All the speakers we picked as favorites had clearer voice reproduction than their competitors. About half of our listening focused on how the speakers sounded with voices, which are difficult to reproduce clearly-human hearing is quite sensitive to the naturalness of voice reproduction.
As we mentioned above, the only clear difference between professional models and computer-oriented speakers is that each pro monitor has its own built-in amplifier and volume control, which means you control the system volume from your computer or USB interface rather than on the speaker. However, at the request of several readers, we have added a few professional monitor speakers priced below $300 per pair to our test group to see how well they compare to smaller, less-expensive computer speakers. We don’t require pro-style features such as balanced inputs because most people don’t use those.
In instances where the manufacturer offers Bluetooth and non-Bluetooth versions of the same speaker, we choose to review the Bluetooth-equipped model, which typically costs about $30 more.
But we do appreciate the inclusion of this feature, as it makes the speakers easier to use with more sources, in more situations.
If speakers are too small, they distort or produce port noise when they play low bass notes. We look for computer speakers that strike a good balance between size and performance. But we also test a few 2.1 systems, which include a subwoofer that goes underneath your desk.