Oakcastle's new BK100 speakers are attractive, affordable, and surprisingly punchy. This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement.
These Oakcastle BK100 speakers combine punchy performance and versatility at a price that feels too good to ignore. These bookshelf speakers are designed in Cambridge. And that alone was enough to pique my interest when I was offered a pair to test recently.
They're the Oakcastle BK100, and they also have a fairly decent spec-sheet. Sixty watts of power from four separate drivers, Bluetooth 5.4, HDMI ARC, Optical, USB and AUX inputs, and a price point that seemed like a typo. Because these attractive, feature-rich speakers, from an award-winning British brand cost £69.99. That's the sort of price you'd expect to pay for a pair from a brand you've never heard of on AliExpress.
A decent array of connection options is good to see at this price. "Bookshelf" speakers, incidentally, is more of a product designation, rather than a location stipulation. While these would sit happily on a (fairly deep) bookcase, they're just as likely to end up on someone's TV cabinet, or on a gamer's desk. And, unlike a soundbar, they have great stereo separation. Although, unlike a gaming setup, they don't have a separate subwoofer or surround sound. That said, 60w is more than enough to fill a medium-sized room, and they really pack a punch. The subwoofers are built in and, while they're not going to shake your floor, they do give a satisfying depth.
Playing MP3s and streaming music is a pleasant experience. Meanwhile the smaller drivers add some pleasant clarity and detail. Far more, in fact, than you'd expect at this price. This is what elevates them from desktop speakers to bookshelf speakers, their range. They can put out enough power to belt out a complex track, or they can add depth to a movie. The fact they can be bought for £70 just adds to their appeal.
What's less appealing is the lack of speaker protection. With no panels on the front they might look lovely, but it does leave them quite vulnerable. They're also available in white. They also rely on an infra-red remote, when the tech world is moving to a far more useful Bluetooth connection. This means your "aim" has to be pretty good, and you can't just press the button without pointing the remote at the speakers.
It's about the only low-tech aspect of the setup though, so it's forgivable, and it really doesn't detract from the overall user experience. Because, when all's said and done, to be able to buy a quality British product for such a great price, adds more than enough overall appeal to make up for any extremely limited shortcomings.
