Top 6 Bookshelf Speakers Under 500 Reviews 2016
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List of best loudspeaker speakers from $249 to $499. Choose the best bookshelf speakers in 2015. Read reviews and compare.
SONOS PLAY:5 vs Audioengine A5+ vs Polk Audio RTI A1 vs Harman Kardon NOVA vs MartinLogan Motion 4 vs Klipsch RB-61
If you do not want to spend 500 bucks on a bookshelf speaker, here is the list of Top 5 Cheap & Best Bookshelf Speakers Under 200
Or you can choose In ceiling speakers to create a beautiful home theater system. Check out the list of Top 5 In-ceiling Speakers and In-ceiling Speaker Buying Guide
If you are looking for a portable outdoor speaker, we've the perfect collection of the best ones in the market. Check out Top 6 Wireless Bluetooth Portable Speakers Under 200
SONOS PLAY:5
The high end loudspeaker speaker from SONOS. You can stream from every online music service, PC, internet radio stations and smart phones. PLAY:5 supports most of the popular audio formats. It also indexes your music folders such that you can browse through artists, albums, genre etc.
With the Sonos remote control app for Apple and Android, you can access all the music via smart phone, tablet or PC. SONOS PLAY:5 features two tweeters, two mid-range drivers and one 3.5’’ woofer powered by built-in class D amp. It also has a rear port that doubles as carrying handle for easy transport.
Sonos has great versatility with large selection of speakers for complete home audio set up. At least one SONOS device should be connected to Ethernet port and using Sonosnet 2.0 wireless system, you can connect as many speakers as you like wirelessly.
The speakers are easy to set up and produce well balanced and vibrant audio. PLAY series comes with a 1 year warranty. The small version of this is called PLAY:3 and is as good as PLAY:5.
Overall Rating: 8.8/10
SONOS - PLAY:5 User Reviews
"Sonos is special because of the extraordinary range of music available, the intuitive phone app interface which so simply controls every aspect of the experience, the sound quality, the whole home flexibility, the ease of setup and installation, and the benefits of doing all this without needing to stream from the phone."
" Setup is incredibly easy, sounds great, easily controlled from any device, can be grouped with other speakers to create zones or whole home listening"
"Bass is very good in the Play 5 so i am happy i will not have to add a sub-woofer to the set."
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AudioEngine A5+
The phenomenal sound quality makes it unique among the rivals. AudioEngine A5+ features 2 audio inputs and integrated USB port for charging the audio source. It has a simple and attractive design but it is a little bulky. It produces excellent sound quality and provides a clutter-free way to listen to music.
The speaker is powered via AC plug so there is no need for receivers or amp. They come in two colors. Black and white. There is also a bamboo version which is very eye-catchy with similar décor. AudioEngine A5+ features 5 inch Kevlar woofer and 20mm silk dome tweeter. A remote control for volume control and input cable for PC connection are included.
The new thermal system is introduced to keep the amp cool. The USB port can be used only for charging. There is an autosleep feature too to save energy. The speaker will go to sleep mode if no audio signal is passed in 10 minutes.
The AudioEngine A5+ produces bigger, richer sound with deep tight bass and excellent clarity. AudioEngine A2+ is also very good speaker and less pricey.
Overall Rating: 9.2/10
Audioengine A5+ User Reviews
"Given their incredibly small size, their sound is surprising powerful."
"First off, these speakers sound great. The sound coming out of these things is truly powerful and overall I can't really complain. I've been listening to a lot of recent progressive rock and can't help closing my eyes and marvel at how beautiful some of this stuff sounds."
"Anyway, the setup is straightforward, and AE even provides some good speaker wire to connect the two units."
Polk Audio RTI A1
Polk Audio RTI A1 provides an impressive array of features for the price along with its stylish profile. It has a 5 and quarter inch polymer composite dynamic balance tweeter with rubber surround as well as 6 and half inch polymer composite woofer. Polk Audio’s ARC technology delivers smooth frequency response and reduces chuffing. Two colors are available. Cherry and black. The removable grills are stylish as well. The speakers have 8 ohms impedance and 89dB sensitivity. The Polk Audio RTI A1 offers deep punching bass with clear quality mids.
Overall Rating: 9.6/10
Polk Audio RTI A1 Reviews
"The sound is very crispy and doesn't show any distortion when it's loud."
"Add a subwoofer and the sound is full and tremendous. "
"I really think a sub is a good idea with these but you could get away without one."
"I tried KEF Q100 as an alternative in the dealer's showroom, but sound quality of these speakers were better considering almost 30% lower price!"
"You don't have to turn them up very much and the sound just carries throughout the apartment at a very good volume. "
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Harman Kardon Nova
These beautifully designed speakers give powerful audio performance with superb clarity and rich lows. It features both wired and Bluetooth connection means you can stream from Bluetooth devices also. The visually stunning and translucent design is the main attraction. This 6.5 inch speaker has 2.5 inch woofer and 1.25 inch tweeter which deliver 20 watts per channel power. It also has a transparent plastic body through which you can see the inside. There are touch controls on the top edge of right side speaker’s front panel to control volume, audio sources, bass booster mode toggle. The speaker is NFC enabled and you can pair NFC enabled smart phones.
Overall Rating: 8.7/10
Harman Kardon Nova Reviews
I think they are "excellent" sounding speakers for a lot of different varieties of pop, EDM, new wave, electronica, and jazz."
"Overall great sound (loud as well) and works well with my AppleTV (through digital optical audio), and Spotify (bluetooth)."
"Great sound, no distortion at high volume, rich bass backed by an optional bass-boost button, small size but will fill any room with rich audio"
" They sound great and they have excellent base for a small speaker and the mids and highs are perfect."
"Just amazing and fantastic design and looks!"
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MartinLogan Motion 4
MartinLogan is well known for their electrostatic speakers. But these speakers are excellent as well which delivers outstanding performance. It comes with a mounting flange for wall mounting. The folded ribbon designed tweeters uses air motion technology and hence the name. The curved design is very eye-catchy and robust. The speakers produce surprising bass level and possess a natural sound.
Overall Rating: 9.4/10
MartinLogan Motion 4 Reviews
"The lower end of the sound spectrum was lacking and felt compressed, but that can be fixed with a subwoofer."
"I enjoy great sound and wanted something that at least stood up in principle to my B&W CM5's which is my main room speaker."
"I think it is a very good value and an excellent way to upgrade a home theater system.
"The design is nice, and even with the curvy design, they stand straight up and will never lean over on a bookshelf. "
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Klipsch RB-61
Klipsch utilizes many new technologies in their new model RB-61. The 1’’ titanium tweeter is coupled to a 90 x 60 degree square Tractrix Horn (Horn Loudspeaker Technology) which minimizes amplifier effort and distortion. It produces loud and clear audio with very little power. The 6.5’’ woofer is composed of cera-metallic material which produces crip and refined sound. The speaker has 8 ohms impedance and high efficiency of 95dB and has wide soundstage with moderate depth and good imaging.
Overall Rating: 9.6/10
Klipsch RB-61 II Reviews
"Highly efficient, reproduces bass better than I thought they would at low volume."
"Very happy. First I'll say that my esthetic and space requirements were met perfectly. I hooked them up and ran the calibration routine on my Pioneer Elite receiver. Then I sat back to listen... Wow. Wow."
"Recently I bought a new stereo for the dining room. I had envied friends with Klipsch speakers since college days (now 40 years ago, alas!), and so I ordered a pair of Klipsch bookshelf speakers. Wow, am I glad I did!"
A little bit more expensive but worth the money
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For those who are looking for wireless bookshelf speakers for a perfect clutter-free home theater system, check out the list of Top 7 Wireless Bookshelf Speakers