We all know that without good speakers, your turntable is no more than decorative and your vinyl is not going to sound its best.
And if you’re a jazz fan, having great quality speakers that can bring out the subtleties of the music is a must.
In this post, we’ll introduce you to what we believe are some of the best speakers for vinyl on the market and answer a few frequently asked questions about buying speakers for your analogue set up.
Something as simple as the right sound system will revolutionise your listening experience, bringing out the best in your jazz collection. Whether you’re looking for a bookshelf speaker or floor speakers, we’ll show you five of the best speakers for vinyl from entry-level to audiophile devices.
With so many options available it isn’t easy to find the perfect speakers for your needs. Before getting into all the nitty-gritty of our picks, let’s have a look at our top 3 table:
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This handy guide is here to help you in the hunt, with a few recommendations and a quick introduction to what you need to look out for in a pair of speakers.
Our Best Speakers For Vinyl
ELAC Debut 2.0 B5.2 Bookshelf Speakers
The first pair of speakers on this list disprove much of the preconceptions surrounding bookshelf speakers.
These budget passive speakers are excellent performers for their price and will definitely bring out the best in your favorite jazz records.
The tonal sophistication of these speakers will highlight the dynamic expression of even the most complicated jazz timbres, with rigid cabinets that reduce vibration and improve overall sound quality.
Pros
- Can be paired with very high-end sound systems for optimal performance but are of a high enough quality to sound great with a more budget setup.
- This design is incredibly versatile and features a new front-firing port, meaning your speakers can be placed anywhere in a room with no effect on sound quality.
Cons
- Some may need to customize the brightness of high-frequency sound by adjusting the tweeter on a receiver to suit preferences.
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KEF LS50 Meta
Another bookshelf speaker, the original LS50 speakers were launched in 2012 and this generation goes some way to correct the limitations of the original.
These passive speakers offer a level of clarity that is unparalleled against other speakers available at the moment, even for more delicate sounds that you find in acoustic jazz records.
The timbre remains full-bodied and sophisticated at all frequencies and volume levels, offering a staggering precise and clean sound which makes the product one of the best speakers for vinyl on the market.
KEF also sells an LS50 wireless speaker which is great if you’re looking for a simpler set up or if you have a bluetooth turntable such as the Audio Technica record player, AT-LP120XBT. However, if you’re looking for the best turntable speakers for sound quality, stick with the LS50 Meta for the best results.
Pros
- Metamaterial Absorption Technology in the speakers soaks up 99% of unwanted sound waves from the speaker, giving a pure and natural sound.
Cons
- These speakers are surprisingly small so are not the best option for those looking for a statement piece.
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Elac Debut 2.0 B6.2 Speakers
These speakers are larger than their first-generation sibling featured on this list but with ELAC’s reputation as a global leader in speaker innovation, it is hardly surprising that multiple ELAC products would be featured in this list of the best speakers for vinyl players.
These passive speakers make use of a larger tweeter design and refined sound port placement.
The bigger electromagnet loudspeaker gives better sound clarity than its older sibling, as does the refined placement and rigid cabinet to reduce sound distortion from vibration.
These speakers are a definite must for any discerning vinyl fan.
Pros
- Modifications from the B5 speaker mean the sound is much more transparent.
- The speaker cabinets feature internal bracing that does well to reduce unwanted vibrations that would otherwise impact the sound.
Cons
- These speakers are of such good quality that they can be quite unforgiving to any equipment that does not meet the same standards.
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Triangle Borea BR08
The Triangle Borea BR08 stands out from its competitors by offering superior sound performance. A true audiophile speaker, this floorstanding speaker will assentuate the fine details in your records.
The speakers combine high levels of accuracy, picking up the smallest nuances of the record’s sound, and punching hard in terms of bass sound with two bass drivers.
Yet these floor speakers are by no means bogged down in bass and can create articulate crisp high frequencies as well.
Pros
- The size of the speakers makes them perfect for large rooms, ensuring maximum sound quality in all corners.
- The three-way configuration effortlessly integrates all frequencies of sound with no interference, allowing precise voices of instruments to be detected.
Cons
- Keep in mind that these cabinets are high-quality but are by no means a statement piece so would not necessarily become a focal point of a room.
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Dali Spektor 2
The Dali Spektor 2 is an excellent speaker for an entry-level vinyl enthusiast, offering driver configuration and bass tuning for optimum customization of sound.
Their sound quality makes them strong competitors for higher-end speakers, offering a well-rounded sound that does not negatively impact balance.
For those looking for vocal precision, these speakers are ideal with their nuanced and crisp delivery. The excellent sound resolution allows you to truly appreciate your vinyl collection. Highly recommended for fans of vocal jazz.
Pros
- The large woofer pays huge amounts of respect to bass frequencies thanks to tweeter improvement for increased sound pressure levels for superior sound quality.
- Dali’s trademarked wood fiber cones give superb rigidity to limit excess vibration and promote airflow to create crisp sounds at any volume.
Cons
- The amplifier is not included but the speakers are engineered to be compatible with any amplifier available on the market.
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Buyer’s Guide
There are enough speakers available on the market to cater to everyone’s preferences so it is important to first understand your equipment and what you are actually looking for.
The likely first question will be powered or unpowered speakers. A powered speaker, or active speaker as they’re also known as has an amplifier built-in. An unpowered, passive speaker does not.
An amplifier in this case is a device that makes lower voltage signals coming from the deck into a signal that is strong enough to power your speakers. Active speakers (powered speakers) are more convenient but in most cases, you will be sacrificing sound quality.
The majority of the speakers available come with built-in amplifiers but in order to guarantee that the speaker will be compatible with your turntable, you may need a phono preamp, also known as a phono stage.
A phono preamp performs a similar function to an amplifier by increasing the turntable’s output so it is compatible with modern amp usage.
Many phono preamps also add standardized equalization which adjusts the frequency of the sounds.
Some turntable decks come with Bluetooth connectivity options, meaning that you can connect to any Bluetooth speaker wirelessly. While this is definitely a convenient option, sound quality will undoubtedly be lost and the purity of the sound will be affected.
For some, sacrificing convenience for sound quality is acceptable but for many connoisseurs, it is not an option.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Do I Need To Play Vinyl Records?
Whether you are an experienced collector or a newbie to vinyl records, there are several things that you need to make the most of your collection.
Firstly, you need a turntable that is of good enough quality not to damage your records as you play them. You also need a phono preamp to process the signal from the phono cartridge in the turntable and make it compatible with the speakers.
While a preamp by no means needs to be costly, a good quality one will greatly improve the sound quality of your records and make for a much more enjoyable listening experience.
Finally, you need some speakers. A good speaker or set of speakers will pick up on the nuances of your music and allow you to really appreciate the artist.
To keep your records in optimum condition it is wise to invest in a basic cleaning kit and a carbon fibre brush.
Brushing your records will limit dust and grime build-up and protect your stylus in the long run. A good clean with a kit is also a good idea once in a while to protect your record and your set-up.
What’s The Difference Between A Record Player And A Turntable?
As a rule of thumb, a record player is a product that includes all the components you need to play and listen to records, including the turntable speakers, amp and preamp.
A turntable on the other hand is just the plate that spins your record and the tonearm or cartridge that reads the scratches on the vinyl to play the sound. You need to pick up the speakers, etc. separately.
This option is less convenient than purchasing a record player but would be better for someone who likes to customize their sound systems – by creating your own set up you will have much more chance for experimentation and customization of your records.
Do Vinyl Records Sound Better?
YES! Listening to vinyl records is a wholly different experience from listening to MP3 or CD, especially when it comes to jazz.
If nothing else the inability to skip parts of the end-to-end analog of a record the same way you can with digital music means that you listen to an album in the way that the artist had intended – music is recorded in a specific order in the studio for a reason!
As well as better understanding the narrative of an album better, a vinyl record tends to hold more musical data than its digital counterpart, often resulting in more complex sounds than you would otherwise hear.
The analog format of vinyl records is also exempt from the ‘war for loudness’ that digital music wages, leading to hyper-compressed loud songs that are fatiguing.
Vinyl records do not get rid of the depth of a song by squeezing out textures and dynamics, creating a much nicer sound and overall ambiance.
Final Thoughts
Your speakers can make or break your sound system.
Opting for speakers that offer clear bass frequencies will always make listening enjoyable, giving a greater range of sound than would otherwise be achieved with lesser quality speakers. If you listen to a lot of acoustic jazz, speakers that perform well at low frequencies is important for capturing the depth of the double bass, a quiet and understated instrument.
Similarly, checking out the rigidity of the speaker cabinets will reduce vibrations around the tweeter and woofer, producing a sound with superior clarity.
Remembering these factors and your own preferences when hunting is guaranteed to find you a speaker that will optimize your record collection. Happy listening!
We hope you found this article helpful in your hunt for the best speakers for vinyl. Have a question? Drop us a comment below.
Looking to complete your audio set up? Check out our top five headphones for jazz, our list of the best turntables for jazz and, for the real audiophile, this guide to the coaxial speaker cable.