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Neither Audioengine HD6 nor Sonos Play 5 were recommended by experts this month

On 7 Mar 2024 (21 days ago) we went through 80 Speakers expert endorsements , however neither Audioengine HD6 nor Sonos Play 5 were included in any of those recommendations. Since neither Speakers received a single endorsement, as far as expert recommendations go, it's technically a tie. We do, however, recommend taking a look at Kef LS50 or other critically acclaimed Bookshelf Speakers of this month.

For reference, Kef LS50 received 5 endorsements this month, from ZD Net (13 Feb 2023), T3 (29 Feb 2024) Gear Patrol (5 Jan 2024) and 2 others.

Rank Change Price Speakers
SoundGuys
ZD Net
Pitchfork
Wirecutter
T3
Gear Patrol
Rolling Stone
The Master Switch
What Hi-Fi
hifioasis.com
1
- $1600
Kef LS50
The Kef LS50 bookshelf speakers are highly recommended for their exceptional sound quality, versatile frequency response, unique design, and range of connectivity options, making them suitable for a range of music genres and listening environments.
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7
2
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1
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N/A N/A $699
Audioengine HD6
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N/A N/A $738
Sonos Play 5
The Sonos Play 5 is a high-end wireless smart speaker that offers exceptional sound quality and is best used indoors or in a covered outdoor area, making it ideal for large rooms.
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Curious to see this month's entire Bookshelf Speakers ranking? It's here

About our ranking methodology

Customers like Audioengine HD6 and Sonos Play 5 about the same

At ReviewFinder we prefer to focus on professional product reviews, because customer reviews can be disproportionately affected by unrelated factors such as delivery, specific seller listing problems, and, of course, fake reviews. With that said, below is the summary of consumer sentiment.

Audioengine HD6
Sonos Play 5
Consumer score (CS) is a normalized computed representation of customers' sentiment towards a product.
CS of 10 is similar to a 4.8 star review, CS of 0 is similar to a 2 star review.

Both Audioengine HD6 and Sonos Play 5 have very similar great customer reviews.

As can be seen in the chart above, median best-selling speakers receives a consumer score of 9.1 (great). Both Audioengine HD6 and Sonos Play 5 receive customer reviews that average out below that median threshold.

Audioengine HD6
In comparison:
Audioengine HD6 ranks #94 out of 119. Very high levels of customer satisfaction.
Go to rankings
8.3
Great
Sonos Play 5
In comparison:
Sonos Play 5 ranks #97 out of 119. Very high levels of customer satisfaction.
Go to rankings
8.2
Great
Median best-selling Speakers
In comparison:
Edifier R980T ranks #60 out of 119. Very high levels of customer satisfaction.
Go to rankings
9.1
Great





Sonos Play 5 is more popular than Audioengine HD6

It's fairly safe to say that Sonos Play 5 are more popular speakers than Audioengine HD6, based on their 1,000+ reviews. Popularity is determined based on product sales. Note that older and cheaper products tend to sell more.


To consider

Customers who view Audioengine HD6 and Sonos Play 5 often consider Elac Uni-Fi 2.0, a pricier option with better reviews.
Table: Top compared alternatives for Audioengine HD6 and Sonos Play 5
Elac Uni-Fi 2.0 $700
In comparison:
Elac Uni-Fi 2.0 ranks #57 out of 119. Very high levels of customer satisfaction.
Go to rankings
9.1
Great
2 expert recommendations Better Reviews
Klipsch The Fives $500
In comparison:
Klipsch The Fives ranks #88 out of 119. Very high levels of customer satisfaction.
Go to rankings
8.6
Great
2 expert recommendations Cheaper Better Reviews
SVS Ultra Bookshelf $800
In comparison:
SVS Ultra Bookshelf ranks #53 out of 119. Very high levels of customer satisfaction.
Go to rankings
9.2
Amazing
2 expert recommendations Better Reviews
SVS Prime Elevation $499
In comparison:
SVS Prime Elevation ranks #12 out of 119. Very high levels of customer satisfaction.
Go to rankings
10.0
Amazing
No expert recommendations Cheaper Better Reviews
Find the best speakers in Speakers Finder
Critic Consensus Common points from expert reviews summarized.
As can be seen below, in Mar 2024 neither Audioengine HD6 nor Sonos Play 5 were recommended by key experts who publish Bookshelf Speakers recommendations.
Rank Change Price Speakers
SoundGuys
ZD Net
Pitchfork
Wirecutter
T3
Gear Patrol
Rolling Stone
The Master Switch
What Hi-Fi
hifioasis.com
1
- $1600
Kef LS50
The Kef LS50 bookshelf speakers are highly recommended for their exceptional sound quality, versatile frequency response, unique design, and range of connectivity options, making them suitable for a range of music genres and listening environments.
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+1 $359
Q Acoustics 3020i
The Q Acoustics 3020i bookshelf speakers offer excellent sound quality, versatility, and a modern design, making them a great option for audiophiles who prioritize accuracy and transparency in their sound system.
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7
2
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9
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5
3
New * $700
Elac Uni-Fi 2.0
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1
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1
4
+1 Check price
Bowers & Wilkins 606 S2
The Bowers & Wilkins 606 S2 Anniversary Edition bookshelf speaker delivers excellent sound performance across the frequency range, with punchy and dynamic bass, a wide frequency response, and a purposeful design, making it a great choice for music and home theater use.
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5
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9
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Show all rows
Expert Reviews There are people on the Internet whose job is to review products. Below are their opinions.
No expert reviews linked yet for Audioengine HD6.

Expert reviews [16]

84
Total expert reviews: 16
  • with a score: 7
  • without a score: 9
Highest score by TechRadar
90
Average score based on 16 reviews
84
Lowest score by MacRumors
80

Score distribution:

80-100
60-80
40-60
20-40
0-20
From Seller:
  • PREMIUM BLUETOOTH BOOKSHELF SPEAKERS - The Audioengine HD6 Bluetooth Speakers are the best wireless speakers to use as gaming monitor speakers, TV speakers, a home stereo system, and more. Designed for the way people listen to music today, these wireless powered speakers can easily connect to phones, tablets, TVs, or desktop computers up to 100 ft away with extended-range HD Bluetooth and 24-bit DAC.
  • Read more
From Seller:
  • Our biggest and best-sounding speaker featuring six amplifiers with six dedicated speaker drivers. Fill even the largest rooms with pure, brilliant sound. Stereo pair for an even better sound experience.
  • Read more
From Manufacturer Manufacturer-provided product description, urls and documents.
EAN Numbers: 0819955270143, 0819955270150, 0819955270167, 0852225007100
UPC Numbers: 819955270143, 819955270150, 819955270167, 852225007100
Model Numbers: HD6BLK115230V, HD6CHR115230V, HD6WAL115230V, HD6WHITE
EAN Numbers: 0878269001621, 0878269001690, 8717755773029, 8717755773043
UPC Numbers: 878269001621, 878269001690
Model Numbers: B07ML4JRMZ, B07MPD7N8C, PL5G2UK1, PL5G2UK1BLK, PL5G2US1, PL5G2US1BLK
General Info
Number of Speakers How many bookshelf speakers are included?
2
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Speaker Design The primary components of a bookshelf speaker are “drivers,” which are the cones that actually create the sound. These cones come in three types: tweeters, midranges (sometimes called mids), and woofe ... Show more
Two-Way
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Physical Features
Dimensions
Loading product dimensions...
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Weight

30 lbs
 
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Indoor or Outdoor Use Can the speaker be used outdoors?
Indoor
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Cabinet
Cabinet Material The cabinet refers to the portion that surrounds and holds all of the speaker elements together - the speaker box, if you will. The most common material is wood, but you’ll also find plastic, fiberboa ... Show more
Fiberboard
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Enclosure Type The type of enclosure, or cabinet, plays a key role in determining the focus of your sound. Do you prefer accurate bass or loud bass? There are two main types: acoustic suspension and bass reflex. Aco ... Show more
Bass Reflex
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Sound Quality and Power
Sensitivity Measured in decibels, or dB, sensitivity measures a speaker’s ability to convert power to volume. Lower sensitivity speakers require more power from the amplifier to achieve higher volumes. Higher sen ... Show more
95 dB
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Frequency Response Range Given as a range in Hertz (Hz), the frequency response is a measurement of the range of sound a speaker can produce. For reference, the human ear can hear a frequency range of 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz (shor ... Show more
50Hz-22kHz
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Magnetically Shielded When sound is played through a speaker, an electromagnet is activated using the power from the amplifier to bring the driver forward, and another magnet pulls the driver back. This causes the driver t ... Show more
Yes
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Peak Power Power handling, or peak power, is the highest wattage a speaker can accept from an amplifier before it burns out or becomes damaged. This number is given in watts. It’s recorded by measuring how loud ... Show more
150 Watts
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Powered Speaker What you may not know about bookshelf speakers is that they don’t always work straight out of the box. To power the speakers, you often need a receiver and an amplifier. Amplifiers power the signal th ... Show more
Yes
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Impedance Impedance is a key electrical measurement, provided in ohms. This number describes the electrical resistance provided by the speaker to the power signal sent by your amplifier. A common analogy used f ... Show more
47 Ohms
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High Resolution Audio More and more, musicians and streaming services are offering high-resolution audio playback for music files. Like a TV, your speaker has to be high-res capable to play these high-res files. True audio ... Show more
Yes
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Tweeters

Tweeters produce the highest frequencies in sound, typically anything above 2,000 Hz. Usually located at the top of the speaker, tweeters come in different shapes (detailed below) and sizes. Generally speaking, the size of the tweeter is not as important as the shape. But, for some guidance, consider that a larger tweeter (measured by diameter in inches or millimeters) will likely be louder and able to disperse sound over a larger area.

Number of Tweeters
1
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Tweeter Type Tweeters produce the highest frequencies in sound, typically anything above 2,000 Hz. Usually located at the top of the speaker, tweeters come in different shapes (detailed below) and sizes. Generally ... Show more
Dome
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Tweeter Size Diameter of the Tweeter
1 inches
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Tweeter Material In addition to the shape of the tweeter, the material has a big impact on the type of sound emitted. The two most popular materials are metals (aluminum, titanium, etc.) and soft textiles (silk, cloth ... Show more
Ferrofluid-cooled silk dome tweeters with neodymium magnets
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Midranges

Speakers with midrange drivers (i.e., at least three-way speakers) have a distinct advantage over two-way speakers. Adding a midrange driver to the mix allows tweeters and woofers to focus on the sound waves they’re best equipped to produce—high tones and low tones respectively. More specific and focused drivers means more accurate, robust sound. Compared to the other drivers, midranges cover sounds, not surprisingly, in the middle of high/treble and low/bass tones. The human voice and most instruments fall into this range. For more sophisticated listeners, or for those who truly want the best sound reproduction, a midrange driver is crucial.

Number of Midranges
0 mids
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Woofers

The woofer is the driver that is responsible for low frequency sounds and bass - crucial for well-rounded, booming sound. It is the biggest driver in size, and is usually shaped like a cone. When reviewing different bookshelf speakers, you will often see a measurement in the product name, starting as low as 4” and ranging to 6 ½” or more. This measurement refers to the diameter of the woofer. A general rule of thumb is a bigger woofer means louder, more powerful bass. But, as with any speaker metric, this number alone doesn’t describe the loudness of the speaker and should be taken into consideration with other measurements such as sensitivity, which describes the loudness of a speaker per watt.

Number of Woofers
1
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Woofer Size Diameter of the woofer
5.5 inches
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Woofer Material Woofers are built with a variety of materials, such as paper, plastic, polypropylene, Kevlar, or metal. Some are even made with more unique materials like wood. They key to quality in a woofer materia ... Show more
Kevlar woven glass aramid composite
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Controls
Remote Control Does the box include a remote?
Yes
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Button Controls Control the speaker with buttons on the device.
  • Power Button
  • Voltage Select
  • Volume Control
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App/Smartphone Control If the bookshelf speaker is Wi-Fi or Bluetooth-enabled (or both), you’ll likely be able to control the output through your smartphone or other device. Sometimes, this capability comes with the caveat ... Show more
Yes
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Connections
Wi-Fi Enabled Speakers with Wi-Fi connectivity connect directly to your home Wi-Fi network to stream audio from your devices—smartphone, tablet, laptop, etc. This may require an app from the brand, such as Yamaha’s ... Show more
No
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Bluetooth Enabled Speakers with built-in Bluetooth allow you to stream audio content directly from device (e.g., smartphone, tablet, laptop) on the speakers. This feature behaves just like any other Bluetooth-enabled d ... Show more
Yes
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Wired Connections or Wireless Not to be confused with Wi-Fi-enabled speakers, wireless speaker set ups do not require a speaker wire or direct lines to other speakers and the AV receiver. Typically, these speakers require a wirele ... Show more
Yes
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Speaker Wire Included Speaker wire is the connection used between speakers, amplifiers and receivers. This is a special type of wire that makes an electrical connection and transmits sound signals. You will only use this t ... Show more
Yes
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Other Connections Bookshelf speakers commonly come with speaker wire inputs/outputs to connect your speaker to an AV receiver, which transmits the sound from your TV. In some cases, speakers may come with additional in ... Show more
  • Antenna
  • Speaker wire (16AWG)
  • Power cable
  • Mini-jack audio cable
  • RCA audio cable
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Additional Info
ENERGY STAR Certified For the environmentally conscious, choosing an “ENERGY STAR Certified” speaker may be important to you. Technology devices with this label are required to meet certain industry standards as it relates ... Show more
No
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Additional Features Any other features available.
  • Compatible with PC, Mac, tablets or smartphones
  • Comes with aluminum remote control
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Loading price comparison chart...

Audioengine HD6 are a popular and one of the most expensive options. They're in the top 3 bestselling speakers and have dozens of popular alternatives in the same price range, such as Elac Uni-Fi 2.0 or Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin .

Audioengine HD6 were released in 2017. There are more than 5 newer speakers on the market. Show newer Speakers

Audioengine HD6 are $419.01 more expensive than average speakers ($279.99).

Sonos Play 5 are a very popular and one of the most expensive options. They're in the top 3 bestselling speakers and have dozens of popular alternatives in the same price range, such as Klipsch Reference RW-51M or Dynaudio Emit M10 .

Sonos Play 5 are $468.01 more expensive than average speakers ($279.99).

You might also like:

High-rated Speakers in a similar price range.

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