Top 3 Best Bookshelf Speakers In 2025

High-fidelity music is one of the most delightful things in life. However, music is only as excellent as the system it is played on, as you have undoubtedly noticed. Not to mention the small drivers that are incorporated inside laptops, most computers do not come with good speakers. Low-cost speakers can significantly enhance your listening experience, even if you’re on a tight budget.

For more than ten years, PCMag’s audio specialists have reviewed speakers of various kinds, ranging from portable Bluetooth versions to home entertainment surround sound systems.

Speakers have no say in our publication process because it is entirely autonomous. The bookshelf-style Audioengine A5+ Wireless for audiophiles, the affordable, LED-equipped Creative Pebble Pro, and the recognizable, modern Harman Kardon SoundSticks are currently our Editors’ Choice winners.

To choose the best alternative for you, read through all of the related reviews on our list below, which includes many more appealing choices.

Table of Contents

• No 1 Svs prime wireless pro
• No 2 Sony SS-CS5
• No 3 Fluance Ai61

Top 3 Best Bookshelf Speakers In 2025

No 1 Svs prime wireless pro

The SVS Prime Wireless Pro offer high-quality home theater audio from a family-room-friendly footprint.”The DAC built into these speakers supports up to 192 kilohertz at 24-bit, so you can get lossless via DTS Play-Fi’s Critical Listening mode (app required), and CD-quality from AirPlay 2 or Chromecast — if your streaming service supports it.

Above the 5.25-inch mid-bass driver is a 1-inch aluminum dome tweeter, and those drivers each get their own 50-watt amp for a total system power of 200 watts. On the back, you get the eARC HDMI port I mentioned, along with a digital optical port, line-in via RCA or a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a subwoofer output.

In addition to the Ethernet port, the SVS Prime Wireless Pro has Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, with support for AptX, Chromecast, AirPlay 2, DTS Play-Fi, and Spotify Connect.

These speakers have a built-in DAC that can handle up to 192 kHz at 24-bit, so you can enjoy lossless sound with DTS Play-Fi’s Critical Listening mode (which requires an app) and CD-quality sound over Chromecast or AirPlay 2, assuming your streaming service allows it.

Although it is not configured as a USB audio receiver, the USB port is a service port that supports wireless audio adapters. Therefore, if you wish to use a PC, you should use one of the analog inputs and either optical, wireless, or an outboard DAC.

No 2 Sony SS-CS5

The Sony SSCS5 made waves with its introduction and soon found its way into the hearts of many budget audiophiles around the world.

A combination of good sound, unique design and a price that’s easy on the wallet seems ok to me, so let’s take a closer look and find out how they performed this past week. The Sony SSCS5 might have been one of these unicorn accidental products. One where the company doesn’t even really know how much of a winner they have on their hands. When they were launched, it took a little time to gain traction in the audio community, but when they did, they positively expanded in popularity.

The bass is punchy and well-mannered, but they are certainly not bass monsters. I like that sony has refrained from pushing the small diaphragm too hard, which on cheap speakers manifests itself in bloated sloppy sounding bass. This bass is more audiophile leaning in that it still has some impact, but in the mid-bass, we are treated to some detail.

Too often, I see sub-bass emphasis drowning out mid-bass, and in doing so, you lose an important element in the listening experience.

No 3 Fluance Ai61

The Ai61 speakers each measure 13.1 by 7.8 by 9.2 inches (HWD) and are available in a few different finishes: black ash, dark brown walnut, white and brown (walnut), or white and tan (bamboo). The first color in the latter two models pertains to the front panel and the second is the color of the wood veneer on the enclosure.

The drivers are black on all models and the system ships without a cloth grille to cover them. We fully support this aesthetic choice, though some people might prefer a more durable protective screen. The passive left speaker and active right speaker, respectively, weigh around 13.1 and 14.0 poundsOn Jay-Z and Kanye West’s “No Church in the Wild,” the kick drum loop receives plenty of high-mid presence, allowing its attack to retain its punch, but the vinyl crackle and hiss also both take a slight step forward in the mix.

The sub-bass synth hits that punctuate the beat aren’t overly impactful—we hear their raspier top notes but not their rumble. It’s the drum loop that gets the most low-frequency heft, with plenty of thump to accompany its high-mid attack. The vocals on this track sound very clear without much additional sibilance. Of course, changing the bass and treble levels can affect the default sound fairly drastically.

But although increasing the bass beefs up the drum loop here, it won’t suddenly add in the missing sub-bass. The USB port is a service port and can also support wireless audio adapters, but it is not set up as a USB audio receiver. So if you want to use a PC, you’ll want to use optical, wireless, or an outboard DAC and one of the analog inputs.

What Are the Best Speakers for a Desktop Computer or Laptop?

The most common types of speakers for your computer are stereo, 2.1, and surround sound. Stereo speakers only have a left and a right speaker, 2.1 speakers have a subwoofer, and surround sound ideally has at least five speakers plus a subwoofer. The subwoofer’s job is to cover deep bass frequencies, usually below 100Hz; a solid sub at a reasonable volume can add depth to kick drums, bass guitars, analog synths, orchestras, and more. Some stereo speakers, on the other hand, sound fantastic even without a subwoofer, mainly because their woofers—the drivers dedicated to low-mid and low frequencies below 1kHz—are capable of handling the bass response.

Most desktop speakers are packaged in pairs. Although some come with subwoofers, you probably won’t have to cope with more than two or three satellites. A 5.1-channel (or higher) surround sound system may be desirable for some die-hard gamers and movie buffs, but many people don’t think the added expense and trouble of setting up all those speakers around the room is worth it.

Additionally, there are powerful one-piece options (or one-piece plus a subwoofer), but they lack the stereo vision that comes from many satellites. If your portable Bluetooth speakers have a USB port or a 3.5mm audio input, you might even be able to connect them to your PC as a single unit.

What Are the Best Bookshelf Speakers?

Any speaker that fits neatly on a bookshelf and is a component of a stereo pair or other multiple-speaker arrangement is referred to as a bookshelf speaker. But it has a far more significant meaning, particularly for audiophiles: Bookshelf speakers are powerless. That’s a significant feature that could annoy everyone else but should pleasure anyone who knows how to build up a high-end home sound system.

Power is necessary for all speakers to function. A speaker is merely a box filled with strange pieces of paper and metal if there is no electricity going into the drivers. All Bluetooth and wireless types, as well as the great majority of computer speakers, are powered, or “active.” This indicates that an integrated amplifier receives the signal and provides the drivers with sufficient power to duplicate it. This is useful since it eliminates the need for a separate amplifier; all you have to do is hook your speakers into your computer to for them to function.

Conversely, bookshelf speakers usually need their own amplifier. This implies that you must first run any music you wish to listen to through them through the amplifier before connecting it to the speakers. Although these systems are more costly and require more room, they offer clearer, more powerful sound.