Jumping up from bookshelf speakers to floorstanding speakers from the same series will give you more bass, and better overall sound quality at louder volumes.
That’s because a bigger cabinet gives more room for drivers: more drivers means the audible frequency range is divided into smaller bands. So generally, each driver has an easier job.
Plus, that bigger cabinet also gives more internal volume. So the bass driver has a softer “air spring” behind it, making it easier to move large distances for deep bass.
So floorstanders are awesome. Which then, should you choose?
This guide will run you through a handful of floorstanding speakers currently available. Here’s what’s in store:
- How to shop for floorstanding speakers
- How to buy floorstanding speakers online
- Do I need a subwoofer if I have floorstanders?
- 6 of the best floorstanding speakers in 2026
How to shop for floorstanding speakers
The number one recommendation here is to focus on reputable speaker brands that are known for producing high-fidelity products. (As opposed to “lifestyle” products that are designed to appeal to as big an audience as possible.)
In my experience, reputable speaker brands will have at least one somewhat costly traditional passive speaker in their catalogue, almost always more. So they don’t just have active speakers with amps built in, Bluetooth speakers, or soundbars… but they’ve developed some high-quality passive speakers.
That’s a sign that their engineering team knows what they’re doing when it comes to sound quality.
There’s also more to shopping for floorstanding speakers than budget, looks and “sound quality.”
Yes those things are important. Of course budget will limit your options. And looks matter, because floorstanding speakers are big, so you’ll want them to suit your decor as much as possible.
However, while one pair of speakers can have better “sound quality” than another, two pairs of speakers of the same quality level can have very different “sound signatures.”
Think of “sound quality” as how lifelike the speaker sounds, and “sound signature” as the unique way the speaker reproduces music. That might mean a bigger, boomier bass response. Or forward and sparkly vocals. Or a wide soundstage that seems to fill the entire room.
Just like real music, reproduced music sounds ever-so-slightly different depending on timbre and acoustics. Engineers and quality controllers are the artists here; they decide on the sound signature they’re going for.
So, given all of that…
“You’ll want to find floorstanding speakers that play the music you love in a way that gives you maximum feels.”
To find this, think of the different styles of music you listen to. You want to make sure your system can play them in a way that you enjoy.
I once had a client who liked clean, well-recorded jazz, but also had a thing for poorly-recorded punk rock. So even though he loved the sound of highly-detailed and crisp speakers for jazz, he ended up with a warmer, more forgiving sound that suited both jazz and punk rock.
Also think about what qualities of a song appeal to you. Is it the bass that raises the hairs on your arm? Do the vocals occupy most of your attention? Guitar, drums, or some other instrument?
If there are any parts you find yourself drawn to, you’ll want to make sure they sound good through the speakers you buy. And…
The #1 way to explore floorstanding speakers is to listen to them.
The hi-fi experience is subjective. So in truth, actually demonstrating speakers is the only real way to ensure you’ll love how they sound.
If possible, visit a specialist hi-fi dealer. You might try one whose website lists one or two models that you’re interested in. They’ll be able to play a few different options so you can compare them and get a feel for what you’re music sounds like through different sound signatures.
Other benefits of visiting dealers includes being able to ask nuanced questions and get advice from someone in the industry. This could help you with things like speaker positioning or component matching. And you can usually walk out with your new speakers on the day, rather than paying shipping and waiting several days.
Of course, if you simply cannot get to a dealer, there are smart ways to shop for hi-fi online.
How to buy floorstanding speakers online
If you must buy online, you’ll want to read about other peoples’ actual listening experiences of the floorstanders you’re interested in. That might be written reviews, video reviews, or even just people on forums sharing what they heard.
Start with what we discussed before, the qualities of music that stand out to you. Then look for a speaker (within your budget) where multiple reviews mention those qualities.
For example, if you like a big sound that feels like a live show, look for terms like warm, rich, room-filling, and wide.
Or if you like a detailed, realistic sound, look for terms like revealing, clear, forward, airy, and present.
Ultimately, if you can’t demo speakers yourself, you’ll want to think about what sound signature would present your music well, and then map that against listening experience reviews.
Otherwise, you’re just taking a general recommendation—and given how differently speakers can sound, that can be a gamble.
Do I need a subwoofer if I have floorstanders?
Many people believe not, thinking that the benefit of floorstanding speakers is that they have more bass.
In truth, while floorstanders do extend lower than their bookshelf counterparts, the real benefit is that floorstanders improve every aspect of the sound—especially at louder volumes.
Meanwhile, with regard to bass, there’s actually a caveat:
The best left and right speaker positioning for stereo performance is almost never the best positioning for bass performance.
Sound waves leave the speakers, reflect off of the walls, floor and ceiling, and then cancel or boost one another. Bass waves also have long wavelengths and radiate in all directions, resulting in a phenomenon where bass is louder or quieter depending on where in the room you’re sitting.
At the same time, midrange and treble will fire more directly from each speaker, so for a good stereo image the pair must be positioned more or less in front of your listening seat, in a triangle.
That triangle position rarely provides ideal bass at the listening seat. A subwoofer however, gives you free reign to place it wherever bass sounds best at that seat.
So while a pair of floorstanding speakers can blow you away by themselves—and thus, you may not “need” a sub—in most cases, a subwoofer will still improve your bass response.
6 of the best floorstanding speakers in 2026
In this list you’ll find a quick blurb that describes each floorstanding speaker, followed by some listening notes that paint a picture of its sound signature. Note that in general as price rises, overall fidelity improves.
(For more details on listening notes, check out our post on how to judge sound quality.)
6. Acoustic Energy AE109.2
A well-rounded, entry-level floorstander from a focused and dedicated UK manufacturer. It’s an excellent and well-rounded performer for its price.
- Surprisingly neutral for entry-level, and known for dynamics.
- Treble: Detailed and present, with slight recess in the vocal range.
- Bass: Dynamic, not boomy, moderate extension.
- Imaging: Good, more centred, very position sensitive.
- Timbre: Neutral, leans clear.
Price: $1,485 AUD
5. KEF Q7 Meta
The Q7 sport KEF’s signature smooth and room-filling sound, with the best performance at volume from the series.
- A big sound with overall decent fidelity, never fatiguing.
- Treble: Rolled off nicely, curbed details yet clear and centred vocals.
- Bass: Great extension and decent dynamics, though slightly soft.
- Imaging: Room-filling and wide soundstage, with okay separation.
- Timbre: Overall warm with decent clarity in the upper mids / vocal range.
Price: $2,999 AUD
4. Acoustic Energy AE509
Acoustic Energy definitely takes things to another level going from the 100 to the 500 series.
- Excellent fidelity and punchy dynamics.
- Treble: Refined and detailed, yet never sharp; may want for shimmer.
- Bass: Very deep and tight; holds up in complex passages.
- Imaging: Moderately wide and forward, excellent separation.
- Timbre: Leans clear.
Price: $5,125 AUD
3. Chario Constellation Cygnus Mk2
This piece from Italian speaker maker Chario gets bonus points for the beautiful timber construction, and definitely suits well-recorded music.
- Transparent and a bit lean, exceptional soundstage.
- Treble: Smooth and detailed, open, less forward.
- Bass: Very clean dynamics, okay extension for towers.
- Imaging: Highly-convincing, wide soundstage with 3D separation.
- Timbre: Very close to neutral; “polite.”
Price: $6,999 AUD
2. KEF R7 Meta
Here KEF take the Q-series sound and tighten up the edges, keeping things wide and room-filling while boosting overall fidelity and bass dynamics.
- Refined and precise; still big and rich.
- Treble: Airy, detailed and forward.
- Bass: Good extension, excellent dynamics and tonal accuracy.
- Imaging: Massive soundstage, good separation and position-flexible.
- Timbre: Leans strongly towards warm.
Price: $7,999 AUD
1. Linn 150
We’re moving into the high-end realm here, where performance jumps are more about refinement. This speaker has the best treble performance of this list. Where more affordable speakers typically roll off highs in order to prevent fatigue, the 150s extend way up while remaining smooth.
- Refined and balanced; very high fidelity, with a strong midrange.
- Treble: Excellent; the top has bite and shine, but stays under control.
- Bass: Deep, full-bodied and very dynamic.
- Imaging: Incredible separation, wide and textured soundstage.
- Timbre: Leans slightly clear.
Price: $11,995 AUD
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Note: This is just a sample of some of our floorstanding speaker offerings. Go here to browse our full collection.
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