Table of Contents
The best stereo speakers will turn your home into a full-fledged music system, with the classic wide sound of stereo and, in many cases, the added conveniences of modern tech. Once upon a time, it was pretty easy to choose stereo speakers. If they sounded good, worked with your amp, and fit in your room, they were winners.
Now, that choice is a little harder to make because people have more specific tastes in music, streaming options, and whole-home connectivity. With so many speaker options at every price point, it’s easy to get sucked in by long lists of features and fancy designs. No matter how convenient something is, it doesn’t matter if your speakers can’t fill the room with sound and bring your favourite songs and movies to life with all of their subtleties.
Best Stereo Speakers
Definitive Technology BP9080x Speaker
Features
Money isn’t everything, but when it comes to the best stereo speakers, it can be important. The Definitive Technology BP9080x stereo speaker system is a luxury item made for the most serious audiophiles on the market. But if that’s the case, these speakers are really great.
The BP9080x speakers are clear, articulate, and really moving from the low end to the high end of the frequency range they cover. The passive design is helped by an active subwoofer that lets the user control the subwoofer volume on each tower separately.
Pros
- These sound perfect
- Dolby Atmos / DTS:X ready
- Incredible bass that can be dialed in
Cons
- Very expensive compared to rivals
Sonos One Speaker
Features
The Sonos One is our favourite because it gives good sound at an affordable price and is easy to carry around. Dual Class-D digital amplifiers and a combination of woofers and tweeters make for better sound. The four-core processor can connect to Wi-Fi, so you can use iOS, Android, Mac, or Windows devices to get to all of your favourite songs and content.
Both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant work with full voice control, and you can stream from all your favourite apps, like Spotify, Pandora, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and YouTube Music. If you buy more than one Sonos speaker, you can build a system that everyone in your family can use.
Pros
- Superb clarity
- Smart technology
- Compact design
Cons
- Doesn’t support Bluetooth
- Best with multiple speakers
Q Acoustics M20 HD Speaker
Features
The Q Acoustics M20 HD speakers are a good choice if you want to improve the sound on your TV but don’t want a soundbar. They are also a good value. It can be used in more ways. They are a pair of powered bookshelf speakers, one of which has a digital amplifier built in. They are easy to set up and sound great in a living room, game room, bedroom, or even a home office.
One bad thing about these is that they are not “wireless” in the way you might think. You can stream over Bluetooth, but the M20 HD system has a lot of cables. There is a power cable for the active speaker and a four-meter speaker cable in the box. The binding posts on the back of both the active and passive speakers can be used to connect the active and passive speakers together.
Pros
- Works with any source
- aptX HD Bluetooth streaming
Cons
- ‘Wireless’ is misleading
KEF LSX II Wireless HiFi Speaker
Features
The price tag on these small speakers is pretty high, but they aren’t “just” a pair of speakers. There are HDMI ARC and USB-C inputs, as well as Ethernet, analogue and digital inputs, a pre-out for a subwoofer, and CAT 5 for connecting a pair. If you decide to wire them together, you can get up to 24-bit/384KHz and DSD256.
The KEF LSX II has great sound quality, with rich mids, clear highs, and surprisingly punchy bass for such small speakers. You can always plug in a subwoofer if you want more low-end thump. Unless your source material is poorly recorded or has a very low bitrate, the sound here is very immersive and a lot of fun to listen to.
Pros
- Vigorous, up-front and dynamic sound
- Properly made in a wide choice of finishes
- Ample wired and wireless connections
Cons
- Pricey compared to standalone rivals
KEF LS50 Meta Speaker
Features
There wasn’t much wrong with the first LS50 speakers, but after eight years, KEF thought they needed a new look. And with the LS50 Meta, they’ve made a good improvement. The LS50’s Uni-Q driver array, in which the tweeter sits in the throat of the mid/bass unit, has been completely reworked.
Taking into account all of the improvements KEF has made in the past eight years and adding Metamaterial Absorption Technology as something new. MAT is KEF’s way of dealing with the sound that comes from the back of the tweeter dome. It is a plastic circular maze of tubes on back that promises absorb more sound and make the highs sound cleaner and less distorted.
Pros
- Exceptional sonic transparency
- Subtle and precise presentation
- Innovative technology
Cons
- Don’t place them in a bookshelf or up against a wall
Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 Speaker
Features
Wharfedale’s Diamond line now has a really great floorstanding speaker. In fact, we like the way the Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 sounds so much that we’ve given it two What Hi-Fi? Awards. The Diamond 12.3 floorstanding speakers are only 98 cm tall, so they won’t be too big for most rooms. The way they sound is smooth, even, and very refined for the price.
If you give them a bad signal, they will smooth out rough edges and tone down unwanted aggression without making it sound like they are killing the music. As for the quality of construction, the cabinets are made with care and have straight edges and neatly placed feet. The 12.3 comes in four finishes: black, walnut, white, and a classy light oak.
Pros
- Superbly balanced presentation
- Expressive and revealing midrange
Cons
- Perform best if given a little room to breathe
FAQs
What is the No 1 speaker in the world?
The KEF LS50 Wireless Powered Speaker System is the best speaker in the world in 2020. The KEF LS50 are high-fidelity speakers that are made to give you a lot of bass and detail.
What speakers have the best quality?
- Definitive Technology BP9080X
- Salk Silk Monitors
- KEF Q950 Floorstanding Speaker
- JBL M2 Master Reference Monitor
- Klipsch R-28PF Surround Sound Floor Standing Speaker
- Gershman Acoustics Grand Avant-Garde
Is Bose better than JBL?
The bass effect of JBL speakers is better than that of Bose speakers, and they come with subwoofers. On top of that, JBL speakers are bigger than Bose speakers, and their radiators vibrate at higher levels to make bass tones that are better and deeper.
How many watts is a good speaker?
Most people won’t need more than 50 watts, and the AVR-1513, which is Denon’s least expensive receiver, is rated at 110 watts per channel. Watts are cheap these days, but sound quality can cost a lot.