Update: Find our latest Editors’ Choice Bookshelf Speakers awards here.
Has there ever been a better time for consumers to dip their toe into the audiophile pond? When has there ever been this much choice when it comes to affordable components and loudspeakers? It certainly was not the case in the 1990s and many brands have continued to prioritize the very top of the market where a very different type of customer exists.
But if we want there to be a new generation of audiophiles who love better sound quality, the entry-level components and loudspeakers have to be the drug of choice.
There are certainly some big differences between the $60 Dayton Audio B652-AIR and models like the Q Acoustics 5020 and Focal Theva No.1 which are at the top of our list. You should demand a lot more and these two loudspeakers definitely deliver.
Bookshelf or stand-mounted loudspeakers are evolving and while the movement is in the direction of wireless loudspeakers, there is still no shortage of excellent and affordable passive bookshelf options right now. My favorite budget bookshelf loudspeakers of 2023 feature a wide range of options
Not everyone has the space or budget for floorstanding loudspeakers and there are also a growing number of consumers who have not heeded the RTO charge from their employers and continue to work from home and desire something for the desktop or their office.
None of these loudspeakers priced below $999 will break the bank, but don’t forget that almost all of them will benefit from using higher quality amplification; either an existing amplifier that you might own, or something from our list of integrated amplifiers.
Building a system is a process and it’s not a bad move to find a pair of loudspeakers and amplifier that you prefer before blowing the rest of your budget on sources and cables.
Dayton Audio B652-AIR
I can hear the laughter around the globe, but 99% of you have never listened to the original Dayton Audio B652 or the B652-AIR that utilizes a 1″ x 1″ mini AMT tweeter with surprisingly good results.
Just how good can a $60 USD pair of loudspeakers be?
The black ebony pica vinyl cabinet isn’t winning any industrial design awards but were you really expecting a pair of Sonus faber Amati for $60?
The 6.5-inch woofer offers relatively robust bass considering the size of the sealed cabinet and the 87 dB sensitivity (6 ohms) makes these rather easy to drive. The roll-off below 70Hz is rather noticeable, but that makes them a great candidate for an inexpensive subwoofer or as a pair of loudspeakers in a bedroom or on the desktop.
The treble can be somewhat peaky on the B652, but we did not find that to be the case with the AMT tweeter which is smoother sounding, and far more detailed.
A vintage receiver would drive the hell out of these fun loudspeakers and a warmer tonal balance would certainly be preferable.
Where to buy: $59.98/pair at Amazon
RSL Speakers CG3M
The new C3GM bookshelf loudspeakers replace the best-selling CG3 that were discontinued in 2022 and it’s almost impossible to find a better pair of loudspeakers at the price; RSL sells all of their products direct to consumers and there is enormous value here for $210 USD/pair.
The C3GM work well on both stands or a desktop; the loudspeakers do not take up a lot of space (9.5”H x 5.3″D x 6.7”W) and there is a keyhole mount for those who might wish to mount them on a wall and use them as rear channel speakers.
The 4-inch mineral-filled woven aramid fiber cone woofer and 1-inch silk dome tweeter offer a fairly robust sound, but there is noticeable roll-off around 90Hz making these ideal candidate for a subwoofer.
The 86.5 dB (6 ohms) sensitivity is on the lower side but they will work just fine with 30-50 watts; and they certainly won’t implode if you drive them with 100 to 125 watts of power either.
A clean sounding pair of bookshelf loudspeakers with above average detail and speed considering the entry-level price tag.
Where to buy: $210/pair at rslspeakers.com
Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
Andrew Jones set the entry-level category ablaze a few years ago when he was tasked with creating something that audiophiles could sink their teeth into for less than $400. Not only did the acclaimed loudspeaker designer build out a rather impressive niche for the brand, he forced the competition to rethink what could be done for very little. Jones has moved on to MoFi — but we still have the Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2 to recommend for less than $330 depending on where you find them.
The 86 dB sensitivity rating (6 ohms) might feel like it’s on the low side but this is one pair of bookshelf loudspeakers than can work with a rather wide range of amplifiers and AVRs.
The 5.25-inch woven aramid fiber bass driver and 1-inch soft-dome tweeter delivers deep impactful bass and rather smooth and extended top end performance that makes these suitable for both music and movies.
If you have to place the Debut 2.0 B5.2 close to the wall behind them, Jones wisely put the bass ports on the front of the cabinet allowing for greater flexibility when it comes to room placement.
The 46Hz – 35kHz frequency response is rather accurate and you would be surprised just how deep these bookshelf loudspeakers can go with the right amplifier.
We don’t love the black ash vinyl finish, but the MDF cabinet is extensively braced and these are rather well built for the money. Elac sold a lot of these because they are cohesive sounding, detailed, and far more expressive than the average entry-level loudspeaker.
Where to buy: $329/pair at Amazon
Triangle Borea BR03
The Triangle Borea BR03 BT made our “Best Wireless Speakers of 2022” list and I was very fortunate to try them for almost 6 months. They are worth every cent.
The passive version are even more impressive and less than 50% of the price which makes them one of the easiest recommendations of 2023. The Borea BR03 are rather agile sounding loudspeakers, although I do wish that the 1-inch silk dome tweeter was slightly better behaved depending on the amplifier.
The 6.2-inch woofer has more than enough extension and scale to make orchestral and classic rock selections come alive in my 16′ x 13′ x 9′ den.
Clarity, detail, and a rather high level of resolution makes these one of our favorite loudspeakers on the list because they really respond well to integrated amplifiers in the $650 to $1,500 range and you would never guess how affordable they are.
The 90 dB sensitivity (4 ohms) is slightly deceptive and we would suggest 50 watts as a minimum to really give these vibrant loudspeakers the foundation they need. Triangle has a done a great job with the Borea range and these are still flying under the radar for most people which we find a tad strange.
Where to buy: $349/pair at Amazon
Q Acoustics 3020i
Very much like Jason Statham’s character in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, the Q Acoustics 3020i are a tad unleashed. They communicate music like an effortless weapon, and with some serious punch in the lower registers with the right amplifier. They borrow some of their driver technology from their much larger sibling; the Q Acoustics 3050i floor-standing loudspeaker that retails for almost three times the price.
Q Acoustics have tweaked something in the cabinet design and crossover of the 3020i making it hit much harder than one would expect considering the size of the cabinet and drivers.
The 3020i s not a very difficult loudspeaker to drive (88 dB, 6 ohms) but it definitely benefits from an amplifier with some grip and midrange punch. Stay away from amps that veer dark because the 1-inch soft-dome tweeter needs some illumination.
Available in Graphite Grey, English Walnut, Carbon Black or Arctic White. All are finished with an attractive chrome bezel around each driver and feature magnetic speaker grilles.
Ditch the grille covers and do not use the foam bungs even if you need to place them closer to the wall; the mid bass and lower midrange loses some of clarity in the process. The price has increased over the past 12 months which is a shame because these are very fine loudspeakers.
Where to buy: $449 at Amazon
Acoustic Energy AE100 MK2
The revised AE100 MK2 (also referred to as MKII or AE1002) from Acoustic Energy are a very balanced sounding bookshelf loudspeaker with fantastic build quality and excellent punch. They might not be the last word in the lower registers but they can still deliver the goods for only $499 USD.
For more information: Read our AE100 MK2 Review.
Where to buy: $499/pair at Amazon
Wharfedale Diamond 12.1
The Diamond series receives a facelift every 3-4 years, and the new Diamond 12 series products are already proving to be a massive hit.
Wharfedale understands that most consumers don’t have a lot of space and are working within a very specific budget when buying a hi-fi system.
There are specific brands of electronics that work exceptionally well with Wharfedale’s loudspeakers; Audiolab, Croft, Marantz, Cambridge Audio, Quad, Rega, and NAD.
The Wharfedale Diamond 12.1’s are the ideal size for a desktop loudspeaker or placement on a credenza in a home office scenario.
These stand-mounters are a two-way, bass-reflex design. The 5-inch mid/bass driver uses a polypropylene/mica composite cone material, and the tweeter is a 1-inch textile dome design that offers a very smooth sounding top end and excellent dispersion.
Where to buy: $449/pair at Crutchfield
DALI Spektor 2
The Danish manufacturer is now distributed by Lenbrook in N. America and that situation makes them much easier to find. DALI makes excellent loudspeakers across the board but their affordable Spektor 2 is a fantastic value and wonderful platform for a wide range of amplifiers.
The Spektor 2 offer an insightful, detailed, and very expressive presentation. They are not overly fussy about placement, but they can be rather underwhelming with low powered amplifiers. Anything above 50 watts per channel should be quite sufficient.
Where to buy: $499/pair at Amazon | Amazon.co.uk
Cambridge Audio Evo S
Cambridge Audio make loudspeakers? Rather excellent ones as we discovered recently. Our review of the Evo S is forthcoming as part of a series on the entire Evo Series, but we were rather surprised by just how authoritative and detailed these somewhat chunky bookshelf loudspeakers actually sound.
Not only are they rather easy to drive (88dB, 8 ohms), but the silk dome tweeter is smooth, detailed, and one of the best performing from all of the loudspeakers on this list.
The rear ported cabinet is built like a tank and better suited for a pair of 24″ stands to really maximize its superb imaging and strong mid bass output. You can certainly place these on a credenza or media unit, but placement too close to the wall behind them will create too much bass impact and take away from the very open and clear sounding upper bass and lower midrange.
A real sleeper product that works extremely well with the Evo 150 network amplifier and many other integrated amplifiers.
Where to buy: $799/pair at Audio Advice
Q Acoustics 5020
The Budget Audiophiler’s review of the 5020 can found here and those interested in learning more can watch his videos on Instagram. What’s fascinating about the 5020 is just how different it sounds than the 3030i; the tonal balance and presentation are completely different, yet it manages to be one of the most open, expressive, and spacious sounding bookshelf loudspeakers on the market.
Bookshelf loudspeakers are generally less sensitive than floor standing loudspeakers and that proved to be the case with the 5020; they responded better to the amplifiers in the 60 to 100 watts/channel range but that doesn’t mean that I was remotely unsatisfied with the lower power tube amplifiers in my collection.
A lot of the performance and choice of amplification depended on the size of the room and genre of music; if you don’t listen at very loud levels and don’t plan on feeding them a steady diet of rock or new wave music — you can certainly get away with less.
If you listen on the desktop or in a nearfield scenario where you are 10 feet or less from the speakers, 30 watts per channel is going to work just fine.
Where to buy: $899/pair at Crutchfield
Focal Theva No.1
The Focal Theva No.1 offer a very different level of performance but at a price that actually makes us want to own them. $998 USD for a pair of loudspeakers made in France. William Jennings was completely smitten by their performance and you can read this detailed review here.
The French manufacturer has been designing and manufacturing drivers and loudspeakers internally at their facility in Saint-Étienne, France, since 1979 and jumped into the car audio category in 1989.
The Theva No.1 is the entry-level model in the lineup which also includes 3 floor standing models, a center channel loudspeaker, surround loudspeakers, and two different stands for home cinema users who may wish to mix and match models to create the multi-channel configuration that is ideal for them.
They possess the clarity and detail in the treble that make Focal’s speakers special, the fluidity of the larger Kanta models, and the tonal balance of the Chora 806 that charmed the pants off our esteemed EIC Ian White.
Combine all of those positive attributes and you have an extremely good pair of loudspeakers that are engaging, colorful, and lively in the best possible way.
Where to buy: $998/pair at Crutchfield
Related reading: Best Wireless Speakers
