Compare Five High-End Home Audio Brands

Premium home audio speakers and receivers can take your sound play to another level. The following five companies offer premium products that raise the stakes in the audio game. These devices come from manufacturers traditionally found in specialized listening spaces and in the homes of dedicated listeners. Each brand’s products unlock the subtle intricacies of your favorite song or movie soundtrack. The leap from ordinary consumer audio products to premium products is exciting. This elevation to another layer of performance opens up a whole new sonic landscape to explore, makes your existing sources sound their best, and encourages us to close our eyes and embrace the wonders that these companies’ equipment can offer.

Quality Audio Brands
Powers & Wilkins Associates
Pioneer Elite
Klipsch
Marantz
Devialet
Bowers & Wilkins 600 Series Premium Audio in an Efficient Small Package

For nearly six decades, the renowned British brand Bowers & Wilkins has been at the forefront of the audiophile world. Their loudspeakers can be found in mixing studios and discerning home setups around the world, and thanks to their considerable investment in research and development, they’ve even shown rival companies how to maximize audio performance.B&W’s in-room sound is renowned for its accuracy and immersion, and with an extensive range, there is a significant difference in quality between their top-end reference models and those aimed at high-end consumer models with significant synchronization between them.

The 600 Series offers a fantastic taste of the B&W world. From standing bookshelf speakers to larger floorstanders, they benefit from the trickle-down technology of their higher-volume siblings. The Continuum cone at the heart of these models, for example, has evolved from their pioneering experiments with lightweight but tough materials such as Kevlar for their speakers, plus their latest patented technology that’s even more bulletproof in performance. Even the dimpled ports have been polished over generations of models, creating significant impact in a small package.The 600 series is very efficient and easy to drive, but most importantly, they grow with your system, and as other components evolve, you can use these models for years to come, and B&W simply thrives with the better equipment you pair them with.

Pioneer Elite:Superior Quality and Superior Sound

Like many of the companies on this list, Pioneer has created an incredible legacy over the years, with the Japanese company’s origins dating back to 1937. Their name speaks to the company’s long history of innovation, and over the years many devices and formats have seen their models first to market, with many of their iconic products laying the technical and aesthetic foundations for the entire history. This spirit of innovation and quality continues with their latest offerings, in which capable consumer models join their higher quality siblings. Publicly labeled “Elite,” enthusiasts have known for decades that this respected brand indicates a product that guarantees superior build quality and functionality. Pioneer Elite models take almost every aspect of the model up a notch, from more powerful amplification leading to cleaner sound to better internal components. There’s even the ability to expand further to help make these systems future-proof, with each model replicating a true constellation of sound sources and codecs. It’s rare to have such a simple way of portraying what generally comes from a quality product, and thanks to Pioneer’s seemingly simple name the Elite line is a litmus test of quality, a step above and beyond, and is a welcome addition to anyone who takes their sound and vision components seriously.

Klipsch continues to innovate and create unique audio solutions

Back in 1946, in Hope, Arkansas, Paul W. Klipsch patented a loudspeaker design that would change the entire history of sound reproduction over the next few decades. The high-end Klipschorn is still in production all these years and continues to influence the design of other products offered by the company. With new developments in materials and construction patterns, there is still a direct connection to the sound that built the reputation of this legendary company, and almost everything they produce directly benefits from this positive trickle-down effect. Their quality consumer products are revered by fans around the world, and their speakers, headphones, power monitors, and subwoofers form the core of many exceptional systems.Klipsch not only focuses on past successes, but is also known for their groundbreaking integration of new technologies. Ceramic drivers with their black on gold aesthetic provide a unique look to many of their models, and their top of the line Atmos speakers are just one example!