Best Bookshelf Speakers Under $2000

When you want to really rock out in your living room, or make some shapes on the living room floor, you should not have to make do with headphones.

Music is for everyone to enjoy, and you can have some great couple or family times by playing your favorite tunes nice and loud and having a blast dancing around like buffoons. And you just can’t do that with headphones.

Sure some speakers can be bulky and unsightly, but that’s not true of all speakers. You can get some really good ones that sit out of the way on your bookshelf.

We’ve been checking out some of the best bookshelf speakers on the market. And after much deliberation, we were able to handpick our top few favorites to review for you here today.

But we get that choosing one can be tricky, which is why we’ve also put together a handy buying guide that will walk you through some of the key things to think about before you buy.

Then we’re going to top that off with another handy section where we answer some of your most frequently asked on the subject.

And without further ado…

Edifier S2000MKIII Powered Bluetooth Bookshelf 2.0 Speakers

Now, these are some great bookshelf speakers! And, we’re pleased to report, they sound as smart as they look, with their smart matt wood finish.

It’s built with high end components, such as 5.5 inch aluminum 50 watt woofers and 15 watt planar diaphragm tweeters to deliver rich, clear, powerful, high resolution audio. There’s built in power amplification (making it an active speaker) and digital audio processing. There’s powerful bass and trebles, and nice highs and lows.

But the star feature of these speakers is how the sound can be modified. Not only can you adjust things like the overall volume, and pause your tracks at whim, but you can also adjust the treble and the bass.

But that’s not all. There are 4 great listening presets. These are monitor, vocal, classic and dynamic. The monitor mode delivers perfectly accurate sound reproduction. Vocal, as you might imagine, highlights the vocals of a track, making it perfect for podcasts, audiobooks and singing. Classic is designed especially for the classical music genre. And the dynamic mode is just plain fun.

In addition to hooking them up to your computer, they also support Bluetooth version 5 with aptX HD and reduced latency. There are RCA, optical, COAX and XLR audio inputs. And there’s a display at the bottom on one of the speakers to let you know which input the device is using.

When you receive the box, not only do you get the speakers themselves but you also get all the cables you need to hook up several inputs at the same time, and a handy remote control with batteries included, so you can start listening to your favorite tunes right out of the box.

We were also reassured to learn that they come backed by a lengthy 2-year warranty. 

They’re a bestseller with the leading online retailers and have proved very popular with those who’ve tried them out. 

Pros:

  • Bestseller with great customer ratings
  • It’s built with high end woofers & tweeters
  • Rich, clear, powerful, high resolution audio
  • It features adjustable bass and treble
  • There are 4 great listening presets
  • Comes backed by a 2-year warranty

Cons:

  • The remote control can be hard to read, especially in the dark
  • You can’t adjust the treble or the bass with the remote control, you have to go round to the back of the speakers

Audioengine A5+ Plus Wireless Speaker

Now, these speakers have proved to be a huge hit with customers – on Amazon alone there have been well over 1,000 individual customer ratings, and better yet, the average customer rating still comes out an impressive 4 and a half stars out of 5.

It really brings audio technology to the digital age. You can use these speakers to deliver sound either by wire, or by aptX HD Bluetooth, from your mac, PC, smartphone, or tablet up to a range of a whopping 30 feet. And you can even hook up your turntable or vintage tape deck.

These powerful 150 watt speakers have won awards from the likes of popular audiophile publishings, such as What HiFi, CNet, Wired, and more.

It’s built with aramid fiber woofers and silk dome tweeters to deliver the best possible low and high frequency sounds.

And thanks to the built-in digital to analogue converter, you can completely bypass the low quality sound card in your laptop or device to deliver premium quality sound.

It measures 22 by 11 by 15 inches. But remember if you want to wire it up, you’re going to need room at the back. If you don’t have room for it on a table or bookshelf, you can buy special stands to deliver the sound at ear level.

In addition to the speakers themselves, you also get a power cord, a Bluetooth Antenna, an intuitive remote control, all the cables you need, and even cable bags.

In addition to being available in black, you can also get them in white, which looks super futuristic, or in bamboo, for a more laid back, relaxing aesthetic.

We were also pleased to hear that the speakers come backed by a lengthy 3-year warranty, and customer support.

Pros:

  • Bestseller with leading online retailers
  • Delivers sound wirelessly up to 30 feet
  • Top quality materials for top quality sound
  • Has a built-in digital to analogue converter
  • Audioengine DS2 speaker stands available
  • Comes backed by a lengthy 3-year warranty

Cons:

  • There’s no indication of exactly where the volume is at when you turn the volume dial

Kanto YU6 Powered Bookshelf Speakers with Bluetooth and Phono Preamp

Talk about loud! These speakers feature a Class D amplifier to deliver 200 watts of peak power, for a sound that really fills the room.

Inspired by an equal appreciation for digital and analog, the YU6 let’s you hook up your vinyl deck with its built in phono preamp. Altogether, the ports include rca & aux inputs which are compatible with virtually all audio devices, rca and aux ports for a quick and easy way of connecting to your source, optical inputs for even better sound, a subwoofer output and the phono/line switch.

You can also play music via aptX Bluetooth, so you can play music and sound directly from your smartphone. And if your smartphone battery is running low, that’s not a problem, there’s a USB charging port on the back of the speaker.

It features 1-inch silk dome tweeters for nice high frequency sound, combined with 5.25-inch woven kevlar drivers for lower frequency sound.

When you receive the box, not only do you get the speakers themselves but you also get all the cables you need to hook up several inputs at the same time, and a handy remote control with batteries included, so you can start listening to your favorite tunes right out of the box.

From the remote control, you can not only adjust the volume of the speakers, but also the input switching, Bluetooth control, and EQ adjustments.

These speakers are very compact, with each cabinet measuring 6.89 by 8.07 by 10.71 inches.

In addition to the walnut color option which we love, there are other great color options to shoes from besides, including a really nice bamboo, a matte black, a matte white, or a gloss maroon red. Something for every kind of decor.

Pros:

  • Sound that really fills the room
  • YPlay music via aptX Bluetooth
  • It’s made with quality components
  • All the ports and cables you need
  • Comes with a handy remote control 
  • You can make EQ adjustments
  • These speakers are very compact

Cons:

  • Doesn’t feature a built in digital to audio converter

Klipsch RP-150M Bookshelf Speaker

Klipsch RP-150M Bookshelf Speaker - Ebony (Pair)

Now, these speakers are not only from one of the top brands in the industry, but they’ve also received phenomenal customer ratings and reviews. Even after well over 200 individual customer ratings on Amazon, the average customer rating still comes in at a whopping 5 stars out of 5. 

It’s made with top quality components, including LTS titanium tweeters, one of Klipsch’s hallmarks, and spun copper cerametallic woofers. So you get gorgeous highs and lows.

And that’s not all. It’s star feature is the 90 x 90 hybrid tractrix horn, which delivers the cleanest, most natural sound possible. Not to mention the tractrix port which gives it the most powerful low frequency response on the market.

And all this basically means that you get premium sound quality at an affordable price.

You can hook it up to your PC, or for movie lovers, you can hook it up to your TV, for the ultimate night in.

They’re quite moderately sized, measuring 10.7 by 7.7 by 14.6 inches, so it shouldn’t be too much of a struggle to fit them onto a bookshelf, but best to measure first to be sure.

There are 3 color options to choose from, and these are ebony. cherry, and walnut. And we must say all of them look particularly smart and sleek.

And this is made to look even better by the removable grille, which if left on, provides superior high frequency diffraction reduction. And on the sides there’s a nice premium wood grain polymer veneer.

Pros:

  • Phenomenal customer ratings
  • Made with premium components
  • You get premium sound quality
  • Hooks up to your PC or TV
  • Has a removable grill
  • It can fit on a bookshelf
  • Great color options

Cons:

  • Doesn’t come with a remote
  • Doesn’t feature Bluetooth connectivity
Klipsch RP-150M Bookshelf Speaker - Ebony (Pair)
  • 1" Linear Travel Suspension Titanium Tweeter
  • 5.25" Spun Copper Cerametallic Cone Woofer
  • 90x90 Hybrid Tractrix Horn
  • All New Tractrix Port
  • MDF Cabinet with Brushed Polymer Veneer Baffle Finish

Definitive Technology D7 High Performance Demand Series Bookshelf Speakers

Don’t these speakers look amazing? They’re hand crafted and painted with 5 layers of premium gloss paint for a gorgeous near-mirror finish. They can really upgrade the appearance of the room. Really futuristic. Each cabinet is perfectly hand-crafted with a timeless look and feel that suits any decor.

It comes from a good well established brand that people have come to know and trust.

It measures 8.8 by 5.2 by 9.8 inches. And as such out of all the speakers that made our shortlist, this is the pair most likely to actually fit on a bookshelf. But if it doesn’t fit, you can always invest in compatible stands. And you can hook it up with other compatible components to form an entire home theatre system.

But despite its relatively compact size it can produce a punchy bass that you would only expect from bigger speakers. And an articulate midrange too.

It features aluminum tweeters for crystal clear detail of high frequency sound, and there’s special patented BDSS drivers and clever bass management for a really deep bass that outperforms bookshelf speakers of a similar size.

It truly delivers an incomparable sweet spot, and super smooth high-frequency reproduction.

Pros:

  • It looks absolutely stunning
  • It can be fit on a bookshelf
  • Made with quality components
  • Special patented BDSS drivers
  • Punchy bass & amazing sweet spot

Cons:

  • Doesn’t come with a remote
  • Doesn’t feature Bluetooth connectivity
  • There aren’t a whole lot of customer reviews around for this model just yet
Sale
Definitive Technology Demand Series D7 High-Performance Bookshelf Speakers - Pair (Black)
  • Each Demand Series D7 Bookshelf speaker FEATURES A PROPRIETARY 4.5-inch BDSS driver, a 1-inch Aluminum Dome Tweeter with 20/20 Wave Alignment Lens & Laterally Offset Tweeter Assembly for a precise center image, articulate midrange and punchy base
  • STUNNING FUTURISTIC LOOK – With clean, modern industrial design and bead blasted finish, these stunning pieces look elegant and the timeless look blends perfectly with your home décor. These speakers truly deliver a premium listening experience
  • VERSATILITY FOR ANY APPLICATION – Use as standalone speakers in a 2.0 channel system, in a 2.1 channel system with a sub, or create a sophisticated and complex home theater system with your choice of amplifier, receiver or your choice Definitive Speakers
  • A CLASS APART – 25 years of constant innovation, relentless engineering, latest audio technology and iconic intelligent designs have made Definitive one of the most trusted names in audio speakers and premium home entertainment systems
  • ELEVATE YOUR SOUND WITH DEMAND AN ST1 SPEAKER STAND – Get the optional ST1 Stands to raise the height of these speakers by 32" to keep them firmly in place whether you have carpet or a solid floor surface. The stands also come with threaded inserts

Buying Guide

As promised, here’s your buying guide. We’ll walk you through some of the key things to consider before you buy.

Inputs and Connections

First and foremost you need to ensure that you can hook your speakers up to whatever it is you’re playing your music from, whether it’s from your laptop, your vinyl deck or whatever. Examine the back of the speakers to ensure that it has all the ports you need.

You may also want to consider wireless connection in case you ever want to send music, podcasts or audiobooks through Bluetooth, via your smartphone or tablet perhaps. And if this is of interest to you it’s worth finding out the range of the speaker’s Bluetooth antenna. 

Adjustable Sound

Most speakers will allow you to adjust the volume. But some speakers will also allow you to adjust the bass, the treble, and sometimes more besides.

Quality Components

In order to get the best possible sound quality from a pair of speakers, they need to be composed of quality materials. Look for top quality woofers for low frequency sound, and top quality tweeters for high frequency sound.

Sound Quality

Ok, we’re going to level with you here. It’s really hard to judge the sound quality of a speaker based on what you read online. But you can trust us if we say that a speaker offers excellent or premium quality sound. We only look at speakers that offer authentic music reproduction or better.

Remote Control

Don’t underestimate the convenience of a remote control. Bookshelf speakers often have dials on the back of them where the ports are. But it’s quite inconvenient to have to get up off your seat and reach around the back of the speakers every time you want to tweak the sound. A remote control may not be essential but it sure is handy.

Dimensions

Not all bookshelf speakers actually fit onto bookshelves. Most of them are taller than a paperback, and they are typically at least as tall as hardback books.

We’re guessing that if you want to keep your speakers on a bookshelf, then space is at a premium. Which is why, where possible, we have included the speaker’s dimensions in each review.

If you don’t feel you have room for your preferred bookshelf speakers, you could consider investing in a pair of stands.

Customer Ratings & Reviews

You know what?

Expensive bookshelf speakers don’t get much in the way of customer ratings, because most people tend to make do with bookshelf speakers that cost around $200 or less.

Which means that if you see a lot of good ratings and reviews on speakers that cost more than that, well that’s a very good sign.

And expensive speakers rarely find their way onto the bestseller lists with the leading online retailers.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best bookshelf speakers under $500?

Our favorite bookshelf speakers under $500 are our number one pick the Edifier S2000MKIII Powered Bluetooth Bookshelf 2.0 Speakers. Here’s a quick recap of why we like them so much:

  • Bestseller with great customer ratings
  • It’s built with high end woofers & tweeters
  • Rich, clear, powerful, high resolution audio
  • It features adjustable bass and treble
  • There are 4 great listening presets
  • Comes backed by a 2-year warranty

Do bookshelf speakers need an amp?

This is a good question. The truth is some bookshelf speakers provide built-in amplification, and some don’t. More often than not it’s built in. If in any doubt, simply head over to the product page, and check if the speaker is described as “active” or “powered”. These speakers do not need an amplifier because they have their own amplifier already built in.

Are bookshelf speakers better than soundbars?

We are pleased to confirm that bookshelf speakers offer better sound quality than soundbars.

Last update on 2023-02-06 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API