With most people feeling the pinch more than ever right now, it's a great time to remember the serious value that's on offer from the best affordable speakers on the market.
The best budget speakers will fill your room with sweet stereo music far better than any one-box wireless speaker – and without breaking the bank. We've filtered through our reviews of the very best cheap speakers – bookshelf speakers, floorstanders and desktop speakers – to create this selection of our favourite performers – all under the £500 mark.
Our list spans speaker brands such as B&W, Dali, Elac, Wharfedale, Ruark and more, which just goes to show how many excellent budget hi-fi speakers are out there for under £500. We've tested every one of these speakers in our dedicated listening rooms over the years, so you know you're getting our expert recommendation.
So whether you're building a separates hi-fi system or adding a pair of speakers to a micro system (or want better sound for your TV), take your pick from our list of the best budget speakers that we've tested and can heartily recommend.
How to buy the best budget speakers for you
Why you can trust What Hi-Fi? Our expert team reviews products in dedicated test rooms, to help you make the best choice for your budget. Find out more about how we test.
So, we're here to find a bargain - these are affordable speakers after all - so you've already settled on a budget, which is a good first decision. Pick your upper limit and stick to it otherwise you'll never make a decision.
But what else should you be considering before you settle on a pair of speakers? We suggest measuring your room or the area for your system, at least roughly, so you can narrow you search to speakers that are the right size and not too large for the space.
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Then, decide whether you want bookshelf or standmount speakers. As a general rule of thumb, bigger speakers tend to be capable of delivering higher volumes, better dynamics and more bass.
Passive, active or powered? Passive speakers require a separate amplifier. Powered and active speakers have integrated amplification, so you don't need an external amp. As a rule, more boxes means better sound, though the appeal of integrated units is convenience. Separates are also easier to upgrade one step at a time.
Want more advice? Check out our guide on how to choose the right speakers and get the best sound. But for now, let's get on with the budget speakers...
There's no shortage of talented budget speakers on the market, so it takes something really special to top our list. Needless to say, these Elacs sound sensational for the money.
At 34cm tall, they're a relatively compact single-wired design and use a 5.25cm aramid fibre mid/bass driver partnered with a 2.5cm cloth dome tweeter. The Elacs are unfussy about placement but we'd definitely partner them with quality entry-level separates - this will allow their rhythmic talents to shine through. Anything less and you're doing them a disservice.
They're dynamic and expressive performers capable of dealing with any genre you throw their way - dense instrumentation and complex rhythms pose no problems for these Elacs. In the midrange, they're a little lacking in warmth, but on the flip side, they're very well balanced and can make the best of any recording, regardless of audio quality.
Overall, they deliver sound with a precision and cohesion that’s rare for this level. Elac has been making speakers since the 1980s, with a fine heritage of products to its name. These are some of its finest, and for this money, they're nothing short of exceptional. Buy with confidence.
Read the full review: Elac Debut B5.2
These previous Award-winners are excellent speakers, combining Dali's traditional strengths (agility, articulation and good insight) with a generous dose of entertainment. They offer everything we would expect from a typical budget speaker here, from two-way driver configuration and ported bass tuning right the way through to the 25mm dome tweeter and 13cm mid/bass driver.
They're built with great attention to detail that filters down to every aspect of these speakers. They're not huge but would benefit from being placed on a pair of stands.
Sonically, they're a cut above. Vocals drip with nuance and passion, while instruments come through with finesse, precision and energy. They even stay composed when pushed to high volumes, keeping tracks organised into an involving and musical whole.
Dynamic shifts are handled with aplomb, with both large-scale swings and low-level subtleties dealt with equally skillfully.
That makes them sound ever so serious, but actually, they're a hoot to listen to. In fact, they deserve a spot high on this list for offering a level of fun even their most talented rivals struggle to match. And at this price, they're virtually impossible to fault.
Read the full review: Dali Spektor 2
The Wharfedale Diamond range of speakers has an almost unrivalled reputation, predominantly forged on the performance of the standmount speakers. But now, thanks to the the Diamond 12.3, we have a superb entry in the range in floorstanding form.
Smartly finished, these speakers are available in black, walnut, white and a rather classy light oak. They are a 2.5-way design where the upper 13cm driver covers everything from midrange downwards, leaving the second one to reinforce the lows. The tweeter is the 25mm coated woven polyester soft dome model seen across the range.
We found they performed best around 50cm away from a wall and with a slight angle but they're pretty unfussy and will play nicely with any price-compatible amplifier. They deliver a lovely layered sound that’s brimming with detail and dynamic nuance. Feed them a poor signal and they’ll round off rough edges and downplay unwanted aggression without sounding like they’re smothering the life out of the music.
Working well at low and high volume, you really shouldn't buy another pair of speakers at this size and price without hearing the Diamond 12.3 speakers.
Read the full review: Wharfedale Diamond 12.3
If you’re looking for a pair of lower-midrange speakers and the B&W 606 S2 are just out of your budget range, then these are a superb option.
On the face of it, the changes that have been made in the transition from the 607 standmounts to these 607 S2 Anniversary Edition versions might appear minimal. Nevertheless, they're are a huge step forward – and the best bookshelf speakers we’ve heard at this budget price.
Aesthetically, these 30cm-tall speakers remain dominated by the 13cm silver Continuum drive units. Placed above them is still the same 25mm decoupled dome tweeter, too. The change, however, lies in the improved bypass capacitors that have been used across the Anniversary series.
Sonically, there is no great difference in character, dealing out a performance with immense gusto. This is a cleaner, more insightful and overall more engaging performance, though, from a pair of speakers that were already among the best you could buy for their outlay.
There is now a brand new model – the B&W 607 S3 – that replaces these speakers, but they're a fair bit pricier at £599 / $900 / AU$1149. The new S3 model improves even further when it comes to clarity, insight, refinement and openness, and they sound a whole lot more fun, too. If you can stretch your budget further, we'd point you towards the new 607 S3 speakers easily. But if you're on a strict budget, the 607 S2 speakers, which are currently on some decent discounts, are still a firm recommendation.
Read the full review: Bowers & Wilkins 607 S2 Anniversary Edition
The F302i is the successor to the Award-winning F302, a fantastic speaker in its own right. However, not content with its performance, Fyne Audio has attempted to improve it with the F302i. The main difference is that the newer model sports a titanium dome tweeter instead of a polyester one, but there have also been tweaks to the tweeter housing and crossover.
The F302i is still a two-way rear-ported design and the speakers are still nicely built for the money (we tested them at £500 / $745 / AU$1195). They're flexible when it comes to equipment and positioning as long as you don't stuff them into a corner or put them right up against the wall. Toe the speakers in a bit and you get a focused and stable stereo image.
Sonically, the F302i deliver a taut musical performance, that's direct and entertaining. The tweeter sounds smoother and more refined than the old model and there's a pleasing amount of nicely integrated bass. There's also plenty of detail to enjoy. If you're looking for affordable floorstanders that sound great, we highly suggest you give them a listen.
Read the full Fyne Audio F302i review
About the size of a shoebox, these Dalis keep strictly to convention as far as design is concerned; they are a two way, rear ported design, just like all their closest rivals. And to look at, you might think they're nothing special. But you couldn't be more wrong.
For these Dalis are actually quite exceptional. They're wonderfully articulate performers that marry a bold, forthright nature with the kind of refinement and insight that’s rare at this level. They're particularly stunning with vocals, delivering them in a solid and expressive manner that really enhances the listening experience. You'd need to spend around three times as much as these to better the vocal performance - it really is that good.
Admittedly some rivals are able to dig up a tad more detail, but few deliver it with such a sense of passion and enthusiasm.
Tonally they tread a fine line, with a smooth treble that's not short of bite. The full-bodied presentation always sounds impressively confident and composed, no matter what it has on its plate. Although be aware that speakers this small are never going to produce loads of bass.
Read the full review: Dali Oberon 1
Pretty much everything here is new for this generation of Diamonds, from the drive units to the cabinet construction. It's a neat and compact box – standing just 31cm tall, it won’t dominate any room. The polypropylene/mica composite 'Klarity' mid/bass cone is tuned by a rear-firing reflex port, rather than the elaborate downward facing design used in previous models.
Tonally they’re smooth and forgiving but remain nicely balanced, with enough in the way of bite. They have a surprisingly bold and full-bodied presentation and sound confident and composed in a way that evades most budget rivals, and top that with a good degree of refinement. They deliver more authority and scale than their modest price and size suggest too.
Lastly, they're good and flexible no matter their task. They sound balanced wherever placed and are both forgiving and transparent enough whether used as part of a micro system or put with dedicated separates – well worth your shortlist.
Read the full review: Wharfedale Diamond 12.1
These Triangle speakers are some very savvy musical performers with a great sense of scale and an even greater appetite for presenting music in a transparent and mature manner. There’s a nice tonal balance to the delivery, which is careful and considerate, and the Boreas also demonstrate an excellent sense of timing.
There's detail and insight across the frequency range and, given their size, plenty of weight to the bass too. Some might lust after a more musclebound delivery, but it’s the texture and quality that give the Triangles an edge. Think of them as a very nimble gymnast, as opposed to a meatheaded bodybuilder.
It’s not often we stumble across a pair of speakers at this price that sound as sophisticated as the Triangle Borea BR03s. They look pretty punchy too, thanks to the contrasting colour of the mid-bass cone, the silver trim that runs through the driver’s surround, plus that eye-catching diffuser. And if the fronts look a bit crowded to you, just cover them up with the magnetic speaker grilles. Simple.
Read the full review: Triangle Borea BR03
These Ruarks are the only powered speakers with Bluetooth on this list, and for very a good reason. We loved the first Ruark Audio MR1 desktop speakers when they emerged in 2013, and as they entered the second generation model, our love only grew stronger. Winners in the What Hi-Fi? Awards desktop speakers category for multiple years running, they are the closest any desktop wireless speaker has come to sounding like proper hi-fi. And they're affordably price, too.
That's high praise indeed, but one listen and you'll see what we're talking about. The soundstage is gloriously spacious, giving each instrument enough room to breathe, and the sound is bathed in rich detail and fluid dynamics. Their timing is also a highlight. Put them in any room, and they will immediately add character along with some brilliant sonics. The Ruarks breathe new life into whatever music you play through them.
With their retro wood-and-grey styling, these Ruark Audio speakers will look at home on almost any surface, too. Quite simply, these are superb speakers of their type.
Read the full review: Ruark Audio MR1 Mk2
How we test speakers
We have state-of-the-art testing facilities in London, Reading and Bath, where our team of experienced, in-house reviewers, test all of the speakers we review.
What Hi-Fi? is all about comparative testing, listening to one set of speakers up against the next, to figure out exactly how they differ and what each one does best. We keep class-leading products in our stockrooms so we can compare new products to ones we know and love.
We are always impartial and do our best to make sure we're hearing every product - including budget speakers - at their very best. So we'll use different partnering products, experiment with speaker positioning, try plenty of different types of music, and give them plenty of listening time (and time to run in).
All review verdicts are agreed upon by the team as a whole rather than an individual reviewer to eliminate any personal preference and to make sure we're being as thorough as possible. There's no input from PR companies or our sales team when it comes to the verdict, with What Hi-Fi? having decades of delivering honest, unbiased reviews.
You can read more about how we test and review products on What Hi-Fi? here.
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