Home Theater Systems Buying Guide

Best Floorstanding Speakers For Home Theater and Music 2023
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Ask the average person what a stereo speaker looks like, and they’ll describe a floorstanding speaker every time — though they'll probably call them tower speakers, since that's what so many people think of when they see them! These are the iconic elements of a sound system. They look like they mean business, and most people are likely to assume floorstanding speakers are the most expensive type of speaker.
As it happens, that is not necessarily the case. It's certainly possible to find floorstanding speakers that cost as much as a new automobile, like the kind you’ll see installed in the multi-million-dollar rooms in architecture magazines. In this guide, however, we’ll show you floorstanding speakers that are affordable, yet still deliver sound quality that is very high-end.
It should be mentioned that the sound quality received from a floorstanding speaker is just about unmatched. Look at the number of drivers that are found in these speakers: a tweeter and usually at least one mid-range or midbass driver. Most floorstanding speakers have a pair of midbass drivers to help add that “punch” to the music that smaller speakers may not be able to deliver. If you're looking for incredible audio quality in a smaller footprint, check out our recommendations for the best bookshelf speakers instead.
How We Chose These Floorstanding Speakers
There isn’t much in this world as satisfying as sitting down and listening to music at the end of your day - especially those stressful ones. Whether you’re listening to Sinatra melt your anxiety away or jamming out with Led Zeppelin, it’s important to us that you find your speaker soulmate and your audio Zen. To that end, we listened to dozens of different floorstanding speakers and have some suggestions for you to check out. Brands you’re familiar with like Bowers & Wilkins, KLH, Focal, Klipsch, and more populate the list. Even smaller attributes like the speaker array used or finish of the cabinet were put under the microscope - after all, a speaker not only has to sound great, but it also certainly can’t be an eyesore. We are excited to share our findings with you and if you feel the same, please read on!
If you want to dive deeper into floorstanding speakers or have any other questions, talk directly with our product experts by calling 1.866.961.7781 or chatting with us. We love to talk about this stuff!
Here Are Our Picks for the Best Floorstanding Speakers of 2023:
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The Best Home Theater Floorstanding Speakers:
SVS Prime Tower Speaker -
The Best Floorstanding Speakers with Built-In Dolby Atmos:
Klipsch RP-8060FA II Reference Premiere Floorstanding Speaker with Dolby Atmos -
The Best Floorstanding Speakers for Vinyl:
KLH Model Five 3-way 10-inch Acoustic Suspension Floorstanding Speaker -
The Best Floorstanding Speakers for Music:
Bowers & Wilkins 702 S3 Floorstanding Speaker -
The Best Floorstanding Speakers for Small Rooms:
Focal Vestia No.2 3-Way Bass-Reflex Floorstanding Loudspeaker -
The Best Budget Floorstanding Speakers:
Focal Chora 826 Floor Standing Speaker -
The Best Floorstanding Speakers for Under $1,000:
Q Acoustics 3050 Floorstanding Speaker -
The Best Floorstanding Speakers Under $1,500:
KLH Kendall 3-Way Floorstanding Speaker -
The Best Floorstanding Speakers for Under $2,000:
Klipsch RP-8000F II Reference Premiere Floorstanding Speaker -
The Best Floorstanding Speakers Under $2,500:
Bowers & Wilkins 603 S2 Anniversary Edition Floorstanding Speaker -
The Best Floorstanding Speakers for Under $5,000:
Dynaudio Evoke 30 Floorstanding Speaker
We’ve made it easy to find the best deals on Floorstanding Speakers from brands like Klipsch, KLH, Focal and more. Our deals update daily so you don’t miss a beat, and we’ve got your back through with our price match guarantee, 60-day returns, easy financing, and free shipping. Don’t see what you want on sale? Give us at 1.866.961.7781 or chat with an expert.
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1. The Best Home Theater Floorstanding Speakers:
SVS Prime Tower Speaker
$599.00
SVS took the speaker world by storm with their performance versus value philosophy and that’s why we chose the SVS Prime Tower Floorstanding Speakers as The Best Home Theater Floorstanding Speakers. You will find very few manufacturers that are as passionate at creating speakers that just sound darn good for a price that doesn’t blow your budget away.
The Prime Tower speakers have a little bit of an unconventional design, which you may have noticed if you saw the “3.5-way design” they employ. What does this mean? It means that each of the 6-½” woofers employed in the speakers are housed in their own enclosure inside of the speaker, which allows them to be tuned differently to improve performance. As a matter of fact, the top woofer is tuned to blend the sound produced by the 4-½” midrange to the sound produced by the bottom woofer (whose job it is to produce the bulk of the speaker’s bass response). Pretty neat, huh? This ensures that the listener gets a full-range audio experience without any drops in the frequency response range. You can certainly hear the difference when you compare the Prime Tower speakers to others around the same price point. If you look at the rear of the speaker, you will notice two ports - one is tuned and dedicated to the top woofer while the other is for the bottom woofer.
In our listening sessions with the Prime Tower speakers, we were consistently surprised with the quality of sound versus their cost. Like, how does SVS do it and do it so well? A fair dose of passion, experience, and craftsmanship. They also benefit from being able to design all their drivers in-house. They can anticipate how well all the individual components (think drivers, crossovers, and the enclosure (or cabinet)) will get along. Each one of those components plays a crucial role in getting the best-possible sound to your ears. The one area we do have to critique is that the speakers lacked the warmth that some of the other speakers you’ll read about in this guide did not. A small thing to some, perhaps, but nevertheless should be noted.
The tonality of the sound was impressive when you compare the size of the speaker to others in its class. SVS calls this a “compact tower” speaker and they are absolutely right. It’s small when compared to most other floorstanding speakers, but they crush it when it comes to a sound experience - especially when you use them in a home theater application. Everything from the sound of gently falling rain to explosions in the latest action movie are reproduced effortlessly and with vigor. The polypropylene midrange and woofer cones belt out some impressive sound and marry to the output of the aluminum down tweeter quite well.
A simple black-cloth grille is included with each speaker and protects the drivers from damage. As much as we like to see the drivers in our speakers, it’s more important to ensure they’re protected from an inquisitive pup or roaming toddler, right?
If you opt to complete the SVS surround sound experience, there are matching speakers for the rears (satellite and elevation options are available) and center channel spots in addition to some killer subwoofers available.
Pros: Small footprint for a floorstanding speaker. Sound produced seems larger than the speaker.
Cons: Lacks the “warmth” offered by other brands. Tweeters can be a bit harsh from time-to-time
- Type: 3.5-way floorstanding speaker
- Tweeter: 1” aluminum dome
- Midrange: 4.5” polypropylene
- Woofers: Dual 6.5” polypropylene
- Frequency response: 30Hz - 25,000Hz
- Sensitivity: 8 ohms
- Recommended Amp Power: 30-250 watts
- Dimensions (W x H x D): 8" x 36.63" x 11.69”
2. The Best Floorstanding Speakers with Built-In Dolby Atmos:
Klipsch RP-8060FA II Reference Premiere Floorstanding Speaker with Dolby Atmos
$1,499.00
Are you piecing together a killer surround sound system that will include Dolby Atmos, but maybe you don’t have the ability (or room) to install the Atmos speakers in their normal spots? Check out the Klipsch RP-8060FA II!
Ideal for any environment but excels in rooms where traditional Dolby Atmos locations can’t be utilized (think apartments, for example), the Klipsch RP8060FA II is truly the epitome of a well-thought-out speaker. Seen from the front, the speakers don’t look like anything more than a large set of floorstanding speakers. However, if you glance at the top of the speaker, you will see a speaker grille. Under this grille is the Dolby Atmos speaker array: a 1” tweeter and a 6-½” woofer. These speakers offer that “height” to the sound that traditional speakers just can’t duplicate.
Much like its traditional speaker brother, the RP-8000F II, the front of the RP-8060FA II boasts a 1” titanium diaphragm tweeter in addition to a pair of 8” Cerametallic™ woofers. Moving around to the rear of the speaker exposes the two Tractrix ports that are paramount in creating and controlling the amount and quality of the bass response that you hear. That’s one thing we would like to mention - the bass response is just plain awesome from these speakers! The tweeters play their parts with near-perfection - the only gripe we have is that it can start to sound a little exaggerated at louder volumes.
The top-mounted speaker array does a wonderful job of pushing the sound up over the listener’s head, which brings to life scenes where birds or planes fly overhead. While it is a compromise to “real” Dolby Atmos speaker locations, we found them to work quite well.
When it comes to music, the sound was superb. We have carried Klipsch for years and while we love them, our Klipsch customers adore them even more. It doesn’t matter if you mellow out with Beethoven or rock out with Alice In Chains, you’re going to be thrilled with the results. Low-lying bass sweeps are present and kick drums sound tight and articulate - thanks in huge part to those Klipsch-designed ports, of course.
The speaker’s cabinet is quite sturdy and is wrapped in Klipsch’s high-quality ebony vinyl for a clean look. The grilles attach to the front of the speaker via magnets, which makes removal and installation a breeze. Cast aluminum feet at the bottom of the speaker complete the look. Check out our review of the full Reference Premiere II line up here.
Pros: Superb value versus performance. Built-in Dolby Atmos drivers are amazing.
Cons: A bit on the bulky side - especially if your room is small. Not quite good enough as standalone music-only setups.
RP-8060FA II Reference Premiere Floorstanding Speaker with Dolby Atmos - Each
- Type: 3-way floorstanding speaker w/ Dolby Atmos speakers
- Tweeter: 1” LTS (Linear Travel Suspension) titanium diaphragm
- Woofers: Two 8” Cerametallic™cone
- Atmos Speaker: 1” LTS (Linear Travel Suspension) titanium diaphragm tweeter, 6.5” Cerametallic™ woofer
- Power handling: up to 100 watts
- Frequency response: 35Hz - 25,000Hz
- Sensitivity: 8 ohms
- Recommended Amp Power: 30-150 watts
- Dimensions (W x H x D): 10.88" x 43.13" x 20.56”
3. The Best Floorstanding Speakers for Vinyl:
KLH Model Five 3-way 10-inch Acoustic Suspension Floorstanding Speaker
$1,249.99
KLH’s Model Five floorstanding speakers were a slam-dunk for The Best Floorstanding Speakers for Vinyl. Why? They carry that signature KLH sound quality coupled with that sweet old-school look. It’s a match made in audio heaven, for sure.
The Model Five’s may look like a speaker that once sat in your grandparents’ home, but we assure you that’s not the case. Sure, the Model Five has been around since 1968, but this is a different flavor. The technologies employed are new, with the new drivers being placed into a retro-style speaker cabinet with a light-colored linen grille. If the grille is removed, you can see the 1” aluminum dome tweeter, 4” midrange, and 10” woofer designed in-house by KLH to deliver full-range sound to you.
Speaking of the cabinet for a moment, this is one of the few floorstanding speakers in the “Best” list that uses a fully sealed cabinet. This may mitigate some bass response but lends better tonality overall. KLH’s acoustic suspension cabinet design is still one of the best-sounding designs on the market today. If it ain’t broken, why fix it, right?
These speakers are just plain fun to listen to. We used both records and high-resolution music streaming services to demo these things and while the music streaming was awesome (and saved us from having to get up to change records or tracks on albums), there was a noticeable difference in warmth and intimacy with the vinyls. Vocalists were front and center in every track we listened to, but the instruments and backup vocalists were still very much present. For the record, we had the speakers on the “Mid” setting on the rear of the speaker where you can adjust the midrange and high-frequency response. There are “Low” and “High” settings, too, but these would be set to the end-listener’s preferences. There were demonstrable differences in output when we turned the knob between the different settings.
Like other KLH models, the Model Five wasn’t grating on the ears when it came to the treble and the midrange/bass response was full and enjoyable. There were moments that we wished we had a subwoofer employed, too, but that could have been a byproduct of our listening room.
One aspect that was enjoyed about the speakers from a looks perspective was the metal angled riser each speaker sat upon. It gave the impression that the speakers were floating against a dark background. It also lends to that retro-style we mentioned earlier.
So do you have a small (or large) collection of vinyl you’re looking to unleash and in-need of a solid pair of speakers that you will no doubt thoroughly enjoy them on? The Model Five floorstanding speakers are awaiting your arrival.
Pros: Old-school aesthetics. Great sound quality. Rear adjustment knob permits slight sound adjustments.
Cons: Bass response can be a little thin depending on room size. Lower impedance.
Model Five 3-way 10-inch Acoustic Suspension Floorstanding Speaker - Each
- Type: 3-way floorstanding speaker
- Tweeter: 1” aluminum dome
- Midrange: 4”
- Woofers: 10”
- Frequency response: 42Hz - 20,000Hz
- Sensitivity: 6 ohms
- Recommended Amp Power: 20-200 watts
- Dimensions (W x H x D): 13.75" x 34.25" x 13”
4. The Best Floorstanding Speakers for Music:
Bowers & Wilkins 702 S3 Floorstanding Speakers - Pair
$6,999.00
Whew, does Bowers and Wilkins know how to make a speaker. They have been doing it for decades and like a fine wine, they just get better with age. Smooth sound, perfect imaging, and solid bass extension are just a few things that netted B&W’s 702 S3 speakers the “Best Floorstanding Speakers for Music” title.
In this writeup, the 702s we checked out had the “mocha” finish and it’s just plain gorgeous. The dark decoupled tweeter housing contrasts beautifully and if you opt to keep the protective grilles off the speaker, the dark-colored woofers contrast just as well. We suggest that you keep the black protective grilles attached (they connect via magnets) so that the speaker’s delicate drivers aren’t exposed to an inquisitive pet or child.
Upon our initial listen, we were amazed with the sound quality we heard. The speakers faithfully reproduced tracks as well as any high-end speaker we have heard to-date. Vocalists were pushed forward and the accompanying instruments each had their stage to perform on and didn’t get lost in the mix. We listened to everything from jazz to heavy metal to hip hop and with each genre, the sound was just plain perfect.
The Decoupled Carbon Dome™ 1” tweeter produces clear high-frequency response without that bright “tinny” sound that accompanies so many other speaker brands - especially at higher listening levels. You may look at the speaker and go “now, why the heck did B&W take the tweeter out of the cabinet and place it on top?” Good question and one we will gladly answer. B&W’s sound engineers found that placing the tweeter in that location and housing it in a solid piece of aluminum improved the tweeter’s output by not allowing it to be interfered with by the woofers’ output that ever-so-slightly causes the cabinet to resonate. Remove this distraction and the tweeter will perform perfectly.
Next up on the driver list is the 6” silver-colored Continuum™ cone FST midrange driver whose duty is it to marry the output of the tweeter to the three bass drivers. The 700-series speakers benefit from a lot of trickle-down technologies from their bigger brothers, the 800-series, and this midrange driver is one of those borrowed technologies. This driver performs its job perfectly for clear, full-range response from the speaker without a vocal or instrument being missed in reproduction.
Lastly, there are three Aerofoil Profile woofers directly below the midrange. These three 6-½” drivers are in-place to deliver strong, but musical bass response. Well, not only deliver it, but deliver it well: there is no trace of anemic or tubby bass response - and it doesn’t matter what genre of music you might be enjoying. Kick drums are tight and low-lying bass sweeps begin to rattle paintings on the walls.
When we turn to the cabinet design, B&W continues to use a bass-reflex design with their Flowport™ technology to maximize bass output while mitigating distortion potential. The 702 S3 speakers certainly benefit from this cabinet configuration. B&W included a foam plug for each Flowport™ if you would like to adjust the bass response that you are receiving from them.
The 702 S3 speakers are worth every penny and the price tag does contain a lot of pennies. While the not the most modestly-priced speakers, the sound that they can produce is without peer for that pile of pennies. One really nice thing about them is that they don’t need a tremendously powerful amplifier to get the very best from them: they handle power as little as 30 watts, believe it or not. Don’t get us wrong, if you have an amplifier that’s going to output 200-300 watts, the B&Ws will take that, too!
If you decide to complement the 702 S3s with matching rear speakers, a center channel, and a subwoofer, all of that is available. It should be mentioned that while these speakers excel in music reproduction, they are NOT slouches for movies and TV.
Pros: Superior sound quality. Beautiful in the Mocha finish. Extremely musical.
Cons: On the pricier side.
702 S3 3-Way Floorstanding Speaker - Pair
- Type: 3-way floorstanding speaker
- Tweeter: 1” Decoupled Carbon Dome
- Midrange: 6” Decoupled Continuum™ cone
- Woofers: Three 6.5” Aerofoil™ Profile
- Frequency response: 46Hz - 28,000Hz
- Sensitivity: 8 ohms
- Recommended Amp Power: 30-300 watts
- Dimensions (W x H x D): 11.4" x 44.8" x 16.1” (with plinth)
5. The Best Floorstanding Speakers for Small Rooms:
Focal Vestia No.2 3-Way Bass-Reflex Floorstanding Loudspeaker with 2 Woofers
$1,399.00
The No.2 is Focal’s 3-way floorstanding speaker in the Vestia line and is sized at 10 1/8” x 14 5/8" x 39 7/8." This speaker has two 6 1/2" woofers to accompany the 6 1/2" midbass driver and the 1” TAM tweeter. The two woofers will make a significant difference in low end output, so much so that you might feel like you don't need to add a subwoofer (for 2-channel listening at least).
That is also helped by the No.2 being the first speaker in the Vestia line that will have the Focal PowerFlow multi-port technology. This feature allows for better bass response by using a front and rear port, where both ports are tuned to different frequencies allowing better distribution.
When positioning these speakers, Focal is recommending that the No.2 floorstanding speakers be at least 10 feet away from the listening position and will play nicely in rooms starting at 215 square feet (about twice the area of an apartment bedroom) and above.
Pros: Cambered back to act as a passive time alignment. Tonality and timbre will match throughout the Vestia series.
Cons: Need to give these speakers room to shine and breathe.
Vestia No.2 3-Way Bass-Reflex Floorstanding Loudspeaker with 2 Woofers - Each
- Type: 3-way bass-reflex floorstanding loudspeaker
- Tweeter: 1” TNF Aluminum / Magnesium inverted dome
- Midrange: 6.5” Slatefiber
- Woofers: Two 6.5” Slatefiber
- Frequency response: 47Hz – 30kHz
- Sensitivity: 91.5dB
- Recommended Amp Power: 40-250 watts
- Dimensions (W x H x D): 12.25” x 18.75” x 43.75"
6. The Best Budget Floorstanding Speakers:
Focal Chora 826 Floorstanding Speaker
$1,199.00
So you’ve probably heard of the French speaker gurus, Focal. They have been in the business of creating some of the finest-sounding speakers available on the market for over four decades. Their passion is so great that they design the machines that help them craft their very own speakers in-house. Focal’s Chora 826 floorstanding speakers easily took the crown for our Best Budget Floorstanding Speakers. You might be thinking that the price is a bit too high for this kind of category, but for the performance you receive at this price point, you would certainly consider it a tremendous value.
Extremely musical, but works wonderfully for movies, too, the Chora 826 speakers are simply stunning. Focal decided to use their newer Slatefiber woofers in these floorstanding speakers. What makes these drivers so unique (other than being designed from the ground up by Focal) is that the cone of each woofer is made up of recycled carbon fibers. This material is light, but rigid, so it is capable of belting out strong, clean midrange and midbass response with relative ease. There is a total of three Slatefiber drivers used in these speakers: one for the midrange and two for the woofers. Married to Focal’s signature inverted dome tweeter crafted from an aluminum/magnesium blend, the sound is nothing short of amazing.
Of course, the speaker cabinet can make or break even the finest drivers, and Focal continued to excel in this regard, too. The bass-reflex design, used in so many of Focal’s speakers, helps those Slatefiber woofers hit relatively low notes without breaking a sweat, however, we would still recommend a subwoofer to complement the Chora 826 speakers. While the bass response is pretty darn good, we believe a subwoofer will really help round out that bottom end quite a bit. Going back to the speaker cabinet, the speakers are available in a few different finishes (black, dark wood, and light wood) and each one is easy on the eyes. All you do is pick the one that matches your environment at home. The last thing we want to mention about the cabinet is that it leans back slightly. Focal tells us that this is to improve overall sound quality by permitting the sound from each driver to land in your ears at the same time. Small details like this are what sets the Chora 826 speakers apart from others in their class.
When it comes to listening to the speakers, we continue to be impressed. Their performance is very good for their price point. The high-frequency response is strong and detailed, while the midrange and midbass response were both dynamic. While the speakers will handle as little as 40 watts of power each, we would suggest throwing more power at them to help the Slatefiber midrange driver/woofers match better to the output of the tweeters. We fear that if this isn’t done, the highs may begin to shine a little too brightly.
A simple, but elegant, bluish-gray grille is included with each speaker to protect the delicate drivers from accidental damage as well as add to the aesthetics of the speaker. France is known for its wine, rich culture, and incredible audio brands. Focal is certainly one of the latter’s most well-known names. Take some advice from us and pick up a pair of these guys - you choose the finish - and create some of your best moments in audio.
Pros: Excellent detail in the high-frequency response area. Tight and controlled bass response.
Cons: Midrange is a tad thin. Tweeter can get a little harsh at louder volumes.
Chora 826 Floorstanding Speaker - Each
- Type: 3-way floorstanding speaker
- Tweeter: 1” TNF aluminum/magnesium inverted dome
- Midrange: 6.5” Slatefiber
- Woofers: Dual 6.5” Slatefiber
- Frequency response: 48Hz - 28,000Hz
- Sensitivity: 8 ohms
- Recommended Amp Power: 40-250 watts
- Dimensions (W x H x D): 12" x 40.5" x 15.88” (with rubber feet installed)
7. The Best Floorstanding Speakers for Under $1,000:
Q Acoustics 3050 2-Way Floorstanding Speaker
$229.00
Regular Price:
$399.00
Save: $170.00 (43%)
When we first turned the Q Acoustics 3050 floorstanding speakers loose, we didn’t quite know what to expect: both the brand and the speaker were new to us, and we had rather tempered expectations. We were pleasantly surprised with what we heard and that’s why they claimed our “Best Floorstanding Speaker Under $1000” title.
Upon first glance, the speakers are rather unassuming. They do have a slick rounded cabinet design, which would blend well into more “modern” home aesthetics quite nicely. The same could be said about the “half-grille” that protects the top half of the front of the speaker, although we prefer a grille that stretches the entire height of the front of the cabinet. The cabinet’s graphite finish is lightly textured that does a great job of hiding dust or finger smudges.
When we settled into comfy chairs and queued up our favorite tunes, the speakers did a pretty darn good job in reproducing the tracks rather well. The 1” Concentric Ring Dome tweeter provides clear, bright sound throughout the volume spectrum, but we did notice that they were a little ear fatiguing at louder volumes as that tweeter outpaced the other drivers. The Aramid Fiber/Paper cone drivers deliver articulate midrange and strong bass response. The bass did get a little “tubby”-sounding from time-to-time and didn’t seem to be associated with a specific genre or volume. We weren’t sure if it was the bass drivers themselves causing that to occur, or the bass-reflex design implemented to improve bass response. While apparent at times, that tubbiness wasn’t always present.
The 3050 speakers did deliver loud volumes with relative ease. They require as little as 25 watts each and they spend that power well. If you have a stronger amplifier at home (or in-mind), they will handle up to 100 watts per speaker. We believe that more power will make the speakers provide a stronger, full-range output to the listeners.
When we flipped over to enjoying scenes of movies on the 3050 speakers, man, did they shine! Everything from the light patter of rain to the most violent of explosions were reproduced with ease and articulation.
One more thing that we wanted to mention is that Q Acoustics enhanced the speaker’s capability by adding an integral steel plinth with the floor spike to ensure solid contact with the surface on which the speaker resides. It may seem like a minor thing, but it’s not: you want your speakers to have a good “bond” with the floor or that can (and will) affect the performance of the speaker.
At the end of the day, we were really impressed with the performance of the 3050 floorstanding speakers. We believe that they offer incredible value for their price - especially if you plan on using them in a home theater application.
Pros: Great performance versus value. Modern design fits modern aesthetics well. Good high- and midrange-frequency response.
Cons: Bass can sound “tubby” at times. Lower impedance. Sounded better with home theater applications versus music.
3050 2-Way Floorstanding Speaker - Each (Graphite)
- Type: 3-way floorstanding speaker
- Tweeter: Concentric Ring dome
- Woofers: Two 6.5” aramid fiber/paper cone
- Frequency response: 44Hz - 22,000Hz
- Sensitivity: 6 ohms
- Recommended Amp Power: 25-100 watts
- Dimensions (W x H x D): 12.25" x 40.13" x 12.5” (with angle metal riser)
8. The Best Floorstanding Speakers Under $1,500:
KLH Kendall 3-Way Floorstanding Speaker
$749.99
We chose the KLH Kendall floorstanding speakers as The Best Floorstanding Speakers Under $1500 because they sound simply stunning for their price point. If you’re not familiar with the KLH name, they have been in the business since 1957 and have been making best-selling speakers since then.
Upon first look, the Kendall speakers looks smart and tidy in their Black Oak finish. There are protective grilles available for each speaker (they are wrapped in a black cloth). When the grille is removed from a speaker, you will see the 1” anodized aluminum dome tweeter, 5-¼” Kevlar® midrange, and a pair of 6-½” Kevlar® woofers. Turning the speaker around, you are presented with a pair of ports near the bottom of the cabinet to help improve bass response as well as two pairs of speaker terminals (bridged together from the KLH). A plinth is attached to the bottom of the speaker, as well.
In listening to the Kendall speakers, the tweeters are detailed without harshness, which is a big deal since metal tweeters can notoriously be labeled as “tinny” or harsh sounding. We love the fact that KLH opted to use woven Kevlar® in both the midrange drivers as well as the woofers. This material is well-known for almost effortlessly being able to faithfully reproduce even small nuances in all bits of music genres. As a bonus, the material looks cool, too, if you’re one to keep the speakers exposed in your home.
The bass response is full without sounding “boomy.” Tracks with lots of fast-paced kick drum areas sound tight and articulate. The midrange is present, and we could distinctly hear different vocalists, backup guitars, etc. with ease. When we listened to some tracks with deeper bass response, we did pick up that these speakers didn’t quite deliver the impact that some of their counterparts did.
The speaker grille we mentioned earlier attaches to the front of the speaker via magnets, so if you decide to expose the drivers, there are no unsightly holes for grille attachment. It’s the little things like this that made us even happier about the Kendalls. We believe that the Kendalls will make just about any music lover happy with what they are hearing. Give them a shot, we know you’ll love the results!
Pros: Well-built. Runs well off low power.
Cons: Not quite as much bass response as rivals.
Kendall 3-Way Floorstanding Speaker - Each
- Type: 3-way floorstanding speaker
- Tweeter: 1” anodized aluminum dome
- Midrange: 5.25” Kevlar®
- Woofers: Dual 6.5” Kevlar®
- Frequency response: 25Hz - 23,000Hz
- Sensitivity: 8 ohms
- Recommended Amp Power: 30-250 watts
- Dimensions (W x H x D): 7.75" x 40" x 14.75”
9. The Best Floorstanding Speakers for Under $2,000:
Klipsch RP-8000F II Reference Premiere Floorstanding Speaker
$899.00
Klipsch has been a household name for speakers and subwoofers for decades now. Because of their passion and experience in speaker craftsmanship, it was an easy choice for us to make the RP-8000F II Reference Premiere our Best Floorstanding Speakers for Under $2000. Klipsch was founded by Paul W. Klipsch and has been crafting award-winning speakers for over 70 years. Read on to learn more about one of their most popular speakers.
At first glance, the RP-8000F II speakers look very similar to their other lines -notably the RP-6000F II speakers, but once you pop that grille off, you notice one thing immediately: the Cerametallic™ 8” woofers are larger than the ones offered in RP-6000F II speakers, which offer 6-½” woofers. This pays dividends in bass response and extension. Your favorite tunes will have more impact. In fact, you may have to firmly affix the pictures on your walls before letting these bad boys do their thing. To learn more about the differences in the Reference Premiere II speakers, check out our full review here.
In terms of sound impressions, we are always thrilled with the sound reproduction from Klipsch. They are extremely efficient (handling low power with ease but can handle up to 150 watts of continuous power each). What we heard was impressive: the speakers played our tracks with great fidelity. Every nuance was heard with clarity and the bass response in our listening room was nothing short of incredible thanks to the 1” titanium diaphragm tweeter found in each speaker. The one thing we did notice was that at louder volumes, the tweeters could begin to sound a little harsh and exaggerated. Overall, it wasn’t too bad, but we wanted to point that out to the folks that may have some sensitivity with high-frequency response.
The ebony cabinet finish on these Reference Premiere speakers is up to normal Klipsch expectations: simple, but tasteful. The protective grilles affix via magnets, so if you opt to not have them in-place, you’re not subjected to speaker grille mounting holes. Spinning the speaker around (easier said than done!), you’ll see two vertical slot ports, which Klipsch calls Tractrix ports, that play a huge part in the clean and deep bass response you receive from the RP-8000 II speakers. Below those ports reside the input terminals that can be bi-amplified or bi-wired (or you can hook them up in the traditional sense by keeping the included speaker wire jumpers in-place).
If you’re in the market for speakers that will rock your world, but not your wallet, the RP-8000F II would be the best bang for your buck. If you aren’t a fan of the ebony finish, please know that there is also a walnut finish available (we like this finish a lot, too!).
Pros: Superb dynamic range. Runs well off low power.
Cons: High frequencies can run a bit hot at louder volumes. A bit plain looking.
RP-8000F II Reference Premiere Floorstanding Speaker - Each
- Type: 3-way floorstanding speaker
- Tweeter: 1” LTS (Linear Travel Suspension) titanium diaphragm
- Woofers: Two 8” Cerametallic™ cone
- Frequency response: 35Hz - 25,000Hz
- Sensitivity: 8 ohms
- Recommended Amp Power: 30-150 watts
- Dimensions (W x H x D): 10.88" x 43.19" x 17.56”
10. The Best Floorstanding Speakers for Under $2,500:
Bowers & Wilkins 603 S2 Anniversary Edition Floorstanding Speakers
$2,299.00
We chose the Bowers & Wilkins 603 S2 Anniversary Edition floorstanding speakers as The Best Floorstanding Speakers Under $2500 because of B&W’s commitment to superb sound quality with every speaker that they make - from their 600-series floorstanding speakers all the way up to their vaunted Nautilus flagship speakers. B&W has been crafting some of the best-sounding speakers for decades and they don’t show any signs of slowing down.
The 603 S2 Anniversary Edition speakers are a celebration of the 25 years that the 600-series line has existed. Just think about that for a moment… This speaker lineup has been around for almost three decades! If that doesn’t speak volumes of the quality of these speakers, we don’t know what does. This Anniversary Edition offers some cosmetic differences from the non-Anniversary models, such as a different ring that surrounds the tweeter and an oak cabinet finish. Inside the speaker saw a little bit of an upgrade, too, in the form of a better-optimized crossover network.
While the 603 S2 speakers are certainly easy on the eyes, the sound is what mattered the most to us during our listening trials. The results were kind of what we expected from a manufacturer such as B&W: incredible! The highs were detailed without sounding harsh, the large Continuum™ midrange properly pushed the singer’s voice to the forefront of the music while accurately reproducing the other instruments or backup vocalists in the music selections, and the bass response was really good. Circling back around to that midrange driver for a moment, it did a wonderful job of bridging the gap between the tweeter and two midbass drivers. We’d still recommend a subwoofer for better bass extension, but if space is at a premium in your listening room, the 603 S2 speakers might have just enough bass response for you.
From a looks perspective, the matte black finish is nice, but seems a little underwhelming, if truth be told. A simple, black cloth grille snaps onto the front of the speaker via magnets to protect the delicate drivers from accidental damage. When the grilles are installed, the 603 S2 speakers look simple, but elegant. We believe they will fit just about any decor.
At the end of our listening experience, we were left satisfied with what we heard. Our favorite tracks were faithfully reproduced without much coloration at all. Given what we heard, we believe that you would be just as thrilled with B&W’s 603 S2 Anniversary Floorstanding speakers!
Pros: Great sound quality for the price. Well-made. Runs well off lower power environments.
Cons: A tad on the larger side. The finish of the cabinet leaves a little to be desired.
603 S2 Anniversary Edition Floorstanding Speakers - Pair
- Type: 3-way floorstanding speaker
- Tweeter: 1” Decoupled Double Dome aluminum
- Midrange: 6” Continuum™ cone
- Woofers: Dual 6.5” paper cone
- Frequency response: 48Hz - 28,000Hz
- Sensitivity: 8 ohms
- Recommended Amp Power: 30-200 watts
- Dimensions (W x H x D): 12.63" x 41.5" x 14.63” (with plinth and spikes)
11. The Best Floorstanding Speakers for Under $5,000:
Dynaudio Evoke 30 Floorstanding Speaker
$1,999.50
The Evoke 30 floorstanding speakers from Dynaudio are the perfect examples of “big things can come in small packages.” The sound you receive from these compact floorstanding speakers is absolutely incredible and why they took the “Best Floorstanding Speakers Under $5000” crown.
We tested the Evoke 30 speakers in their walnut wood finish and they looked wonderful. We are big fans of natural-colored speakers and the finish Dynaudio uses on these Evoke speakers is so eye-catching. If you decide to not install the included black grilles, you’ll find that the walnut cabinet finish contrasts neatly with the black drivers installed in the front of the speaker. If you’re not in love with the walnut finish, you should know that there are other finishes available: gloss black, gloss white, and blonde wood. Each finish is as beautiful as the next!
Before we get to our listening thoughts, we wanted to spend a little time talking about the drivers that Dynaudio uses in the Evoke 30 speakers. To start, each speaker contains a 1-⅛” Cerotar coated silk soft-dome tweeter that might be one of the best-sounding tweeters we have listened to. High frequency response is so natural sounding and articulate that you would think you were listening to an intimate live set with your favorite band performing. Then we want to direct your attention to the two 5-¼” Esotec Magnesium Silicate Polymer (MSP) woofers that are in charge of faithfully reproducing strong midrange and bass response. The upper woofer is tasked with a special assignment: play both midrange AND bass response. Why, you ask? Because Dynaudio wanted a smooth, elegant transition between all the frequencies, and this is a fantastic way of doing so. The bottom driver’s primary duty is to provide that impactful bass response.
To add a bit more on the bass response, Dynaudio included a foam plug for the rear bass port. By inserting this plug into the port, you can optimize the bass output from the speaker. There are so many factors that impact bass response: room size, speaker placement, etc. that it’s important to be able to maximize the speaker’s output. In fact, fully sealing this port with the included plug turns this bass-reflex cabinet design into a “sealed” enclosure of sorts. Bass isn’t as pronounced but seems more articulate.
Now, our listening impressions… To sum it up in one word: WOW. The speakers deliver rich sound quality, and it didn’t quite seem that additional volume levels affected performance. As we stated earlier, the sound that the Dynaudio Evoke 30s produce seems far larger than the physical size of the speakers themselves. That’s a big deal to those of us who might have a small-to-medium size listening room and want the best-possible results. Vocals were silky smooth, kick drums were tight, and low-lying bass notes from a stand-up bass thrummed appropriately.
When it comes to powering the Evokes, they can handle up to 200 watts per speaker. The speaker is also a 4-ohm speaker, so caution must be exercised in selecting an amplifier because you don’t want to damage the amplifier or speaker if they are mismatched.
Pros: Smaller footprint. Great bass extension. Cabinet finish is exquisite. Superior sound reproduction.
Cons: On the pricier side. Lower impedance.
Evoke 30 Floorstanding Speaker - Each
- Type: 2.5-way floorstanding speaker
- Tweeter: 1.13” Cerotar-coated silk soft-dome
- Woofers: Dual 5.5” Esotec MSP (Magnesium Silicate Polymer) cone
- Frequency response: 40Hz - 23,000Hz
- Sensitivity: 4 ohms
- Recommended Amp Power: up to 200 watts
- Dimensions (W x H x D): 10.63" x 36.5" x 13.5” (with stabilizer feet)
Considerations When Buying Floorstanding Speakers
Floorstanding speakers may seem more complex than the smaller speakers you’ll see on top of a desk or a shelf — bookshelf speakers, in other words. But a floorstanding speaker system can be a much simpler way to get great sound quality, and here’s why:
For one thing, floorstanding speakers are self-contained, all in one systems. They usually have a built-in base, so you don’t have to lay out extra money for stands — and the speaker drivers are already at the optimum height for your ears when you’re sitting in your favorite chair.
For another, most floorstanding speakers have a three-way, or full range, configuration. Therefore, you’ll see three or more speakers on the front, each of a different size, with a tweeter on top to handle the highest range of the audio spectrum, a larger midrange speaker driver below that, and a bass speaker driver or two on the bottom.
A third reason that floorstanding speakers can deliver better sound quality is that they typically have larger cabinets than bookshelf speakers, which can facilitate bass extension. In well-designed cabinets such as those in the speakers listed here, this makes for clearer low-end because it accommodates the longer distance a bass speaker driver needs to travel to reproduce bass frequencies. Sound quality is key here, not quantity: Our experts have chosen the models in this guide not because they deliver more bass volume, but because they deliver better bass sounds.
Another plus: A pair of floorstanding speakers that deliver the right amount of bass and overall power for your music room or home theater may give you the sound you need without having to add a subwoofer, depending on the kind of music and movies that are in heavy rotation in your home theater system.
Besides the size of your room, your listening style, and price, another factor you get to consider with many floorstanding speakers is cabinet finish. A pair of speakers this tall should make you as happy to look at them as they do to listen to them. Some of the speakers in our guide have finish options that can fit right in with your furniture.
You can use floorstanding speakers in any system that you'd use bookshelf speakers for. They're a great choice to be the front speakers in a surround sound setup. If your listening room is small, you'll find floorstanding speakers that are designed not to overpower you.
Read the reviews in this guide, and then give our experts a call. They’ll be happy to discuss the kind of room your music system will be in, and to recommend the speakers that will be perfect for your needs.
Still not sure? We got this.
If you’re still not sure which floorstanding speakers are best for you, give us a call or send us an email. Tell us a little about how you will use it, what kind of music and movies you like, what’s your budget, and/or anything else you think we should know. Just think of us as your own personal audio gear shopping concierge, on-call to help you pick the perfect floorstanding speakers for you.
One more thing...
In the early days of the speaker, it was easy to decide where to buy your speakers: In a brick-and-mortar store, since the Internet wasn't the e-commerce juggernaut it is now. But then as now, the best way to approach your purchase of home theater gear was to buy it from a trusted dealer. And the more experience and longer the track record, the better. Even more so today than 40 years ago, a good dealer will take care of you in the event anything happens.
Speaking of trusted dealers…
World Wide Stereo is home to some 90+ industry-leading audio/video professionals who love what they do, and talking about it, too. We opened our doors in 1979, gained a small yet diehard following, won a slew of national awards for everything from killer car audio installations to customer service, grew the business online… and today we enjoy a faithful following of like-minded TV-watching, music-listening, gear-loving defenders of fun for the whole family. Our only rule: no one leaves unhappy. We’re brutally honest when it comes to this stuff. Want to know if something is as good as advertised? Even if you're shopping somewhere else? Call us or stop by one of our showrooms — we’ll give it to you straight. We love what we do, and we love sharing that love.
With us, you get our guarantee, which includes perks like free shipping, 60-day returns, and support even years after the sale — always. Hence our rule: "no one leaves unhappy." Ever.
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- Review: Reference Premiere II Speakers
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