5 Best Vintage Speakers for Vinyl review

The 5 Best Vintage Speakers for Vinyl Review in 2022

Vinyl collecting is more popular now than ever and that is why today I am looking at the best vintage speakers for vinyl. If you have checked out the sight before you know that I love to talk about vinyl and today I am having some fun. As much as I love collecting vinyl records, the hobby has gotten a tad pretentious lately. That is why I am looking at some speakers that have a real old school, classic and vintage style to them. If you are one of the many people that like to have an older looking turntable, these speakers are for you. 

Before We Get To The Speakers Let’s Talk Records!

My vinyl collection is one of my most cherished possessions. The thing with collecting vinyl, especially older vinyl. You can have the best vintage speakers for vinyl right next to your record player, but if you are not taking care of your vinyl, they are never going to sound as good as you want. 

With that in mind please take the time to check out my article on how you should clean your vinyl records and my article on tools to help clean your vinyl records and that will help you keep your records in tip-top condition. So when you do come to buy a new set of speakers, you are making sure everything is as good as it can be. 

The 5 Best Vintage Speakers For Vinyl Reviews

There a ton of record players that have the vintage look, but for some reason, vintage-looking speakers have not really taken off. The five that I am checking out are some of the more interesting speakers around. These are all priced at the lower end of the spectrum so keep that in mind going in. These speakers I feel have a design that is quite fitting if you want something that has a more vintage look. 

  1. Edifier R1280T Powered Bookshelf Speakers
  2. Fluance SX6W High Definition Two-Way Bookshelf Loudspeakers
  3. Polk Audio T15 100 Watt Home Theater Bookshelf Speakers
  4. Acoustic Audio AA321B Mountable Indoor Speakers
  5. Marshall Stockwell II Portable Bluetooth Speaker

1. Edifier R1280T Powered Bookshelf Speakers

1. Edifier R1280T Powered Bookshelf Speakers

First up and ready to rock and roll are these Edifier R1280T Powered Bookshelf Speakers. These are competitively priced at $99.99 which is a great price for something that has the Edifier name on it. What I feel makes this perfect for those looking for an old school or vintage vibe is the woodgrain casing that they have used. That along with the black cover on the front give these speakers a very late 70s early 80s kind of vibe in my opinion. These are very easy to connect to your record player (although they are wired only) and they even come with a remote control They also have dials on the side so you can tinker with the bass and the treble so you can get the best out of them.

Ok, so at this price point, you know you are not getting the most room rocking sound in the world. However, after a few hours and a lot of Iron Maiden with a tad of Motley Cru I can say that sound I was getting from my records was not bad at all. It has a 4-inch bass driver so while I would not recommend cranking these all the way up, even at what I would class as louder volumes the sound was not bad at all and certainly not tiny like other cheaper speakers can be. 

Pros:

  • I am really loving that woodgrain style they have
  • They are easy to connect to your turntable
  • My vinyl sounded great played through these
  • I like how you can tinker with the bass and treble

Cons:

  • I get that woodgrain is not to everyone’s taste
  • Some might not like the fact there is no Bluetooth 

What Other People Are Saying

I found a cool video unboxing that showcases these speakers very well. I also read some of the comments and people seem to be really digging these in terms of their sound quality as well as the way they look. Over at Amazon, these have over 5000 customer reviews as I write this and what makes that even more impressive is the fact that over 90 percent of these reviews are for 4 and 5 stars! 

I will admit that I went into this not expecting much, but as soon as I took these Edifier R1280T Powered Bookshelf Speakers out of the box I knew they were something special. While I love the look and as I have a woodgrain style turntable these look fantastic next to it. It was actually the sound that really impressed me. These sounded really awesome and if you are on a budget, I think that you will be very happy with the quality of these. 

2. Fluance SX6W High Definition Two-Way Bookshelf Loudspeakers

2. Fluance SX6W High Definition Two-Way Bookshelf Loudspeakers

As we continue our quest to find the best vintage speakers for vinyl I have these Fluance SX6W High Definition Two-Way Bookshelf Loudspeakers which I think look cool. These come in white and black, but it is the natural walnut design I feel has that vintage look. Actually, I guess you could argue the black ones do too.  The walnut versions are priced at just under $160, which is 10 more than the black. What I like about the style of these is that they do not just have a somewhat vintage look to them. These also have a real classiness to them that I like too. This is perfect if you have a turntable that is out on display and you want some speakers that look great to go along with it. 

Despite these having a rather small stature to them, Fluance managed to cram some fairly powerful stuff in here. I tested these for a weekend and was impressed with the way some of my records, even older stuff like this awesome vintage first pressing of Slippery When Wet and it rocked! These have five-inch driver powering things and a nice 1-inch soft domed tweeter running the show and I was impressed. I am sure if I used these even longer that they would find a real sweet spot and sound even better. These are wired only, but I do not see that as a bad thing.

Pros:

  • They come in three different colors
  • The asking price is very reasonable
  • I was impressed with how much power these had
  • They look super cool as well we vintage

Cons:

  • I do not know why the walnut ones cost more
  • May take 20 or so hours to break them in properly

What Other People Are Saying

When I looked online, people seem to dig the style of these speakers no matter the color. One customer review had this to say, “if your strictly using them for a musical production like i am they have plenty of Bass and amazing clarity (and no i didn’t use any equalizer or dsp correction). I tried them with everything from Beethoven to Gary Clark Jr to Three 6 Mafia and they didn’t break a sweat.” Overall, on Amazon, these have a little under 400 reviews and 95 percent of them are positive! 

I was very impressed with these Fluance SX6W High Definition Two-Way Bookshelf Loudspeakers. The sound quality alone is something that I feel makes these more than worth the purchase. While I liked the walnut design, the black also has a bit of a vintage style to it that I think is pretty neat. I do not think you can go wrong with these at all!

3. Polk Audio T15 100 Watt Home Theater Bookshelf Speakers

3. Polk Audio T15 100 Watt Home Theater Bookshelf Speakers

Last of the speakers that I have actually personally tested are these Polk Audio T15 100 Watt Home Theater Bookshelf Speakers. I have tested many Polk Audio products over the years and have yet to be let down. These are black ash kind of style and I do not know about you, but when I think about 80s audio equipment it is always this kind of black! All the cool hi-fis of the 80s had speakers that were this color. I will admit that I could do without the Polk logo on them, but still, they have that 80s vintage look down to a T. These are also very reasonably priced at $99.

Polk says that these speakers are the perfect entry into high-performance audio and that is the best way to look at these. They are the perfect upgrade if you have a cool turntable that has built in speakers, but you want something with a bit more kick. A ¾ inch tweeter and a hair over 5-inch driver might not sound like much. However, I found that they gave me a really balanced sound. I would not have these cranked up super loud, but the mid-range on these things is fantastic. I mainly screwed around with some live records that I have (is there a better live album than Nirvana Unplugged?) and was very happy with the sound. I am not even sure these would need much breaking in, to be honest with you! 

Pros:

  • These have a real 80s style about them
  • I like the overall size of them
  • Very easy to hook up to a turntable or receiver
  • The sound quality was fantastic

Cons:

  • I wish the Polk logo was not on the front of them
  • If black ash is not your thing, these might not do it for you 

What Other People Are Saying

Check out this unboxing which also has a video review and you will see why I and so many other people like these speakers. As far as what the customers on Amazon are saying about these speakers, currently, there is the better part of 3000 reviews for these. The four and the five-star reviews make up over 90 percent of them! So, it is fair to say that the reputation of these is very solid. 

I was very impressed with the Polk Audio T15 100 Watt Home Theater Bookshelf Speakers. When I look at a set of speakers like this, I am transported back to the 80s when all the best high-fi equipment was black and in the same style as these speakers. While they would look great with an 80s looking record player on display. These also do not disappoint when it comes to the sound quality. I found that these were rocking and rolling right out of the box, so I imagine that after a few days use they really would come into their own!

4. Acoustic Audio AA321B Mountable Indoor Speakers

4. Acoustic Audio AA321B Mountable Indoor Speakers

For the last two, we are looking at speakers that I have not personally tested and they are certainly “out there” in their design, but that is what makes them a fun inclusion on this list. First of all, we have these Acoustic Audio AA321B Mountable Indoor Speakers which as you can see are tiny! These I feel have a bit of a 90s vibe to them. They have that home theatre kind of look that was popular then when people wanted more compact stuff. While these are very small, the asking price is only 30 bucks! Ok, so I know at 30 bucks we have to be realistic with our expectations, but they have a kind of fun look to them. These also come with mountain brackets so you can hang them on the wall. 

Ok, so we know these are not going to make you feel like you are in the front row of Madison Square Garden watching the Foo Fighters. However, Acoustic Audio has never done me wrong before and in looking at what is powering these, I feel they are decent budget priced speakers. There is a 2.5-inch woofer rocking these so at higher volumes, I do feel that there is a high probability that the sound may be a bit on the tiny side. Still, I feel that they have designed these to sound as good as possible all the while keeping the size and price at a minimum. 

Pros:

  • I like how they are more 90s than 80s for a change
  • They do look super cute!
  • The asking price is insane
  • The reviews, for the most part, are all extremely positive

Cons:

  • Not sure how these will perform at loud volumes
  • Not sure I would want these as my main speakers 

What Other People Are Saying

You better believe that I spent a while looking through the Amazon customer reviews so I could get the best idea of these possible! Most of the reviews that praise these seem blown away by the sound quality considering the price and size. “You can’t get better speakers for the price. You will be amazed at the sound these little guys produce. When I turned them on my wife and I where like WOW how can these little low cost speakers sound so loud and clear” Is a great example of this. Currently, these have over 80 percent positive reviews from over 500 reviews. 

While I have not personally had the pleasure of hooking these up to one of my turntables. I will say that there is something very interesting about these Acoustic Audio AA321B Mountable Indoor Speakers. While I like the way, they have a 90s vibe going on. It is the price point that is the real star here. If you are looking to upgrade a turntable that has built in speakers, at 30 bucks you really do not have anything to lose here. 

5. Marshall Stockwell II Portable Bluetooth Speaker – Black

5. Marshall Stockwell II Portable Bluetooth Speaker - Black

Last, but by no means least we have this rather funky looking Marshall Stockwell II Portable Bluetooth Speaker. This is another speaker I have not personally used but thought it just screamed vintage and it has the Marshall logo front and center which is cool! This looks like something your grandpa would listen to while he fixed up his car in the garage in the 70s! I love how much personality this thing has and it sure has a fun design to it. It does cost around 180 bucks, but I do not think that is bad at all. It is made with Bluetooth in mind, but it does have a jack as well. They say that it gives 25 hours playback from a single charge which is very impressive. 

When I looked at what was producing the sound it was roughly what I expected from a speaker like this. We have two 2 and ¼ inch woofers rocking this thing. I think at more low to mid-volume this is going to sound awesome, but I am not sure what it will be like if you want to crank up the Metallica and headbang in the living room. I do think that the design is super fun and it would look great if you have a vintage-style record player. 

Pros:

  • This thing looks great
  • Has the Marshall name on right on it
  • It is very easy to connect to your devices
  • When looking at most reviews, people seem to love this thing! 

Cons:

  • Only really worth it if you want a 70s style speaker
  • You will have to remember to charge it 

What Other People Are Saying

While on Amazon this has 85 percent positive reviews from well over a thousand. It was this video review that really made me take notice of this. This showcases just how cool and vintage the speaker looks, but at the same time, you get a good idea of what you can expect from the sound quality it produces also. 

When it comes to music history, Marshall has their place. The fact that their name is front and center on this speaker is really cool. I get that something like the Marshall Stockwell II Portable Bluetooth Speaker may seem a tad gimmicky for some people to have as their main speaker. However, I think it is super-cool and it would look awesome right next to a vintage record player. 

What Are The Best Vintage Speakers For Vinyl?

As you can see from the other vinyl record content I have produced for the site. Records, turntables, and music, in general, is something I am very passionate about. I do not always believe that you have to spend several hundred bucks to enjoy this awesome hobby. That is why when looking for the best vintage speakers for vinyl I wanted to focus on ones that I felt were more affordable.

Of the three that I actually personally tested, all three are great. I think that they all have an impressive sound, but if I had to pick one, it would be the Fluance SX6W High Definition Two-Way Bookshelf Loudspeakers as I loved the style and the sound quality. These only just beat out the Polk ones. As crazy as this may sound had the Polk speakers not had the Polk logo on the front of them, they would have been my choice! However, I felt that the purpose of what we were looking at today was a set of speakers that looked old school as well as sounded cool! 

If you are intending to get some furniture to protect and store your vinyl well, check out the article on Vinyl Record Storage Furnitures, would be good to protect your new vintage speakers. Also useful if you have not bought tools to clean your vinyl, have a quick runthrough on the Recommended Cleaning Tools for your Vinyl.

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