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When it comes to speakers, having an active speaker puts everything in one body and this is why we are here. To find the best active speakers under 500. We have searched and found the number one active speaker to be the ✅Edifier S2000MKIII powered Bluetooth bookshelf 2.0 speaker.
Best Active Speakers under 500 Dollars
Active speakers are those that come with an amplifier and the fundamental advantage is that they can function on their own.
Once your speaker is an active speaker there will be no need to look for an AV receiver or amplifier before it works.
All you need in a situation like this is to plug the audio source and it plays along with good sound quality.
Finding the best amongst the thousands of active speakers that costs less than 500 dollars is now the issue we have taken upon ourselves to resolve.
How to Identify the Best Active Speakers under 500
The very first thing we should consider since we are ultimately looking for the best speaker is the sound quality.
The sound components sound be considered; also the speaker sensitivity to show how loud the speaker can get.
However, this cannot be the only thing you check because if it is you will end up with more than 100 speakers.
The amplifier quality is another to assess in order to identify which is superior to which on your list of speakers.
You can then check for color variation and connectivity options available before deciding which is the best for you.
Comparison Table for the Best Active Speakers under 500
Tap the images to get your Best Active Speakers under 500on Amazon
| S/NO | IMAGE | NAME | FEATURES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |   | Edifier S2000MKIII Powered Bluetooth Bookshelf 2.0 Speakers - S2000MK3 Near-Field Active Tri-Amped | BLUETOOTH yes REMOTE yes COLOR VARIATION no TYPE bookshelf |
| 2 |   | Electro-Voice ZLX-12BT 12" 1000W Bluetooth Powered Loudspeaker | BLUETOOTH yes REMOTE no COLOR VARIATION no TYPE loudspeaker |
| 3 |   | Audioengine A5+ (Plus) Powered Speaker | Desktop Monitor Speakers Computer Sound System | BLUETOOTH yes REMOTE yes COLOR VARIATION yes TYPE bookshelf |
| 4 |   | Kanto YU6 Powered Bookshelf Speakers with Bluetooth and Phono Preamp | BLUETOOTH yes REMOTE yes COLOR VARIATION yes TYPE bookshelf |
| 5 |   | Edifier S1000DB Audiophile Active Bookshelf Speakers | BLUETOOTH yes REMOTE yes COLOR VARIATION no TYPE bookshelf |
| 6 |   | Vanatoo Transparent Zero Powered Speakers | BLUETOOTH yes REMOTE yes COLOR VARIATION no TYPE bookshelf |
| 7 |   | Behringer Eurolive B210D Active 200-Watt 2-Way PA Speaker System | BLUETOOTH no REMOTE no COLOR VARIATION no TYPE PA system |
1. Edifier S2000MKIII Powered Bluetooth Bookshelf 2.0 Speakers – S2000MK3 Near-Field Active Tri-Amped is the No 1 choice for the Best Active Speakers under 500
When it comes to active speakers, there are a lot of contenders in the market but some just stand out.
During our search for the best, we are sometimes drawn to stores that have a track record of quality speakers.
One of such stores is the Edifier store.
They give us speakers worthy of being called the best.
Moreso, the Edifier S200MKIII comes with all the features that we want and need, so it should be number one.
There is no reason why this speaker shouldn’t be top when you compare it with other speakers around this price range.
This amazing Edifier speaker comes with a dimension measured to be 20.7” X 17.6” X 14.7” and weighs 45.3 pounds.
First on the list of features is the OLED LCD that it comes with to help with effective control.
Still, on the topic of control, you have three knobs on the side of this speaker to adjust bass, treble, and volume.
It finally has a wireless remote, to aid you when you are trying to adjust its features from a distance.
It comes with 4 different equalizer modes to help you customize your sound hence, improving your listening experience.
Connection to a sound source is where this speaker wins the race when compared to other devices on this list.
It can connect with your devices wirelessly thanks to Bluetooth connectivity and also has all the wired connection options.
However, we recommend you use the wireless connection method as it comes with some advantages over the wired method.
Pros
- Wired and wireless connection available
- Comes with a wireless remote
- 4 equalizer modes are available
Cons
- The speaker is not waterproof
Buy the Edifier S2000MKIII from Amazon by clicking on the image link above
2. Electro-Voice ZLX-12BT 12″ 1000W Bluetooth Powered Loudspeaker
Bookshelf speakers are amazing and all but they are certainly not the only active speakers available for selection here.
Especially when we are looking for the best, some other speaker types make the list, one of such are Bluetooth-powered loudspeakers.
When they are added to the search for the best active speakers under 500, the electro-voice ZLX-12BT is mentioned first.
This amazing speaker comes second on our list as the heart of any outdoor music show or exhibition.
All the bass and treble you want to give you the best listening experience can be found in this speaker.
To prove that this is a loudspeaker, you have a peak power handling of around 1000 watts when using this speaker.
The wonderful Electro-voice ZLX-12BT weighs 34.3 pounds and has a dimension measured to be around 24” X 14” X 14”.
This speaker comes with a Class-D power amplifier which is capable of giving you 126dB peak SPL while using its transducers.
These signal synchronized transducers (SST) are engineered and patented by EV and they have the waveguide design.
They would help give you a more consistent and accurate coverage accompanied by the lowest possible distortion.
When you use this speaker, you are going to get a maximized acoustical loading which will improve the sound quality.
This speaker comes with an 18” gauge steel grille with a black powder coat to protect the speaker from dust and other particles.
Knobs can be found at the back of this speaker which is used in adjusting the volume and customizing the sound.
Pros
- Amazing sound components in use
- Suitable for indoor and outdoor use
- Wired and wireless connection available
Cons
- It is not waterproof
Purchase the Electro-Voice ZLX-12BT 12″ 1000W Bluetooth Powered Loudspeaker from Amazon by clicking the image link above
3. Audioengine A5+ (Plus) Powered Speaker | Desktop Monitor Speakers Computer Sound System
It is impossible to have a conversation about active speakers without mentioning at least one from the Audioengine store.
This is because of the continuous show of quality in the speakers that come from this store over the years.
We know it is the truth – popularity shouldn’t be a factor when searching for the best in any category.
However, when that popularity is gained because of the quality a store gives out, then popularity is enough.
The Audioengine A5+ does more than just win the popularity contest when put amongst other active speakers under 500 dollars.
It comes with all the features that make an active speaker tick and then adds a little bit extra to the mix.
One of the features that stand out when looking at this speaker is the number of connection methods available to you.
This speaker comes with all the normal connection methods that include wires and direct input of the music source.
Some of the wired methods would include the AUX and RCA port while with the USB port, storage devices can connect directly.
Knowing fully well that the wired method of connection comes with some limitations, this speaker has the wireless option.
As a Bluetooth-enabled device, it can be connected to any music source wirelessly as long as that source is Bluetooth-enabled.
The Audioengine A5 plus weighs about 13.5 pounds and has a dimension measured to be around 22” X 11” X 15”.
Some Kevlar woofers and a silk dome tweeter combine to give you the best sound quality from this speaker.
Pros
- Remote control available
- Wireless connection available
- It comes with 5-way speaker binding posts
Cons
- Not a waterproof speaker
Get the Audioengine A5+ (Plus) Powered Desktop Speakers on Amazon by clicking the image above
4. Kanto YU6 Powered Bookshelf Speakers with Bluetooth and Phono Preamp
Well, popularity is not the way we went about this research, even if it wasn’t obvious at the start, it is now.
But this is not an issue as we are looking for the best active speakers under 500 and not the most popular.
Having said that, our search for the best has taken us to the Kanto store and their YU6 powered speaker.
This bookshelf speaker comes with amazing quality that makes it unique amongst other speakers in your price range.
Even with the store’s poor publicity, this speaker enjoys an average rating of 4.5 from almost one thousand verified purchases.
The first thing you will notice about this speaker is that quality can be found both on the inside and the outside.
On the outside, this speaker set is enclosed by a hand-crafted MDF cabinet giving you a piece of art.
You do not only get sound quality when you buy the Kanto YU6, as it can serve as decor for your space.
On the sound side of things, this speaker sees the combination of some of the best sound components in the market.
A 1” silk dome tweeter is combined with 5.25” Kevlar woofer drivers to provide you with amazing sound quality.
With these amazing sound units, you are sure to get a well-balanced mid-range response and crisp high-frequency responses.
The Kanto YU6 speaker comes in a dimension that is measured as 6.89” X 8.07” X 10.71” and weighs about 20 pounds.
This speaker comes with a signal detection feature that helps save energy by turning it off when it is idle.
Pros
- Remote control included
- Wireless and wired connections are available
Cons
- This speaker is not suitable for outdoor use
Click the image link to buy the Kanto YU6 Speakers from Amazon
5. Edifier S1000DB Audiophile Active Bookshelf Speakers
We find another amazing speaker from the Edifier store and this is only proving further what we all already know.
That is the fact that you can have a list of top ten speakers and all ten would comfortably come from this store.
The Edifier store has shown over the years that quality is what they live by and that wouldn’t be changing soon.
With the S1000DB from the Edifier store, there is no reason why you wouldn’t be happy with what you have got.
Every single component used in making this speaker is of the best quality giving you a top-notch active speaker.
This wonderful Edifier speaker weighs about 18 pounds and comes with a dimension measured to be about 11” X 8” X 13.5”.
The quality sound here is a result of the combination between a 5.5” mid-range and a 1” tweeter driver.
Another thing you notice on this speaker is the number of connectivity options that are kept for you to choose from.
It doesn’t just come with a wireless connection via Bluetooth connectivity; it combines it with the aptX technology.
What this does is helps to enhance the sound quality of the speaker and gives you the lowest possible sound loss.
Generally, the wireless connection option via Bluetooth connectivity comes with a few advantages over the wired connection options.
One of such advantages is the fact that they come with a longer connection range and with them the connection is neater.
This speaker still comes with the wired connection option knowing that all devices will not be Bluetooth enabled.
Pros
- Amazing signal to noise ratio of 85dB
- Amazing sound components in use
Cons
- Not suitable for use outside
Click the image link to get the Edifier S1000DB Audiophile Speaker from Amazon
6. Vanatoo Transparent Zero Powered Speakers
The Vanatoo store hasn’t really accumulated a lot of fame but that has nothing to do with this speaker.
Being on the list of the best active speakers under 500 dollars, proves once again that popularity counts for little.
There are so many amazing features that make the speaker unique but the fact that it is an active speaker stands out.
This speaker comes with an integrated bi-amped Class-D amplifier meaning you do not need another device for it to function.
The sound unit here sees a 4” aluminum woofer combine with a 1” soft dome tweeter and a 4” passive radiator.
This bookshelf speaker comes with a dimension that is measured to be 7.75” X 4.75” X 7.5” and weighs about 8.5 pounds.
The input methods of this speaker are another selling point as it boasts of having 4 different input methods.
First, this speaker is blessed with the wireless connection option through the presence of Bluetooth connectivity here.
With Bluetooth connectivity, you enjoy a neater connection that is also accompanied by a longer connection range.
This is because the issues of tangled wires will be gone when you use this connection method.
Also, as long as you respect the Bluetooth transmission range, you can move the connected device as far as you desire.
Asides from this method of connection, this speaker can be connected to your audio device using wired methods (analog, USB, and optical).
A removable magnetic grille is also on hand here to help protect the speaker components from dust and other particles.
Pros
- Remote control included the package
- Amazing sound components in use
- Wireless and wired connection methods are available
Cons
- Speaker is not suitable for outdoor use
Purchase the Vanatoo Transparent Zero Powered Speakers from Amazon by clicking the image link
7. Behringer Eurolive B210D Active 200-Watt 2-Way PA Speaker System
Loudspeakers and public address systems are also active speakers which are one thing we forget when we are searching most times.
When all kinds of speakers that make up active speakers are added before the search begins, this speaker stands out.
The store itself has been know over the years for there amazing speakers and this one those not derail a bit.
The Behringer Eurolive B210D active speaker is a 2-way public address system with a peak power of about 200 watts.
This outdoor speaker comes with a super compact and lightweight system which still gives you premium sound quality.
The Behringer Eurolive B210D speaker operates with the superior transient response and consumes very low power with the internal switch-mode power supply.
Thanks to this technological advancement, this speaker will be producing noise-free audio hence increasing the sound quality of the speaker.
An integrated sound processor is also included in this speaker and it gives you speaker protection and ultimate speaker control.
With a class-D amplifier in-built into this system, you do not need an external device for it to function.
The Behringer Eurolive B210D speaker weighs 19.18 pounds and has a dimension measured as 9.61” X 11.5” X 18.35”.
A combination of a 10” long-excursion woofer driver and a 1.35” aluminum-diaphragm compression driver gives quality sound.
The woofer driver will give you incredibly deep bass responses and acoustic power while the tweeter gives exceptional high-frequency reproduction.
There is a port for connecting a microphone and you can use the AUX port to connect your sound source.
Pros
- Class-D amplifier technology in-built
- Amazing speaker components in use
Cons
- Speaker is not waterproof
- Wireless connection is unavailable
Purchase the Behringer Eurolive B210D Active Speaker from Amazon by clicking the image link
Conclusion on the Best Active Speakers under 500
Active speakers have been a revolution to the world of speakers hence the high demand for them in recent times.
However, although they fall in the category of speakers; not all of them are the same.
Some have qualities that make them distinct from the rest hence the reason why we are looking for the best.
The speakers under 500 dollars have the best quality in features and still charges moderately for them.
In our research, we found seven speakers and used them to make a list of the best active speakers under 500.
The number one speaker on this list however is the ✅Edifier S2000MKIII powered Bluetooth bookshelf 2.0 speaker.
So, click the link above to get yours.
