(Updated July, 2021) The staff at The Daily Music Break (that would be me, actually) doesn’t have the time, skill, patience, dedication or vendor access to help you find the best music speaker pair.
We can help, though. The best way we can do that is to aggregate information that informs readers on how equipment works and the opinions of those who truly are in the know.
This is not unimportant. Technology reviews of gear — drilling down to find the best music speaker, for instance — very often are well done. There are a lot of people out there who are knowledgeable and really care.
There a few challenges, however, when trying to find the best speakers for vinyl. There are so many products that a review of a specific item being offered — especially one that goes into the detail that experts like to focus on — will be of limited value to the lion’s share of readers.
Aggregating multiple reviews adds a dimension. For one thing, repeated appearances by a company or a specific product suggests quality (and good marketing, I guess). In just the first iteration of this speaker directory, several companies (Klipsch, Elac, Dali, KEF and Sonos) are mentioned multiple times. Two specific products (the Sonos One and the Dali Spektor 2) — are mentioned twice. Another way to look at it: Out of 25 possible mentions (five sites’ top five choices), only six companies are only mentioned once.
Repeated mentions don’t guarantee good sound quality, but they don’t hurt.
TDMB will list and periodically update this and other lists – every six months or so – top picks a variety of sources on various pieces of equipment. We’re starting with an attempt to identify some of the best stereo speakers simply because no link in the HiFi chain is more important and has bigger impact on achieving balanced sound with superior audio quality.
There are lots of variables in shopping for a speaker. Do you portable, bookshelf or speakers that rest on the floor? How important is Bluetooth connectivity? Do you favor passive or active speakers. There are a lot of speakers that you can buy, and each is capable of great sound. We’ve covered some of the keys for speakers for music before, so please check that out.
Stereo speakers for turntables and speakers for record players are vitally important elements of any sound system. Finding the best music speaker for your system will take some work. It’s a good thing that the pandemic is trending downward for a lot of reasons. The ability to get out to a store and actually try stereo speakers is not to high on the list…but it is there somewhere.
Three of the sites list their five top choices without qualification. The other two (Digital Trends and CNET) quality by subgroup (best WiFi, best Bluetooth, etc.). Reviews often look at specific versions of an existing product line. It’s a good idea to make sure you understand what differentiates one model from another. It may be important to you or it may be of no particular importance.
Below the products is contact information for the vendors covered.
July, 2021 Listings: What the Experts are Saying
Tech RadarDefinitive Technology BP9080x
Klipsch Forte III
Klipsch RP-150M
KEF LS50 Wireless II
Q Acoustics Concept 20
KEF LS50 Meta
Elac Debut B5.2
Bowers & Wilkens 606 S2 Anniversary Edition
Dali Spektor 2
Elac Debut 2.0 B6.2
The best overall speakers: GoldenEar Technology Triton Five
The best budget speakers: Klipsch Reference Bookshelf
The best speakers for music: KEF LS50 Wireless II
The best Wi-Fi speaker: Sonos One
The best powered speakers under $150: Edifier R1280DB
Best budget Bluetooth speaker: Tribit Stormbox Micro
Best budget soundbar: Vizio V21
Best sounding smart speaker: Sonos One
Best budget bookshelf speakers: Elac Debut 2.0 B6.2
Best Bluetooth speaker: Bose SoundLink Revolve Plus
Elac Debut B5.2 Bookshelf Speakers
Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 Black Oak Bookshelf Speaker
Dali Spektor 2 Bookshelf Speakers
KEF LS50 Meta Speakers
Klipsch Reference R-51M Powered Bluetooth Speaker
Finding the Best Music Speaker: Who’s Who
Below is contact info for each vendor mentioned. Most are based in the United States. Those that don’t have one or more sales offices here so there should be no concerns. I’m including the country or original because it’s interesting and in some cases important to know where products originate.
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