Audio for All: The Best Powered Speakers to Buy Right Now

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Setting up a hi-fi sound system is scary business, which is why many turn to powered (a.k.a. active) speakers. Powered speakers have built-in amplification and, oftentimes, built-in streaming capabilities as well. That means you can plug them in and start enjoying music or home theater audio without sourcing individual components and cables.

The best powered speakers can be connected to a huge array of inputs, including smartphones, turntables, TVs, and DJ controllers. Powered speakers also have the benefit of semi-portability. I regularly move my powered speakers from room to room and take some of them with me on road trips to rental houses where good audio is likely unavailable.

At a Glance: The Best Powered Speakers

As far as sound quality goes, active speakers have come a long way. The best powered speakers of today can go toe-to-toe with high-end passive speakers, ensuring premium sound without the need for a complicated setup.

If you’re looking to set up a high-quality sound system without the hassle, read on. We’ve put together a full guide on the best powered speakers to buy right now, based on months of first-hand testing, plus tips on choosing the right product for your listening needs.

Powered Speaker Buying Guide: What to Consider

Here’s what to keep in mind while finding the best powered speakers for your home:

Price: You can get solid active speakers for less than $200 and decent ones for around $50-$700. If you have around $1,000 to play with, you’ll be able to get seriously good sound. For the very best that powered speakers have to offer, expect to pay a few grand.

Sound: “Good” sound is subjective, and different speakers offer very different sonic experiences — even within the same price range. Some speakers lean on thumping bass for full, deep audio, some focus on clarity, and many aim for a balanced soundscape. Consider what you’ll be listening to, whether it’s sports, movies, hip-hop, classic rock, or video games, and shop accordingly.

Connectivity: Be sure to check what inputs a powered speaker (or pair) has to offer. All our picks can connect via Bluetooth, but WiFi connection will improve sound quality. For TV connection, optical is ideal, HDMI ARC is great, and phono (red and white) is sufficient.

Size & Looks: Powered speakers are going to be part of your home, so their looks and size are important. Pick a spot for them before purchasing, measure it, and choose a pair that complements your space (instead of detracting from it).

The Best Powered Speakers

Ahead are seven of the best powered speakers we’ve tested, including bookshelf pair speakers and individual units.

I got a pair of Klipsch The Sevens to review months ago, and they’ve earned a permanent spot in my apartment. They hit all the right notes, literally and figuratively, delivering excellent sound across all genres, a range of connectivity options, and midcentury-inspired aesthetics that (in my opinion) beat all the other speakers on this list.

The Sevens are a little large, but that’s all to make room for very capable 6.5-inch woofers and Tractrix horn cavities. These combine for an exceptional soundstage, no matter the volume. I use them at low volumes with mellow music while cooking most nights, and they still sound rich and full. I’ve also run them to full volume during parties, while playing dance music, hip-hop, and pop, and they sound very clear despite hefty bass.

My only nitpicky criticism of The Sevens is that they don’t have WiFi. But, thanks to a huge array of wired connection options, this shouldn’t be an issue for most users.

If you’re shopping on a budget, this pair of bookshelf speakers from Edifier is a great option (they’re currently on sale at Amazon for $140). They’re also very compact, making a great option for small apartments (they’re now in two of my friends’ NYC apartments). I also love their throwback looks, which is something you usually have to sacrifice at this price point. They produce shockingly good sound for the price, especially for TV/movies and lower-volume music.

I’ve talked up the Marantz Horizon before, and I’m going to do it again because it’s that good. The futuristic-looking unit puts out the best audio I’ve heard from any active speaker, period. It’s equally warm, energetic, and balanced at any volume with any genre of music. Inside the circular package is a thumping Gravity bass driver, two tweeters, and three mid-range drivers.

I’ve used it in my mid-sized apartment as well as big Airbnbs with friends, and in every scenario, it fills the entire space. It’s very expensive ($3,500), but I’d happily stretch my budget for this beast. For even bigger sound, Marantz also has the $5,000 Grand Horizon. I haven’t used that upgraded option, but if the regular Horizon is any indicator, I’m sure it’s insanely good.

Another pair of killer powered bookshelf speakers is these KEF LSXII. Their biggest drawback is that they’re sometimes hard to find in stock because they’re so popular, but it’s easy to understand why. They’re incredibly balanced and dynamic, delivering fantastic overall sound — especially in smaller rooms. The speakers are also very compact, considering what they can do, although I’m not a fan of the design language.

Another one of the best individual powered speakers is this Zeppelin Pro from Bowers & Wilkins. It’s an excellent value proposition: you get beefy, room-filling sound from a super stylish unit. It’s an upgraded version of the much-loved Zeppelin, adding better drivers and streaming options to the blimp-shaped icon. You get WiFi and Bluetooth 5.0 connection options, meaning high-quality streaming, although there are no physical inputs. The sound is stunning, just like the sleek looks, with both brawn and crispness that can easily fill large rooms. For something of its caliber, it’s also very well-priced at $899.

Spatial audio is a term every shopper should know. It means a single speaker has special capabilities to add dimension, creating a three-dimensional experience that mimics multi-speaker setups. If you want to see why spatial audio has become a buzzword, check out the Dolby Atmos Sonos Era 300. It punches above its weight class with six tweeters, dual woofers, and Dolby Atmos, and provides the opportunity to create a multi-room setup that made Sonos famous.

Another exceptional high-end powered speaker is the new Devialet Phantom Ultimate. Available in two models (the 108dB and the 98dB), the French luxury brand’s new releases are stunning, inside and out. The original Phantom was a sexy bombshell in the audio world, and the Ultimate takes things further with better amplification, streaming, drivers, and woofers, among other upgrades.

The sound quality is excellent, unsurprisingly, but where the Phantom Ultimate really shines is bass and volume. As the name suggests, the top-tier 108dB model cranks to professional-level volume, and the upgraded woofers literally shook my apartment.

What Are Powered Speakers?

Most speakers require amplification and a separate input to stream music or TV audio. Powered speakers, also called active speakers, use built-in amplification and streaming tech for plug-and-play functionality. They eliminate the need to shop around for individual components, and anyone can set them up and enjoy them immediately. Many also allow for wireless multi-speaker connection, so you can play music in different rooms without running cables through the walls.

How We Chose the Best Powered Speakers

I reviewed over a dozen top active speakers to choose the finalists above, living with each one (or pair) in my apartment for at least a couple of weeks. I made sure to use all of them in different scenarios — relaxing, watching movies, partying — and tested them with as many genres of music as possible. I was also able to test most of them side-by-side to find minor differences in their character. After finding my favorites, I combed through other expert reviews and user feedback to land on the best powered speakers available right now.