14 Best Bookshelf Speakers (2025): Active, Passive, and Hi-Fi

Other good speakers we tested

We test a lot of speakers, and not all of them make the top list. Sound is subjective, so it’s worth looking at plenty of models before getting started. Here are some more solid options.

Photography: Ryan Waniata

Fluance Ri71: The Ri71 is a great-sounding, affordable pair of active speakers with a few operational quirks. Their versatile input selection includes HDMI ARC for connecting to your TV, but unlike every other pair I’ve tested, your TV’s remote only controls volume, not power, and the speakers maintain independent volume levels. This means you don’t get the seamless TV experience that makes other ARC-compatible speakers and amplifiers great soundbar alternatives. Otherwise, their clear, warm, balanced sound for everything from Bluetooth streams and vinyl to sitcoms and movies makes them worth considering at their $400 introductory price.

Bowers and Wilkins 606 S3 passive speakers: These mid-range audiophile speakers are beautifully designed and incredibly musical for their price. The only real complaint I raised in my test is that their high mids/treble are sometimes too sharp for my tastes, especially with TV content. Otherwise, it’s a gentle ride that exudes quality.

Uturn Ethos powered speakers: Uturn’s Ethos speakers were designed to pair with your Uturn turntable, and they matched perfectly with my Orbit Theory reference model (9/10, WIRED recommends). They are beautifully made and offer a powerful A/B amplifier to keep your vinyl in the analog realm humming quietly without getting in the way. The downside is their lack of inputs or features, including zero EQ, so you’d better like what you hear from the start.

Yamaha NS-600A passive speakers: Yamaha’s beautifully designed NS-600A (8/10, WIRED recommends) will reveal details, textures and, dare I say, emotions you’ve never noticed in your favorite music and movies. As on the B&W 606 S3, their treble is sometimes too biting for my taste. This would suit me for half the price, but at $3,000 (or more) per pair, I want the perfect sonic match. If you like a cleaner cut of your favorite pieces, this pair could be yours.

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