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Over the last two decades, the music industry has changed considerably. We’ve gone from buying cassette tapes and CDs, to purchasing songs on iTunes, to getting music for free from streaming services like Pandora and Spotify. Now, there are even affordable streaming subscription services from those companies as well as Apple, Tidal, and more.
As the way we get our music has changed, so has what we use to play it. Unless you’re a serious audiophile or a Baby Boomer, you probably don’t own a large stereo system with multiple speakers, a CD player, amplifier, etc. anymore. Now that so much music is available digitally, more small, Internet-connected speakers pop up on the market every year.
We’ve compiled a list of the best home speakers with that idea in mind. In the digital age, many of the best speakers come with Internet capabilities, as well as other bells and whistles. If you’re not a big music person or don’t care about sound quality, you can find a decent wireless speaker for pretty cheap. But if you love to jam out with the best hardware available, then it’s worth investing in a nice home speaker system.
Any of the speakers detailed below should get your head bobbing, no matter where you live. If you have a small apartment or don’t have a huge speaker budget, the Amazon Echo and Sonos Play 1 are terrific options. Want a stylish speaker that can fill any room? The Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin is a revelation. If you’re looking for a networked system of wireless speakers, look no further than Sonos or Bose’s lines. Or maybe you just want some really nice bookshelf speakers to put in an office. The AudioEngine HD3 and JBL Control X Wireless fit the bill.
No matter your preferences, there’s probably a speaker out there for you filled with great tech as well as sound—and more are on the way. Apple is set to come out with HomePod, an intelligent speaker that has voice interaction features like the Echo, In December of 2017. Facebook is even rumored to be coming out with a smart speaker. Needless to say, high-quality Internet speakers appear to be the present and future of at-home music listening. If you’re looking for a great speaker, give one of these a try.
Sonos Play 5
The beauty of Sonos is that it allows you to connect multiple wireless speakers together with ease and scatter them around a house or apartment for listening in every room. Or, you could collect multiple speakers and put them in the same room for wireless surround sound. The Play 5, Sonos’ largest speaker, offers incredible sound. The speaker also features amplifiers, so it can be directly connected to a record player if you want your stereo to be a blend of modern, wireless convenience and timeless style.
Sonos’s other speakers are more affordable and also very nice, but they don’t pack the thundering bass that you’ll hear from the Play 5 right out of the box. Plus, once you have a Play 5 you’ll be itching to supplement it with other Sonos speakers for even more sound. Don’t believe me? Head to Target or Best Buy to test Sonos up close.
$499, available at sonos.com
Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin
If there are two things Bowers & Wilkins do right, they’re design and sound. The company’s speakers are modern, sexy, and also sound incredible. B&W products run for a higher price tag than most, but you get what you pay for. That’s certainly the case with the Zeppelin Wireless, a rocking blimp-shaped speaker. The large, elongated unit looks nice enough to decorate a contemporary penthouse and offers sophisticated audio quality to match.
The gargantuan Zeppelin Wireless will run you $700 and take up more than two feet of your bookshelf. But if you’ve got the money to spend and are looking for a speaker that offers great sound and style, the Zeppelin is for you. Want to check it out in person before buying? Zeppelins can usually be found at Apple Stores and on Amazon.
$686, available at amazon.com
Bose SoundTouch 30
Just like the Sonos Play 5, the SoundTouch 30 retails for $500 and has the capability to connect with other Bose products to create a wide-ranging system of speakers. The SoundTouch offers crisp sound and is very similar to the Play 5 in many respects. It’s a little slimmer and may fit onto a shelf or table less obtrusively. However, its mesh cover suggests that it’s probably not as kid and party proof as the slightly more rugged Sonos. Regardless, Bose makes great speakers and headphones across the board. The SoundTouch 30 is no different.
$499, available at amazon.com
AudioEngine HD3
You may have never heard of AudioEngine but, if you’re interested in the previous three speakers, you need to give these bookshelf speakers a chance. For $400, you get two speakers with built-in amplifiers, Bluetooth, and a USB audio input that could come in handy. The HD3s come in smooth wooden finishes and feature customized Kevlar woofers as well as tweeters made of silk. Make no mistake: These speakers are made with high-quality materials. The HD3s' wireless capabilities make it perfectly suited for a modern listening experience, but its careful craftsmanship and volume control knob give it a timeless look that will fit into any living room or office well.
$399, available at audioengineusa.com
JBL Control X Wireless
The Control X Wireless is somewhat similar to the AudioEngine HD3 in that there are two separate bookshelf-style speakers. These ones will run you an extra $100, though, and don’t offer the same meticulous design. That said, these speakers are incredibly versatile. Not only can they be mounted on walls, but the speakers are also very durable and could be used outside underneath cover, too.
$499.95 per pair, available at jbl.com
Amazon Echo
The Echo offers a nice speaker at a decent price ($180), along with some special added capabilities. Not only does this speaker play music, but it can also take voice commands to increase or lower the volume and stop or start the music. It works well as a morning alarm, too, and can tell you useful facts like the weather. Just ask, and Alexa will answer.
If you’re looking for a great, somewhat affordable speaker with some extra features, you can’t go wrong with the Echo. That said, if you solely want a wireless speaker and don’t care about voice commands, the Sonos Play 1 offers arguably better sound quality than the Echo for around the same price. Want to try the Echo out for yourself? While it’s (obviously) sold on Amazon, it can also be demoed at Best Buy.
$180, available at amazon.com
Sonos Play 1
If you’re looking more in the Echo’s price range, then the Play 1 is an excellent option. You get all of Sonos’ awesome features in a compact, $200 speaker that sounds great. It probably won’t get nearly as loud as the Play 5 and doesn’t offer anywhere near as much bass power, but it’s less than half the price. The Play 1 is also humidity resistant, so it can be used in bathrooms and outside on occasion.
$199, available at sonos.com