Budget Bookshelf Speakers [Under $100 Cheap Picks]

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There are many expensive brands for speakers however, some of the bookshelf speakers in the market are extremely high quality and have an affordable price as well. You might be thinking, what are the best bookshelf speakers under $100? You don’t have to do much research now because we’ve created a list of the budget/cheap bookshelf for you that offer the best quality, features, and specs.

Bookshelf Speaker Under $100 We Recommend

Our Pick: Edifier R1280T

Drivers Size: 4 inches
Power per Channel: 10 – 100 watts
Frequency Response: 49 Hz – 40 Khz
Impedance: 6 Ohms
Height: 9.5 inches
Width: 5.75 inches
Depth: 7 inches

What we like: Classical Wood finish, Affordable, and High-Quality Speaker

Not so much: The frequency response

Edifier is known for its amazing speaker designs. The R1280T is no exception. With a stylish classical wood finish along with 4-inch bass drivers and an optimal power requirement of 10-100 watts, the R1280T is one of the best budget bookshelves available in the market.

Talking about budget, the price of this speaker is just under $100 which makes it very affordable. Want the best of features along with the best of the price? Well, there’s nothing better than these speakers in terms of price and quality features in our opinion.

It is extremely compatible and can be connected with any device with a 3.5 mm output or a dual RCA output. Along with this, it features a remote control for adjusting bass and volume. Overall, it is a good speaker with a lack of optimal frequency response. Do you want to get a decent looking speaker with studio-quality sound? Well, Edifier has got you covered.

Why is it the best bookshelf speaker under $100?

There are a few reasons that this speaker is better than all the others on this list according to our opinion, and those reasons are listed here.

  • Affordability
  • Minimum Power Requirements
  • Stylish Look
  • Amazing Sound Quality

These are some of the reasons that R1280T is arguably the best selling model of Edifier speakers.

Polk Audio T15 Bookshelf Speakers

Drivers Size: 5.25 inches
Power per Channel: 20 – 100 watts
Frequency Response: 60 Hz – 24 kHz
Impedance: 8 Ohms
Height: 10.7 inches
Width: 7.3 inches
Depth: 6.5 inches

What we like: Amazing frequency response rate and good-sized bass drivers for playing low frequencies

Not so much: The design is not as aesthetically pleasing and the required wattage is high

Polk Audio is one of the best audio equipment companies and T15 is one of their most high-quality speakers. Packed with features, T15 consists of a bass driver of 5.25 inches apt for playing sounds with low frequencies at amazing rates. It also has an amazing frequency response rate.

The power requirement is higher than other speakers and that is one of the downsides along with a box-type design that doesn’t look very visually appealing.

Overall it is a nice speaker and you can get it for a small price. With these affordable bookshelf speakers, you can now enjoy premium acoustics, high-quality construction, easy setup, and an amazing theatrical experience right at home.

MTX MONITOR5I

Drivers Size: 5.25 inches
Power per Channel: 20 – 100 watts
Frequency Response: 48 Hz – 20 kHz
Impedance: 8 Ohms
Height: 10.5 inches
Width: 6.5 inches
Depth: 8.5 inches

What we like: Nice sound for the size

Not so much: Wouldn’t use them as main speakers

MTX offers a lot of exciting features with its Monitor5I model. The features include an amazing 5.25-inch bass driver that is capable of playing high-quality amazing sound even with incredibly low frequencies.

The speakers look stylish and have a great design, they’re incredibly affordable and feature polypropylene woofers with rubber surround sound capabilities which make this speaker one of the best.

You can get this one for a cheap and make your study table look stylish and more ambient.

Jamo S 801 Walnut Bookshelf Speakers

Drivers Size: 4 inches
Power per Channel: 60 – 120 watts
Frequency Response: 76 Hz – 26 kHz
Impedance: 8 Ohms
Height: 16.8 inches
Width: 10.2 inches
Depth: 14.8 inches

What we like: Beautiful walnut textured wooden design

Not so much: Small and sounds like one

The S 801 Walnut bookshelf speakers are amazingly designed, decorated with a walnut texture finish made of the finest wood. Jamo outdid themselves with this budget bookshelf speaker because of the exciting features it has.

It allows for bass manipulation and adjustment. Low-frequency sounds are not processed accurately due to the mediocre frequency response rate of this speaker.

The size of the speakers is optimal and equipped with a 4-inch bass driver capable of creating good quality sound. However, the power requirement is a lot for this speaker and that is one of the downsides for this speaker. Other than that, you’ll be surprised by the nice sound replication of this speaker.

Micca MB42X

Drivers Size: 4 inches
Power per Channel: 75 watts
Frequency Response: 60 Hz – 20 kHz
Impedance: 8 Ohms
Height: 9.5 inches
Width: 5.75 inches
Depth: 6 inches

What we like: Rear ported matte black vinyl finish and compact size

Not so much: Light and tends to resonate at top volumes

Micca has created one of the best cheap bookshelf speakers in the MB42X. It has an amazing matte black vinyl design that makes it look stylish and makes your environment look epic and cool.

You can adjust the levels of the sound and the bass to your own desire. The size of these speakers is optimal and the sound quality is amazing as well. It is compatible with a multitude of amplifiers because of its good impedance.

However, the bass quality is not that great and the low-frequency rate isn’t very good either. Also, the power requirement is higher than the other competitive speakers on this list. This speaker can make your life better for a generous price and offer good quality sound as well.

Sound Appeal AVX Audio

Drivers Size: 6.5 inches
Power per Channel: 80 watts
Frequency Response: 45 Hz – 22 kHz
Impedance: 8 Ohms
Height: 12 inches
Width: 7.75 inches
Depth: 7.5 inches

What we like: Polypropylene woofers and a custom-tuned bass reflex port helps in making a decent sound

Not so much: Low on the bass side, best for surround option

Sound Appeal has designed this speaker to impress music enthusiasts. The appeal of these bookshelf speakers extends from appearance to performance. It features high-quality components coupled with black wood grain cabinets which create high-quality music along with giving a stunning ambiance to the environment they’re in. These features allow it to compete with and outperform much more expensive speakers.

These capable, high-end speakers will not break your budget but will exceed your expectations. The low-frequency rate isn’t that great therefore the low-frequency sounds aren’t able to process through the speakers.

The high power requirements also make the speakers very electrically demanding and therefore, is one of the demerits of this speaker. You can still get them and benefit from all the exciting features that it offers.

Denon SC-N10 Bookshelf Speakers

Drivers Size: 4.75 inches
Power per Channel: 65 watts
Frequency Response: 50 Hz – 20 kHz
Impedance: 6 Ohms
Height: 9.17 inches
Width: 6.02 inches
Depth: 7.87 inches

What we like: Stylish and decent design with optimal size

Not so much: Underpowered

For building your own compact home studio, Denon SC-N10 is one of the best, most optimal speakers featuring a 4.75-inch bass driver which allows sound with low frequencies to pass through with great quality.

It comes with a high bass level that can be adjusted according to the requirement of the user. It also includes a 1.2″ high-definition soft dome tweeter for better clarity and accuracy.

The SC-N10 looks pretty stylish and subtle in its design. But one problem is the high power requirement. This may cause you to not buy these speakers. But to let you know, Denon with its 100-year legacy provides excellent speakers and this one is not any different in this regard. So you won’t regret getting this speaker.

Dayton Audio MK402X

Drivers Size: 4 inches
Power per Channel: 40 – 80 watts
Frequency Response: 60 Hz – 20 kHz
Impedance: 4 Ohms
Height: 9.5 inches
Width: 6.5 inches
Depth: 5.4 inches

What we like: Wide speaker dispersion and good affordability

Not so much: Low-frequency response

The MK402X comes equipped with a 4″ treated-paper woofer that extends the low-frequency range to play down to 60Hz range without hindering critical vocal range and playing the sounds of high quality. It also features a 3/4” tweeter that delivers precise vocal and instrumental reproduction. The bass quality of these speakers is truly fascinating.

The wide speaker dispersion range means these speakers can be used in myriad ways without compromising on sound quality. It comes with a 4 ohms impedance that is compatible with a range of amplifiers. Thus, making it the ideal speaker for your home music and movie experience.

What do I get for under $100 in terms of sound and built quality?

For getting high-quality audio equipment, $100 is a very small amount nowadays. However, there are some companies who’re manufacturing high-quality low budget bookshelf speakers that have nice sound quality. We’ve gathered these products and listed them for your ease. We’ve also reviewed some higher price options – under $200 and under $300.

Along with excellent quality, the materials used in the build of these speakers that we’ve listed here are top-notch and the best of the best. An example can be taken as the aforementioned best-selling speaker that comes with a beautiful wooden finish.

All the parts and the components of the speakers are made with delicate yet high-end materials and the construction of the speaker that we’ve mentioned and the ones in this list are just amazing, that too for a budget as cheap as $100.

Last update on 2022-03-01 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API