Best Audiophile Speakers of 2024
In the ever-evolving world of audio technology, audiophile speakers continue to captivate enthusiasts with their unparalleled sound quality and immersive experiences. We have tested over 70 of the best Hifi speakers in every style and have compiled a list of our favorites.
The market is flooded with cutting-edge speakers catering to music lovers, cinephiles, and gaming enthusiasts' discerning tastes. This article aims to list, explore, and review the 12 best audiophile speakers of 2024, highlighting their unique features, performance, and value for money.
1. Klipsch Heresy IV
Best Features:
Enhanced Bass Response: The Heresy IV includes a new ported design that improves on previous models.
High Sensitivity and Efficiency: With a sensitivity rating of 99 dB, the Heresy IV is extremely efficient.
Classic Klipsch Sound Signature: The Heresy IV maintains the distinct Klipsch sound signature, characterized by clear, detailed highs, dynamic midrange, and a lively presentation.
Our Opinion:
The Klipsch Heresy IV is a part of Klipsch's Heritage series, known for its handcrafted quality and classic design. As a compact, three-way floor-standing speaker, it's the smallest in the series but still delivers a powerful and dynamic sound.
The Heresy IV features a 1-inch tweeter, a 1.75-inch midrange, and a 12-inch woofer. This setup allows the speaker to deliver a wide frequency range with detailed highs, clear mids, and powerful bass. The speaker's sound is characterized by its efficiency and dynamic range, making it suitable for various music genres and room sizes.
One of the Heresy IV's standout features is its tractrix horn technology, which enhances the performance of the tweeter and midrange, providing a wide soundstage with precise imaging.
The speaker's cabinet is made of high-quality wood and is available in several finishes, adding to its vintage appeal. The design is aesthetically pleasing and functional, with the slanted riser base helping project sound towards the listener.
In summary, the Klipsch Heresy IV offers a classic design and high-quality sound that appeals to both audiophiles and lovers of vintage aesthetics. Here, you can read our full review of the Klipsch Heresy.
Update 2024: I have purchased the Heresy and used them as my main speaker when not testing for the website. The presentation was a stark departure from my usual electrostatic speakers, but the Heresy tends to fill the room better and is more versatile with both source devices and musical genres.
2. KEF LS50 Meta
Best Features:
Metamaterial Absorption Technology (MAT): Helps to reduce unwanted sound reflections and distortions, resulting in a cleaner and more accurate audio reproduction.
Uni-Q Driver Array: Places the tweeter in the center of the midrange driver. This design allows for a more coherent and precise soundstage, with improved imaging and a more immersive listening experience.
Elegant and Compact Design: The LS50 Meta is not only sonically impressive but also visually striking. Its compact and sleek design works well, especially in modern and minimalist environments.
Our Opinion:
Originally, I had this spot reserved for the KEF LS50 Wireless, but given that I purchased a set of the LS50 Meta for use as my primary speaker in my second home, I had to include it. I had a lot of great options to choose from at this price point, but the combination of the sound and the aesthetic is what won me over.
Yes, believe it or not, aesthetics is a big part of the decision-making process. The speakers take a prominent place in my apartments, considering I don’t have a television to be the focal point of my living room. With the KEF, they just look so damn good (I have them in the limited edition royal blue colorway shown above), yet they back it up with some serious sound quality.
Everything sounds crisp, clean, and balanced when driven by a high-quality source; there is depth and soundstage in abundance. I’m perfectly happy using them in a stereo setup for now, but I may consider adding an additional subwoofer at a later date to round off the sound profile.
There's nothing quite as charming on the market right now, and if you want a modern, clean look, then these or something from Bang & Olufsen are your best bet.
The Meta also makes it to my list of the best studio monitors (although I advise you to have space in that room the do still work in a near field scenario).
3. Klipsch Heritage Series Forte IV
Best Features:
Three-Way Design with High Sensitivity: This configuration provides a wide and dynamic frequency response.
Rear-Mounted Passive Radiator: This enhances the bass response by using the energy from the internal air pressure to produce deep, impactful bass.
Classic Klipsch Heritage Aesthetics: The Forte IV is part of the Klipsch Heritage Series, known for its classic, retro-inspired design.
Our Opinion:
The Klipsch Heritage Series Forte IV is a floor-standing speaker that combines vintage aesthetics with modern acoustic technology. It's part of Klipsch's Heritage Series, known for its handcrafted, made-in-the-USA quality.
The Forte IV features a three-way design with a large 12-inch woofer, a midrange horn, and a tweeter horn. This setup allows the speaker to deliver a wide frequency range with powerful bass, clear mids, and detailed highs. The speaker also includes a passive radiator at the back to enhance the low-frequency response.
The speaker's cabinet is made of high-quality wood and is available in several finishes, adding to its vintage appeal. The build quality is excellent, with attention to detail that ensures durability and longevity.
In terms of sound, the Forte IV is known for its efficiency and dynamic range. It can deliver high volumes without distortion (but requires a high quality preamp for best results), making it suitable for large rooms. The sound is characterized by its warmth and richness, with a wide soundstage that provides an immersive listening experience.
Overall, the Klipsch Heritage Series Forte IV offers a classic design and high-quality sound that appeals to both audiophiles and lovers of vintage aesthetics.
4. ELAC Uni Fi
Best Features:
Frontal Design: Ensures optimal performance for each driver, resulting in a highly dynamic and accurate sound with minimal distortion.
Custom-Designed Drivers: These drivers are meticulously engineered to deliver precise and detailed sound across the entire frequency spectrum.
Our Opinion:
The ELAC Uni-fi is a premium bookshelf speaker with exceptional sound quality. It's an active speaker with built-in amplification, eliminating the need for an external amplifier. Each driver in the speaker has its dedicated amplifier, ensuring optimal performance.
The speaker's sound is characterized by its accuracy and neutrality, making it an excellent choice for audiophiles who value a faithful reproduction of the original recording.
The speaker's cabinet is well-built and designed to minimize vibrations and resonance, enhancing sound quality. The ARB-51 supports wired and wireless connections, including Bluetooth, for easy streaming from various devices.
Despite its compact size, it delivers a sound that can fill a room if paired correctly with its speaker impedance rating, making it a versatile choice for different listening environments. Its excellent sound quality, convenient features, and compact design make it a standout choice.
5. Bowers & Wilkins 800 D4
Best Features:
Diamond Dome Tweeter: Diamond is an exceptionally stiff and light material, allowing the tweeter to reproduce sound with minimal distortion and outstanding detail.
Continuum Cone and Biomimetic Suspension: This material offers superior break-up behavior, resulting in a more open and neutral midrange.
Turbine Head and Solid Body Tweeter-on-Top: The Solid Body Tweeter-on-Top design isolates the tweeter from the rest of the cabinet, reducing cabinet-induced distortions and improving sound dispersion.
Our Opinion:
The Bowers & Wilkins 800 D4 is a flagship floor-standing speaker that showcases the brand's commitment to superior sound quality and innovative design. It's part of the iconic 800 Series Diamond range, known for its use in professional recording studios.
The 800 D4 features a three-way design with a diamond dome tweeter, a Continuum cone midrange, and Aerofoil Profile bass cones. This setup allows the speaker to deliver a wide frequency range with detailed highs, clear mids, and deep, powerful bass. The speaker's sound is characterized by its accuracy and neutrality, making it a great choice for audiophiles who value a faithful reproduction of the original recording.
The speaker's cabinet is well-built and features a modern design with a high-quality finish. The unique "turbine head" design of the midrange enclosure and the solid body tweeter-on-top design not only look striking but also help to enhance sound quality by reducing resonance and diffraction.
This high-end speaker combines superior sound quality with a high-quality solid state or tube amp, innovative design, and solid build, offering a premium listening experience for discerning audiophiles.
6. Dynaudio Evoke 10
Best Features:
Classic Crossover Design: The first-order crossover design with Phase Alignment and Impedance Alignment technologies ensures seamless integration between drivers.
Our Opinion:
The Dynaudio Evoke 10 is a standout among compact bookshelf speakers, blending elegant design with impressive audio performance. Its 14cm MSP woofer and 28mm Cerotar tweeter with the Hexis dome deliver a balanced, dynamic sound, producing deep, punchy bass and refined highs. This speaker’s clarity and detail shine, offering a surprisingly wide soundstage for its size, making it perfect for small to medium spaces. Whether for music or movies, the Evoke 10 showcases Dynaudio’s precision craftsmanship, providing a rich, immersive audio experience that will satisfy even discerning audiophiles looking for high-quality sound in a compact form.
7. Focal Utopia III Evo
Best Features:
Beryllium Tweeter: Features Focal's pure Beryllium tweeters, which are known for their incredibly light and rigid properties.
Tuned Mass Damping (TMD) Suspension: This advanced technology enhances the performance of the midrange drivers by reducing resonance and providing a more stable and accurate sound reproduction.
NIC (Neutral Inductance Circuit) Technology: Stabilizes the magnetic field within the drivers. This reduces harmonic distortion.
Our Opinion:
The Focal Utopia III Evo is a high-end floor-standing speaker that represents the pinnacle of Focal's acoustic engineering. It's part of the Utopia series, known for its innovative technology and superior sound quality.
The Utopia III Evo features a three-way design with a beryllium tweeter, a midrange driver, and multiple woofers. This setup allows the speaker to deliver a wide frequency range with detailed highs, clear mids, and deep, powerful bass. The speaker's sound is characterized by its accuracy and neutrality, making it a great choice for audiophiles who value a faithful reproduction of the original recording. It requires high-quality components in the Hifi chain and the use of the best high-resolution music formats possible because it is highly revealing and transparent.
The speaker's cabinet is well-built and features a modern design with a high-quality finish. The unique "Focus Time" design, where the drivers are aligned to direct sound at the listener, not only looks striking but also helps to enhance sound quality by improving imaging and soundstage.
The Focal Utopia III Evo is a high-end speaker that combines superior sound quality, innovative design, and solid build, offering a premium listening experience for discerning audiophiles.
8. Bang & Olufsen Beolab A9 (5th Gen)
Best Features:
Powerful Room-Filling Sound: The Beosound A9 is equipped with seven drivers that deliver an expansive and detailed soundstage.
Active Room Compensation: This smart feature optimizes the speaker’s output based on the acoustics of the room.
Iconic Design and Customization: It offers customization options with various wooden legs and fabric covers, allowing users to personalize its appearance.
Our Opinion:
The Bang & Olufsen Beoplay A9 is a high-end wireless speaker with a unique and stylish design. It has a circular shape that can be placed on a stand or mounted on the wall, and it comes in various colors and finishes to match different interior styles.
In terms of sound quality, the Beoplay A9 is highly regarded. It delivers powerful and clear sound thanks to its combination of a dedicated woofer, midrange drivers, and tweeters. The speaker also features room adaptation technology, which adjusts the sound based on the speaker's placement, ensuring optimal performance.
The Beoplay A9 supports various connectivity options, including Bluetooth, AirPlay, and DLNA, allowing you to stream music from various devices. It also has built-in access to streaming services like Spotify and Deezer.
One of the unique features of the Beoplay A9 is its touch-sensitive interface. You can adjust the volume by sliding your hand across the speaker's top and pause or play music by tapping the speaker.
Despite its high price point, the Beoplay A9 is often praised for its combination of stunning design, excellent sound quality, and user-friendly features. Click here to read my full review of the Bang & Olufsen Beolab 90.
9. Sonus Faber Il Cremonese
Best Features:
Rhomboidal Diamond Design: Enhances the structural integrity of the wooden cabinet while providing an elegant and minimalistic appearance. At the same time removes sonic distortions.
Arrow Point Damped Apex Dome (DAD) tweeter: Combines the timbre of classic dome drivers with the advantages of a ring tweeter.
Zero Vibration Transmission (Z.V.T.) Technology: involves oversized spikes made of metal and synthetic polymers, which decouple the speaker from the floor, reducing vibrations and ensuring stable performance
Our Opinion:
The Sonus Faber Il Cremonese is a high-end floor-standing speaker that embodies the brand's commitment to superior craftsmanship and sound quality. Named after a famous Stradivarius violin, the Il Cremonese is a testament to Sonus Faber's Italian heritage and expertise in acoustics.
The speaker features a three-way design with multiple drivers, including a tweeter, midrange, and woofers, delivering a wide frequency range with detailed highs, clear mids, and deep, impactful bass. The drivers are housed in a unique cabinet design that minimizes resonance and enhances sound clarity.
The Il Cremonese is known for its warm, natural sound that accurately reproduces the nuances of the original recording. It offers a wide soundstage and excellent imaging, providing an immersive listening experience.
The speaker's cabinet is a work of art made from high-quality wood with a beautiful finish. The design is elegant and timeless, making the speaker an audio device and a decor piece.
This is a luxury speaker combining exceptional sound quality with exquisite design, offering a premium listening experience. The only real “must-do” is to pair well with one of our recommended pre-amplifiers to get the most out of them.
10. Revel Ultima Salon2
Best Features:
Four-Way Design with Custom Drivers
Curvilinear Enclosure and Advanced Materials
Adjustable Crossovers and Acoustic Controls
Our Opinion:
The Revel Ultima Salon2 is a top-tier floor-standing speaker known for its exceptional sound quality and elegant design. As part of Revel's flagship Ultima series, it represents the pinnacle of the brand's engineering and design capabilities.
The Salon2 features a four-way design with multiple drivers, including a tweeter, midrange, and woofers. This configuration allows the speaker to deliver a wide frequency range with detailed highs, clear mids, and deep, powerful bass. The speaker's sound is characterized by its accuracy and neutrality, making it an excellent choice for audiophiles who value a faithful reproduction of the original recording.
The speaker's cabinet is well-built and designed to minimize vibrations and resonance, enhancing sound quality. The Salon2 is also known for its wide soundstage and excellent imaging, providing an immersive listening experience.
In terms of aesthetics, the Salon2 features a sleek, modern design that fits well in any high-end audio setup. Despite its high price point, the Revel Ultima Salon2 is often praised for its combination of superior sound quality, elegant design, and solid build, making it a standout choice for serious audiophiles.
11. MartinLogan Neolith
Best Features:
Largest Electrostatic Transducer: The Neolith features MartinLogan's largest-ever electrostatic radiating surface, which is 35% larger than their previous Statement E2 model.
Hybrid Bass System: Complementing the electrostatic panel, the Neolith includes a 15-inch rear-firing ported woofer and a 12-inch front-firing sealed mid-bass woofer.
Controlled Dispersion Technology: The Neolith employs MartinLogan's Controlled Dispersion Technology, which optimizes the horizontal dispersion of sound while minimizing vertical dispersion.
Our Opinion:
The MartinLogan Neolith is a flagship electrostatic speaker representing the pinnacle of the brand's innovation in audio technology. It's a prominent, floor-standing speaker that combines a stat panel with a conventional cone woofer to deliver a wide frequency range.
The Neolith's standout feature is its sizeable electrostatic panel, reproducing mid and high frequencies with exceptional detail and clarity. The 15-inch rear-firing complements the board-ported woofer, and a 12-inch front-firing sealed mid-bass woofer delivers robust and accurate bass.
Make sure to read up on our list of the best preamplifiers for audiophile speakers because this is one speaker that can ruthlessly expose a weak link in the chain. The speaker's sound is characterized by its wide soundstage, precise imaging, and transparency, providing an immersive and lifelike listening experience. Despite its size, the Neolith can reproduce both delicate nuances and powerful dynamics of the audio.
The design of the Neolith is as impressive as its sound. It features a modern, sculptural aesthetic with solid build quality. The speaker is available in various finishes, allowing it to fit into different interior styles.
It is a high-end speaker that offers a sizeable step-up to the already great Electromotion ESL speaker. It combines electrostatic and dynamic technology uniquely, delivering exceptional sound quality for discerning audiophiles.
12. Magico M6
Best Features:
State-of-the-art drivers: including a 28mm diamond-coated beryllium dome tweeter, a 6-inch midrange driver with graphene-based cone material, and three 10.5-inch graphene-infused woofers.
Innovative Enclosure Design: The M6 features a six-sided monocoque enclosure made from ½-inch carbon fiber
Elliptical Symmetry Crossover: This crossover design maximizes frequency bandwidth while preserving phase linearity and minimizing intermodulation distortion.
Our Opinion:
The Magico M6 is a high-end floor-standing speaker representing the brand's commitment to innovative design and superior sound quality. It's a part of Magico's M series, known for using advanced materials and technology.
The M6 features a three-way design with a 1-inch diamond-coated tweeter, a 6-inch midrange driver, and three 10.5-inch woofers. This configuration allows the speaker to deliver a wide frequency range with detailed highs, clear mids, and deep, powerful bass. The speaker's sound is characterized by its accuracy and neutrality, making it an excellent choice for audiophiles who value a faithful reproduction of the original recording.
The speaker's cabinet is made from carbon fiber and aluminum, materials chosen for their acoustic properties and strength. The unique, curved design of the cabinet not only looks striking but also helps to minimize resonance and enhance sound quality.
In terms of performance, the Magico M6 is known for its wide soundstage, precise imaging, and dynamic range. Despite its high price point, the M6 is often praised for its combination of innovative design, superior sound quality, and solid build.
Conclusion
Audiophile speakers have witnessed tremendous advancements in 2024, providing enthusiasts with choices catering to various preferences and budgets. From sleek soundbars to towering floor-standing speakers, each model listed above offers an unrivaled listening experience that elevates the enjoyment of music, movies, and gaming to new heights. Whether you prioritize design, technical excellence, or both, the 14 best audiophile speakers of 2024 are poised to revolutionize your audio experience and immerse you in the magic of high-fidelity sound.
