The 10 Best Floor-standing Speakers

*Review of the best according to the editors. Selection criteria. This material is subjective, not an advertisement and does not serve as a guide to purchase. Before buying, you need to consult with an expert.

Almost any floor-standing loudspeaker will give your music and movies a real boost. And the better the sound system is, the more expressive your emotions will be. That’s why we tried to simplify your choice by telling you about the best kits.

How to choose a storable speaker

Any floorstanding loudspeaker has a lot of technical features. And if you are not a savvy person in this matter, you may experience difficulties. But it’s not as hard as it looks. We recommend you to choose the format and type of the acoustic system first, and then to get acquainted with all the other parameters.

The following speaker formats are the most popular (this applies not only to floor models):

1. 2.0 – it includes a pair of speakers without a separate subwoofer;
2. 2.1 – this format implies the addition of two speakers in the form of one subwoofer;
3. 3.1 – This set includes two front and one center speaker, as well as a subwoofer;
4. 5.1 – the most familiar format, which includes five speakers and one subwoofer;
5. 7.1 – an increasingly popular format, in which the number of speakers is increased to seven, with a subwoofer included.

There are also sets with even more speakers and woofers, but they are quite prohibitively expensive. And for their installation we need a huge space, and therefore the choice in their favor is made only by the owners of cinemas.

Most often sold as a set consisting of one or two satellites. If a set includes more speakers, it is practically a home theater, and a separate material is devoted to it.

Floor speakers can be active and passive. In the second case, you’ll also need an amplifier, because you won’t find one inside the speakers. Active acoustics is more versatile, and takes a little less space.

As for the type of speaker system, then basically the speakers are divided into closed and open types. In the first case, the speakers will not have any holes, due to which the music sounds a little more muffled. If the acoustics are of the open type, then its case will not be airtight, but you will have several speakers and a richer sound. But all this stuff will take a bit more space.

About the other characteristics we can talk a lot, but we’re going to tell you about specific models of speakers.Let’s go over the most important of these briefly:

1. Cabinet material– Wood is preferable, but it is too expensive. Many manufacturers use MDF, which makes the construction a little cheaper. The plastic ones are quite a budget version.
2. The power– is chosen on the basis of the room you want to sound. For example, in a 20 sq.m. room we could have a lot of speakers with a lot of speakers. an 80 watt loudspeaker would be sufficient. And be sure to remember that the total power of all included satellites must be higher than the power of the amplifier to which they will be connected. Otherwise, overloading will contribute to the failure of the speaker.
3. Frequency range– It is best to look for a model with a claimed 80-20000 Hz. Expanding the range has a negative impact on the price tag, but a positive effect on the sound picture. Though you will feel it, most likely, only subconsciously…
4. Sensitivity– This is how loud you want your speakers to be. But don’t forget to look at the impedance, especially if you are going to connect satellites to a device with a low-power amplifier. The sensitivity should be as high as possible and the impedance as low as possible.
5. Number of Bands– This parameter determines whether the speaker system separately outputs bass, midrange and treble. For instance, single-way satellites cram all the frequencies into a jumble, so you’re unlikely to be able to accurately separate different musical instruments by ear. Ideally, you want three-way acoustics.

As mentioned above, the floorstanding speaker system also has many other specifications. But let’s not focus our attention on them, otherwise this article will risk to be a material which only tells about the problems in choosing such speakers. Instead, let’s move on to specific models, recognized by our experts as the best among those available in Russian retail.

Ranking of the best floor-standing loudspeakers

The best two-way in-ceiling loudspeaker

YAMAHA NS-125F

Rating: 4.9

Japanese company YAMAHA knows a lot about sound, because they’ve been making musical instruments for decades. Practice shows that even relatively inexpensive speakers can boast a great sound. Almost no one complains about the NS-125F satellites in particular. Especially those customers who had to place the speaker in a relatively small room. These are the kind of people who are most excited about 40-watt loudspeakers. It should be noted that the above figure is only the nominal power. The maximum, however, is three times higher.

YAMAHA NS-125F is a frontal loudspeaker. It copes very well with speech reproduction in films, as there are no problems with music reproduction. Even though it’s only two-way! Satellite reproduces sound in the frequency range from 60 to 35000 Hz. The sensitivity is 86dB, which is not a bad result. Especially when you consider that the impendance is less than 6 ohms.

It goes without saying that not only one speaker is used in this speaker. In this case under the grid you will find a 22 mm tweeter and a pair of 80 mm woofers. The grid, which protects the speakers from dust, can be removed at any time.

The height of this satellite is 1050 mm. Almost any adult person can carry the speaker in the house, because the weight of this model does not exceed 7.2 kg. Such a lightweight speaker is because it belongs to the passive type. So it should be connected to a device that has its own amplifier.

Buyers note the minimum number of disadvantages that can be found in this speaker. It’s nice that it is versatile. Despite the manufacturer’s claims the YAMAHA NS-125F can be used as a rear speaker, in which case you certainly won’t complain about the lack of power. You will definitely have a complaint about the piano lacquer, because it attracts dust very well.

As well as other similar loudspeakers, this model is not capable of delivering the deepest and most powerful bass. You can feel that it is geared for high and medium frequencies. It turns out that the system you build must also contain a subwoofer.

Advantages

• The price is not prohibitive;
• Good sensitivity;
• It consists of three radiators;
• Low resistance;
• Wide range of playable frequencies.

Disadvantages

• The acoustics are only two-way;
• The power reserve is still not too great.

Sony SS-CS3

Rating: 4.8

If you’re asked to list Sony products, you’ll think of cameras, smartphones, tablets, stereos, soundbars, game consoles and, of course, TVs. However, in the range of this Japanese company, there are also all sorts of speakers. For example, you can find the Sony SS-CS3 floor speaker in stores. This is a very large satellites, but a single one, the body of which is made of MDF. The front side is carefully covered with a grill that protects the speakers from dust. It is, of course, easy to remove. In this case you will see a large number of declared radiators.

The sensitivity of this model is 88dB. This is a very decent figure, which will suit those who are going to put a speaker in a room with an area of 20-25 sq. km. m. It uses acoustic cabinet of inverter type. At the same time, the satellites are passive. So, to use it you will need a device with an amplifier. You should aim for 50 watts, which is the rated power of the Sony SS-CS3.

As mentioned above, a large number of drivers are waiting for you. To be more specific, there are three. The smallest is traditionally the so-called tweeter, its diameter does not exceed 25 mm. And below that are two low-frequency radiators, which have a diameter of 130 mm. You should understand that such a design will not give much bass, anyway, you will need a subwoofer as well. But you can’t even call it a disadvantage – such speakers rarely offer “all in one”, because then the sound can get mixed up in mush.

The impedance of this speaker does not exceed 6 ohms. As for the range of reproduced frequencies, it will suit any aesthete. Satellite weight 11.5 kg. Pretty decent. This figure indicates the quality components, installed under the MDF-casing. Hinted at by its price, which isn’t particularly cheap.

Advantages

• There are no complaints about the case;
• Three radiators are used;
• Low impedance;
• Decent sensitivity;
• Wide range of reproduced frequencies.

Disadvantages

• The cost will not suit everyone;
• The speaker is only two-way.

HECO Victa Prime 502

Rating: 4.8

This subwoofer comes in at least three colors. When you look at it you can feel at once that the thing is expensive. Even though the manufacturer announced only 2.5 bands, which divide the whole range of reproduced frequencies. If your home theater will be assembled with HECO Victa Prime 502 speakers, you will be amazed at how it all sounds. Music will literally envelop you. And all sorts of movie action scenes will cause even greater emotional outburst.

But let us move on to the technical characteristics claimed by the makers of this satellite. The speaker is ready to play sound at frequencies ranging from 28Hz to 40,000Hz. Even a long-time music lover won’t complain about such a range. The speaker’s sensitivity is 91dB. This figure allows you to sound even a rather large hall. Especially if the product is paired with additional speakers, which will create a multi-channel speaker system. But don’t forget you need a serious amp for this kind of technology. The power rating of this model is 145W, and the maximum output is 265W. It is amazing, that the impedance is less than 8 ohms, and under certain conditions this figure can be half as much!

Three radiators are included in the satellite speakers. The first one is a high-frequency speaker, and the 25-mm diameter is quite enough for it. The second one is designed for reproduction of bass and medium frequencies. It has 170 mm in diameter. The third unit is similar in size, but it is purely bass.

As it should be, the acoustics has a removable grille. There are also spikes, thanks to which the satellite speaker will not move. As for the wired connection, the product uses bi-wiring technology. It is also important that all plugs are gold-plated.

Advantages

• Very high power;
• Great sensitivity;
• Low impedance;
• Several color options are available;
• A set consists of two speakers;
• The body is made of quality and durable materials;
• Wide frequency response range;
• Bottom part is equipped with spikes.

Disadvantages

• Very high cost;
• The speaker is not lightweight.

DA

SPEKTOR 6

Rating: 4.8

This satellite belongs to the Hi-Fi class. So are most of the speakers in our selection. That means you can use the Castle Acoustics Knight 4 for listening to music. If it is downloaded in a proper quality you will easily distinguish each musical instrument. What is important, in this case you can manage with a single speaker. If you want to watch movies, you’ll have to build a full home theater. And even a pair of such satellites is a serious strain on the family budget, because for each speaker they are asking for about 50K. rubles.

This frontal speaker is passive. The power of the amplifier to which it will be connected should be between 25 and 150 watts. Connected by screw mounting method. If the process is done successfully, you’ll get an incredibly clear and loud sound. This is confirmed by the fact that the manufacturer stated the sensitivity of 90dB. In terms of impendance, it does not exceed 8 ohms.

The speaker reproduces sounds from 36 Hz to 24000 Hz. It seems that this will suit almost any audiophile, not to mention people without much musical hearing. Three drivers are responsible for the sound. Traditionally, the smallest of these is the tweeter. Its diameter is only 25 mm. Well, the two bass drivers have a more impressive 130-millimeter diameter. The speakers can be exposed to the public. But it’s better to hide them under the removable grill that comes with the kit – it will protect them from dust and damage.

It remains to add that the weight of the satellite is 12,5 kg. Quite good. Especially when you consider that the speaker is not the biggest in our rating.

Advantages

• High sensitivity;
• Very low impedance;
• Classy appearance;
• There are spikes and a removable grille;
• Wide range of reproduced frequencies.

Disadvantages

• Extremely high cost;
• The speaker is only two-way;
• The speakers are quite heavy;
• Still not the best bass.

The best three-way floorstanding speakers

HECO Aurora 1000

Rating: 4.9

Are you going to get a speaker system for a relatively small dance floor? In this case we recommend to pay attention to the HECO Aurora 1000. And do not be frightened when you see the price. Yes, the sellers are asking 100k for a pair of speakers. rubles. But for that money you get not one but two speakers. With great sound!

The power of this device is 230 W. And that’s just the power rating! And the maximum can reach 380 watts. So you don’t need the cheapest amplifier. As for sensitivity, it is 93dB. More than enough to fill a large room, or even a hall. Nothing bad can be said about the impedance, as it does not exceed 8 ohms.

This acoustics is three-way. This means that it is ready to reproduce the upper, middle and lower frequencies with separate radiators. It goes without saying that the smallest tweeter has the diameter – it is 28 mm. The radiator responsible for the medium frequencies is much bigger: its diameter is 170 mm. Well, a pair of 200-millimeter bass drivers supplies music with deep bass. With these speakers, you are unlikely to think about buying a subwoofer!

On the back of each speaker there are gold-plated connectors. Here we use screw fixing of the wire from the amplifier, which is the most reliable option. It is impossible not to mention the presence of spikes on each satellite. They will definitely not let the acoustics shake or move. Contributes to this and very heavy weight. And it is one of the tallest speakers in our selection.

Advantages of

• There are spikes and a removable grille;
• Sold in pairs;
• The quality gold-plated plugs are used;
• Very high power;
• Good sensitivity;
• Low impendance;
• The range of playable frequencies is 22-42500 Hz;
• A big number of drivers.

Disadvantages

• Excessively high cost;
• The acoustics are quite heavy;
• Takes out of the box uncomfortably.

HECO Aurora 700

Rating: 4.8

This speaker is available in two colors. The body of the former is made of light wood, and the body of the latter is made of dark wood. So, you should definitely not spoil the interior of your room. It can be very big, by the way, because the rated power of this model reaches impressive 200 W. And the maximum power is actually 300 watts. All it means that you should connect the speaker system to not bad power amplifier. This is done with a screw-type connector located on the rear panel.

This model differs from some others in having spikes. Also, the product has a removable grille that protects the radiators from dirt and damage. But that’s what most other floorstanding speakers are used to.

It’s a three-way speaker. So, separate radiators are responsible for reproducing the low, medium and high frequencies. And that’s the best solution you can get. It is this kind of speaker will allow you to hear all the nuances of music. By the way, the number of radiators here is brought up to four. The smallest tweeter, at 28 cm in diameter, is responsible for the upper frequencies. All other radiators have 170 mm diameter. One of them reproduces the middle frequencies, while the other two are woofers. You can’t help but enjoy the bass of this speaker. With a speaker like this, you’ll think twice about whether it’s really worth it to spend your money on a separate subwoofer.

It should be noted that such speaker takes much space. If its width can be called adequate, the depth is 325 mm. Product height is 325 mm. And to carry the satellite speakers into the room you will need the help of a second person – the weight of the speaker is up to 19,9 kg. But it makes you understand right away that inside there are expensive components that can break down after a couple of years.

The advantages

• There are spikes and removable grille;
• A large number of drivers;
• The speaker is three-way;
• Gold-plated jacks are used;
• High power output;
• The sensitivity is up to 92dB;
• Low impedance;
• Playable frequency range is 25-42500 Hz.

Disadvantages

• The satellite is heavy;
• Many will not be able to afford it;
• The bass has a slight hum.

Canton GLE 490.2

Rating: 4.8

It is quite a rare case when the manufacturer offers you to buy a pair of floor speakers at once. This allows you to achieve an excellent stereo sound. Or it will give a good start to assembling a home theater. Quite, I must say, expensive, because for this set asking more than 50 thousand. rubles.

Canton GLE 490.2 Available in two colors. Nominal power of this set is 150 watts, but the maximum power is 320 watts. This leads to the conclusion that the speakers are ready to sound even a very large room. This is hinted at by the sensitivity, which reaches 90.5 dB. It is nice that the impedance has almost no effect on the volume reserve, since it does not exceed 8 ohms. And under certain conditions this value is cut in half!

Speakers are ready to play sound in the frequency range from 20 Hz to 30000 Hz. The result should satisfy even a music lover working in the music industry on a professional basis. Four drivers are responsible for the sound output. The smallest among them is the tweeter, which is the usual 25-millimeter diameter. The other drivers are aluminium, and they are much more oversized. For example, the midrange has a diameter of 180 mm. And the two 200mm woofers are responsible for the bass. You definitely don’t need a separate subwoofer. It can not help but please, because you certainly do not want to spend extra money on it. However, not all buyers will agree with this statement.

All connectors used here are gold-plated. By the way, the speaker uses a usual and reliable screw connection to the power amplifier. You can not do without it, as the speakers belong to the passive type.

Advantages

• The set consists of two speakers;
• Very high power;
• A wide range of reproducible frequencies;
• Good looks;
• Low impedance;
• There are two color variants;
• A large number of emitters;
• Each speaker is three-way.

Flaws

• The price will not suit everyone;
• Too much emphasis on the midrange.

Magnat Tempus 77

Rating: 4.8

This is a very imposing speaker, the body of which is made of MDF-panels, characterized by low resonance. There is a removable fabric grill at the top of the product. Underneath it there are four radiators. Well, on the bottom there are sturdy support legs, securely holding the whole structure.

Unlike many other floorstanding speakers, these are sold in pairs. The price for the set is not more than 36 thousand. Roubles. So, the acoustics belongs to the entry level. But that doesn’t make its performance low. Respect even the power rating of the speakers, which is 175 watts. And the maximum power is 320 watts. The rest of the characteristics can not but rejoice, too. For example, the impedance is only 8 ohms, and with some tricks it can be reduced by exactly half. The sensitivity is 92dB, which is also a very good value. In terms of playable frequencies the range is 22-45000 Hz.

No complaints after purchasing the Magnat Tempus 77. You’re sure to like the speakers you’ve got built in. In particular, the manufacturer deserves praise for the use of a 25mm dome tweeter, which has a neodymium magnet and a dispersion-optimized acoustic design. The 170 mm radiator is responsible for mid-range playback. The other two have a similar diameter, which are exclusively low-frequency. With this design you will have enough “tops”, and the bass, and the golden mean. Even professional musicians have to strain their ears a lot to find out any flaws in the sound.

You can rest assured that the speakers will last for many years. That’s at least hinted at by the voice coil assembly, which here is supplemented by ventilation, which contributes to maximum fail-safe performance. Even the connectors, which here are gold-plated, will remain in perfect condition. By the way, to connect the amplifier screw connectors are used, which are considered the most reliable.

It remains to add that the height of this speaker exceeds 1 m. The depth, which is 320 mm, can also be called decent. Weight of each speaker is 15.5 kg. Not a fluffy speaker, but it shouldn’t be too difficult to deliver.

The advantages of

• High power;
• Good frequency range;
• Excellent sensitivity;
• Low impedance;
• Large number of drivers;
• There is a removable grille and spikes;
• Usually sold in a set of two;
• Not very high cost;
• The acoustics is three-way.

Disadvantages

• Only one color option;
• Not the best build quality inside the speakers;
• Poor performance at low volume.

Best four-way floorstanding speakers

Legacy Audio V

Rating: 5.0

Four-way floor-standing speakers are not a frequent guest in Russian stores, and in foreign ones, too. The thing is that such satellites are difficult and expensive to produce. And, what’s more, many people simply don’t need their capabilities. Only audiophiles with a good ear for music can appreciate all the sonic nuances. But even they won’t be thrilled with the price. For example, they can’t understand how you can ask 5 million rubles for Legacy Audio V. And the secret is in the fact that it is a flagship speaker, which is usually the choice of owners of concert halls and elite nightclubs. These speakers are not suitable for installation in an ordinary private house, unless we are talking about the dwelling of some sheikh or oligarch.

It has to be admitted that the Legacy Audio V has a great look. Satellite speakers made from precious wood such as cherrywood. The surface has a grand piano lacquer finish. It also has aluminum profiles that are sized down to a hundredth of a millimeter.

Not only are there emitters inside this model. There is Legacy Wavelet processor, which acts as a preamplifier. Four-way digital crossover allows the user to correct phase and resonances, allowing you to adjust the sound to all the nuances of the room where the speaker system will be installed.

As for the drivers, you get a combination of a dipole midrange section with a twin subwoofer that runs on built-in amplifiers, and two 4-inch tweeters, which used neodymium magnets in the construction. Total output of the bass units is 1500 watts.

One can talk about Legacy Audio V speaker system for a long time. None of the experts have any complaints about either sensitivity or impedance. The last one is not more than 4 Ohm, and this is a very low value. The drivers used here give a great sound picture. Playable frequency range starts with an inconceivable 16 Hz and goes up to 30000 Hz. The entire structure will not move off the floor even if you accidentally push it – we have not only a decent weight, but also the presence of spikes to thank for this. By the way, this speaker needs a lot of space. To give you an idea, its dimensions are 47x182x48 cm.

Advantages

• The acoustics are four-way;
• The inside is made of expensive materials;
• The enclosure is made of a precious wood;
• Extremely wide frequency response range;
• There are two subwoofers with their own amplifiers built in;
• There are a large number of tweeters and low-frequency transducers;
• High sensitivity;
• Low impedance;
• Not forgotten are the spikes and the removable grille.

Disadvantages

• Astronomical price tag;
• The design can be a bit too aggressive;
• Very large size and weight.

Conclusion

It is worth admitting that the floor-standing acoustics occupies a lot of space. It is also often sold at a very high price, because of which the purchase will inevitably affect the family budget. But you’ll soon forget all about it. Just watch the first concert recorded on Blu-ray. Or listen to your favourite artist’s first album. Or play some movie with a high-quality soundtrack. We assure you, the emotion is totally worth the money spent.