The Best Speakers and Hi-Fi Components of 2023

From tiny portable speakers to passive bookshelf speakers, integrated turntables to headphone amplifiers — these are our favorites.

By Tucker Bowe

Published October 30, 2023

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Updated November 9, 2023

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This story is part of the 2023 Gear Patrol Tech Awards. To see the full list of winners, click here.

As music lovers, we’re living in a golden age of audio. The proliferation of streaming services has given us the ability to listen to pretty much any song anytime we want — as long as we’re willing to pay a small fee or listen to a short ad. At the same time, analog formats like vinyl (and even CDs) have truly made a comeback; new turntables and hi-fi components are being released all the time, and record shops are booming.

The real choice we have to make: how do we want to listen to it all? You can get a portable Bluetooth speaker and take your music anywhere. Upgrade to wireless hi-fi speaker and listen to lossless audio. Or you can build your own modern hi-fi system.

Below, we’ve rounded up our favorite speakers and hi-fi components you can find in 2023.

To learn more about our testing methodology and how we evaluate products, head here.

Best Portable Smart Speaker

Sonos Move 2

$449.00 at Sonos

The Sonos Move 2 is an extremely versatile speaker. It supports both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth so you can use it as a traditional Sonos speaker in your home or use it as a portable Bluetooth speaker and bring it to the beach. Most importantly, however, it’s simply one of the best-sounding portable speakers you can buy.

RELATED: Read Our Review

Best Portable Bluetooth Speaker

Ultimate Ears Epicboom

$320.00 at Amazon

$350.00 (9% off)

Ultimate Ears is one of the biggest names in portable Bluetooth speakers, and the 2023-released Epicboom is the company’s first genuinely new speaker in years. It’s a straightforward portable Bluetooth speaker that combines good sound and a rugged design — and it even floats.

RELATED: Read Our Review

Best New Wireless Speaker

Sonos Era 300

$449.00 at Sonos (New)
$359 at Sonos (Refurbished)

$449 (20% off)

The Era 300 is a new kind of wireless speaker that’s optimized for playing Dolby Atmos audio. It has an upward firing driver that, similar to a lot of today’s top-end soundbars, enables it to play a more immersive sound. If you have two, you use them as rear-channel speakers for an Arc soundbar and create the most immersive home theater experience that Sonos offers.

RELATED: Read Our Review

Best Wireless Streamer

WiiM Pro Plus

$219.00 at Amazon

The Wiim Pro Plus is an all-in-one streamer and DAC. You connect to your home audio system or powered speakers and, since it supports most wireless connections (including AirPlay 2, Chromecast, Spotify Connect and Tidal Connect), it allows you to stream music to your system anyway you want.

Best Ultra-Portable Bluetooth Speaker

Sony SRS-XB100

$58.00 at Amazon

The Sony SRS-XB100 is everything we’d want in an ultra-portable Bluetooth speaker. It’s super-small, affordable and extremely rugged. It also delivers true 360-degree sound, which is actually a rarity. And it has a unique design, which we like; it even comes in a couple fun colors if you’re looking for something a bit more vibrant.

RELATED: The Best Portable Speakers

Best Bookshelf Speakers Under $500

PSB Alpha P5

$399.00 at Amazon

Admittedly, there’s a lot of competition in the sub-$500 space for bookshelf speakers. But this Canadian hi-fi maker’s Alpha P5 are standouts because of its inverted tweeter design — unlike other two-way speakers, the Alpha P5’s tweeter is below its woofer — that helps deliver a wide and neutral sound. They’re also just gorgeous speakers that actually will fit on your bookshelves.

Best Active Speakers

KEF LS50 Wireless II

$1,990.00 at Amazon

The KEF LS50 Wireless II is a beast of a hi-fi system all on its own. Each speaker had two built-in amplifiers, one for its tweeter and one for its woofer, and a dedicated DAC and DSP — they sound incredible. The system also supports a plethora of both wired and wireless connections, so you can use it basically any way you want.

Best Integrated Amplifier Under $500

Cambridge Audio AXA35

$399.00 at Amazon

The Cambridge Audio AXA35 is a gorgeous and simple integrated amplifier. It can drive 35 watts per channel, making it a perfect partner for a pair of bookshelf speakers. And, since it has a built-in moving magnet phono stage, you can hook up your turntable and create a little modern hi-fi system.

Best Portable USB DAC/Amp

Audioengine DAC3

$149.00 at Amazon

The Audioengine DAC3 is a 32-bit DAC and headphone amplifier that’s incredibly portable — it’s about half the size of a lighter — and simple to use. It also comes with the necessary adapters so you connect your wired headphones to your smartphone or computer right out of the box.

Best Desktop Amplifier

Audioengine N22 (Gen 2)

$269.00 at crutchfield.com

The N22 is actually a pretty rare hi-fi component. It’s a desktop amplifier that’s specifically designed to help you turn your passive bookshelf speakers into a badass computer audio system. It works as a headphone amplifier, too, for when you need a private listening setup.

Best Integrated Turntable Under $500

Pro-Ject T1 Phono SB

$449.00 at Amazon

$499.00 (10% off)

Pro-Ject’s T1 series of turntables are both excellent and affordable. Each T1 turntable features electronic speed control, an aluminum tonearm, a heavy glass platter and an Ortofon OM5e MM phono cartridge. This “Phono SB” version comes with a switchable phono preamp, too. All this for less than $500.

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