“Enhance Your Vinyl Experience with one of these Top-notch Turntable-Paired Powered Speakers”
If you’re looking to revive your vinyl collection and immerse yourself in the rich tones of your favorite albums, studio monitor speakers are the key to delivering unparalleled audio quality. With a plethora of high-end bookshelf speakers and studio monitors available in the market, we’ve curated a comprehensive list of the best ones in this article.
As we delve into the reviews of these top-tier speakers, it’s crucial to consider a few key factors that define a speaker’s worthiness:
- Power Output: Beyond sound quality, the loudness of a speaker is paramount. Pay attention to the power output, typically measured in Watts. A higher RMS power, such as 100 Watts, ensures a more robust and immersive audio experience compared to lower-powered alternatives.
- Driver Size: The size of the driver unit plays a pivotal role in determining the speaker’s overall performance. Studio monitors come with various driver sizes, ranging from 2.75 inches to larger options like 5 inches. Larger drivers contribute to a wider soundstage and superior audio quality.
- Frequency Response: For extra assurance of quality, delve into the speaker’s frequency response. A broader range, like 15Hz – 35kHz, indicates a more capable speaker compared to those with narrower responses like 35Hz – 20kHz.
Given the significant investment associated with studio monitors and bookshelf speakers, thorough research is essential. To aid your decision-making, we’ve included a curated list of Best Powered Speakers for your Turntable, along with the “Buying Guide” below. We highly recommend exploring the section until the end to make a worthwhile purchasing decision. Now, let’s dive into our article and find the perfect match for your audio indulgence.
Check to know: Bookshelf Vs Tower Speakers
Best Powered Speakers for Turntable 2024 Chart
| Best Powered Speakers for Turntable | Power Rating | Driver Size | Warranty | Buy Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edifier R1280T Powered Bookshelf Speakers | 42 Watts RMS | 4 inches | 2 year long | Check On Amazon |
| Audioengine A2+ Plus Wireless Speaker Bluetooth | 30 Watts RMS | 2.75 inches | 3 year long | Check On Amazon |
| Klipsch R-51PM Powered Bluetooth Speaker | 80 Watts RMS | 5.25 inches | 5 year long | Check On Amazon |
| Edifier S1000DB Audiophile Active Bookshelf Speakers | 120 Watts RMS | 5.5 inches | 2 year long | Check On Amazon |
| Kanto YU6 Powered Speakers | 100 Watts RMS | 5.25 inches | 2 year long | Check On Amazon |
| Audioengine A5+ Plus Wireless Speaker | 100 Watts RMS | 5 inches | 3 year long | Check On Amazon |
| Micca PB42X Powered Bookshelf Speakers | 30 Watts RMS | 4 inches | 2 year long | Check On Amazon |
| Kanto YU4 Powered Speakers | 70 Watts RMS | 4 inches | 2 year long | Check On Amazon |
| BESTISAN Powered Bookshelf Speakers | 50 Watts RMS | 4 inches | 1 year long | Check On Amazon |
| Fluance Ai41WW Powered Two-Way 5" Speakers | 90 Watts RMS | 5 inches | 2 year long | Check On Amazon |
Best Powered Speakers for Turntable Reviews
1. Edifier R1280T Powered Bookshelf Speakers
Starting this list with one of the most renowned brands in the audio industry, Edifier, which has a wide range of bookshelf speakers and other options available for a fair price.
Edifier has been known for quite a long time in the industry and has quite a huge fanbase in the audio industry. Talking about the Edifier R1280T Powered Bookshelf Speakers, these speakers are a highly suitable option to pick if you want to pair them up with a turntable. Since it offers you a wide range of connectivity options such as 2x AUX inputs and dual RCA output ports as well, connecting these speakers to multiple devices at the same time is also possible. In addition, you will also get 4 onboard EQ settings to adjust the sound quality as per your taste.
If you are curious to know about how these speakers sound, you should experience them once because they sound amazing. You get a pretty clear and loud output from these speakers, thanks to the 13mm silk dome tweeter and 4-inch full-range unit. Speaking of loudness, these speakers offer 42 Watts loud output, which is good enough to provide a room-filling sound. Apart from that, the speakers come with a fine-looking wooden enclosure that helps elevate the sound quality as well as the looks of these speakers. On top of that, Edifier is also offering a 2-year warranty for these speakers, which is great!
Best Features:
- Has 13mm silk dome tweeter
- 4 inches full range unit
- 42 Watts RMS power output
- Four onboard EQ settings
- Comes with a 2-year warranty
Pros:
- Rich sound quality
- Stylish design
- Treble is good
Cons:
- Bass could have been better
2. Audioengine A2+ Plus Wireless Speaker Bluetooth
If you are an audiophile and love enjoying your music to the deepest, you must already know about Audioengine as it’s been one of the top-tier brands in the market for a very long time.
From Audioengine, we have picked up the Audioengine A2+ Plus Wireless Speaker this time as these are some of the best mid-range bookshelf speakers available in the market right now. Starting with the features, these speakers boast 2.75″ Kevlar woofers and ¾” silk dome tweeters in each unit. Hence, you can simply expect the audio quality to be highly crisp and accurate. Moreover, the frequency response of these speakers lies between 65 Hz to 22 kHz, which is yet another impressive fact to mention. Moreover, the 30 Watts RMS output from both the speaker units sounds just amazing and very pleasant.
Want to know more? Well, these Audioengine A2+ Plus Wireless Speakers even have an in-built 16-bit DAC, analog power amplifiers, and also an aptX codec for improved wireless connectivity. Speaking of connectivity, yes, you can easily connect these speakers with Turntables with built-in or external preamps.
Thanks to the wide range of connectivity options, including 3.5mm stereo mini-jack, stereo RCA, USB, and Bluetooth, it’s possible to connect with any device. If we talk about the build quality, these speakers come in hand-crafted cabinets and are also covered under a 3-year warranty from Audioengine as well.
Best Features:
- ¾” silk dome tweeters
- 75″ Kevlar woofers
- 30 Watts RMS power output
- Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity
- Comes with a 3-year warranty
Pros:
- Work best for smaller spaces
- Highly accurate stereo experience
- Elegant design and robust build quality
Cons:
- Not as loud as other options
3. Klipsch R-51PM Powered Bluetooth Speaker
If you are looking for a premium pair of bookshelf speakers for your turntable, there’s barely any other brand as good as Klipsch out there.
The Klipsch R-51PM Powered Bluetooth Speakers are one of the most premium and ideal choices to pair up with a high-end turntable setup. If you like listening to loud music, these R-51PM speakers from Klipsch will impress you as they deliver an output of 80 Watts RMS. Apart from that, there’s no compromise on the audio quality as it comes with 1″ Aluminum LTS tweeters, and 90×90 Square Tractrix Horns. The Dual 5.25″ Spun-Copper IMG Woofers serve you with the best studio-quality sound.
If we take a look at the build quality, the speaker units are quite robust and come in a cabinet with a scratch-resistant vinyl finish. Moreover, you also get a strong and flexible removable Magnetic grille at the front in case you want to be extra sure about the safety. To spice up things a little more, the Dynamic Bass EQ adjusts the best bass settings for you. In terms of connectivity, these speakers have Bluetooth, AUX, and RCA ports as well. Despite being such a powerful set of speakers, the size is quite compact and can easily be used with any setup. One of the most interesting facts about Klipsch is that it offers a 5-year warranty on all its speakers.
Best Features:
- 1″ Aluminum LTS tweeters
- Dual 5.25″ Spun-Copper IMG Woofers
- 80 Watts RMS power output
- Dynamic Bass EQ
- Comes with a 5-year warranty
Pros:
- Easy connectivity
- 10 ft. operating distance
- Scratch-resistant vinyl finish
Cons:
- A little expensive
4. Edifier S1000DB Audiophile Active Bookshelf Speakers
As we said earlier, Edifier is a highly popular brand out there for offering a wide range of high-end studio monitor speakers; we have yet another great option for you to check out.
Speaking of the Edifier S1000DB, these are some of the most premium speakers on this list, like the previous one we discussed. Compared to other speakers, the S1000DB speakers offer a power output of 120 Watts RMS, which is better than most other options. This powerful output comes out of its 5.5-inch drivers which use Digital Sound processing technology to deliver such a rich quality output. In addition, a 1-inch tweeter is also present on each speaker unit that highly elevates the sound quality.
Coming to other features, these speakers are widely compatible with most types of devices since there are a bunch of connectivity options such as Dual RCA, Bluetooth, Optical, and Coaxial. Moreover, it also supports aptX Bluetooth 4.0 to provide lossless quality audio even when connected wirelessly. That said, these speakers are truly an all-rounder and can be used with any setup. In addition, Edifier also offers a 2-year warranty for these speakers, which is a good gesture by the brand and also provides peace of mind to the customers.
Best Features:
- Has 1-inch tweeter
- 5 inches full range unit
- 120 Watts power output
- aptX Bluetooth 4.0
- Comes with a 2-year warranty
Pros:
- Highly reliable and robust
- Audio output is quite loud
- Stylish design
Cons:
- Bass could have been better
5. Kanto YU6 Powered Speakers
Coming up next, we have yet another decent speaker option from Kanto, which is one of the best-rated speaker options out there and looks quite promising.
There’s no doubt the audio quality offered by these speakers is truly remarkable, thanks to its 1” silk dome tweeters and 5.25” Kevlar drivers. Since it’s enclosed in a handcrafted MDF cabinet, even the bass comes out to be quite good and heavy. If we talk about their loudness, you will be pretty much impressed by the 100 Watts RMS output. On top of that, since these speakers come with an integrated phono preamp, you can pair these speakers with almost any turntable quite easily and enjoy your favorite music in premium audio quality.
As far as connectivity is concerned, it’s capable of both wired and wireless connections. No matter what method of connectivity you use, these speakers will always provide you with the richest sound quality possible. Thanks to the built-in Bluetooth with Qualcomm aptX technology, you can even enjoy music directly from your mobile phone without losing any quality in the wireless transmission. The YU6 speakers are smart enough to go to standby mode to conserve power.
Best Features:
- Has 1” silk dome tweeters
- 25” Kevlar drivers
- 100 Watts RMS power output
- Bluetooth with Qualcomm aptX technology
- Comes with a 2-year warranty
Pros:
- Thumping bass output
- Ideally loud and crisp sound quality
- Wireless connectivity makes them highly versatile
Cons:
- Slightly expensive
6. Audioengine A5+ Plus Wireless Speaker
Although we have already discussed a premium option from Audioengine, here’s another one for all the audiophiles who want to enjoy their music to the fullest.
The speakers are wonderful, no doubt, but you have to keep in mind the budget as these are the most expensive on this list. The build quality and design of the speakers are quite impressive, for which Audioengine is quite popular. These speakers feature 5″ aramid fiber woofers and 3/4″ silk dome tweeters in each unit and offer a powerful and loud output of 100 Watts RMS, which is truly great to experience. Even at the higher volume levels, these speakers maintain the audio quality effortlessly and never fail to impress.
The best part about these speakers is that they come with an in-built 24-bit DAC that highly amplifies the sound quality, even if the input is coming from a low-end smartphone or laptop. Well, yes, even smartphones and laptops work with these speakers, thanks to the Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity.
All the buttons are given at the backside to make the speakers look elegant and preserve their style. However, you still get a volume knob at the front, which is quite convenient to use, when you don’t have the IR remote around you. Since Audioengine loves to take care of their customers, these speakers are covered under a 3-year warranty.
Best Features:
- Has 3/4″ silk dome tweeters
- 5″ aramid fiber woofers
- 100 Watts RMS power output
- Has a 24-bit DAC
- Comes with a 3-year warranty
Pros:
- Incredible sound quality
- Rich bass
- Easy connectivity via Bluetooth
Cons:
- Very Costly
7. Micca PB42X Powered Bookshelf Speakers
Micca is quite a popular brand in the market for offering a wide range of audio and video components of various kinds, including these Micca PB42X Powered Bookshelf Speakers.
If you are looking for a budget-friendly bookshelf speaker option, these speakers might be the best possible choice for you to pick. Despite having a low price tag, these speakers come with a Class D amplifier built-in and offer a decent power output of 30 Watts RMS. Compared to other options, the power output is quite low, however, these speakers perform quite well if you use them in a small room. The ported enclosure of these speakers helps them deliver a rich bass output without any kind of unnecessary distortion.
The audio quality comes out to be quite crisp and clear, all because of the wide frequency response of 60Hz – 20kHz. A lot more credit goes to the 0.75” Silk Dome Tweeter 4” Carbon Fiber Cone with Rubber Surround, which is highly reliable and always makes sure you hear the best-in-class sound quality.
We would recommend these speakers for those who are on a budget, and love listening to bassy music as it’s what these speakers do best. As far as connectivity is concerned, these speakers only support a 3.5mm Stereo Mini Jack and Stereo RCA, no wireless connectivity option is present.
Best Features:
- Has 0.75” Silk Dome Tweeter
- 4” Carbon Fiber Cone Woofer
- 30 Watts RMS power output
- Built-in Class D Amplifier
- Comes with a 2-year warranty
Pros:
- Affordable pricing
- Easy setup process
- Bass output is quite rich
Cons:
- Not as loud as other speakers
8. Kanto YU4 Powered Speakers
In this article, we have already discussed the YU6 bookshelf speakers from Kanto above. However, if that deal doesn’t fit your budget, the YU4 is yet another good choice of speakers that you can use with your turntable.
Like the other ones, the YU4 speakers also come in handcrafted MDF cabinets that help deliver a rich quality bass and make the sound feel more natural. In addition, the 1” silk dome tweeters and 4” Kevlar drivers handle the job to provide you with highly crisp details in music and deliver a wonderfully balanced mid-range. Thanks to the wide frequency response of 60Hz – 20kHz, even the low range is quite detailed as well. If we mention the loudness of these speakers, they offer a power output of 70 Watts RMS, which is quite decent if you have placed your turntable in the living room.
As we mentioned about turntables, these speakers come with RCA input, Optical, AUX, and phono preamp as well, so connecting any device with these speakers is an equally simple and easy task. On top of that, these speakers also come with built-in Bluetooth with Qualcomm aptX technology, so you can seamlessly connect any mobile or laptop device with the speakers and enjoy your favorite music anytime. For additional control, you can also use the YU4 remote that comes along in the package as it provides you total control of the speakers. Moreover, Kanto offers a 2-year warranty for the speaker, which is great!
Best Features:
- Has 1-inch Silk Dome tweeters
- 4-inch Kevlar Drivers
- 140W Peak Power Class D Amplifier (70 Watts Total RMS)
- Built-in Bluetooth with Qualcomm aptX technology
- Comes with a 2-year warranty
Pros:
- Wide compatibility
- Impressive bassy output
- Delivers well-balanced audio
Cons:
- A little costly
9. BESTISAN Powered Bookshelf Speakers
Lastly, if you are on a low budget, you should check out these Bookshelf speakers from BESTISAN as they are the cheapest option available for you in this entire list.
Despite being the most affordable option, we are glad to mention that these speakers also have Bluetooth 5.0, which most other brands don’t offer even after being pricey. Apart from that, if we talk about their sound quality, these speakers come with a 1.25-inch silk dome tweeter unit and a 4-inch bass unit for high performance and deliver an RMS power output of 50 Watts.
Apart from that, we are typically not a huge fan of its design as it looks quite basic. However, there’s no compromise on the build quality as the cabinets are quite robust and also come with a detachable grille. In terms of connectivity, there are only dual RCA ports available at the back. Along with the ports, you also get two adjustment knobs as well, one for volume while the other one is for Bass. In all, it’s a pretty good deal for the price, and since it also comes with a 1-year warranty, you can surely think of buying these speakers if you are on a budget.
Best Features:
- Has a 1.25-inch silk dome tweeter
- 4 inches full range unit
- 50 Watts RMS power output
- Built-in Bluetooth 5.0
- Comes with a 1-year warranty
Pros:
- Highly affordable
- Sound output is loud enough
- Robust enclosure
Cons:
- Design is very outdated
10. Fluance Ai41WW Powered Two-Way 5″ Speakers
In case you are looking for mid-range bookshelf speakers to pair up with your turntable, Fluance is yet another decent brand in the market that is highly popular for providing high-performance speakers.
The reason why these speakers can perform so well is that they feature a 90W Class D amplifier that helps them deliver a decently loud output and offers a room-filling studio-quality sound. Each of the speaker units consists of a 1-inch Silk Soft Dome Ferrofluid Cooled tweeter and 5-inch high-performance woven drivers to deliver the best possible audio quality. Thanks to the Bluetooth connectivity feature, using these speakers with Turntables, laptops, PCs, and mobile phones is quite effortless as they pair up in minutes.
The sound quality is very crisp, thanks to the wide frequency response of 40Hz – 20KHz. To produce highly detailed sound quality and rich bass, the MDF wood cabinets help a lot to deliver the best-in-class audio quality. Speaking of connectivity, you can choose to connect these speakers to any device via using the RCA/AUX or Bluetooth aptX, whichever method suits you best. Apart from all these features, you will also get a 2-year warranty for them as well.
Best Features:
- 1 inch Silk Soft Dome Ferrofluid Cooled tweeter
- 5-inch high-performance woven drivers
- 90 Watts RMS power output
- Frequency response of 40Hz – 20KHz
- Comes with a 2-year warranty
Pros:
- Easy to set up
- Premium cabinets
- Integrated class D amplifier
Cons:
- Bulky design
Buying Guide for the Best Powered Speakers for Turntable
If you own a turntable and have some really good music albums to listen to, you should spend a decent amount of money on a high-end speaker system as well. If you look in the market, you will find yourself surrounded by hundreds of good studio monitors, and bookshelf speaker options. So, how are you going to pick the best one out of them?
Well, if you already know how to choose a speaker, you can directly check out the list as we have already mentioned some of the best-powered speakers for turntables above. However, if you are a new buyer and want to know about all the things to consider before buying a new speaker, don’t leave this section and carefully read it until the end. This buying guide will help you choose the right speaker option for your turntable as it consists of all the valuable information that every customer should know about before paying for the speakers.
1. Power Rating
Before you jump deep into the specifications, you must make sure the speaker offers a loud enough output. Otherwise, there’s no point in buying a high-quality speaker system if it’s not loud in the first place. That said, the loudness of the speaker depends on the power output, which is usually mentioned in the spec sheet in terms of Watts.
The speaker systems with a higher wattage rating are more powerful and offer a louder output. For instance, if you compare the output of a 100 Watts speaker with the output of a 50 Watts speaker at the same volume level. You will find that the 100 Watts speaker offers a much louder and heavier sound output than the latter. This is how you choose a speaker system based on its loudness.
2. Driver Size
If you have confirmed that the wattage rating and loudness of the speaker are ideal enough for your usage, you should move on to check for other things like the driver size. In general, speakers come in a variety of sizes, and one reason for that is variation in the driver’s size as well.
While some speakers usually have large-sized drivers, such as 4 inches or 5 inches or more. Some speakers also come with comparatively smaller drivers of size about 2-3 inches. So, what do you think? Which of these speakers will sound better? Without a doubt, you should go for a speaker with large drivers as they offer much better sound quality and highly accurate audio.
3. Frequency Response
To pick absolutely the best speakers from the market, you have to ensure they sound great, as well as loud enough. Since music usually has a lot of different music notes, pitches, and vocals of different varieties, you can judge the clarity of a speaker system by checking its frequency response. Speakers that cover a wide range of frequency responses usually provide more accurate and clear sound quality as they can produce the sound of multiple frequencies.
For instance, if you compare a speaker having a frequency response of 50Hz-20kHz with a speaker with a frequency response of 15Hz-35kHz, the second one is surely the better one. Because it can cover a much wider range of frequencies than the latter. So, if you want to compare the sound clarity of speakers, you can simply check their frequency response in the spec sheet, and pick the better one easily.
4. Speaker and Driver Count
If you are looking for a decent speaker option for your turntable, avoid the options that come with a single speaker option. That said, if you have checked out the list of speakers above, we have only mentioned the speaker option that comes with 2 speaker units as they offer much better and louder sound quality, that too, in stereo mode.
That means, with 2 speaker units, the sound system can channelize the audio into left and right speaker units ideally to provide you with a much better and wider soundstage. Apart from the speaker count, you should also check the number of drivers and tweeters present in the speaker unit.
Generally, a single unit of the speaker comes with one woofer, or say driver, and a small tweeter. Having a tweeter in the speaker is a must as they are used to produce higher-pitched frequencies such as feminine voices, guitar notes, and sounds from other instruments as well.
5. Connectivity Options
Although you are looking for a speaker to specifically use with a turntable. But, with a wide range of connectivity options available on the speaker, they can be used with almost any device you want. Most of the speakers generally come with ¼ inch TRS, ⅛ inch TRS, balanced XLR, and RCA connectivity.
So, with such connectivity options, you can even use these speakers with your desktop PC, laptop, TV, or any other music player or so. Apart from that, if you want to use the speaker with your mobile phone as well, make sure it has Bluetooth connectivity as well. We have already mentioned some of the Best powered speakers for turntables in the list above, which are highly versatile in terms of connectivity. So, you can go through the list and find a suitable speaker option for yourself.
6. Warranty
If you look at the pricing of each speaker option that we have mentioned in the article above, it is pretty clear that only a few of them are budget-friendly. Since high-end speakers are generally expensive, they should last for a long time as well, as any buyer would expect from them.
Although all the speaker options that we have mentioned in the list come from highly reputed and popular brands, you shouldn’t feel a tad bit worried about their build quality as they all are pretty robust and solid. To be extra sure about their build quality and to know how long they will last while working perfectly, you can take a look at the warranty period offered by the brands.
Most of the speakers that we have mentioned in the list come with at least a 2-year warranty. Meanwhile, some brands offer even longer warranties, such as 3-year or 5-year long warranties as well.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Ans. When it comes to loudness, it’s pretty simple to know about it and compare the speaker’s system on this basis. If you look into the specs, you will find power output in terms of Watts mentioned for each speaker unit. That said, if you compare a 100 Watts speaker with a 50 Watts one, the speaker with more power output will offer a louder output.
Ans. While most of the audio comes out of the main driver units, tweeters are there for a very special purpose. In music, there are several high-pitched notes such as guitar notes and sound from other instruments, and even some high-pitched feminine voices, which are hard to produce from a large driver unit. Hence, tweeters handle this job and provide you with those extra bits of tiny details that make the music sound more pleasant and crisp.
Ans. That depends on the connectivity options that are offered by the speakers. Some speakers only come with RCA connectors that only connect up to 1 device at once. However, as we have mentioned in the list, most modern options come with dual RCA, Bluetooth, AUX, etc. connectivity options, so it’s possible to connect multiple devices at the same time if the speaker unit allows that.
Conclusion:
Wrapping up, we have mentioned some of the best bookshelf speakers in this article that you can use with your turntable and enjoy a really pleasant experience listening to your favorite songs in high quality. Since we have covered almost all features of every speaker option in the list, you can simply compare them and choose the one that suits best your budget.
Apart from that, if you want to choose a speaker option based on sound quality, then you must read the buying guide completely as it contains a lot of useful information. Keeping these things aside, if you are not able to make your final decision on your own, feel free to pick one from our personal recommendations.
- For those of you who are looking for a premium bookshelf speaker option, we recommend the Klipsch R-51PM Powered Bluetooth Speaker. They offer a decent power output of 80 Watts RMS, and since Klipsch is one of the top-tier brands, there are no flaws in its sound quality. Moreover, it also features Bluetooth for easy connectivity and comes with a 5-year warranty which no other brands out there offer.
- On the other hand, if you like listening to crisp and clear music, rather than heavy bass, the Edifier R1280T Powered Bookshelf Speakers are just designed for you. These speakers are ideally loud as the power output is 42 Watts RMS. Moreover, you also get 4 onboard EQ settings that help you adjust the music quality as per your taste. Thanks to its 13mm silk dome tweeter and 4 inches full range unit, the audio quality is quite impressive. Moreover, Edifier also provides a 1-year warranty which is quite a good add-on!
- In case you are looking for highly powerful speakers with loud output, you should pick the Edifier S1000DB Audiophile Active Bookshelf Speakers as they offer 120 Watts RMS output without any distortion at any volume levels. On top of that, these speakers are a wonderful choice for audiophiles, thanks to the 5.5-inch drivers, which use Digital Sound processing technology for an enhanced audio experience. Moreover, the design of the speaker is quite stylish and comes with a 2-year warranty as well.
