Find the ideal powered speakers to suit your needs — from music in your home office to immersive sound in your living room.

For music in the living room

The Marshall Stanmore III is a single speaker that fills the living room, with no cables between two speakers. With 80W of power and bass that reaches down to 45 Hz, it plays music from your phone via Bluetooth at a volume that’s great for gatherings.

On the back, it has an RCA input, so you can also connect a TV or a turntable with a preamp. Users recommend placing it at least 25 cm from the wall to keep the bass clear.

If you have a smaller space, the Acton III from the same range keeps the design in a smaller cabinet, with less power and no RCA input.

For your computer

The Edifier R1700BT are a pair of bookshelf speakers that fit on either side of your monitor and easily replace a 2.1 system. Their 66W output and 4-inch woofer deliver clear voices in videos and rich sound in games.

Connect your computer via RCA cable and your phone via Bluetooth, then switch sources using the remote control. The wooden cabinet gives the sound a warmer quality than plastic computer speakers, something users often mention.

They have remained a popular choice among users for years, and many also connect them to a turntable.

For the TV

The Edifier R1280DB feature optical and coaxial inputs, so you can connect them directly to your TV’s audio output. Dialogue sounds clearer than through the TV speakers, and movies get true stereo sound.

Two RCA inputs and Bluetooth remain available, so you can also connect a console, radio or phone and switch between sources using the remote control.

They’re the most affordable option on the list, with 42W of power—enough for an average-sized living room or bedroom.

For Wi-Fi streaming throughout your home

The JBL Authentics 200 connects to your home Wi-Fi, so the music doesn’t stop when you walk away with your phone. Users confirm it works with AirPlay 2, Chromecast and Spotify Connect.

You can add more speakers from the range in other rooms and play music on them together. With 90W of power, it easily fills a living room, and it also has Bluetooth for guests and an Ethernet port for a stable connection.

The retro design with its metal grille complements wooden furniture and shelves.

For spatial audio in movies and music

The Sonos Era 300 has speakers that point upward and to the sides, so sound also comes from above. With Dolby Atmos music and movies, you feel the sound all around you instead of just in front of you.

On its own, it fills the living room over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. If you already have a Sonos soundbar, two Era 300s can serve as the rear speakers in a surround sound system — you need two for surround sound.

It costs more than the other speakers on this list, but the overhead sound sets it apart from all the others here.

For stereo sound in a large room

The Edifier R2750DB are 3-way speakers with 6.5-inch woofers and a total output of 136W. In a large living room, they keep details clear even at high volume, where smaller bookshelf speakers start to sound muddy.

They have optical, coaxial, RCA and XLR inputs, as well as Bluetooth, so you can connect a TV, computer, CD player and phone at the same time. The pair weighs 20 kg, so they need sturdy stands or a shelf.

See more pairs of 3-way powered speakers.

Before choosing, think about where you’ll put the speaker and what you’ll connect to it: a TV needs an optical input, a turntable needs an RCA input and a preamp, while streaming in multiple rooms requires Wi-Fi. Once you’ve figured that out, the right choice depends on your space and how you plan to use it.

This article was created with the help of AI and reviewed and edited by the Skroutz team.