Best Floor-Standing Speakers

On the market today, there are so many types of speaker designs available for customers to choose from. Among these speakers include bookshelf speakers, sound bars and floor-standing/tower speakers.

Unlike in the past, where people would purchase speakers without considering the size of their homes, today the size of your apartment is among the key aspects you have to consider when choosing home theater speakers.

While most apartments are highly congested with items such as coaches, chairs, tables and bookshelves, music enthusiasts have opted to go for floor-standing speakers to save space while experiencing high-quality explosive sound.

The main reason why tower speakers are perfect for small apartments is their ability to pack multiple speaker drivers in a small space (cabinet) resulting in a powerful surround sound.

When floor-standing speakers are powered by a strong AV receiver, they have the capacity to produce high-quality sound which is enough for an average home. This is because most woofers from tower speakers cover a wide frequency range from 40Hz to as high as 20 kHz.

According to experts, to ensure that you enjoy quality audio and cinema sound, it’s perfect if you combine your floor-standing speakers with your home theater system and a digital HD television.

How to choose the best floor-standing speakers

What are floor-standing speakers? Floor-standing speakers, also known as tower speakers, are tall and stylish speakers usually seen in most home theater setups. These drivers are mostly preferred by music lovers living in moderately sized apartments due to their sleek designs and ability to produce quality sounds.

Most of them are designed with state-of-the-art technology where powerful tweeters, mids, and coned woofers converge in a small and compact cabinet to produce wide ranges and deep bass. When choosing the best floor-standing speakers, there are a number of technical aspects you’ll need to consider such as:

• Frequency response—Frequency response is a term you’ll be likely to meet when choosing the best tower speakers. This is the audio range a speaker is capable of producing when connected to an AV receiver. Most floor-standing speakers are designed with a wide frequency response ranging from 40Hz to 20 KHz making them perfect for home use

• Sensitivity—This is another key term you’ll need to understand when choosing a perfect floor-standing speaker. Sensitivity is the ability of a speaker to convert power into sound. Sensitivity is mostly measured in decibels meaning for a speaker to be perfect, it must have sensitivity of 91dB and above. Note that, the higher the decibels, the less power a speaker consumes, the clearer the sound becomes, and the longer the speaker is likely to last

• Impedance—This is the ability of a speaker to resist electric current. When choosing a speaker, you must ensure that the power rating and the impedance of both the speaker and the amp you wish to pair your system with match. If a speaker is powered by a stronger amp, it’s likely to blow, and when it’s powered by a weaker amp, both the speaker and the amp are likely to be damaged. To ensure that this doesn’t happen, the amp and the floor-standing speaker being powered must have equal power ratings

• Driver size—Another important aspect you’ll need to consider when choosing a tower speaker is the size of the drivers. Working with large drivers is an advantage to people who enjoy listening to explosive music because the woofers produce quality low-frequency sounds. A driver with a diameter of 8” is perfect as compared to multiple small drivers because the sound generated by a large driver is strong

What to look out for in the best floor-standing speakers

With the manufacture of smart 5.1 home theater systems, it becomes very difficult to choose the right speakers for your apartment. According to most music enthusiasts, choosing a set of powerful tower speakers is the best idea as compared to bookshelf speakers or sound bars.

However, before purchasing these speakers, you should first ask yourself whether they will fit in your living room, match your interior décor, as well as produce quality surround sound.

If you feel that the speakers are a perfect match for you, then you can progress to the next step of researching key features of each of the floor-standing speakers. Among the things you should look out for include:

• The drivers—The first thing you need to look at when selecting a floor-standing speaker is the number of drivers. The types and number of drivers in a particular speaker varies from model to model. The best tower speakers usually come with four types of drivers which are responsible for the different frequency ranges. Among these drivers are tweeters (may be horn, coned or dome tweeters), mid-range drivers, woofers and sub-woofers

• Cabinet construction—Another thing you need to look at in a floor-standing speaker is the cabinet construction. Always look for a solid cabinet that doesn’t vibrate and distort the sound produced by powerful drivers. Also check the cabinet’s footing and the type of wood used in the design of the speakers. If your apartment has hard floors (tiles, wood, or linoleum), choose rubber or padded feet. If your floor is carpeted, then you can go for speakers with spiked feet

• The size of the cabinets—Before you buy a speaker, it’s wise to consider the size of the cabinet and the drivers as well. Normally, the bigger the speaker is, the louder the sound it’s able to produce. Due to this reason, it’s paramount that you first consider the size of your apartment before you determine the size of the speakers you’ll purchase

Review of the Best Floor-standing Speakers

Now that we’ve highlighted some of the most basic things you need to consider when choosing a floor-standing loudspeaker, we will review some of the best speakers in the market today.

Pioneer SP-FS52 Andrew Jones Designed Floor-standing Loudspeaker

The Pioneer SP-FS52 Floorstanding Speakers are the latest high-quality speakers on the market available at an affordable price. These speakers are perfect for home theater systems and can be paired with CDs, DVD or any other AV receiver to deliver a remarkable audio quality.

What makes these speakers perfect as compared to the competition is the smart design where at least two drivers have been included for a better performance. Among these drivers are a 1” dome tweeter for high frequency sounds, and three high-performance 5¼” woofers for low frequency bass.

Designed with sleek dimensions of 10.6” x 8.9” x 35.2” and a light weight of just 25.8 pounds, the Pioneer SP-FS52 Floorstanding Speakers have been welcomed with a magnificent 4.7/5-star rating from 289 customers, making them the perfect choice for all music enthusiasts.

Features

• The speaker design—One feature that makes the Pioneer SP-FS52 Floorstanding Speakers a leader is the elegant speaker design. To begin with, the dimensions of these speakers are large enough, giving the drivers enough room for delivering high-quality explosive sounds. Secondly, the outer wooden finish of these speakers is perfect as it complements most home decors

• Powerful drivers—One of the major factors that distinguish a high-rated from a low-performance speaker is the capacity of the drivers to deliver explosive sounds. The Pioneer SP-FS52 Floorstanding Speakers are among those speakers designed with powerful drivers that work together to deliver accurate dialogue effects and low frequency sounds all in one cabinet

• 8-element complex crossover—The crossover helps to split the audio signal into low (bass), high (tweeter) and sometimes mid-range frequencies. Unlike low-cost speakers which only use a single capacitor and inductor, the Pioneer SP-FS52 Floorstanding Speaker uses an exclusive 8-element crossover that ensures that the sound generated is clear and high quality

Pros

• One advantage with the Pioneer SP-FS52 Floorstanding Speakers is the inexpensive price. Unlike the competition, these speakers are available at an affordable price yet they’re designed with sophisticated high end technologies

• The drivers designed for these speakers such as the dome tweeters and the 5¼” coned woofers are so powerful and capable of delivering quality surround music at the comfort of your home

• The cabinets are designed with a wooden black outer finish that complements most interior decors

Things to be aware of

• Some customers have complained about the audio quality stating that it becomes poorer as you increase the volume.

• According to most music lovers, these speakers need an additional sub-woofer to deliver high-quality bass

Bottom line

All in all, the Pioneer SP-FS52 Floorstanding Speakers are the best speakers for customers looking for quality. These speakers are designed with the state-of-the-art technology where powerful drivers and complex crossovers have been added to help achieve the required success. According to most customers, these speakers are easy to set up and are sleek enough to fit in most apartments.

Polk Audio T50 Home Theater and Music Floor Standing Tower Speaker (Single, Black)

The Polk Audio tower speaker is among the best budget speakers available on the market today. Designed with the latest floor-standing technology, these bad boys are intended for music enthusiasts who enjoy listening to explosive music.

These speakers are designed with powerful drivers which work hand-in-hand with the available AV receiver to deliver high-quality surround sound regardless of the size of your apartment. The 1” dome tweeters, the 6.5” extended throw composite and two 6.5” sub-woofers ensure that any sound delivered is refined and clearly generated.

The best part about these speakers is that they can be paired with an available home theater system and still deliver outstanding sounds throughout your apartment. Designed with the latest dynamic balance technology, the Polk Audio T50 Tower Speakers are the best for all music lovers.

Features

• Easy to pair—One feature that makes the T50 Tower Speaker the best in the arena is the ability to pair with multiple audio devices. According to most customers, this speaker has the capacity to pair with any AV receiver and amp for quality music

• Quality performance—Unlike most other tower speakers, the Polk T50 performs credibly well when connected with your HD or LED smart TV. This speaker is perfect for watching movies, listening to music, watching sports and even playing games. Most customers have revealed how relaxed they feel when listening to quality surround sound generated by this speaker

• Quality construction—Another smart feature which has pushed most customers to purchase the Polk T50 over other speakers is the construction. Made from strong MDF material, this speaker is solid and very stylish. In addition, the drivers employed are very powerful and capable of delivering quality sounds without being interfered with by the volume

Pros

• The Polk T50 is designed with a stylish MDF cabinet and three identical drivers (two sub- woofers and one mid-range). This makes the entire system stylish when combined with the rest of the home theater speakers, with the TV set at the center

• Most customers have praised the power of the drivers stating that they deliver high-quality sounds in the entire room without any compromise

• The Polk T50 is very inexpensive and highly affordable for most customers

Things to be aware of

• Some customers have complained about the quality of sound especially when the volume is increased.

• The bass delivered by the T50 is not explosive meaning you have to add another sub-woofer if you wish to enjoy explosive music.

Bottom line

A lot has been said about the Polk T50 Tower Speaker. While some customers have criticized its performance, others have praised its acoustic construction, powerful drivers and easy setup. This speaker is among the best we’ve reviewed especially when it comes to the price, the drivers, the MDF construction, and the light weight.

Having welcomed with a magnificent 4.4/5-star rating from 63 customers, the Polk T50 Tower Speaker is among the best floor-standing tower speakers in the arena.

Onkyo SKF-4800 2-Way Bass Reflex Floor-standing Speakers (Pair)

The Onkyo SKF-4800 2-Way Floorstanding Speaker is another authentic high-performance speaker that brings the full-power spectrum to your home entertainment system. This speaker is designed with the latest state-of-the-art technology that involves powerful drivers and smart cabinet construction.

The twin woofers and the powerful 1” dome tweeter ensure that all the highs and lows are perfectly generated. The floor-standing design ensures that these speakers are tethered with your home theater, and used as left and right channels for quality surround sound. The Onkyo SKF-4800 is compatible with banana plugs, and allows a maximum input power of 130W.

Features

• Stylish design—One amazing feature with the Onkyo SKF-4800 Floorstanding Speaker is the smart design. This speaker comes with powerful twin woofers and 1” dome tweeter on each cabinet, making it easier to use them as left and right channel speakers

• Accurate response—Unlike most other budget speakers, the Onkyo SKF-4800 Floorstanding Speaker is designed with accurate response when listening to music via an AV receiver, a HD TV set or any other audio device

• Multiple connectors—The Onkyo SKF-4800 is designed to pair with a number of high-standard connectors such as banana plugs, pins and bare wires. The initial connecting wire that comes with the speaker is 11.5’ long, making it perfect when connecting the speaker with multiple devices

Pros

• According to most customers, the Onkyo SKF-4800 delivers high-quality highs, mids, and bass as compared to most other budget speakers

• The type of bass produced by this speaker is so deep such that most people had to turn off their main sub-woofers

• This speaker has compact dimensions of 12” x 11.6” x 40.6” and a light weight of 72.8 pounds making it perfect for home use

• Most customers have praised the fact that this speaker is compatible with a number of plug-ins such as banana plugs, pins and bare wires

Things to be aware of

Some customers have stated that although these speakers perform well, they’re not intended for large apartments because when placed in a large living room, the sound seems to fade forcing you to add more speakers to make it explosive

Bottom line

Last but not least, the Onkyo SKF-4800 Floorstanding Speakers are the best especially when intended for smaller rooms. Designed with a quality black grain finish, a moderate height and powerful drivers, this speaker is capable of turning your apartment into an entertainment center. A lot of positive comments have been posted about this speaker resulting to an average rating of 4.7/5 stars.

KEF Q500 Floorstanding Loudspeaker – Black Ash (Single)

The KEF Q500 Floorstanding speaker is another exclusive high-profile tower speaker designed with state-of-the-art technology. Designed to shake your apartment to the core, this speaker comes with powerful authentic drivers which include a 1” aluminum dome tweeter resting above three high-performance 5.35” bass drivers.

With such a combination, all music enthusiasts are guaranteed of experiencing accurate vocals, instrumentals and finally undistorted bass, regardless of the type of music you’re listening to. The KEF Q500 comes with well-constructed cabinets that are both stylish and very powerful. The base of the cabinets is designed with steel spikes that keep the speakers stable.

Finally, the KEF Q500 Floorstanding speaker is available in multiple colors which include Black Ash, Rosewood, White and American Walnut.

Features

• Uni-Q technology—This speaker is designed with the unique Uni-Q technology that impacts the powerful drivers to deliver great effects. This technology ensures that the tweeter, the midrange and the woofers produce a broader and cohesive sound that’s worth listening to

• Additional bass woofer—The KEF Q500 is designed in a very unique manner. Unlike other conventional speakers, the Q500 houses three bass woofers. However, one of these woofers is designed to produce more bass than the other two to ensure that the highs, the mids and explosive bass are sustained

• Included spikes—the Q500 is designed with adjustable steel plinth spikes that offer excellent stability to the speaker. The spikes also ensure that the speaker doesn’t rock when the drivers are playing loud and explosive music.

Pros

• The Q500 speakers are designed with a unique Uni-Q technology that ensures that the sounds produced by the speaker are natural and authentic

• This speaker is designed with powerful drivers which include a 1” aluminum dome tweeter, two ABRs (auxiliary bass radiators) and a center sub-woofer

• Most customers have praised the steel spikes designed at the bottom of the speaker stating that they offer added stability

• The price of this speaker is highly affordable for most customers

Things to be aware of

• One setback with the Q500 loudspeaker is the fact that it can’t produce deep bass. This problem has forced most customers to consider buying the more powerful Q700 and Q900 series

• To ensure that the speakers deliver quality surround sound music, you’ll need to pair them with a more powerful amp

Bottom line

The KEF Q500 Floorstanding Loudspeaker is among the speakers that have been welcomed with positive reviews from most customers. Designed for those music enthusiasts who enjoy listening to explosive music, this speaker is designed with powerful drivers such as a 1” dome tweeter and three bass woofers.

The construction is great and the appearance is perfect when placed in the front section of your living room. Having received a superb 4.6/5 star rating from 10 customers, we believe this speaker is among the best budget speakers of all times.

Polk Audio TSi300 Floorstanding Tower Speaker

The Polk Audio TSi300 Tower Speaker is the latest floor-standing loudspeaker in the TSi series, offering the most aggressive power when it comes to quality sound. This speaker is designed with the most advanced technologies Polk has ever produced such as dynamic-balance drivers, a slim design, and flared ports.

This speaker is designed to take advantage of three dynamic-balance drivers which include a 1” dome tweeter and two identical bass woofers. The cabinet is made from MDF to ensure that the highs, the mids and the bass are well amplified for quality response.

With a frequency response of 47—24,000Hz and a power input of 20-150W, the Polk Audio TSi300 is the best budget speaker to rely on when looking for a quality speaker.

Features

• Stylish design—One feature that makes most customers go for the Polk TSi300 speaker is the design. This speaker is made with a narrow-baffle design that’s both stylish and also saves on space

• Powerful drivers—Unlike most budget speakers, the TSi300 supports very powerful drivers that work together to provide an exclusive frequency range of 2.4 kHz. The drivers include 1” fabric polymer tweeter and two 5¼” bi-laminate coned woofers

• Easy setup—Most customers have praised the easy setup of this speaker thanks to its light weight of 26 pounds and sleek dimensions of 11.8” x 8.2” x 36.2”

Pros

• The Polk Audio TSi300 is designed with an MDF material that makes it stylish and very powerful

• The quality of sound delivered by this speaker is unbelievable. Some customers have gone ahead to pair this speaker with additional Polk speakers such as bookshelves models, floor-standing models and center channel models

• This speaker is narrow, yet tall making it perfect for small rooms or apartments with too many items such as chairs, tables and cabinets

• The price of the TSi300 is very inexpensive making the speaker highly affordable for most customers

Things to be aware of

The TSi300 Tower speaker is stylish and perfect for all music activities. The only slight problem is with the bass. Music lovers who wish to enjoy explosive sounds will be forced to purchase an additional sub-woofer to accomplish this.

Bottom line

All in all, the Polk TSi300 Floorstanding Speaker is another quality budget speaker on the market. Designed with a stylish MDF cabinet, this speaker comes with very powerful drivers which work together to deliver quality sounds at all times.

Most customers have praised the smart features offered by this speaker, as well as the affordable price. Although this speaker is welcomed with a 5/5 star rating from just 2 customers, it’s among the best speakers you can ever find.