Today I am sharing with you some of the 7 best floor standing speakers under $500. This is a very good price point as you can get some amazing sound, but you are not having to spend a grand or more to get it. If you love your movies and music as much as I do then you want to be able to experience the best sound that your budget can afford.
Do Your Own Homework
Alice Cooper may have said that school is out for summer, but I am here to tell you that when it comes to speakers you need to learn as much as possible. Now in my reviews, I may talk about things like drivers and so on and for many people that is not what they care about and I get that. However, I will say that at the very least if there is a set of speakers that you like the idea of as well as reading my reviews just down below. Make sure you look around to see what other people who have used these speakers have to say. The more opinions you can get on a product the more you will know if it is right for you.
The 7 Best Floor Standing Speakers Under $500 Reviews
I was given the awesome chance to test out some of the more popular floor standing speakers that are on the market right now. I tested these with movies, music and I of course tinkered with my sound system to see what they could really do! Five of these I have tested and I have handpicked another couple that I feel are worth a closer look.
- JBL Arena 170 2-Way 7″ Floorstanding Loudspeakers
- Klipsch R-24F Reference Floorstanding Speakers
- Polk Audio TSi400 4-Way Tower Speakers
- Polk Audio TSi500 Floorstanding Speaker
- Pioneer Andrew Jones Designed Floorstanding Loudspeaker
- BIC Amercia Acoustech Platinum Series PL-89 tower speaker
- Cambridge Audio SX-80 Entry Level Floorstanding Speakers
1. JBL Arena 170 2-Way 7″ Floorstanding Loudspeakers
Pros:
- They look cool
- Sound is actually very good
- Solid design
- The finish is very high quality
Cons:
- Some might not like the JBL logo and white strip
- Is the bass as powerful as it could be?
Coming in at right around the 500 bucks mark we have these JBL Arena 170 2-Way 7″ Floorstanding Loudspeakers. I have reviewed many, many JBL speakers over the years, but usually, their cheaper models so seeing these more expensive and higher end speakers was pretty cool. These have a nice weight to them and they have a very high quality feel to them.
JBL have gone for what they call a “cabinet design” with these speakers and I can see why. They do resemble a cabinet. I have always really liked black speakers and these ones have a really smart design about them. One nice little touch is that there is this little white strip between the speaker grille and the rest of the cabinet. This along with the silver JBL logo break up the design a little. While I like this I can see how some would rather an all black design.
This is not your typical battery powered JBL speaker that kids use around the pool while streaming god awful music through Spotify. This is made by the engineers at JBL to offer the best sound possible and I think they have achieved that. The tweeter and subwoofer drier they have used is fantastic and I found that when I listened to a little bit of Nirvana and had it cranked up pretty loud the bass and treble stayed consistent and there was no distortion at all. I was in a bit of a comedy mood so in the evening we had a family movie night and watch the Tom Hanks classic, The Burbs. I really liked how clear the voices were and how the music was not a million times louder.
What Other People Are Saying
One of the sites that I always like to check out is What Hi-Fi. At the end of the day, my opinion is my own, but I want to let you guys know what others are saying to and in their review of the JBL Arena 170 2-Way 7″ Floorstanding Loudspeakers they were for the most part very happy with the sound quality of these speakers and really liked the design. They did call into question the bass, but that was something I never had an issue with, to be honest with you and they did have this to say “Yet we find ourselves taken with the Arena 170s’ sound. Equal parts crisp and clean, supple and lively, the JBLs breeze through our diverse playlist (from Van Morrison’s bluesy rock to Eminem’s edgy raps) with decent precision and timing.” So you can still they still liked them even though the bass was not perfect for them.
The JBL Arena 170 2-Way 7″ Floorstanding Loudspeakers are a great set of speakers and if you do not mind spending close to 500 bucks it is easy to see why these are regarded as some of the best floor standing speakers under $500. I really have not read any other reviews about these that have had any kind of problems.
2. Klipsch R-24F Reference Floorstanding Speakers
Pros:
- They look cool
- Great if you do not have a ton of space
- Very well made
- Sound is very nice
Cons:
- Some may not like the smaller size
- They are very close to the 500 bucks mark
Let me tell you the size of these are really going to take you by surprise. These Klipsch R-24F Reference Floorstanding Speakers are great if your room is a little tight on space and you need some kick ass floor standing speakers, but not ones that are taller than Andre the Giant. The build quality is awesome and I love the jet black, veneer cabinet that houses all the fancy tech that is inside. This is the kind of design that I really like and the base that these speakers stand on finish them off perfectly and help give the speakers a bit more personality.
Sound wise you have a horn loaded tweeter and dual copper tweeters. The idea behind a setup like this is to offer as clear sound as possible without any annoying distortion. I think they have done a great job and I was very happy with the quality of sound. You may think they will lack some kick thanks to their small stature, but I did not think that was the case at all. My first pressing of Seventh Son of a Seventh Son by Iron Maiden was given the pleasure of breaking these in and I was rocking out (until my wife told me to turn it down) and I had zero issues with the sound. Even with movies, these are great and if you are looking for a set of more compact speakers for your home theater I think you will be very happy with these.
What Other People Are Saying
While I have given you my own thoughts on these speakers I also did a little homework on what others were saying. I would say that the best place to look for other opinions on these speakers is Amazon as you can see just how many great reviews they have. A reviewer called Tom said this about his experience with the speakers, “Crisp very clean sound with a nice smooth base response”. All the reviews praise the sound and these reviews are from customers who actually paid for the speakers.
The Klipsch R-24F Reference Floorstanding Speakers are a great set of speakers. I will be honest and say that I do tend to like my speakers a little larger, but in the case of these speakers, their stature does not affect the sound at all so if you are a little tighter on space these speakers could be ideal for you.
3. Polk Audio TSi400 4-Way Tower Speakers
Pros:
- They look very nice and classy
- Speaker grille covers the whole front
- Sound is very high quality
- Two different designs available
Cons:
- Some may not like the design
- Could be a little more powerful
I am a huge fan of Polk Audio and actually, I have a Polk Audio sound system for my home theatre. The Polk Audio TSi400 4-Way Tower Speakers currently cost around 400 bucks which I think is a very nice price for speakers of this quality. The pair that I was sent were all black, but there is also a cherry kind of wood that is available which looks pretty cool. Speaking of looking cool, I love how classy these look. One thing that the folks at Polk (hey that rhymed!) do is make great looking speakers. The black wood has a nice finish and to the touch, these feel very solid. The best feature of the design is the way that the speaker grille does not just cover the drivers, it covers the whole front of the speaker and that is something I really like.
Now let’s get onto how these bad boys sound. I finally unwrapped the copy of Justice League I have had on Blu-Ray for about a month to test these speakers out. They are powered by three 5 and ¼ inch drivers and the way that these produce sound is very, very clean. I do think these speakers will sound better the more you use them, but right out of the box they have some nice and deep bass and the treble was on point too. Movies are one thing, but what about music? Well, the first album that was given the pleasure was Theatre of Pain which is one of the greatest rock albums of all time! Anyway, I skipped straight to Home Sweet Home and was blown away by how crisp, clean and just generally awesome it sounded. These are a set of speakers that I really want to use a little more so I can see what they can really do.
What Other People Are Saying
In my research, I noticed a glowing review from the folks at Home Theatre Review who had nothing but nice things to say about these speakers. I think that most other best floor standing speakers under $500 guides will have these on there and that is evident not just by what I have said, but these guys too. They said this “The TSi400 threw a deep, wide soundstage with solid imaging and air around the loudspeakers“ which is really how I felt about these. Even reading the Amazon reviews about these speakers
I was very happy with the Polk Audio TSi400 4-Way Tower Speakers. I do think that they have a bit of a breaking in time and they could be a tiny wee bit more powerful. However, these are great speakers and I think that even audiophiles will be happy with how movies, music and video games sound when they are pumped through these speakers.
4. Polk Audio TSi500 Floorstanding Speaker
Pros:
- They look awesome
- You can pick between two colors
- Sound is fantastic
- Nice deep bass
Cons:
- You have to order speakers
- An extra 100 bucks over other model
Once again we are rocking out with my buddies at Polk Audio and this time you will notice that this is just for one speaker, however, the reason I have included it is because these are around 250 bucks each so you can actually get a pair for under our $500 price limit. The Polk Audio TSi500 Floorstanding Speaker is the big brother of the one we just looked at. Now at first glance, these look pretty much identical so there is not really a whole lot to say about the style. If you like the full grille on the front of the TSi400 then you will like it here. If you did not then you will not like it here either.
While they have a very similar aesthetical design to the speakers we just talked about these speakers have four instead of three drivers! So the big question is does this extra driver make a lot of difference. Well yes, it does. I tested this out with a couple of movies and with some of my favorite albums as well and these certainly have more kick, more power and I found the bass to be deeper. Of course, an extra driver is always going to do that. Now, these would cost you about 100 bucks more than the TSi400 so you have to ask is that extra driver worth the extra 100 bucks? For me, I would say yes, but that is because I had the pleasure to try these back to back. For the average joe though I am not sure they would notice enough of a difference to justify that extra 100 bucks.
What Other People Are Saying
I had a look over at AudioReview.com to see what other people who have used these speakers had to say. They said that “These TSii/i500 floorstanding speakers bring warm, dynamic audio to your theater system, and the sophisticated, modern design fits in just about any room.” I think this is a great way to describe these speakers as I was very happy with them. Like what others have said I do feel that the more you listen to these the better they will eventually sound. I did not find one negative review for these speakers so that is great.
I loved these speakers for me personally these are certainly better speakers than their little brother. The Polk Audio TSi500 Floorstanding Speaker impressed me so much that as I write this I actually have them still plugged into my turntable that I have in the living room. A major reason for that is that as great as they sound they also have a very classy look to them.
5. Pioneer Andrew Jones Designed Floorstanding Loudspeakers
Pros:
- Very nice curvy design
- Comes with extra speakers
- Wire and plugs included
- Price is fantastic
Cons:
- Not the greatest sound in the world
- You may not care about extra speakers
Next up I have a really interesting bundle. Now I know that this is a list of the best floor standing speakers under $500. However, the reason that you are getting two floorstanding speakers along with some a center speaker, two bookshelf speakers, speaker wire and even some plugs. In other words, you are getting a full home cinema set up here which is great. The design is really nice as it has a curved design to it and that is something I really like. Getting all of this four around 400 bucks is a steal. The floorstanding speakers if you were to buy them on their own would cost you around 120 each.
Look you know for 400 bucks you are not getting the greatest sound in the world. However, I am going to take my audiophile snob hat off for a second and tell you that these speakers had a very nice sound. I did find that at louder volumes it was a little rough, but to be fair I would not normally be watching Alien Resurrection as loud as I was. The actual floorstanding speakers are actually pretty decent, but this works great as a home cinema setup. I would not have this as my main setup, but if I was looking for a new home cinema kit for my spare room I would use this in an instant.
What Other People Are Saying
I had a look at B&H.com to see what they said about the Pioneer Andrew Jones Designed Floorstanding Loudspeaker and they had a lot of nice things to say about it, especially when they take the price into consideration. One of the things that caught my eye in their description was this, “Not only is the SP-FS52 floor standing speaker aesthetically more pleasing due in part to its curved cabinet design so is the entire listening experience. This is due to a stiffer design, which reduces standing sound waves inside the cabinet.” Which is a great way to look at these speakers. I think their sturdy design is what gives them good sound, but helps Pioneer keep the price down.
I was very happy with these Pioneer Andrew Jones Designed Floorstanding Loudspeakers. Getting all of the extra stuff like the bookshelf speakers, center speakers and the gear you need to set them up was a nice bonus. I think for 400 bucks you are getting a lot of value for your money with this bundle. Even if you had no interest in the other speakers, you can never go wrong having a few spare speakers in the attic or garage…. Well, my wife disagrees with that, but she doesn’t know sound like we do!
6. BIC Amercia Acoustech Platinum Series PL-89 tower speaker
Pros:
- They look very nice
- They are designed to last
- Great if you love live music
- Price is very reasonable
Cons:
- Sound requires some work
- You have to order two speakers
Please note that I have not actually tested out this BIC Amercia Acoustech Platinum Series PL-89 tower speaker, but I do feel it is worthy of being in the conversation for the best floor standing speakers under $500. I love the design of this speaker as it is clearly aimed at those of us who have kids and whose kids have a need to touch everything in the house! I had an old set of speakers that had a permanent mark on the top thanks to my youngest thinking it was a good spot to put their bottle of Yoo-Hoo!
The speaker grille has a very nice finish that will prevent fingerprints, scratches and also a lot of dust buildup. This speaker has hand rubbed black lacquer tops and bottoms which keeps them looking good and again helps with fingerprints and dust. I cannot talk about the sound as I have not tested these, but with two 8 inch woofers, these things will have some serious kick to them. They do say that these pump out music at the same level as if you were listening to it live and that is awesome as I love live music. One extra thing to note is that this is for just one speaker so you will have to order two. That is not a big deal though as even when you order a pair they come in at under 500 bucks.
What Other People Are Saying
I read a few different reviews for the BIC Amercia Acoustech Platinum Series PL-89 tower speaker and the one that really caught my eye was from Top Ten Reviews.com. These guys said this “the PL-89 II reproduces quality vocals and dialogue in both music and movies, but high frequencies sound harsh and low frequencies tend to get drowned out.” Which leads me to believe that for live music it would be great and for regular music and movies you will have to tinker with your sound levels to get it just right, but for me that is part of the fun. Still for those who want a set of speakers they can just plug in and forget about them that might be a bit of a pain in the rear end.
While I have not tested the sound quality of these speakers I do really like the design and I am sure with the right amount of tinker I could get these sounding amazing no matter what I am listening to. I think if you love live music and are willing to get the levels just right you will love these speakers. Not to mention they have a bit of defense from towner speakers worst enemies dust and kids!
7. Cambridge Audio SX-80 Entry Level Floorstanding Speakers
Last of all I have another set of speakers that I have not personally tested and they are a little over our 500 bucks price range. However, the reason that I wanted to include these was their design. I actually decided I was going to include these before I even read about their sound quality. These have a very smart and classy dark walnut casing that is made with strong wood. They really do look classy and they kind of look like the speakers you would get on those huge all in one record and tape (maybe even 8 track!) setups that they had back in the 70’s. The speaker grilles are black and I think this goes very well with the natural dark wood look.
Powering these are two 6.5 inch woofers and I have used Cambridge Audio speakers before so I have no doubt that these will have very nice sound. The description of these reads that they will offer stage sound quality and a smooth listening experience. I would actually expect that to be true from the fine guys and gals at Cambridge Audio. However, in my experience, I would think that there is a bit of breaking in required with these speakers.
What Other People Are Saying
As I have not tested out the Cambridge Audio SX-80 Entry Level Floorstanding Speakers I thought I would do a little digging to see what people who actually have do have to say about them. Richer Sounds has some genuine customer reviews and the first thing that caught my eye was how these have a 4.9 out of 5 rating. A reviewer called MalcolmR had this to say “Whether playing vinyl; DAB radio or optical connection to my TV the sound from these speakers fills the room. Bass is very good without any distortion” This is what I would expect from these speakers, but I would assume they will have a breaking in period to get to this good sound.
What Are The Best Floor Standing Speakers Under $500?
I had a fantastic time listening to some of my favorite albums and watching some awesome (and some not so great) movies with the speakers I got to test out. I do actually have a set that I liked best and that is the Polk Audio TSi500 Floorstanding Speaker. I know that you have to buy these as two speakers as they sell them individually, but that is the only hassle with these. The sound is fantastic and I would actually say that it is better than some more expensive speakers I have checked out over the years.
Another set of speakers that I really like is the little brother of those speakers the Polk Audio TSi400 4-Way Tower Speakers. These are worth getting if you want to spend a little bit less money. However, if you want the most bang for your buck consider getting the Pioneer Andrew Jones Designed Floorstanding Loudspeakers which come with bookshelf and center speakers as well. So hopefully now you have a better idea of what the best floor standing speakers under $500 are. Just make sure you think about the sound and how they will look in your room before you hit that buy it now button!
