Why do people buy bookshelf speakers? I’m not really convinced that a lot of them end up on bookshelves, but the marketing nomenclature rules the day. If you don’t have a lot of space and need to place them out of the way on a credenza or bookshelf, there are no shortage of options in 2021 to fulfill that need. Bookshelf speakers are also (with some notable exceptions from Sonus Faber and Wilson Audio) generally on the more affordable side. $500 goes a lot further in 2021 than it did in 2010 when it comes to sonic performance. The $399 Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 loudspeakers are the real deal.