For a Short answer, you may fall into several pitfalls or shiny features that you might not even need, that will skyrocket the price of the speaker, And what’s Even worse you may not even achieve your needs.
To Prevent that, you have to understand your purpose for buying a speaker and what features or accessories you might need, without overspending. Those Misleading (but helpful) features that drive you to buy the item even if you don’t need it, are something like: Wireless, Waterproof, speaker accessories, Built-in Amplifier, Surround-sound setup, solid built speaker, expensive or premium speakers, save money by buying used speakers.
Those are questions that will help you understand the use of these add-ons and where to use them, because most people ask these but get misled to buy more expensive stuff.
Is it worth buying a waterproof speaker? | waterproof feature.
Yes, if you plan to use it outdoors or you have young kids in the house, if so you definitely need that as one of the main features, to the point where it can withstand a dip in the pool if it’s possible.
Because most companies offer only splash proof and they call it waterproof. So, we recommend one of the best companies for this job, and it is called UE or Ultimate Ears.
So, You don’t need a waterproof speaker for PC Desktops or home theater, or where the speaker is so far from wet places or the speakers in high places, the priority of having this option becomes very low. In these conditions you need to focus more on the durability of the item and the quality of the sound.
Is it worth buying a Bluetooth/Wireless Speaker? | Wireless feature.
Yes, of Course but the question: “is it a priority”, because either you are sacrificing the quality of the sound or putting more money into an option that you can work without.
Basically this option is more depending on the buyer as a person; if you are someone that hates cables, and having a spider web of cable behind your desk or tv, plus love the advanced technology of using your phone to monitor the speaker, I say go for the wireless option. But also make sure you have the ability to use it wired also, it is really a pain to wait (or forget) to charge your speaker before using it.
Also there is more use of the wireless feature, and that is to have an easy way of pairing the speaker with others, plus the option of using it outdoors too.

Do speaker stands make a difference? | Speaker Accessories.
Yes, They are, because one of the best practices to bring the full sound quality of your speaker is to Use the Stands.
The stands help reduce audio reflections by making a distance between the speaker and the surfaces. They are perfect for a selected type of speakers, mostly for; Home theater speakers, Bookshelf speakers, floor standing speakers.
However, there are exceptions where you don’t need a stand; it will be an overkill. Like: if you’re going to use the speaker outdoors (but not for a theater) or have a pc desktop (where you don’t use a lot of audio editing) you can easily ignore the stands and focus on what’s important for your needs.
Do Speakers Need an amplifier? | Speaker Accessories.
No, Not for all speakers, in fact many of them don’t require one because they already have one built-in. Most known types are called active speakers ( or also Powered Speakers).
But do you really need one, the answer is depending on your needs. If you like to have your audio signal amplified, sure!
But don’t expect a better quality than the sound that you submitted. Because Amplifiers are only used to amplify an audio signal and that’s their job, not to improve the quality of the audio (technically).
Is it worth buying and building a Surround-Sound setup? | Surround-Sound setup.
Yes! If you have a large number of people (3 or more) Especially while watching a movie or tv, a surround sound system could really increase the quality of the audio dramatically giving a more smooth and better performance, which will lead to a considerable improvement in the experience.
But it will not be a priority if you decide that kind of system in a small room with fewer people than 3, you are better off improving the quality of the speaker than investing in that system. But it doesn’t hurt if this is something you love to have, because you can expect a dramatic improvement in the sound quality.
Is it worth buying a durable speaker? | Solid-built Speaker.
Yes! Buying a durable speaker should be the highest priority of every one, the only thing is the speakers that have a higher durability tend to be really expensive.
So the best practice is to choose something that is well priced based on what you need (Features) alongside the durability because you will have to invest more and you don’t want something for one time use. Plus it helps if it’s from the latest generation, not something old. especially for Bluetooth/wireless speakers due to their apps and the technology involved in it.
Do Expensive Speakers Sound Better? | Premium Speakers.
Yes! It tends to be commonly known that the more you pay on a speaker the better the sound quality will be. However, there is a catch, this pitfall is where most people fall into. Because there are a lot of factors involved in the price tag of a product; like features and price limits.
Features are the biggest factor for determining what price people are willing to pay for, the more features the higher the price will be. You need to be focusing on what kind of features you need in order to achieve the experience that you are looking for instead of looking at what is the most expensive product, So you have to set your priorities right first.
As for the price, putting $1000 to buy a speaker doesn’t mean the sound quality will be twice as good as the $500 pair.
Is Buying a Used Speaker a Good Idea? | Save money when buying a speaker.
Yes, if the product is in a good condition and the speaker is worth between $50-$100 (the price is a personal price tag I use). First if the item is worth more than that you will be risking too much, and second if it is lower I better off buying a new one than wasting money on a cheap pair.
The speakers are considered one of the items that has less risk of being defective when it was on sale “Used.” But personally I like to avoid purchasing electronic items from private sellers.
Last Advice: Choose carefully before buying a speaker since it could cost you a lot of money for things you don’t even use, and have a pleasing experience with yours that you chose for your needs and better quality sound experience.
Resources:
- https://hometheateracademy.com/speaker-stands-make-difference
- https://www.cnet.com/tech/home-entertainment/the-dirty-little-secret-about-bookshelf-speakers/
- https://www.rollingstone.com/product-recommendations/electronics/bookshelf-vs-floor-standing-speakers-review-compared-1020863/
- https://mynewmicrophone.com/do-amplifiers-improve-sound-quality/
- https://www.cnet.com/tech/home-entertainment/attention-home-theater-shoppers-think-twice-before-buying-a-center-channel-speaker/
- https://www.cnet.com/tech/home-entertainment/before-you-buy-an-old-amplifier-receiver-speaker-or-turntable-read-this/
- https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/blog/what-do-you-get-when-you-spend-more-for-speakers/