Small Audiophile Loudspeakers

Every few decades, a technological innovation transforms the audiophile world. The 1980s introduced the Compact Disc, standardizing audio fidelity. The 1990s saw the rise of MP3s and file-sharing, filling hard drives with music for the first time. In the 2000s,… Read More »

The first time I heard Kanto speakers was in 2018 at the Axpona audiophile show in the suburbs of Chicago. The Canadian lifestyle consumer electronics brand had a modest setup in the convention’s lower marketplace area (typically reserved for smaller… Read More »

MartinLogan, renowned for its high-end floorstanding speakers (often electrostatic), aims to bring the performance of those speakers to a different market. They’ve done this by completely reimagining their Motion Series catalog of floorstanding and audiophile bookshelf speakers, and putting the speakers through a… Read More »

Investing in a pair of excellent bookshelf speakers provides a cost-effective and space-efficient means of achieving a transcendent listening experience without physically dominating your living and listening areas. When combined with high-quality components (and arguably, a capable subwoofer in most… Read More »

Although I myself also have fairly extensive knowledge of HiFi manufacturers and brands, I sometimes encounter speakers and components from brands that are new or unfamiliar to me. Case in point – Acoustique Quality, hailing from the Czech Republic, recently sent me… Read More »

I was first introduced, in-person, to Utah-based RBH Sound in 2023, when I had the opportunity to review their excellent entry-level floorstanding speakers, the RBH 6500-SF (read my review here). During the course of my research for that particular review,… Read More »

For years, the Bowers & Wilkins 600 series has been a favorite among audiophiles looking for a great, detailed bookshelf speaker. Their latest iteration of the series, the Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3 (buy at Crutchfield), promises to build on… Read More »

If you have been an audiophile, even for a short time, you have come to understand that different regions of the globe have a certain geographically specific sound to their loudspeakers that is hard to miss. One of the more… Read More »

The newly-released SVS Ultra Evolution line consists of floorstanding speakers, satellite speakers, height channel speakers, a three-way center channel speaker and bookshelves. I had the opportunity to review the latter. The SVS Ultra Evolution Bookshelf speakers (buy at Crutchfield) are… Read More »

JBL is a name that resonates with anyone who’s had even a fleeting interest in high-quality audio. From their humble beginnings in the 1940s, JBL has been synonymous with pushing the boundaries of high-quality sound reproduction. Enter the JBL L52… Read More »

RBH’s latest offering, the 61-SF from their Signature Series of audiophile products, sets a compelling standard in the realm of bookshelf speakers. At a glance, this smaller audiophile speaker boasts an unassuming yet sleek design, but it is what lies… Read More »

The Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4 is the latest version of the British audiophile speaker company’s top-of-the-line stand mounted, two-way, front-ported loudspeaker, priced at $8,500 per pair. Two-way stand mount monitors have an audiophile fanbase since they benefit from diminutive… Read More »

In a perfect world, we would all have a workspace that is perfectly positioned in front of our best small audiophile loudspeakers. In the real world, we tend to be tethered to our devices, our laptop or, in my case, a… Read More »

The Kanto ORA Two-Way Active Wireless Reference Desktop Speakers by Kanto Living offer a refreshing blend of audiophile performance and versatility. Immediately, I was drawn to these speakers and their ability to produce clear and vibrant sound, which seems uniquely… Read More »

Tekton Design is well known as a disruptive force in the world of audiophile speakers, what with their mix of distinctive design, high value, dramatic dynamics, and even exotic, custom paint jobs. The one thing missing in their very extensive… Read More »

Monoprice has become known for their exceptionally high-value products, often sourced from China. But while the affordability has long been the draw for many shoppers, Monoprice also has a higher-performance lined of amplifiers and speakers and headphones and so forth… Read More »

When it comes to audio equipment, the name ELAC has become synonymous with excellence and innovation. With a rich history dating back to 1926, ELAC has consistently pushed the boundaries of audio engineering, delivering top-notch components that captivate audiophiles worldwide.… Read More »

By now, unless you’ve been in a cave for the past six months, you’ve very likely read about Mobile Fidelity’s SourcePoint 10 loudspeaker ($3,999 buy at Crutchfield). It is, by all accounts, a kick-ass plus-sized-bookshelf loudspeaker. But its size has… Read More »

For as long as I can remember, the audiophile world has been awash with uninspired, shoebox-like speakers with IKEA-grade finishes, especially for those on a budget. Orb Audio, a self-described affordable luxury speaker brand, set out to change the notion that… Read More »

The SVS Prime Wireless Pro Powered Speakers (buy at Crutchfield) come packed with as much thoughtful, audiophile-grade technology as you could possibly ask for from a $899/pair of active bookshelf speakers. Dressed in either gloss black or gloss white (my… Read More »

Circa 1994, I fondly remember hearing Polk Audio loudspeakers in a long-gone Circuit City store as a burgeoning audiophile who dreamt of having the $400 in my pocket needed to actually own a pair. Jump forward to today and Polk… Read More »

PSB was founded in 1972 by Paul Barton, a designer who believed speakers should sound natural without adding or subtracting anything from the original recording, which the company refers to as the True to Nature design philosophy. Equally important for the… Read More »

The Naim Audio Mu-so all-in-one speaker/music system (buy from Crutchfield) is one of the biggest beneficiaries of the merger between electronics firm Naim Audio and French speaker juggernaut Focal. The second generation of the Naim Mu-so is a very slick… Read More »

Most of us have probably listened to music through two-way bookshelf-sized loudspeakers at some point or another. What exactly is a two-way bookshelf loudspeaker? It is a loudspeaker that has two drivers: a small driver called a tweeter that handles… Read More »

It wasn’t long ago that a five-liter V8 engine generated 225 horsepower. Today, technology allows 260 horsepower from a much smaller four-cylinder engine – and the fuel economy is far superior. Well-designed bookshelf loudspeakers from a reputable manufacturer like Focal… Read More »

The practice of only listening to music while parked in front of a big stereo system with massive speakers is a bit antiquated these days. Music is often enjoyed via headphones, all sizes and shapes of Bluetooth speakers, laptop speakers,… Read More »

The SoundArtist LS3/5A bookshelf audiophile loudspeaker is a modern version of a classic speaker design that has been available in one form or another since 1975, when the BBC developed it and licensed the speaker’s manufacture to several British audio… Read More »

If I were to invite you to my home to hear my main audio system, you wouldn’t see any audio gear. My electronics are professionally installed in Middle Atlantic equipment racks that are stashed away in a mechanical closet. I’ve… Read More »

Cabasse, a French Audiophile speaker company, is out with a very slick, all-in-one audiophile speaker system called The Pearl Keshi. For $3,000, you get a complete audio system, including two small round speakers that fit nicely on a desktop or… Read More »