The best speakers of 2023

Just think, you could take your enjoyment of your favourite music to a whole new level with one simple decision - to buy the best speakers. It might bring your movie nights to life - your 4K TV will finally have quality sound to match. Replayed through decent home cinema speakers for your TV, the classic movies that shaped your childhood regain their broad soundstage and immersive effects. But that's just the beginning of upping your audio game.

Hearing music through a seriously good set of speakers is a priceless experience. Relive your music collection and bring a new dimension to your favourite music streaming services. It needn't cost the earth. You're now spoilt for choice too, with everything from portable speakers to surround sound gaming systems and more. So, which is the best speaker choice for you?

Thanks to a multitude of technical innovations, size is no longer synonymous with quality or power. There are options for everyone, from large floor-standing speakers and bookshelf speakers for music lovers to multiroom systems and wireless speakers for those who like their smart streaming tech. There are even speakers for parties outdoors and some portable options for listening on the move.

Best speakers of 2023 at a glance

• Best overall speakers: Monitor Audio Bronze 5.1 Speaker Package - View on Richer Sounds
• Best budget music speakers: Cambridge Audio SX-50 Bookshelf Speaker - View on Amazon
• Best speakers for TV: Sony HT-A5000 premium 5.1.2 channel Dolby Atmos Soundbar - View on Amazon
• Best wireless speaker system: KEF LS50 Wireless II - View on Amazon

We have a buyer's guide to help you narrow things down, plus some frequently asked questions and a handy glossary at the end of the article. The best speakers of 2023 and a whole new world of sound are cued up and ready to play.

The best speakers of 2023

The best speakers of 2023: Buyer's guide

Choosing the best speakers for you is no simple task. You'll need to avoid some of the common pitfalls and study some of the jargon in our guide below. But before you hit the 'buy' button on those top-of-the-line monoliths, stop for a moment to consider a few things. Getting the basics right first will make for (pun intended) a sound purchasing decision later. Much of this will come down to what kind of listener you are and where. Here are some basic categories to help narrow things down:

Home cinema and TV viewers

There are two main approaches here speaker-wise. Firstly, there's the small or discrete soundbar-type speaker option. These cleverly emulate larger multi-speaker systems to give you a surround effect. And then there are the full-size systems, normally comprising between five to seven or more separate speakers, plus a subwoofer for bass. A typical 5:1 sound setup has there are two front-facing, two rear-facing and the sub. More speakers mean more spatial effects thanks to encoding tech like Dolby Atmos.

Gamers

Gamers can take a similar approach to the above, as they can either opt for a larger multi-speaker system or a soundbar-style alternative. However, they're usually lighter and smaller and have gamer-friendly functions like RGB lighting and headphone/ microphone jacks. They're also normally connected to a PC or console via USB.

Music fans

The nature of music and the 'right' way to listen to it is always hotly debated. But, for us, we think the best setup is the one that sounds the best to you. Normally, any music fan will go for a pair of stereo speakers if they have a stack of hi-fi separates and an amp to connect them to. But, with the advent of multiroom sound and portable wireless speakers, it's becoming increasingly common for music fans to take the high-tech streaming-friendly option and go for active (self-amplified) smart speaker solutions.

Outdoor listeners, travellers and partygoers

Weatherproofing, ruggedisation and protection from dust are the key things to look out for for anyone taking their speaker out and about. But, as with all speakers, you have some options here. If you're looking for a permanent garden audio solution, you should look for weatherproof wired speakers that can withstand the heat and the cold. If you want to be able to move things around, go for a wireless speaker. If you're heading out to the beach or going camping, the size and weight will obviously affect the portability. With all portable devices, check out the average battery life and make sure it'll last the trip.

Plan your connections

Most speakers, apart from 'Active' speakers (more on those later), will need a powered amplifier to drive them. If you already have an amplifier, the first thing you should consider is whether you need to upgrade. After all, there's no point in hooking up expensive KEFs to an amp that's well past its use-by date.

Secondly, consider the number of speakers you're looking at having. Obviously, this will vary depending on what you're looking to achieve. A home cinema amp may support 5.1 (five speakers, one subwoofer) or 7.1 or more if you're looking at a full Dolby Atmos setup. A more traditional hi-fi amp may only have connections for two speakers - left and right stereo.

Power rating

Every amplifier has a rating for the amount of power it can push out to your speakers. Normally, as a range expressed in Watts, this is the power output through the speaker terminals to each speaker. Therefore, choosing a speaker that requires more power than your amp can deliver will result in weak, under-par sound and an over-driven amplifier.

Conversely, too much power from the amp can literally destroy speakers that aren't built to take it. So, contrast and compare the power ratings for your choices to match them up. Remember, wattage is a range; As long as the maximum output won't blow your speakers and the minimum will deliver what your speakers need, you're all set.

Impedance

Measured in Ohms, this often generates the most questions from newcomers. This is a measurement of how much the audio signal is impeded or resisted by the speakers. So, let's say your turntable amplifier is built to deliver 20 watts of power at 8 Ohms. This will actually be pushing out more power to account for the 8-ohm resistance of the speakers. A 20-watt speaker rated as 4 Ohm will require a little less power from the amplifier to overcome that level of impedance. This is why it's very important to match up the impedance of your speakers with that of your amplifier. As long as your speakers lie within the stated range of the amp, it's all good.

Choose speakers outside the range, and your sound may be weak. Then your amplifier will be over-driven to achieve higher volumes. Conversely, you run the risk of damaging speakers by pushing too much power onto them when there's not enough resistance. The lower the impedance, the more power is left over for the output, which is why it's easier to blow low-impedance speakers with high-impedance amplifiers.

Active speakers and smart speakers are self-amplified, so impedance won't be an issue here.

Size and placement

Unless you're going for a small or portable speaker, larger speakers that look and sound great for your room will still need to fit and be well-placed.

It goes without saying that anyone who angles their speakers facing a wall or corner at close range is going to be ruining their experience. As is placing them behind furniture or having a speaker's bass ports right up to a wall. But you should also consider where you'll be sitting to listen. Some speakers recommend angling them inward towards the listener. Other models are engineered to do this without being angled at all. As always, read your speaker manual.

Lastly, look around your room. If you have a very sparsely decorated room without carpets or other things to break up reflections, your Audio is probably going to bounce off the walls and create uncomfortable reverb. There are a number of solutions to this, the most obvious are acoustic foam panels, careful furniture placement, or wall hangings.

Plan your wiring

Unless you're going wireless, the correct speaker wire is, naturally, the third element of your setup. There are a few things to consider here - gauge (the thickness of the wire) and what that means for performance, the cable run you'll need to plan for in your room, and your speaker wire connections.

The lower the gauge number, the thicker the wire. In order to choose the correct gauge speaker cable, first match the impedance of the wire to your speaker's impedance rating. Then measure the length of the wire run you'll need from the amplifier to each speaker. Thicker wire is better for longer runs and suffers from less signal loss. As a happy medium, we recommend the GearIT 16AWG Speaker Wire, which sits at around £15 for 100ft of wire.

Buying a massive reel would seem a surefire way to ensure your cables will reach even your ceiling speakers. When you have your wire, measure twice - cut once. And give yourself a few inches of extra wire to account for any unforeseen issues.

Speaker top tips:

Looks aren't everything

Some manufacturers seem to be in an arms race to attach as much bling and bluster to their speakers as possible. As a general rule, beware of an overabundance of graphics, plastic chrome accents, and showy grilles or cones. Some of the best speaker brands offer a range of models, often with understated looks, but still vary in quality internally. Choose wise

Hearing is believing

Yes, you can still find flashy-looking, affordable speakers today, but how can you tell if they'll perform without hearing them first? You can't. There really is no substitute for having a listen for yourself. Find someone who has the same speakers, or at least an adjacent model, and play your own music through them. If your local retailer has a demo room (or a try-before-you-buy scheme), we recommend you give your speakers a thorough trial. Reviews are your next best resource, but remember: What one person thinks is a well-rounded speaker could be lacking according to a different pair of ears.

The best speakers: Frequently asked questions

How can I improve speaker sound?

Look for speakers that are well-insulated against reverberation. Some speakers will have spike-type feet that will stop the floor from absorbing bass, others have cushioned rubber feet. Firmly wall mounting a speaker will massively help to isolate the speaker, and you'll be getting truer, unadulterated sound reproduction. Other than that, pairing your speakers with the right amplifier in terms of wattage and impedance will make a massive difference.

Do I need a subwoofer?

A subwoofer is a special kind of powered speaker that just handles deep bass frequencies. You don't always need one, as your main speakers may provide you with enough bass on their own. But some, particularly home cinema fans, like the added boom and thud that a subwoofer can bring to their room for cinematic effect. If you're partial to some late-night listening without waking the neighbours, some of the best headphones of 2023 can deliver deep and satisfying bass and all the rest at affordable prices.

Do I need an amp?

An amplifier is a device that takes low-voltage audio input from your source equipment, typically a turntable or CD player, and amplifies that input. Your music is then output enough power to drive an attached pair of speakers. Passive speakers, therefore, require an amplifier.

Unless you're going for a wireless music player for portability (actively amplified with its own power), a dedicated amplifier is needed to power passive speakers. But this is in no way an afterthought. Your final sound quality is going to depend equally on the quality of the speakers and the quality of the amplifier - get both right, and you'll have a dream system. Get either of them wrong, and you'll have wasted your money.

Why are my speakers distorted at high volumes?

Assuming your speakers aren't damaged or broken, your amplifier may be too powerful for the speaker's drivers and cones. Essentially, attempting to get more volume out of a speaker by feeding it more power is the same as trying to make your car go faster by cramming more fuel into the tank until it overflows. The speaker can only handle so much power. Push it too hard, and the cones will reach their structural limits, stop producing nice vibrations, and start producing uncontrolled ones. Thus, you have distorted sound.

The best speakers: Glossary

The best speakers come with what is possibly the most impenetrable tech jargon of all. And this is particularly true for newcomers to the world of quality audio. Part hard science, part soft aesthetics, plenty are hoodwinked by expensive looks only to be let down by sound quality. Here are some of the most common terms you'll come across, with accessible explanations of each to help you decipher the specs before you buy.

Passive speakers

A passive speaker has no active power or amplifier circuitry. So, you will need to route your sound to them via an external amplifier. Some speakers, like the Edifier R1280T, are active speakers. They don't require an external amplifier.

Active speakers

Likewise, an active speaker is one that has its own power supply and amplifier function. This means that you can hook up any sound source directly to the speakers, usually via an auxiliary input connection, such as an Audio jack or twin phono plugs in the case of speakers for a record player. Because these speakers actively power themselves, they can amplify the music you pipe into them. This, of course, includes all-in-ones like Bluetooth portables and some ceiling speakers.

Watt

Wattage, in regard to sound output and speaker power, is a measure of the strength of the audio signal that drives the speaker. A 100w amplifier has a maximum output of that many watts. So, a speaker rated for a range of, say, 80w - 120w will be able to handle that power input. The wattage between the speaker and amp needs to be compatible to avoid potentially damaging both.

Decibels

A decibel is a measure of sound levels (dBs). While it's an accepted measure of volume, it doesn't correlate with wattage. More wattage doesn't necessarily mean bigger or better volume, or quality, for that matter. Usually, manufacturers specify the amount of dBs that a speaker can produce with a single Watt of power at a 1-metre distance.

Drivers

A driver is a device inside any speaker, be it wired headphones or an external speaker. It converts electrical signals into sound. So it follows larger drivers tend to be able to deliver a more powerful sound with greater accuracy. That said, this isn't always the case, as build material quality also plays an important role.

Tweeters

A speaker has two components: a woofer and a tweeter. A tweeter is responsible for producing high-frequency sounds. They're often a dome shape and may even be independently positionable.

Woofers

A woofer is the part of the speaker that produces low-frequency sounds. You'll commonly see these described by the width of the cone - in inches or centimetres. This will also give you a slight indication of how much range and power they may have.

Phase

As with anything electrical, it's important to not get your wires crossed. Therefore, most speaker wires will come with one side marked with a line to help you match up the terminals on your amp with those on the speakers. So, one will be positive, the other negative. This is the phase of the speaker. If you have a positive wire in the negative terminal and vice versa, some elements of the sound will effectively be working against each other. The result is poor stereo imaging and reduced bass, so match up your positives and negatives, and you'll be in phase.

Frequency Range

This is a measurement, in Hertz (Hz), of the range of sound frequencies that a speaker can reproduce. Our ears can perceive 20 - 20,000 Hz, with the lower number being a lower tone and vice versa.

RCA

An RCA connector is also a phono connector. They are commonly used for left and right audio channels and colour-coded white and red (or black and red) to help when wiring up. Record players, like the Lenco LS-100 we reviewed,  often use these too. Most amplifiers will have lots of RCA connections at the back for all of your devices.

AUX

An amplifier's AUX input stands for 'auxiliary'. This is an extra audio input from any device you'd like to connect. Providing the device has the same connector, you can simply switch the amplifier input to AUX to start listening.

Optical

Optical audio connections are digital, as opposed to RCAs, which are analogue. So, an optical connection uses fibre-optic cabling to transmit sound as data via light waves.

Binding Posts

One of the most common speaker connection types on old and new gear. A binding post is essentially a metal terminal for a speaker wire. They work by providing a hole for your bare wire to go through, kept in place with a binding nut. In addition, sometimes these have holes through the middle of the post that doubles up as jacks for a Banana Plug.

Banana Plugs

Fitted to the end of the speaker wire. They make for a more convenient connection than bare wire wrapped around binding posts. The name comes from the shape of the metal leaves that make up the contact at the end. These plug into speaker inputs - the corresponding Banana Jack.

Chris Duffill is a Tech Product Writer for What's The Best. He specialises in audiovisual, computing, and gadgets. He also writes for Yours.

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