This content originally appeared on Mashable for a US audience and has been adapted for the UK audience.
There’s an undisputed truth about audio tech: Not all speakers are made equal. But that’s also true of listeners. Some people are content with something cheap and cheerful for their audio consumption — as long as they can hear what’s being the played, any speaker will do. But audiophiles fall into a very different category. The speaker needs to deliver a rich body of sound that’s full of nuances.
Thankfully, we understand the demands and expectations at either end of the speaker spectrum. Which is helpful for you keen listeners, because buying a speaker isn’t easy. In fact, if you’ve never done it before, a speaker purchase requires some research. There are a lot of different speakers on offer, with lots of features and specifications to consider.
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We’re assuming you’re here because you don’t have time for all of that. Fear not, because we’ve done a lot of the hard work on your behalf and researched some of the very best speakers available on Amazon. Here’s a useful guide on everything you need to know and a round-up of sweet-sounding speaker recommendations.
Do you need a new speaker?
It’s always a good time to upgrade your tech. The real question is which new speaker do you need? Consider whether you’re planning to use your speaker for just music, for TV and films, or both. You should decide on that now, because it will factor into what kind of speaker you end up buying. For instance, if you’re looking for something to pair with your TV, a soundbar will be a good choice, but if you want something more music-focused, consider a pair of bookshelf speakers or a portable Bluetooth option.
In addition, you’ll want to note the kind of sound quality you’re looking for — whether that’s surround sound, Dolby Atmos, or just plain old stereo (which is also great, don’t feel pressured to get something super fancy and expensive if you don’t really need it). Not all speakers produce the same kind of sound quality, so it’s important to know exactly the kind of listening experience you’re looking to get out of it.
What are passive and active speakers?
The difference between passive and active (sometimes called “powered”) is pretty simple, yet important to note. Passive speakers don’t have any sort of built-in amplification, which means that they need to be connected to a stereo receiver to work. Active speakers have everything built-in from the start, including preamp, volume controls, and inputs. If convenience is one of your top priorities, go for active speakers, as they’ll require a lot less setup and additional equipment to get them working.
How many speakers do you need?
Having two amazing speakers is always going to get you better results than having five average speakers. Plus, having too many speakers around is just going to take up an unnecessary amount of space. If you have the room, two speakers is the perfect number. It’s especially ideal if you listen to a lot of music, which is normally recorded for a stereo setting — so having a left and right channel will do you wonders. If you have a smaller space, one really good speaker is just fine.
Do you need a subwoofer?
The short answer is no. You don’t necessarily need one. Should you get one, though? Well, that’s a different question, to which we would answer: Sure, why not?! Adding a subwoofer will make pretty much any audio setup sound better (not all of them are compatible, though, so make sure you check before buying one first). Subwoofers improve the dynamics of the bass, boosting the quality and adding more depth and space to your output. Sometimes adding a high-quality subwoofer to your speaker setup is more helpful than upgrading the speakers themselves.
What is a smart speaker?
These are speakers that double up as smart devices, which may connect to Alexa or sync with other smart home devices. They’re great in their own right, but they aren’t always the best way to listen to music (sorry, Alexa). If you can’t live without a smart assistant within your speaker setup, we recommend something that’s Bluetooth-enabled and connecting to your smartphone. That way, you get the perks of your phone’s built-in smart assistant without having to downgrade the speaker itself.
What is Dolby Atmos?
This is worth knowing about because you’ll see it mentioned a lot when buying up-to-date speakers. It’s essentially a surround sound technology for home cinema. The basic idea is that instead of just having sound blasting at you from all angles, it places specific sounds and voices in specific places around the listener. Sounds can also move around a three-dimensional soundstage. It takes fully immersive surround sound to a whole new level. It’s closely related to spatial audio — which you’ll also read about below — but Dolby Atmos is its own specific technology.
What are the best speakers?
We’re glad you asked. We have picked out a favourite from each of the most popular speaker categories — from bookshelf to Bluetooth speakers and everything in between — and lined up the very best options for your consideration.
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