Dynaudio Excite X14

Great build and finish ; Compact ; Sweetly communicative midrange ; Solid soundstage

Short of outright attack and dynamism ; Too polite for some music

Not the most flexible speakers, but the X14s have areas of real expertise

The high end exists in the eye of the beholder. To some folks, a pair of mini-monitors selling for $1,500—or a 5.1-channel system at $5,100—may seem steeply priced. In fact, if you want lower-priced alternatives, you’ll find plenty among our Top Picks....