Open, refined, dynamically expressive and heaps of fun, new B&W's 607 S3 are the standmounters to beat at this price.

A speaker has two components: a woofer and a tweeter. A tweeter is responsible for producing high-frequency sounds. They're often a dome shape and may even be independently positionable. WoofersThe Move 2 also delivers premium sound to match its premium price tag. It has a three-driver speaker system, made up of two angled tweeters and one central midwoofer. Although we found the audio quality to be excellently balanced with great detail, the stereo sound wasn't very convincing, but that's okay. Now in its eighth generation and going 20+ years strong, Bowers & Wilkins' 600 series of speakers has more often than not provided some superb speakers.

You want sound-per-pound value: If you don't need the portability, you can buy plugged-in speakers that sound the same for around half the price. A 12-hour battery life and water and dust resistance makes this an ideal speaker to take to the pool or beach, and it's available in an array of eye-catching colors. It's a shame it doesn't have a port to charge your phone, like some of larger JBL speakers do, but that's not a big deal. Faffing around with cables should a thing of the past, go wireless with our stylish Bluetooth speakers. Whether you're looking for smoothing small and portable enough to pop in to your bag, something strong and sturdy to accompany you on your outdoor excursions or Bluetooth speakers that look as great as they sound, we've got you covered. JBLs waterproof & outdoor speakers, designed to deliver incredible sound clarity any season. Let these speakers fill your outdoor space with amazing sound!

The best speakers of 2023: Buyer's guide

The Tribit Stormbox Blast is an unusual speaker and there are a few things you need to know before you consider it: it's quite heavy and you can't turn those lights off completely –although you can make it so they only pop up when you're switching the volume levels.

Q Acoustics' previous efforts have tended to be unfussy, but these 5040s need a bit more care with positioning and partnering equipment. Match them with more refined partnering electronics (these speakers can be rather transparent, impressively so), and the 5040 sound wonderfully clear and precise, with ample agility and grip to deliver a sense of great fun. We like the way these towers always sound composed and controlled, and that sense of organisation doesn’t falter when the music becomes demanding.It's a spacious, well-focused sound with impressive stereo imaging. Tonally, these floorstanders sit just on the lean side of neutral, but not so far as to cause issues.

What kind of speakers are there?

The Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 is the best-sounding and most fully-featured mini Bluetooth speaker we've had the pleasure of testing. It's not the most powerful or the loudest Bluetooth speaker out there, but at this size and price you can't currently buy better. Songs are delivered with wide-ranging dynamics, impressive authority and scale. It’s a musically cohesive presentation that’s controlled and nicely organised. If you have the budget - and space - for these speakers, they're worth an audition. You want huge sound quality: It's a small speaker for a low price, don't expect big volume and class-leading detail.