We don’t need to tell our readership that inflation has had a huge impact on hi-fi sales over the past 15 months. Coming out of the pandemic where consumers spent a lot of money on TVs, wireless headphones, soundbars, and turntables, manufacturers are currently struggling to get people to buy. For those looking for a new pair of loudspeakers in 2023, there are some rather good options if funds are tight. The best budget hi-fi speakers of 2023 features some rather well known brands and a few outliers that might not be on your radar.
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 $499 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 $120 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 $300 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: $289/pair at Amazon
Triangle Borea BR03
The Triangle Borea BR03 BT made our “Best Wireless Speakers of 2022” list and after 2 months with them — I’m certainly buying them when the tax refund check arrives in February.
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: $300/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 $417 USD.
For more information: Read our AE100 MK2 Review.
Where to buy: $417/pair (black) | $499/pair (walnut) at Amazon | lb259/pair at Audio Affair
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 | Amazon
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 | lb249/pair at Amazon.co.uk
Related reading: Best Wireless Speakers
Steve Messenger
January 23, 2023 at 3:59 pm
Ian, I always look forward to and appreciate your posts. What integrated amps do you suggest with the Triangle BR03, and are they OK if only 10 inches off the front wall? Thank you. Steve
Ian White
January 24, 2023 at 1:59 pm
Steve,
Thank you for reading and kind words.
Cambridge Audio and Rega would be a great place to start with these. Not the io.
Best,
Ian White
Dean
January 28, 2023 at 4:17 am
Hi,I have a spare pair of q acoustics 3020i’s in the bedroom attatched to a very small nobsound amp, while I was impressed with this cheap amp from China at 50 Watts per channel because I can bluetooth to it from my samsung s21 ultra in bed I feel I need another amp to get more clarity,I do have a system in my lounge, rega planar 3 marantz cd & pm 6007 with bowers & wilkins 607 s2 silver anniversaries. so I know a bit but I only have about lb250 budget for upstairs, any ideas what’s suitable.
Ian White
January 28, 2023 at 12:22 pm
Dean,
Thank you for reading us and that is a great question.
I’m not sure how much the NAD C316BEE V2 is in the UK, but that is a great combination. If you can find one used in great shape for that price…definitely do it.
If you can find an older Audiolab 8000A (the original) used. that is another excellent amplifier for these speakers.
Let me think on this some more, but these two are a start.
Best,
Ian White
HARRYVH50@GMAIL.COM
January 30, 2023 at 1:07 am
Just surfing but play with hifi description of room size and amp type very informative, watch out for d class amps
Javier Gonzalez
March 7, 2023 at 2:18 am
Hey Ian, I have an old denon avr3300. Trying to keep my system budget friendly. I’d like to put my money into some speakers so I was wondering if this receiver would do for now paired with any of the speakers mentioned. The BRO3 really caught my eye.
Ian White
March 7, 2023 at 3:10 am
Javier,
Power rating into 8 ohms and overall tonal balance?
Best,
Ian White
sorrel
January 23, 2023 at 8:15 pm
Oops! .4 meter (m). Hmm. Still, experiment w/ speaker placement.
roman
January 25, 2023 at 8:00 pm
Hello! I have the Q Acoustics 3020i pair with a Rega IO amp, do you think this is a good combo?
sorrel
January 26, 2023 at 7:32 pm
Hi, roman. QA’s entry-level speakers play well with most good amps. Been there, done that. But to answer your question: N-O. (See ASR–Rega IO Review.) All the best to you.
Ian White
January 26, 2023 at 11:33 pm
I would say no from a power perspective. The io is a good integrated amplifier within its limitations.
Best,
Ian White
Paul Ingle
February 22, 2023 at 11:13 am
Ok loving this article. Back into music and want a good system no more than 1500 hopefully this article really helps.
Doesnt Matter
January 27, 2023 at 8:30 pm
500$ is a budget speakers now? wow..
Ian White
January 27, 2023 at 10:57 pm
The list includes speakers that are under $100 up to $500. That is certainly budget.
Best,
Ian White
Paul Orr
February 1, 2023 at 10:05 pm
Very budget. Unfortunately.
Ian White
February 3, 2023 at 9:26 pm
It is but the truth is that all of these speakers sound great at their respective price points.
And you can get a lot more today for your money than even 5 years ago. I get that $500 is a lot of money for most people but that buys a really good speaker in 2023.
IW
Lash
January 30, 2023 at 2:34 am
Good to see an piece like this. Too many mags are enamored with stuff very few can afford.
Kyle Bass
January 31, 2023 at 3:06 pm
Cool article! Don’t know how they sound but those MKII are beautiful looking speakers.
Ian White
January 31, 2023 at 3:16 pm
Kyle,
The Acoustic Energy are excellent loudspeakers. Really great value for the money.
Best,
Ian White
Tom
March 5, 2023 at 6:00 am
I have to agree Ian, I own the AE100MK2 and continue to be amazed. They require better electronics to appreciate what they can offer. I’m using Schiit, Rotel, and other tweaks in a 2 channel A/V system with stellar results! Cheers
Ian White
March 5, 2023 at 12:37 pm
Tom,
Great to hear that I’m not alone. I love them. And I agree that they require better electronics.
Best,
Ian White
Mike Waz
February 1, 2023 at 12:33 am
Hi. Thanks for the good article. Aside from some MUCH higher end speakers in other rooms, in the bedroom I have some Mordaunt Short Music Series speakers. They are quite old but generally fine. Are any of these, in your judgment, seemingly superior? If not, anything else you might recommend?
Thank you
Ian White
February 1, 2023 at 1:24 pm
Mike,
The DALI are the true sleeper product in this mix. They need some power to really shine though. I’m a big Wharfedale and Q Acoustics person (I own multiple pairs of speakers from both brands), but there is something about the DALI that really shines higher than the rest.
You need to spend a lot more money in my opinion in the bookshelf category to get better products. Perhaps $500 to $1,000 more.
Best,
Ian White
Mike Waz
February 1, 2023 at 3:17 pm
Thank you Ian. Perhaps allow me to further clarify. The bedroom receiver is an arguably mediocre Yamaha Natural Sound RX-A1040. The MS speakers are the 30i version. Given the receiver, has the technology improved so much that the DALI speakers would clearly be superior to the MS 30i? Also, IF I wish to spend more, what bookshelf speakers would you suggest for $1,500 a pair or less given the existing receiver? The best speakers I own are the B&W Nautilus 803S but they are clearly not going into the bedroom. Thanks again.
Ian White
February 2, 2023 at 3:11 pm
Mike,
Let me do some research on your Yamaha before I answer.
Best,
Ian White
Ian White
February 3, 2023 at 9:52 pm
Mike,
I would use the Wharfedale or Q Acoustics with that amplifier. Not a huge investment and it would work rather well.
IW
sorrel
February 3, 2023 at 5:19 pm
I’m curious, Mike Waz: What amplifier do power your 803S loudspeakers with?
Mike Waz
February 3, 2023 at 6:43 pm
Hi. The Krell KAV-2250.
Ian White
February 3, 2023 at 9:18 pm
Mike,
That’s a really nice amplifier.
Indeed.
IW
Mike Waz
February 3, 2023 at 9:46 pm
Agreed; thank you.
Alex
February 9, 2023 at 9:54 am
Hi, will you make a similar articles for floorstanding speakers ?
Ian White
February 9, 2023 at 1:29 pm
Alex,
Coming this month. Already started it.
Best,
Ian White