Great Sound on a Small Budget
We’ve updated this list with our latest picks.
With audio gear, you tend to get what you pay for, but there are some great deals to be had if you know where to look. We’ve reviewed hundreds of headphones, speakers, and other audio gear to find the best things to drive your tunes in your apartment, on your commute, or in your backyard, for around $100 or less.
Speakers
These speakers make it easy to fill any space with good sound and little effort.
Bluetooth speakers
These Bluetooth speakers use your smartphone as the music source and can withstand the rain or a splash from a pool—and some can even take a dunk.
This portable Bluetooth speaker has a natural sound and a cool design, and it’s built to survive outdoors. But its looks may not suit everyone, and it uses an outdated charging port.
The Best Portable Bluetooth Speaker
This portable Bluetooth speaker has a natural sound and a cool design, and it’s built to survive outdoors. But its looks may not suit everyone, and it uses an outdated charging port.
This speaker sounds good, and its slender form may fit more easily into tight spaces. It also offers convenient USB-C charging.
The Best Portable Bluetooth Speaker
This speaker sounds good, and its slender form may fit more easily into tight spaces. It also offers convenient USB-C charging.
The Tribit XSound Go is the best speaker we’ve heard in its price range, and it’s compact and waterproof to boot.
The Best Portable Bluetooth Speaker
The Tribit XSound Go is the best speaker we’ve heard in its price range, and it’s compact and waterproof to boot.
This rock-shaped Bluetooth speaker is IP54-rated, uses solar-panel or USB-C charging, and is especially easy to set up and use.
The Best Outdoor Speakers
This rock-shaped Bluetooth speaker is IP54-rated, uses solar-panel or USB-C charging, and is especially easy to set up and use.
Smart speakers
With wireless speakers and streaming music devices, you get easy access to almost any song using only the sound of your voice. These are great for one room, but you can expand them into a multiroom music system.
The fifth-generation Amazon Echo lets you play music, order pizza, and get answers to questions, and it can control popular smart-home devices and 10,000-plus other things.
The Best Alexa Smart Speakers
The fifth-generation Amazon Echo lets you play music, order pizza, and get answers to questions, and it can control popular smart-home devices and 10,000-plus other things.
Google’s Nest Audio speaker produces pretty good bass for its size and can pair with another Nest Audio for a stereo set. It plays music on demand from most popular streaming audio services, and it responds quickly to queries.
The Best Google Nest Smart Speakers
Google’s Nest Audio speaker produces pretty good bass for its size and can pair with another Nest Audio for a stereo set. It plays music on demand from most popular streaming audio services, and it responds quickly to queries.
Computer speakers
Active computer speakers are great for listening to music, watching movies, or gaming on your computer. The best ones can capably fill a small to midsize room with stereo sound.
These small, round speakers sound fuller and clearer than other computer speakers we’ve heard in this price range. They also have a lot of helpful connection ports and don’t require an AC adapter.
The Best Computer Speakers
These small, round speakers sound fuller and clearer than other computer speakers we’ve heard in this price range. They also have a lot of helpful connection ports and don’t require an AC adapter.
The Creative Pebble X Plus system includes a subwoofer and offers a big sound with a compact design at a reasonable price.
The Best Computer Speakers
The Creative Pebble X Plus system includes a subwoofer and offers a big sound with a compact design at a reasonable price.
Stereo bookshelf speakers
These speakers require a separate receiver to work but don’t take up a ton of space, and they sound much better than similarly priced speakers that don’t require external amplification.
The Micca MB42X G2 passive speakers have a full, satisfying sound and can easily outperform most portable speakers.
The Best Bookshelf Speakers for Most Stereos
The Micca MB42X G2 passive speakers have a full, satisfying sound and can easily outperform most portable speakers.
The B652 set isn’t handsome, but it’s surprisingly good for the price, making it perfect for workrooms, kids rooms, and other places where expensive speakers don’t make sense.
The Best Bookshelf Speakers for Most Stereos
The B652 set isn’t handsome, but it’s surprisingly good for the price, making it perfect for workrooms, kids rooms, and other places where expensive speakers don’t make sense.
Stereo amplifier
A stereo amplifier is integral to powering your speaker system if you have passive speakers. This tiny integrated amp has built-in Bluetooth, an output jack for a subwoofer, and one analog audio input—and it’s small enough to fit just about anywhere.
This tiny integrated amp packs solid power and performance, and it looks nice enough to use in a living room. It supports Bluetooth but has just one audio input.
The Best Stereo Amplifiers and Receivers Under $300
This tiny integrated amp packs solid power and performance, and it looks nice enough to use in a living room. It supports Bluetooth but has just one audio input.
Headphones
If you like to keep your tunes private, these earbuds and headphones deliver good sound without costing a fortune.
Wireless headphones
Wires are so yesterday—most phones can’t even use wired headphones anymore without an adapter. Bluetooth headphones let you keep your smartphone in your pocket while your tunes stay in your head.
This affordable pair of over-ear headphones sounds great, is comfortable, and has a long battery life.
The Best Bluetooth Wireless Headphones
This affordable pair of over-ear headphones sounds great, is comfortable, and has a long battery life.
These earbuds have great sweat resistance for workouts, and they hook over your ears to stay in place. But you don’t get features like noise cancellation or a hear-through mode.
The Best Earbuds Under $50
These earbuds have great sweat resistance for workouts, and they hook over your ears to stay in place. But you don’t get features like noise cancellation or a hear-through mode.
Wired headphones
You sacrifice a bit of convenience when you go wired, but you get it back in sound quality for your dollar. Best of all: No charging required.
The Sony MDR-7506 headphones, a longtime choice of audio professionals, offer better sound plus more reliability and comfort than many headphones twice the price.
The Best Audiophile Headphones for Everyday Use
The Sony MDR-7506 headphones, a longtime choice of audio professionals, offer better sound plus more reliability and comfort than many headphones twice the price.
Budget earbuds
Everyone needs a set of cheap earbuds just in case. These won’t blow you away with detailed sound, but they’ll perform better than the ones that came free with your phone.
These earbuds have a high water-resistance rating, sound good, and come with a lot of features you don’t usually find at this price.
The Best Earbuds Under $50
These earbuds have a high water-resistance rating, sound good, and come with a lot of features you don’t usually find at this price.
The Soundcore Space A40 set offers great sound, excellent noise cancellation, long battery life, and lots of extra features. But the touch controls are slightly limited.
The Best Noise-Cancelling Headphones
The Soundcore Space A40 set offers great sound, excellent noise cancellation, long battery life, and lots of extra features. But the touch controls are slightly limited.
Pleasing sound, competitive pricing, and a replaceable cable make this pair a great entry point for the more discerning music fan—but the earbuds’ shape may not suit everyone.
The Best Wired Earbuds
Pleasing sound, competitive pricing, and a replaceable cable make this pair a great entry point for the more discerning music fan—but the earbuds’ shape may not suit everyone.
This wired set is affordable, sounds excellent, and comes with a three-button remote and microphone. However, it doesn’t have any waterproofing.
The Best Earbuds Under $50
This wired set is affordable, sounds excellent, and comes with a three-button remote and microphone. However, it doesn’t have any waterproofing.
Radios
Sometimes analog beats digital, and retro radios are great for tuning into your favorite local AM or FM station for the latest news, sports, and tunes.
Tabletop Radios
These tabletop radios fit just about anywhere in your home. All of our picks cast a wide net to receive as many stations as possible and feature retro designs, solid tuning, and good ergonomics.
The vertical WR-15 combines an eye-catching retro design with solid build quality, reliable performance, and superb value.
The Best Tabletop Radios
The vertical WR-15 combines an eye-catching retro design with solid build quality, reliable performance, and superb value.
The WR-11SE offers a look and features similar to those of the WR-15 in a horizontal cabinet, but its reception isn’t as good.
The Best Tabletop Radios
The WR-11SE offers a look and features similar to those of the WR-15 in a horizontal cabinet, but its reception isn’t as good.
The SB2000 comes in several colors and features a classic design. Plus, it has the option to run on batteries and won’t break the bank.
The Best Tabletop Radios
The SB2000 comes in several colors and features a classic design. Plus, it has the option to run on batteries and won’t break the bank.
