This page ranks 20 medium passive bookshelf speakers with woofers between 4” and 5.75”. Larger woofers provide deeper bass but result in a bigger, heavier cabinet.
Rankings are based on flat frequency response, directivity, dynamics, imaging, and detail retrieval. Others may prioritize these traits differently.
The law of diminishing returns applies, many moderately-priced options here provide outstanding value. I would not hesitate to recommend the majority of speakers on this page. Just note the ones labeled not recommended.
For the best picks from this page see Best Home Floorstanding and Bookshelf Speakers
Last updated: February 16, 2026
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#1 Audiofirst Fidelia [Audiofirstdesigns] [Used Listings]: £950 for the flatpack kit (assembly required)
- Positives: The absolute top speaker in this size class
- Negatives: Slight 2dB bump around 5-6khz. Only available in kit form.
- Bass Extension (-10dB): 38hz
- Bass Extension (-3dB): 53hz
- Dimensions: 11.8”H x 7.1”W x 11.7”D
- Impedance: 4 ohms
- Sensitivity: 84dB
- Tweeter: 1” ceramic-aluminum tweeter
- Weight: 15lbs / 6.8kg each
- Woofer: 5” ceramic-aluminum cone woofer
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Links
#2 Ascend Sierra 1 v2 [Ascendacoustics] [Used Listings]: $1000
- Positives: An extremely neutral response
- Negatives: Sensitivity is quite low, not great for loud listening and needs lots of amp power
- Bass Extension (-10dB): 39hz
- Bass Extension (-3dB): 55hz
- Dimensions: 14.25”H x 7.5”W x 10.5”D
- Impedance: 8 ohms
- Sensitivity: 82dB
- Tweeter: 1” aluminum/magnesium alloy dome
- Weight: 12lbs / 5.4kg each
- Woofer: 5.25” long throw mineral-filled polypropylene cone, non-resonant cast aluminum frame, copper shorting rings
- Woofer Cabinet: Ported
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Erin’s Audio Corner: NEW! Ascend Acoustics Sierra-1 V2 Review
- Erin’s Audio Corner Website Ascend Sierra 1 v2
- Audio Science Review Ascend Sierra 1 v2
- Erin’s Audio Corner: 5 AWESOME SPEAKERS Under $1000 You Won’t Regret
- Erin’s Audio Corner: I Tested 250 Speakers So You Don’t Have To!
- Erin’s Audio Corner: My Top Picks of 2023: Must-Haves Under $3000
- Links
#3 KEF LS50 Meta [Amazon] [Used Listings]: $1600
- Positives: Quite a good frequency response, excellent off axis.
- Negatives: 3dB dip at 1.2khz, 2dB dip at 2.4-2.8khz
- Bass Extension (-10dB): 43hz
- Bass Extension (-3dB): 68hz
- Dimensions: 11.9”H x 7.9”W x 11.0”D
- Impedance: 8 ohms
- Sensitivity: 85dB
- Tweeter: 25 mm (1 in.) vented aluminium dome with Metamaterial Absorption
- Weight: 17.2lbs / 7.8kg each
- Woofer: 130 mm (5.25 in.) aluminium cone
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Links
#4 Moondrop M4P MTM [Shenzhenaudio] [Used Listings]: $920 a pair
- Positives: Slight bump in the bass.
- Negatives: Vertical directivity is just okay
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Links
#5 Arendal 1961 Monitor [Arendalsound] [Used Listings]: $1150 a pair
- Positives: A high pass is built in to keep distortions down at higher volume. Directivity is pretty good.
- Negatives: A 3dB peak and lift from 3k to 10k, lightly sounding bright. Minor resonances around 3k and 5k. Won’t play very low due to the high pass at the bottom and the sealed enclosure
- Bass Extension (-10dB): 64hz
- Bass Extension (-3dB): 89hz
- Dimensions: 16.6”H x 6.4”W x 5.9”D
- Impedance: 4 ohms
- Sensitivity: 86dB
- Tweeter: 28mm
- Weight: 16lbs / 7.3kg each
- Woofer: 2 x 5,5”
- Woofer Cabinet: Sealed
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Links
#6 Zaph Audio ZA5.2 TM [Madisoundspeakerstore] [Used Listings]: $383 a pair
- Positives: Pretty smooth frequency response
- Negatives: Low sensitivity. Not great vertical off axis
- Bass Extension (-10dB): 40hz
- Bass Extension (-3dB): 60hz
- Impedance: 8 ohms
- Sensitivity: 82dB
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Links
#7 Klipsch RP-500M II [Amazon] [Used Listings]: $440 a pair
- Positives: Smoother frequency response than the RP-600M II. Fixed the crossover issue dipped response of the first version
- Negatives: 2-3dB dip from 300-600hz, 3dB peak around 1.7khz, 3-4dB peaks at 11-15khz. A bit narrow in horizontal dispersion. Some pretty big dipped areas in the vertical dispersion.
- Bass Extension (-10dB): 53hz
- Bass Extension (-3dB): 67hz
- Dimensions: 13.5”H x 6.8”W x 10.6”D
- Impedance: 8 ohms
- Sensitivity: 85dB
- Tweeter: 1” LTS (Linear Travel Suspension) titanium diaphragm tweeter with Tractrix® horn
- Weight: 13.1lbs / 5.9kg each
- Woofer: 5.25” Cerametallic™ cone woofer
- Woofer Cabinet: Rear ported
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Links
#8 JBL Studio 530 [Used Listings]
- Positives: Smooth frequency response besides the treble drop off way up high
- Negatives: Some stored energy resonances at a bunch of frequencies
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Links
#9 Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 [Used Listings]
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Links
#10 Philharmonic Affordable Accuracy Monitor [Audiokarma] [Used Listings]
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Links
#11 ELAC Uni-Fi 2.0 UB52 [Amazon] [Used Listings]: $483
- Negatives: Dipped 3db from 1.5-3khz. Nasty resonance at 600hz. Not recommended.
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Links
#12 Verdant Audio Bambusa AL-1 [Used Listings]: $7000 a pair
- Negatives: Overpriced for the performance and not recommended.
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Links
#13 ELAC BS U5 [Used Listings]: $856
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Links
#14 Neumi Silk 4 [Amazon] [Used Listings]: $200
- Negatives: A small resonance around 650hz, not very loud or dynamic due to the low sensitivity. 3dB bump around 1khz
- Bass Extension (-10dB): 55hz
- Bass Extension (-3dB): 83hz
- Dimensions: 8.9”H x 5.5”W x 8.2”D
- Impedance: 6 ohms
- Sensitivity: 82.5dB
- Tweeter: 1” silk dome, dispersion-optimized waveguide, neodymium magnet
- Weight: 6.1lbs / 2.8kg each
- Woofer: 4” treated paper cone, rubber surround, cast aluminum basket, vented pole
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Links
#15 KEF Q150 [Amazon] [Used Listings]: $350
- Positives: Fantastic off axis due to the coaxial design.
- Negatives: About 3dB boosted above 8khz and can be a little shouty. A good amount of stored energy resonance around 1.4khz
- Bass Extension (-10dB): 44hz
- Bass Extension (-3dB): 51hz
- Dimensions: 11.9”H x 7.1”W x 10.9”D
- Impedance: 8 ohms
- Sensitivity: 85dB
- Tweeter: 1” vented aluminium dome
- Weight: 12.3lbs / 5.6kg each
- Woofer: 5.1” aluminium Uni-Q
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Links
#16 Emotiva B1+ [Used Listings]: $250
- Negatives: Resonance and peak from 1-2khz. A little bright up top. Not great vertically off-axis
- Bass Extension (-10dB): 49hz
- Bass Extension (-3dB): 70hz
- Tweeter: 25×32 mm Airmotiv folded ribbon tweeter
- Woofer: 5-1/4” woven fiber cone with SBR surround
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Links
#17 Sony SS-CS5 M2 [Amazon] [Used Listings]: $250
- Negatives: Mellow treble, forward upper midrange
- Bass Extension (-10dB): 54hz
- Bass Extension (-3dB): 80hz
- Dimensions: 13.9”H x 7”W x 8.7”D
- Impedance: 6 ohms
- Sensitivity: 82.5dB
- Supertweeter: 0.75 in
- Tweeter: 0.98 in
- Weight: 9.9lbs / 4.5kg each
- Woofer: 5.12”
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Links
#18 Totem Kin One [Skybygramophone] [Used Listings]: $600
- Positives: A lot of color choices
- Negatives: 4dB peak at 900hz, 3dB peak at 5.7khz. Bad resonance around 1.5khz. Bass response isn’t great. Vertical off axis isn’t great
- Bass Extension (-10dB): 59hz
- Bass Extension (-3dB): 91hz
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Links
#19 JBL Stage A120 [Used Listings]
- Negatives: A good amount of resonance in the midrange. Quite a V curve frequency response which isn’t great.
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Links
#20 JBL Stage A130 [Used Listings]
- Negatives: A lot of midrange resonance, otherwise quite a V-curve frequency response which isn’t great.
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Links
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