Floorstanding or Standmount Speakers? That’s an age-old question for many an audiophile (one which I covered here). In most cases, the size of your listening room will dictate which one to pick. Standard-size rooms will usually get sufficient output from standmount speakers, which provide the added benefit of enhanced image focus.
That said, those with larger-than-average rooms may want floorstanding speakers. They will fill the more prominent space with the additional sound pressure provided by the larger enclosure and additional drivers (usually).
However, room size isn’t the only deciding factor. For example, some folks may want floorstanding speakers for the additional low-end response they provide. On the other hand, those with tiny rooms must be careful not to buy too large a pair, lest they overload the room with bass energy, causing all kinds of distortions.
The list below contains our three favorite affordable floorstanding speakers, each providing their take on musicality. Between these three speakers, everyone should be able to find an engaging speaker that will provide musical enjoyment for a long time.
By the way, if you’re looking for information on how to build a system around these speakers, check out our Affordable Hi-Fi System guide linked below.
We also have a list of affordable amplifiers you can pair up with these speakers here.
More: How To Build A Mind-Blowing Affordable Hifi System In 5 Steps!
Here at Hifitrends.com, we have over 25 years of experience in both evaluating and building hi-fi systems, so we can help you find the best gear on the market.
For more information on purchasing speakers, check out our Speakers Buying Guide:
Have a question about building an affordable hi-fi system? Drop us a line at info@hifitrends.com! We may feature your question on the site!
Here’s our shortlist of the Best Floorstanding Speakers For Audiophiles On A Budget (2022):
- Best Budget Floorstanding Speakers Overall: Triangle Borea BR08 ($800/ea.)
- Best Budget Floorstanding Speaker Under $1000: PSB Alpha T20 ($849/pr.)
- Best Budget Floorstander For Modern Genres: Dali Oberon 5 Floorstanding Speaker ($1299/pr.)
The List:
Best Budget Floorstanding Speakers Overall: Triangle Borea BR08 ($800/ea.)
Specs:
- Enclosure Type: Bass-reflex
- Power handling: 150 W
- Frequency response: 40 Hz – 22 KHz (+/- 3 dB)
- Sensitivity: 92 dB/W/m
- Impedance: 8 ohms
- No. of drivers: 4
- 3-way
What we love about them:
- Great Build Quality
- Beautiful Design
- Great Balanced Sound
What to think about:
- Maybe A Little Polite (In Bass Dynamics) For Some Folks
The Triangle Borea BR08 Floorstanding Speaker is more of a good thing from Triangle’s affordably priced BOREA line. Build quality is excellent, the look is superb, and the sound quality is immensely polished. They have a wonderfully natural performance that allows you to actually see into a recording and hear the nuance of instruments and vocals. The BR03 standmount does the same on a smaller scale. I recommend the standmount for a smaller living room or basement setup, but if you have a larger room (200 sq ft. or bigger), check out the BR08.
For: Audiophiles who want a balanced floorstander with subtle warmth and nuanced midrange
Best Budget Floorstanding Speaker Under $1000: PSB Alpha T20 ($849/pr.)
Specs:
- Enclosure Type: Bass Reflex
- Frequency Response: 36-21,000 Hz (±3dB)
- Nominal Impedance: 8 Ohms
- Sensitivity: 90 dB
- Recommended Power: 15-120 watts
- ¾” Black anodized aluminum dome tweeter with front waveguide
- 5. 25″ textured polypropylene woofer with rubber surround
- 2-Way
What we love about them:
- Refined Sound for The Price
- Sounds Good With Many Genres
- Excellent Off-Axis Performance
- Deep Taut Bass
What to think about:
- It doesn’t have the most focused soundstage image
The sole floorstanding speaker in PSB Speakers’ affordable Alpha line, the PSB Alpha T20 gives you remarkable detail and dynamics for the price. The sweet highs coupled with engaging mids and weighty bass just draw you in, making for a very easy listening speaker that you can listen to for a long time without fatigue. In addition, they also sound good with just about every genre.
Comparing them to the competition, I think they give you the liveliness and excitement of the ELAC Debut 2.0 speakers and the superior midrange detail of the Q Acoustics 3000i speakers. They are like the best of both worlds. The only place they fall short of the other speakers on this list would be in the imaging department. They are good but don’t have quite the same focus.
For: Audiophiles who want super affordable, easy-going speakers that play well with all genres.
Buy: Amazon
Best Budget Floorstander For Modern Genres: DALI Oberon 5 ($1299/pr.)
Specs:
- 1-1/8″ ultra-light soft textile dome tweeter
- 2 x 5-1/4″ wood fiber cone woofers
- Enclosure Type: rear-ported bass reflex
- Frequency response: 39-26,000 Hz ±3dB
- Sensitivity: 88 dB
- Recommended power: 30-150 watts
- Nominal impedance: 6 ohms
What we love about them:
- Big, engaging sound from a very compact tower
- Remarkable soundstage, imaging, and depth
- Very good-looking
- Easy to place
What to think about:
- High-end can be a little edgy on-axis (not designed to be used on-axis)
The DALI Oberon 5 is a truly remarkable speaker…I have no idea how they got such a big, musical sound in such a neat and tidy package. They do all the audiophile stuff like soundstage, separating instruments, and imaging, but at the same time, they never forget to have fun. I absolutely love these speakers for hip-hop, electronica, indie music, and the like. Who said audiophiles only listen to Steely Dan! By the way, they also do amazingly well with any other genre. If you’re looking for a quality floorstander that is easy to set up, fits any room, and provides top-notch sound, these DALIs fit the bill…
For: Audiophiles who want an immersive, lively, almost full-range sound with no muss and no fuss
Buy: Amazon
More:
Hifitrends is reader-supported. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Prices are subject to change at any time.
I’m an audio writer who started as a young audio salesman/consumer electronics professional back in the late 90s. That’s where I discovered the magic of 2-Channel sound. My hunger for great sound has led me on a delightful music quest that continues today.
Leave a Reply