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Speaker Reviews

Updated: May 13, 2025 16:26
Brand
alaScore
#1
alaScore 100

Sonos Arc Ultra

After going through this ordeal, I wouldn’t blame anyone for holding off on the Arc Ultra until Sonos proves it’s capable of making good decisions again. The company isn’t out of the woods yet. Not even close. But it still knows how to make a damn good...

21 expert reviews

#2
alaScore 99

Raidho X2.6

Raidho X2.6 is for those who don’t just want to hear the music, but experience it in all its depth and complexity. These speakers aren’t for everyone – they require careful placement, fabulous components and, most importantly, a clean power supply. But...

3 expert reviews

#3
alaScore 99

Onkyo GX-30ARC

The Onkyo GX-30ARC are fantastic sounding speakers with a good range of connection options and extras, like stands and a remote. They’re also one of the nicest looking sets of desktop speakers on the market and give your workspace a nice visual boost....

2 expert reviews

#4
alaScore 99

Marshall Emberton III

Overall, the Marshall Emberton III is truly one (the best, IMO) of the best small Bluetooth speakers on the market. Its price point is doable by most, and it offers fantastic sound, dust protection, waterproof protection, portability, and 360 sound...

10 expert reviews

#5
alaScore 98

DALI Epikore 3

Dali’s Epikore 3 are hugely capable and superbly made, but trade a little verve for sophistication and control

3 expert reviews

#6
alaScore 98

Cambridge Audio Evo One

Find the space and this beautifully engineered all-in-one audio system will put a huge smile on your face.

5 expert reviews

#7
alaScore 97

Samsung HW-Q990D

There is a lot to like about the Samsung HW-Q990D. Samsung TV owners with compatible Q-Symphony TVs will benefit greatly from this soundbar. But everyone who has the cash to plunk down on this guy, should consider it. It is a bit on the heavier side,...

11 expert reviews

#8
alaScore 97

Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Pro

Takes everything that made the last Zeppelin such a superb streaming speaker and elevates the listening experience – if only slightly. The Pro Edition is the best Zeppelin to date.

4 expert reviews

#9
alaScore 97

Sonos Era 100

When the Sonos One debuted in 2017, there was nothing else like it apart from some tentative smart speakers which quickly disappeared. Certainly nothing as well-formed and enduring as the One. (Yes, technically, Apple's HomePod was announced before the...

36 expert reviews

#10
alaScore 97

Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 9

“You still get that great Sony sound, but the Bravia Theater Bar 9 feels like a downgrade.”

6 expert reviews

#11
alaScore 97

Yamaha NS-600A

Yamaha stuffs the beauty of its grand pianos into these spritely premium speakers

3 expert reviews

#12
alaScore 97

Triangle Capella

The Capella has some quirks which you need to take into account before buying it but the core of what it does and how it does it are extremely convincing. This is a very capable active speaker system at a decent price.

7 expert reviews

#13
alaScore 97

Ultimate Ears Miniroll

“On a pure sound-for-size basis, it doesn't get much better than the UE Miniroll.”

6 expert reviews

#14
alaScore 97

Tribit Stormbox Blast 2

“The Tribit StormBox Blast 2 delivers 200 watts of big, bold, and beautiful sound at any volume.”

4 expert reviews

#15
alaScore 96

Audio Pro C20

The C20 is similar to the C10 MkII but offers an even more powerful, energetic, and rich performance for those that want to step up or have a big-sounding speaker in their home. Its wireless connectivity is very good, and its turntable and TV support...

5 expert reviews

#16
alaScore 96

Bowers & Wilkins 607 S3

The most affordable route into Bowers & Wilkins passive loudspeaker ownership could quite easily prove the gateway drug into a lifelong habit…

2 expert reviews

#17
alaScore 96

DALI Rubikore 2

One of the long-running tenets of hi-fi is ideas that appear at the top of a particular range will eventually make their way down to more terrestrial price points over time. Companies do this with varying degrees of success, but DALI's latest attempt...

5 expert reviews

#18
alaScore 96

Kanto Ren

I have to admit, I wasn’t all that surprised by the sound the Kanto REN was able to achieve. The ORA speakers are the best desktop speakers I’ve used, and I even use those to edit video and watch movies. But while I was surprised, I was initially...

2 expert reviews

#19
alaScore 96

Monitor Audio Studio

I’ve had a soft spot for small speakers for years—decades, in fact. Experience tells me that an excellently engineered small speaker, on a suitable stand, can produce stereo imaging, tonal accuracy, and, absent deep bass, dynamic realism equal to or...

4 expert reviews

#20
alaScore 96

Sonos Beam (2nd gen)

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

43 expert reviews | 23 user reviews

#21
alaScore 96

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.

39 expert reviews

#22
alaScore 96

Sonus Faber Sonetto V

The SONETTO V is an affordable way to bring Sonus faber’s unique sound into your system. They look and sound amazing and embody the company’s philosophy of speakers as musical instruments.

6 expert reviews

#23
alaScore 96

Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4

The Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 was already one of our favorite mug-sized Bluetooth speakers. In all honesty, the Wonderboom 4 doesn’t change too much, but still ticks the right boxes if you want an affordable option for listening anywhere. Its...

4 expert reviews

#24
alaScore 96

JBL Xtreme 4

“The JBL Xtreme 4's bold and sweet sound, boundary-pushing battery, and rugged design make it the premium Bluetooth speaker to beat this year.”

9 expert reviews

#25
alaScore 96

Anker SoundCore

The Anker Soundcore Rave 3S party speaker sounds pretty good, includes two mics, and has a cool AI vocal removal feature for karaoke that works surprisingly well.

16 expert reviews | 2946 user 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 2696 sources to help you choose the best Speaker from top brands like To Be Defined, Dali, Bowers, Sonos, Cambridge Audio and more.

    Buying Tips Read our Buying Guide
    before you make your purchase