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Speaker Reviews

Updated: Sep 28, 2023 16:27
Brand
alaScore
Price
Type
#1
alaScore 100

Sonos Era 100

The Sonos Era 100 offers excellent sonics, refined design and one of the best streaming platforms for any speaker.

18 expert reviews

#2
alaScore 99

Samsung HW-Q990C

It’s hard not to love Samsung’s newest flagship system. It sounds excellent, regardless of what type of content you send its way. It sets up (mostly) seamlessly, is easy to use, and is packed with useful features. If you can live with the annoyances of...

7 expert reviews

#3
alaScore 99

Samsung HW-Q800C

Samsung does it again with its 800 series of soundbars. This series is sort of the midrange of the Samsung soundbar lineup. It’s a bit more expensive than most soundbars, but not crazy expensive like the 900 series. But the Samsung HW-Q800C is well...

5 expert reviews

#4
alaScore 99

Sonos Era 300

The Dolby Atmos-compatible Era 300 delivers room-filling spatial audio on its own, or it can be easily integrated with other Sonos speakers for a truly theater-like experience.

27 expert reviews

#5
alaScore 98

KEF R3

These high-end speakers look unbelievable and sound very natural; the only downside is the cost.

5 expert reviews

#6
alaScore 98

JBL Bar 1300

The JBL Bar 1300 comes packed with so many speaker units that it’s easy to lose track. The big question, of course, is whether this translates into good sound – and it does! The JBL soundbar delivers a large and convincing surround sound image, with...

4 expert reviews

#7
alaScore 98

LG S95QR

For the price, there is no single soundbar system-in-a-box that offers as much bang for the buck as the LG S95QR.

20 expert reviews

#8
alaScore 98

Amazon Echo Dot (5th gen, 2022)

The fifth-generation Amazon Echo Dot adds tap gestures and mesh networking, but is otherwise nearly identical to the previous version.

14 expert reviews

#9
alaScore 98

Sonos Sub Mini

The Sub Mini isn’t technically or acoustically as powerful as the standard Sub, but it succeeds in providing an immersive, full-bodied audio experience that’s only possible with a “complete” Sonos home theater system. And it deals less damage to your...

25 expert reviews

#10
alaScore 98

Razer Nommo V2 Pro

After a long 5 years, Razer has updated its premium Nommo speaker line bringing THX spatial surround, improved RGB lighting, smaller size, custom gaming profiles, more power, and some wireless components. The result is killer PC speakers ideal for...

5 expert reviews

#11
alaScore 97

Audio Physic Spark

Spark hasn’t lost much in the transition from floorstanding to compact bookshelf speaker. None of the Spark versions have been kings of deep bass, but they have always delivered quality bass. The new version certainly does that, and it’s better at...

2 expert reviews | 5 user reviews

#12
alaScore 97

DALI Kore

The huge Dali speakers can be accused of being priced to match their size, and I agree that it’s a lot of money, but not that it’s expensive. The alternatives in this price range are few and far between, even if they are very good. What especially...

2 expert reviews

#13
alaScore 97

Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Plus

“With virtualized Dolby Atmos this good, who needs more speakers?”

4 expert reviews

#14
alaScore 97

JBL Flip 6

“JBL keeps it in the family on the inside and outside with the Flip 6.”

21 expert reviews | 25 user reviews

#15
alaScore 97

Sonos Beam (2nd gen)

“Dolby Atmos adds a splash of 3D fun to an already excellent soundbar.”

40 expert reviews | 23 user reviews

#16
alaScore 97

Denon DHT-S517

The Denon DHT-S517 is a compact soundbar that fits into any environment, but still manages to fit its own Atmos speakers on top. Together with the compact subwoofer, it delivers an impressively good and balanced sound for movies, and the soundstage...

9 expert reviews

#17
alaScore 97

Sony SRS-XG300

“Big sound, fun extras, in a portable, expandable party speaker.”

16 expert reviews

#18
alaScore 97

Devialet Dione

This isn’t a mass-market soundbar. It’s not for anyone who plans to add onto or gradually upgrade their home theater audio system as a long-term passion project. The Dione is a luxury buy for people flush with cash who want minimal clutter and...

19 expert reviews

#19
alaScore 97

Razer Leviathan V2 Pro

“The Razer Leviathan V2 Pro is the best PC soundbar you can buy, but that assumes you want a PC soundbar in the first place.”

6 expert reviews

#20
alaScore 97

Edifier MP100

The Edifier MP100 Plus is portable, weather-resistant, and sonically competitive with the JBL Clip series. It does however, run a slight deficit in terms of thump, as do most personal speakers.

3 expert reviews

#21
alaScore 97

Apple HomePod 2nd Gen (2023)

“A pair of HomePods make a formidable home entertainment powerhouse.”

8 expert reviews

#22
alaScore 97

Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3

“The Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 makes only marginal improvements over its predecessor, but still retains all the things we love.”

10 expert reviews

#23
alaScore 97

Drop BMR1 Nearfield Monitors

They'll look great on your desk!

3 expert reviews

#24
alaScore 96

KEF LS60 Wireless

The KEF LS 60 Wireless are perhaps the best of their kind for under €10,000 a pair. They’re not well suited to those who have many signal sources they want to connect to, and certainly not to those who prefer to play with valves and horn speakers.

7 expert reviews

#25
alaScore 96

KEF LSX II

The small, wireless KEF LSX II is the new reference among stereo speakers in this class. Nowhere else do you get such great sound in such a great package. All the upgrades from the four-year-old LSX have not only made the II edition even better,...

6 expert reviews

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    Buying Guide

    Buying Guide - Speakers

    Speakers determine the overall sound quality of your system, so it's worth the time to listen to several models before making a decision. There are a number of reasons why speakers are a popular purchase when people are looking to upgrade their home entertainment or computer systems. For home entertainment purposes, good speakers can make all the difference in creating a compelling and immersive viewing experience. For computer gaming, good speakers can add an entirely new component to gameplay. If you have been looking for a way to inject some new life into your entertainment options, see what a new speaker system can do for you.



    Contents

    What to Look for in a Speaker System

    Sound Quality – Sound quality is a very personal judgment, like music, food or wine. Everyone’s tastes are different. There is no “best” speaker, only the one that is best for you. When you shop for speakers, listen to several models with favorite music and different type of music. Your experience in listening to live music is a good gauge to evaluate speakers. The speaker should sound natural to your ears, have balanced tone quality and should be easy to listen to for long periods. Don't feel rushed, listen to a speaker several times before making a final decision.

    Configuration – The shorthand for a speaker system's configuration appears as two numbers separated by a period, i.e. 2.0, 4.1, 6.1, etc. The first number is the number of speakers that are included in the set, and the second number is the number of subwoofers. Two speakers are plenty for most needs; if you are building a home entertainment system and want a surround sound experience, you will want additional speakers. Subwoofers are important for playing the deep bass frequencies that most ordinary speakers cannot reproduce.

    Sensitivity – Measured in decibels (dB), sensitivity determines whether the speakers can produce high-volume sound with no distortion. Speakers with sensitivity above 92dB will be fine by themselves; speakers with less than 88dB will generally require an amplifier.

    Frequency Response – Measured in Hertz and kiloHertz, frequency response is a measure of a speaker's ability to reproduce various frequencies of sound. Most speakers do not cover the full range of frequencies that can be detected by the human ear (20Hz at the low end, and 20kHz at the high end), but dedicated music enthusiasts and professionals will want speakers that come as close as possible to reproducing the entire range.

    Watts – Many novices talk of speaker wattage and the danger of 'blowing' speakers from an overload, but the reality is that it is difficult to blow out your speakers simply with an amplifier that is too big. Keep the wattage within the limit recommended for your amp, and especially keep an ear out for any volume-based distortion, and you should never have a problem with your speakers.

    Additional Speaker Features

    Connectivity – This differs between brands, and particularly at different price points. Some speakers are versatile enough to be connected directly to your television or computer, others will need to go through a receiver or amplifier. Make sure you know which kind you are getting.

    Size – High-performance speakers may be large and require special installation. Smaller speakers can be placed anywhere. Make sure you know which you are looking for.

    Wireless – Some speaker systems offer the convenience of wireless set-up, eliminating the clutter of speaker cables. This is a great feature particularly for surround sound systems with numerous speakers.

    Popular Speaker Brands

    Bose is an industry leader – for a little extra money, you get the confidence of knowing you have a quality product. Definitive Technology and Klipsch offer speakers across a range of styles, and have been well-reviewed by consumers. Bargain brand Insignia offers decent performance at outstanding prices, as do Polk Audio speakers.

    Popular Speaker products

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    Speakers on alaTest

    alaTest.com has collected and analyzed millions of reviews from 2660 sources to help you choose the best Speaker from top brands like Sonos, Razer, Amazon, Samsung, Jbl and more.

    Buying Tips Read our Buying Guide
    before you make your purchase