The best speakers

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The best speakers
  • Great speakers don't just look good - they bring your audio experience to a new level.
  • Speakers are available in a variety of sizes to suit different listening and budget needs.
  • Popular speaker types include floorstanding speakers, bookshelf speakers, smart speakers, and Bluetooth speakers.
  • Thanks to their stylish design and room-filling audio performance, the Klipsch RP-8000F floorstanding speakers are our top pick for the best speakers you can buy.
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A great speaker or speaker system can transform your listening experience. Most people don't realize how much depth and clarity they're missing from their music until they hear it on a pair of speakers that accurately deliver all frequencies.

Of course, different speakers are better suited to different situations. You don't want to buy computer speakers to use with your TV, and you probably don't want to use home theater tower speakers in a small office. That, however, is why we've put together this guide: To help you find the best speakers for your situation.

There are a few things to consider when you're buying speakers. As mentioned, the first thing you'll want to figure out is what you're going to be using the speakers for - whether they're for casual listening, for more critical music playback, or for use as a digital assistant. This will also help determine whether you want a stereo pair for the best listening experience, or a single speaker solution geared more toward smart features and less demanding audio needs.

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You'll also want to decide where you plan to use your speakers. This will help narrow down what size fits best for your room or whether you need a portable speaker model with an integrated battery. Your wireless connectivity needs should also be considered. Built-in Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are increasingly common in certain speaker models, particularly smaller ones, making it easy to stream music from a mobile device. Digital assistants, like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, are even integrated on some speakers for convenient smart home use.

Amplification is another important factor to think about. Smaller speakers designed for wireless playback or for use with computers can typically be powered by simply plugging them right into an outlet or charging their batteries. Many bookshelf speakers and floorstanding speakers, however, require a separate amp or receiver unit to power them.

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Last but not least, you'll want to think about how much money you're willing to spend. When it comes to home audio, you often do get what you pay for. If you can afford more expensive speakers, you're likely to get a better overall sound quality. That said, there are some real gems that sound a whole lot more expensive than they cost.

Generally speaking, if you're most interested in audio performance, you'll want to stick with larger floorstanding and bookshelf speaker pairs, since they are are able to deliver more bass and a larger frequency range than smaller speakers. Meanwhile, those who favor smart features and portability, will likely be better off with a simple one-speaker solution.

Whether you want a pair of full-fledged home theater towers for more critical listening, or a portable smart speaker for casual use, we've selected the best speaker options on the market for a variety of needs and budgets.

Here are the best speakers you can buy:

Updated on 02/25/2020 by Steven Cohen and Christian de Looper: Added Klipsch RP-8000F, Sonos Move, and Amazon Echo (Third Generation). Updated buying advice. Prices and links are current at time of posting.

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Disclosure: This post is brought to you by the Insider Picks team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners. We frequently receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising sales team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at insiderpicks@businessinsider.com.

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The best speakers overall

The best speakers overall
The Klipsch RP-8000F speakers offer a stylish design, plenty of bass, and a detailed, clear high-end.

If you're simply looking for a versatile pair of floorstanding speakers equally suited for home theater and music listening, then the Klipsch RP-8000F floorstanding speakers are the ones to get. Boasting a beautiful design, excellent sound quality, and a competitive price for their performance, the Klipsch RP-8000F speakers are a great choice for both audiophiles and the average listener alike.

Perhaps one of the best things about these speakers is their design. They have a black wooden casing along with copper highlights on the woofers that scream premium, and they should look right at home in any modern-looking house.

Of course, the most important aspect of the speakers is how they sound, and they sound awesome. Each speaker incorporates a 1 inch titanium lts vented tweeter with hybrid tractrix horn, along with dual 8 inch spun copper cerametallic woofers.

These drivers result in plenty of bass for most listening needs, so you won't have to invest in a subwoofer unless you really want earth-shattering low frequency extension. There's also a ton of clarity. The high-end of these speakers is what really makes them sound above average in the home audio world.

The speakers have been very well-received by reviewers. High-Def Digest gave them a 4.5/5, and noted that while the RP-8000F can't quite live up to Klipsch' more expensive RF-7 III speakers, the performance they offer is very impressive considering their much more affordable price.

With that said, though the RP-8000F are competitively priced for floorstanding speakers in this performance range, they're still far from cheap. They're also much larger than bookshelf speakers, so you'll need to make sure your room has the necessary real estate to work with. It's also important to note that the speakers do require a separate amp or receiver for power.

If you have the budget and space, however, the Klipsch RP-8000F offer very impressive value for anyone who wants a pair of high quality stereo speakers ideal for music and movies.

Pros: Beautiful design, excellent sound quality, solid bass without a separate subwoofer, great for movies and music

Cons: Pricier than smaller speakers, large size can limit placement, requires a separate receiver or amp

The best Bluetooth speaker

The best Bluetooth speaker
The Sonos Move not only provides excellent sound-quality, but it also looks great, offers 10 hours of battery life, and includes plenty of smart features.

Sonos has been building some incredible Wi-Fi speakers over the past few years, but now it has finally entered the portable Bluetooth speaker game with the Sonos Move. Like other Sonos smart speakers, the Sonos Move offers integrated access to Alexa and Google Assistant, boasts an awesome design, and allows you to integrate it with the rest of the Sonos ecosystem.

On top of all that, the Move also offers two features that you won't find on other typical Sonos models: Bluetooth and a battery. Like its name suggests, the speaker is specifically designed to be used both at home and on the move. The unit has a charging dock, which is where you can use it when you're at home. For portable use, you can then take it off the dock and bring the Move outside wherever you go. The speaker is rated for 10 hours of battery life, so it should easily get you through a full day of use.

Perhaps the best thing about the Sonos Move is how great it sounds. The speaker offers plenty of bass response, along with a well-tuned mid range, and solid detail in the high end. The speaker offers Sonos' awesome Trueplay tech, which automatically tweaks the frequency response based on your environment.

The Sonos Move isn't perfect. For example, it is a little expensive for a Bluetooth speaker, and it's a bit bulky for on-the-go use. Not only that, but you can't use Google Assistant or Alexa in Bluetooth mode, since they require Wi-Fi connectivity. Still, despite those downsides, the speaker has gotten some great reviews — TechRadar gave the speaker an impressive 4.5/5, while CNET gave it a still great 4/5.

Pros: Great sound, good for portable and home use, built-in support for Google Assistant and Alexa

Cons: Expensive, smart features missing in Bluetooth mode, size limits portability

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The best smart speaker

The best smart speaker
Amazon's third-generation Echo offers upgraded audio performance over previous models while remaining just as smart as ever.

The Amazon Echo lineup is well known for its reliable digital assistant and smart home performance, and the new Echo is the company's best model so far. The third-generation smart speaker is a little bigger than its predecessor, but that extra size enables significantly improved audio quality.

With integrated Alexa support and voice recognition, the Amazon Echo is a fully featured digital assistant with over 100,000 skills worldwide. You can ask Alexa questions, order products from Amazon, set timers, receive weather forecasts, get news updates, and more — all through spoken commands. Alexa also supports voice controls for connected smart home devices and music playback.

When it comes to sound quality, the third-generation Echo features notably improved performance compared to the previous generation model. The new model incorporates a 0.8-inch tweeter and a 3-inch woofer versus the second generation Echo's 0.6-inch tweeter and 2.5-inch woofer. This new, larger design is now more in line with the more expensive Echo Plus, and allows the Echo to produce much better bass.

Of course, there are more expensive smart speakers, like the Sonos One, that sound better than the Echo. In this price range, however, the Echo does the best job of balancing convenient digital assistant support with solid audio performance. You can check out our full review of the Amazon Echo (Third Generation) for more detailed impressions.

Pros: Improved sound quality compared to previous models, Alexa digital assistant, extensive smart home support with over 100,000 skills, affordable pricing

Cons: Audio performance isn't on par with more expensive smart speaker models

The best bookshelf speakers

The best bookshelf speakers
The Q Acoustics 3020 speakers look cool and are compact, but by far the best thing about them is how good they sound for the price.

For some, finding speakers that can simply be placed on a shelf or table and used when needed is the way to go, and for those people, the Q Acoustics 3020 speakers are an excellent choice. The speakers boast a simple look coupled with great sound quality that's sure to impress most listeners.

The speakers may feature a relatively simple design, but we definitely don't consider that a bad thing. They're also available in a few colors, including Black, White, American Walnut, and Graphite.

It's important to note that you won't be able to simply plug your phone or media player into these speakers like you can some others. Like the Klipsch RP-8000F, you'll need a separate receiver or amplifier to power the Q Acoustics 3020 speakers.

When it comes to sound quality, the Q Acoustics 3020 speakers sound good. Sure, they could use a little more bass, but there's solid clarity in the high-end and plenty of detail for those who want it.

The speakers have been pretty well-reviewed, too. CNET gave them 8.6/10, while What HiFi stepped things up to a 5/5.

Pros: Great sound quality, inexpensive, well-designed

Cons: Could use a little more bass, requires a separate receiver or amp

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The best computer speakers

The best computer speakers
The Audioengine A2+ speakers are inexpensive and compact, plus they boast excellent sound quality and versatile connectivity for desktop use.

Looking for some speakers you can plug into your computer? After all, computers almost never have great sound built into them. If you're looking for some speakers to seriously improve the audio from your computer, then we think the Audioengine A2+ speakers are an excellent option for you.

There are a few things that make the Audioengine A2+ speakers great. For starters, they're versatile. That's to say, you can connect them through traditional audio connectors, or through a USB port that connects directly to your computer. When connected through USB, they boast uncompressed audio through the built-in digital-to-analog converter, making them an excellent choice.

The speakers sound excellent, especially for the price. While those who want ultra-deep bass will need to invest in a subwoofer to use with the speakers, the bass built-in is still pretty good. The detailed high-end, however, is where these speakers really shine. It's well-tuned and clear, which is great news for audiophiles on a budget.

The speakers are available in three colors — black, white, and red — and have been very well-received. CNET and PCMag both gave them a 4/5 in their reviews.

Pros: Inexpensive, compact, great sound

Cons: Could use a little more bass

Check out our other great speaker buying guides

Check out our other great speaker buying guides
The best Bluetooth speakers you can buy

Bluetooth speakers come in all shapes, sizes, and price ranges. The Sonos Move is our top pick because it has excellent sound quality, an integrated battery for portable use, and support for both Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. Here are our top picks for the best Bluetooth speakers you can buy.

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The best portable speakers you can buy

A great portable speaker should sound good, offer decent battery life, and have features like water-resistance for added durability on the go. We think the Riva Turbo X is the best portable speaker you can buy because it checks all the boxes.

You should also consider the UE Roll 2, the JBL Link 10, the Creative Muvo 2c, and the UE Boom 2.

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The best multi-room speakers you can buy

Great multi-room speakers are easy to use, well-designed, and sound great. The Sonos One is the best multi-room speaker system you can buy because it sounds great, works flawlessly, and has the smarts of Amazon's Alexa.

You might also like the JBL Link series, the Sonos Play:5, the Bose SoundTouch, and the Google Home Mini.

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