SHARE

We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn more ›

Bookshelf speakers will enhance your listening experience with a wider stereo image and a more vibrant sound than what you get from a TV, laptop, or even the best portable Bluetooth speaker. And powered speakers mean you don’t have to worry about amps and other components—some of them even let you stream audio wirelessly from a phone, tablet, etc., so no more worrying about where to put the CD player, etc. We’ve scoured Prime Day listings to find the best stereo speakers that can deliver you a true soundstage and a rich response for any budget. If you want space-filling sound from speakers that won’t make your room crowded, you’ve come to the right place.

Fluance Ai41 Powered 2-Way 2.0 Stereo Bookshelf Speakers $199 (Was $249)

Fluance Ai41

Fluance

SEE IT

A Canadian-based company, Fluance designs hi-fi components to deliver rich sound without spending a fortune. The Ai41 bookshelf speakers deliver on this promise thanks to each speaker’s 5-inch woven glass fiber composite driver and a 1-inch silk soft-dome neodymium ferrofluid-cooled tweeter. The 8.52-pound right speaker is active—containing the internal DAC/Class D amp and power cord socket, a rear panel with connections for external sources, and a control knob in the lower right corner of its face. The slightly lighter (7.44-pound) left speaker functions as a passive satellite. One of the advantages of such an arrangement is that you only need one wall socket to drive the 90W of continuous average output—45W RMS per side. For relatively small powered speakers, they got pretty loud without distorting. The Fluance Ai41 supports three different types of connections: Bluetooth (5.0+BR+EDR+BLE), optical (TOSLINK), and analog (via RCA jacks). An RCA output on the right speaker cuts out all the bass below 80Hz from the speakers when you connect it to a dedicated sub. 

During our reviewer’s hands-on evaluation, he was “impressed with the expressive frequency range—a DSP-enhanced 35Hz-20kHz,” and found “the clarity and balance of the speakers to be quite good. The overall output was accurate while enthusiastic, smooth without being overly polished.”

KEF LSX II Wireless HiFi Speaker System, $999.98 (Was $1,399.99)

On the opposite end of the price spectrum is the KEF LSX II, a compact set of connected speakers that proves limited space doesn’t have to mean restricted listening. A scaled-down version of the LS50 Wireless II—one of our top powered speakers—the LSX II’s biggest strength is versatility. You can connect the self-amplified speakers to a TV using its HDMI ARC or Optical port, a computer via USB-C, hundreds of analog devices using its AUX-in jack, or connect to it wirelessly over Bluetooth 4.2 or AirPlay 2—with support for Spotify Connect, TIDAL Connect, Chromecast, Roon, UPnP, and more. A subwoofer output allows you to augment the bass after the fact, too. If you want one set of speakers that can provide vivid sound to match an OLED TV and stay connected to a laptop or turntable, the LSX IIs become cost-effective.

The DAC in the LSX II can process 24-bit digital audio files at resolutions up to 384kHz, playing them back at a resampling rate up to 24-bit/96kHz (with a wired connection between the speakers). Investing in KEF speakers all but guarantees excellent audio (so long as the source material is well-recorded and -mastered) thanks to the magnesium/aluminum Uni-Q driver array that delivers a wide sweet spot. It’s almost as simple as plug them in and hit play. If you’ve been saving up for class-leading sound, don’t skip this sale.

Check out these other powered speaker sets for scintillating sound at approachable price points:

Wondering what to pair with those new speakers? Check out these great deals on turntables and streaming solutions:

Tony Ware
Tony Ware

Tony Ware is the Editor, Commerce & Gear for PopSci.com (and PopPhoto.com). He’s been writing about how to make and break music since the mid-'90s when his college newspaper said they already had a film critic but maybe he wanted to look through the free promo CDs. Immediately hooked on outlining intangibles, he's covered everything audio for countless alt. weeklies, international magazines, websites, and heated bar trivia contests ever since.

Audio
Home
Speakers
Commerce
deals
news