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Speakers

Every speaker turns an electrical signal back into sound, but how it’s built, and whether it needs a separate amplifier at all, varies across the six types below.

Passive floorstanding and standmount speakers need a separate amplifier to drive them. More cabinet volume or driver surface area generally means more bass extension and dynamic headroom. Active speakers build amplification in, with a dedicated amp per driver rather than one shared channel per speaker. Wireless speakers go further still, with amplification, a DAC and streaming all built in – no separate components to choose at all. Subwoofers extend bass below beyond what your main speakers can reach on their own, and soundbars enhance TV and film sound in a single unit, built for dialogue clarity rather than stereo imaging.

Choose your speaker type

Neat Elite Classic speaker in american walnut

Floorstanding speakers

Full-range, freestanding cabinets with room to develop bass and dynamics – the usual choice once a room can support them.

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Amphion Argon 3X in walnut

Standmount speakers

Compact cabinets on a stand at ear height – less bass extension than a floorstander, tighter and more precisely placed imaging.

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Dutch & Dutch 6c in matt white front angle

Active speakers

Built-in amplification, with one dedicated amp per driver instead of one shared channel per speaker.

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Bluesound Pulse Mini 2i

Wireless speakers

The active speaker’s equivalent for streaming systems – amplification, DAC and streaming all built in.

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KEF KC62 subwoofer

Subwoofers

A dedicated low-frequency driver, extending bass below what your main speakers can reach alone.

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Bluesound Pulse Soundbar+

Soundbars

A single unit built for TV and film sound, prioritising dialogue clarity over the stereo imaging the rest of this page is built around.

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Amphion Argon 5C centre speaker in walnut

Centre speakers

Enhance movie dialogue and effects panning with a dedicated centre speaker.

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Which type do you need?

Already have, or want, a separate amplifier? Floorstanding or standmount speakers are the way in. Room size does most of the deciding between the two – standmounts generally suit smaller rooms and nearfield listening, floorstanders suit larger rooms where their extra cabinet volume can develop properly.

Don’t want to choose an amplifier separately? Active or wireless speakers give you a complete system in one purchase, with active speakers built for the higher end of that choice and wireless speakers built for streaming convenience.

A subwoofer is worth adding to either kind of system, once you want deeper bass than the main speakers deliver alone. A soundbar solves a different problem entirely – it’s for TV and film, not stereo music.