What Are The Best High-End Speakers?
There’s nothing worse than poor sound quality. Not only can it disguise the nuances of a track, but it can undermine your listening experience to such an extent that the only remedy is a new pair of speakers. There's a lot to choose from, and the choices can sometimes seem a little confusing.
To help you decide, here’s our list of the best high-end speakers currently available.
B&W 606 Anniversary Series
The 606 is the seventh incarnation of the ever-popular B&W series of speakers, and we’d venture as far as saying that it’s the best yet. Years of incremental upgrades and improvements come together on this refined and fully immersive piece of equipment. Purity and precision are the bywords of these speakers. The new decoupled tweeter and Continuum cone are big steps up from the previous model. They offer a clearer, more precise listening experience. B&W has also innovated with a new crossover design that emphasizes nuances within tracks, ensuring that even the smallest details are amplified. The stylish wooden frame is a nice touch, too, especially when contrasted with the white facade.
Wharfedale LINTON
Iconic is a word you’ll often hear associated with the Wharfedale. These speakers can trace their origins back to 1965, with decades of innovation in between. The result is a speaker that delivers big on sound without breaking the bank. The LINTON speakers are cheaper than most of the other speakers on this list, but they’re nonetheless renowned for their richness and depth of sound. They’re compact, too, and ideal for smaller spaces. Wharfedale has become synonymous with a type of “warm” sound that’s immediately recognizable. These are the speakers to choose if you’re upgrading from budget or mid-range models. You'll hear your record collection as though it's for the first time.
B&W 706 S2
B&Ws latest S2 offering preserves the integrity of music via a carbon dome tweeter (emphasizing track detail) and Continuum cone (offering greater neutrality in the mid-range). That makes them the speakers of choice for a nuanced listening experience. Spaciousness and detail are preserved regardless of volume, and the sound is studio quality. The speakers feature a bigger bass and midrange unit, so their sound output feels immersive and complete. The S2s are virtually unrivaled in their ability to deliver nuance and detail.
Splendor A7
The A7s have an imperious look that’s perfectly in keeping with their formidable performance. They’re famed for their delivery of an open sound that’s crystal clear and expansive. It makes music sound more natural and much livelier, emphasizing highs and lows. The speakers are refined and will amplify the subtlety of a track, but they never lose sight of their bright and breezy quality. Choose the A7s if you’re working in a small space. Special linear flow engineering ensures excellent sound, even when the speakers are stationed close to a wall.
Klipsch Klipschorn Heritage Speaker
Easily the most expensive addition to the list, the Klipschorn is as much a piece of history as it is an incredible high-end speaker. The first Klipschorn speakers were released in 1946, and since then, the name has become synonymous with stunning sound quality that delivers live-performance-style audio to your home. This model comes with a horn-loaded tweeter and midrange compressor, and its lower frequency output is astounding. It is, of course, a substantial investment, but it's one that’s worthwhile for demanding listeners who crave perfect sound.
McIntosh XR-100 Speaker
The XR-100 is notable for its size-to-output ratio. This speaker is one of the most compact on the list, but it achieves this feat without sacrificing audio quality. Its range reproduction rivals and even excels much larger speakers, and it delivers crystal-clear sound with deep bass. It’s also available in some of the coolest finishes you’ll find, including Red Walnut and Pear Maple.
Sennheiser Ambeo Sound Bar
Sennheiser is renowned for its audio equipment, so it’s hardly a surprise to find that they’ve mastered the art of the high-end speaker. The Sound Bar is sleek and stylish, and due to its length, it offers complete 3D audio around your home. It excels in the area of bass, where it’s able to produce 30Hz without any assistance from a subwoofer. The speakers feature room calibration, so you’ll be able to get studio quality sound tailored specifically to your surroundings. Users can choose one of three AMBEO modes to set the output to their tastes. You’ll feel like this speaker was designed just for you.