fi speakers: we set them up correctly in our room (and play around with positioning and angles to find the point where they deliver the optimum sound), partner with compatible electronics (and try alternative options to give more complete advice), we give them ample time to run in and play a variety of different genres of music during testing. We ensure we spend plenty of time listening to the speakers, re-positioning or switching out amplification where needed to get the best performance out of them.
We always test speakers against similarly-priced rivals that we know and love to gauge the best performance you can get for your money, 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.
From all of our reviews, we choose the top products to feature in our Best Buys, such as this one. 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 be confident you're getting a What Hi-Fi?-approved product.
You can read more about how we test and review products on What Hi-Fi? here.
Recent updates
- September 2024: Added the new five-star Dali Rubikore 2 as our premium standmount option, with the KEF R3 Meta moved to the Also Consider section.
- July 2024: Added Monitor Audio Studio 89 and Q Acoustics 5050 to the Also Consider list after their five-star reviews.
- March 2024: Added an Also Consider section with more speaker recommendations to offer buyers greater choice.
- February 2024: Updated our 'how we test' process and added FAQ section to help buyers in their decision to buy hi-fi speakers.
- November 2023: What Hi-Fi? Award-winning products labeled following the announcements of the 2023 What Hi-Fi? Awards Best Buys and Product of the Year winners.
F.A.Q.
Are hi-fi speakers worth it?
The short answer, as you'd expect us to say, is a resounding yes.
If you prioritise sound performance and you have the space for a pair of speakers and proper amplification and source to power and feed them, then hi-fi speakers are entirely worth it. A good passive pair with not only reward you with great sound, but they should keep that sound and performance going for a good while if you've bought from a reputable brand. There are very few, if any, speakers above which we feel fall short when it comes to durability and robustness.
If you're after a more space-saving solution, however, the market has expanded to cater for your needs. A decent pair of active speakers where the amplification (and sometimes source) is built into the speakers (such as the KEF LS50 Wireless II) can save you from having to deal with multiple extra boxes, whereas some of the finest wireless speakers (Sonos Era 100, Sonos Era 300) and all-in-one hi-fi systems (Naim Mu-so 2, Ruark Audio R410) give impressive sound with many extra features thrown in.
If you really do care about sound, though, a dedicated hi-fi setup is the way to go, and a pair of decent passive speakers is essential to that very worthwhile pursuit. Plus, you can keep building and expanding your system to tailor it to your exact tastes, needs and budgets.
Are bookshelf speakers better than floorstanders?
There's no right or wrong answer here. Our standmounts vs floorstanders article gives great insight and detail about the differences between the two types of speakers, and pros and cons of each form.
For a quick rundown, you need to consider a few things. First, the size of your room matters, as larger floorstanding speakers usually need more space to breathe on account of their larger sound field. Bookshelf or standmount speakers tend to work better in smaller rooms, but we'd still recommend that you place them on stands rather than inside or on bookshelves, to ensure you get the best performance.
Loudness levels are another factor, as smaller units aren't able to fill up big spaces so well. Floorstanders' large cabinet volumes and (potentially) larger drive units offer a bigger scale of sound, but can sometimes sacrifice a little cohesion or sonic unity in the process due to multiple drive units being used. Sometimes, not always, mind.
If you'll be using your speakers for movies as well, or you favour deep, plunging bass levels, larger units are the way to do it. If the only place to put your speakers is on your desk or you'll be sitting close to your speakers, you'll want small bookshelf units. Just bear in mind that the quantity of bass doesn't necessarily equate to better quality of bass, and how a speaker is engineered to deliver the best balance and quality of sound differs from model to model.
How much should I spend on a pair of speakers?
This is another "piece of string" question. There's no limit, and the general advice is that the more you spend, the better sound you get. Bear in mind compatibility and pairing, though, as a decent pair of speakers can be let down by cheap partnering kit. On the flipside, a more affordable pair of speakers might actually suffer if you pair them with more high-end kit, as the speakers can be forced to work harder to satisfy the demands of a high-end amplifier, say.
If you're just getting started, the price ranges above should give you a decent indication of what the more "sensible" parts of the market have to offer. We've also labelled every speaker so you have a sense of where they fall in terms of affordable, mid-range or premium, to give you a general lay of the land.
All of our speakers are tested on a "cost-per-sound" basis, so prices are heavily factored in when awarding a star rating. The question you should be asking, as we always do, is not "are these speakers expensive?", but rather "am I getting the best value for money considering the performance I'm receiving?".