The Best Affordable Bookshelf Speakers, All Under $250
You don't have to break the bank to get an excellent pair.

If you're in the market for bookshelf speakers, the good news is that you don't have to break the bank to get an excellent pair. A number of well-known and well-revered speaker manufacturers make budget-friendly alternatives to their reference-quality lines. In fact, many integrate some of their high-end technologies into these more affordable speakers so that they sound, well, way better than you'd think.
To keep the playing field even, all of the below bookshelf speakers are passive bookshelf speakers, meaning that you'll need a separate receiver or amplifier to drive them. Passive speakers might not be as convenient as powered speakers, which have built-in amps and connectivity, but it does make them way more versatile. If you're looking to integrate some speakers into either an entry-level hi-fi or home theater system, one of the below bookshelf speakers will be a perfect match.