The Best Bookshelf Speakers Under $500 (Great Sound!)

A good set of bookshelf speakers can completely transform the way that you listen to music, watch movies, and play games. You can instantly improve your listening experience in any room of the house without sacrificing floor space.

Some top-of-the-line speaker systems today can cost thousands of dollars to purchase and install. For buyers on a budget, though, there are plenty of options under $500 that are able to produce a full spectrum of rich, robust sound. This is the ideal price range to look into for a personal home sound system, especially when sprucing up smaller spaces.

All You Need to Know About Bookshelf Speakers

Bookshelf speakers may not seem complicated, but there are a few considerations you should keep in mind.

What is a Bookshelf Speaker?

When many people think about sound systems, they envision large amplifiers and speaker towers that are often found in clubs and concert venues. This type of audio equipment is usually overkill when it comes to home entertainment systems, however. Not only is it expensive, but it also takes up a significant amount of space in smaller rooms.

Bookshelf speakers are designed to sit on elevated surfaces such as countertops, tables, shelves, and more. This makes it easy to place them somewhere that’s out of the way without stifling sound quality. Most bookshelf speakers require the use of an external amp or AV receiver, which gives users more control over their media setup and allows for separate hardware upgrades over time.

Powered speakers, on the other hand, have amplifiers built into each unit. This design lets users plug their speakers directly into their sound system, which can make life a little easier for those less familiar with the hardware involved.

Before looking into different bookshelf speaker models, it's essential that shoppers familiarize themselves with the basics of how a speaker works. Speakers use drivers  to convert an electrical audio signal to sound waves, with the types of drivers that a speaker uses affecting the quality of the sound produced. In general, bookshelf speakers have two drivers. Woofers generate bass, while tweeters create higher frequency sounds. Some speakers also use a third mid-range driver to produce a fuller sound.

What Can You Expect from a Bookshelf Speaker in the $500 Range?

While many people tend to assume that more expensive equates to better quality, this isn’t always the case when it comes to bookshelf speakers. In tight spaces, professional-grade equipment that costs thousands of dollars often offer a comparable sound quality to cheaper equivalents. Expensive speakers that are designed to fill a larger space may even have subpar sound quality in small to medium-sized rooms.

For a personal sound system, it's often best to stick to speakers under $500. Many bookshelf models within this price range can offer a crisp, clear sound quality without eating up too much of a buyer's budget. This being said, consumers should be wary of opting for the cheapest speaker set available, as this may compromise sound quality. Many manufacturers use better hardware in their products starting around the $200 to $300 price range.

Selecting the Best Bookshelf Speakers for Vinyl

In recent years, vinyl has made a comeback. Not only do vinyl records have a nostalgic charm for many, but they’re also thought to offer a more vibrant quality of sound that’s closer to a live recording. It’s impossible to enjoy the full vinyl experience without the right set of speakers, though.

Vinyl is typically played on a two-channel, or stereo, system. It can require a bit more of a finicky setup than CDs, MP3, or other music formats. Speakers used to play vinyl should have powerful drivers that can play both bass and high frequencies with clarity to avoid distorting the music. It’s best to look for higher-end speakers that use quality hardware to produce a full spectrum of sound.

Bluetooth Capabilities

Bluetooth technology allows devices to communicate wirelessly, which is especially handy in this era of smartphones and mobile devices. Bookshelf speakers with Bluetooth capabilities enable users to play music anytime, anywhere using a wireless network. This gives you a hands-free connection that doesn't force you to sacrifice sound quality for convenience. Some Bluetooth speakers are even portable so that you can get the music pumping at home or on the go.

Speaker Placement

Once you’ve settled on a pair of speakers, the next step is to set them up. Bookshelf speakers are designed to go on just about any surface, making it easy for you to add them to your entertainment system. The tweeters of a set of speakers should rest around ear-level for the best quality of sound, whether you plan to listen when sitting or standing.

When space constraints permit, it’s best to place bookshelf speakers around the 10 o’clock and 2 o’clock positions. You should angle them towards whatever you plan to make your listening space, whether that’s a couch, an alcove, or an adjoining room.

Mounting Options

Most often, bookshelf speakers are left free-standing on surfaces, making it easy to examine, repair, or replace equipment as necessary. In environments with pets and children, however, speakers may be at risk of getting knocked over and damaged. If this is the case, homeowners may want to consider permanently screwing their speaker casing to a shelf. There is also a wide variety of wall mounting options that offer a safe place for your speakers.

Connecting Your Speakers

There is a variety of equipment that you can connect to your bookshelf speakers, either via wired connections or through Bluetooth. Most people aim to hook their speakers up to a TV, a PC, a laptop, or a turntable, or another entertainment system. While it's easy to connect directly to a powered speaker set using RCA hookups and mini-jacks, most bookshelf speaker models need to be connected to an external amp or receiver.

When hooking speakers up to a receiver, it's crucial to take specs such as sensitivity rating into consideration. The sensitivity rating of a set is the amount of sound generated when inputting a reference tone of 1 Watt. In other words, speakers with a high sensitivity rating don't need much power to create sounds and can be paired with just about any amplifier. A speaker set with a low sensitivity rating requires a connection to a more powerful amp.

Smart Home Integration

More and more people are turning their living space into a smart home setup, including the home entertainment or theater system. Smart technology makes it possible to set up an audio system for the whole house. You can wirelessly connect speakers throughout multiple rooms and control the entire system using your smartphone or mobile device.

Smart home systems such as Amazon Echo and Google Home have their own wireless speakers that seamlessly hook up to the system, but it’s also possible to hook up external speakers for superior sound quality. You can either connect using Bluetooth or via an auxiliary cable. Sonos users can connect existing speakers to their system using speaker adapters.

Bookshelf Speaker Reviews