It's a tough market out there. As soon as we think we've found a product that will be sitting pretty in a given area for the foreseeable future, along comes a new challenger keen to oust it from its place. Our list of the best floorstanding speakers is often in flux, as brands are constantly vying to have their finest contenders reaching the highest heights and earning a coveted spot on our esteemed rundown. It's a fertile market, too – just think of the myriad brands worthy of consideration: Bowers & Wilkins, KEF, PMC, Acoustic Energy, ATC, Focal, Wharfedale, Quad, Mission, Wilson Benesch, Spendor...we could be here for a while.
The point is, there's plenty of competition to be found, meaning that standards are high and, crucially, it's a big deal when a new pair manages to muscle its way into the pantheon. To do so, you've got to be built well and have the compatibility and flexibility to accommodate a suitable array of partnering equipment, but most importantly, you've got to be able to walk the sonic walk. Thankfully, that's not a problem for our outstanding newbies...
Sound that's more than just "Fyne"
The Fyne Audio F501E have elbowed the Q Acoustics 5040 out of our list of the best floorstanding speakers, dropping the latter into our also consider section. That's not something we necessarily envisioned happening so soon – we reviewed the 5040 in 2024, lavishing upon them not only a five-star review but a coveted What Hi-Fi? Award in the process. These are serious performers, offering insight, dynamic expression and superb clarity in spades, so we were quietly assuming that they might be sitting pretty for quite a while.
Lesson learned: never make assumptions in this ever-changing hi-fi world. Tested at pretty much exactly the same price tag of £999 in the UK, the Fyne Audio F501E vowed to deliver the most exceptional sound-per-sound performance you could find for under a grand. Like the costlier PMC Prodigy 5 we gushed over last year, the F501E are aggressively priced, only offering one rather plain black finish to keep production costs down and maintain that sub-£1000 price tag.
Instead, the F501E are all about performance, and what a performance it is. Equipped with the Scotland-based company's signature Isoflare driver array in which the tweeter sits in the throat of the mid/bass unit and improves sonic dispersion, the F051E are a masterclass at delivering a great sound at a reasonable price.
As we stated in our review, "The F501E are talented all-rounders that have a range of sonic abilities that are hard to better at this price. Partner them with a bit of care and we think you’ll be as impressed with them as we are." From their cohesion and expression to their taut and tuneful bass, we feel that they leave the immensely capable 5040 somewhat in the shade, and that's not something said lightly.
We know we're in danger of falling into the same trap of complacency as we did with the Q Acoustics, but we're struggling to think of how the Fyne towers could be toppled anytime soon. The gauntlet has been laid down at this mid-range level – let's see if anyone is willing to take up the challenge.
A small word on ProAc
While they didn't quite make the cut to be included in our main list of the best floorstanding speakers, we'd be remiss if we didn't give a small mention to the recently-reviewed ProAc D20R. A more costly proposition at £3825 / $6500 / AU$9600, the D20R are five-star floorstanders that sit proudly in our guide's also consider section, and boy have they earned their place.
Okay, the D20R aren't the newest speakers on the planet – they launched back in 2014 – but we have to get through a lot of products from across the hi-fi and headphones gamut. We're glad we finally got hold of a pair of the D20R, though, because they are, to quote from our review, "charmers of the highest order". Beautifully made and with a sonic character that appeals as much to the heart as it does to the head, they're a nuanced and expressive set of floorstanders that we could have enjoyed for days on end. If you're after something a little more premium than the Fyne towers above, the ProAc are capable of giving the high-end Spendor A7 speakers a run for their money.
Two different pairs of speakers have arrived, in one form or another, onto our list of the market's best floorstanders. While the models they either replace or contend with are now far from redundant, we'd urge you to investigate their charms further – you may just discover your new favourite pair of fantastic floorstanders.
MORE:
See every record player featured in our best turntables 2025 buying guide
