Your iPhone is a great device for listening to music, especially when paired with a decent set of headphones. However, there are some times when you just want to turn up the volume and listen to your music out loud. That’s when an AirPlay-compatible speaker can be just what you need.
What is Apple’s AirPlay? Your complete guide
Apple’s AirPlay can quickly cast audio and visual content, and it’s available on most devices. Here’s how it works and how to make it work for you.
Apple’s AirPlay system allows you to wirelessly stream music from an Apple device such as your iPhone or your Mac to a compatible speaker. You can still control the music from your Apple device, but you get to enjoy the superior sound quality that your speaker can offer.
If you enjoy listening to your music or podcasts out loud, then there are plenty of great AirPlay-compatible speakers out there to choose from. How do you find the right one for your needs? We take a look at some of the best AirPlay-compatible speakers out there right now, to help you make an informed choice.
Best AirPlay-compatible speakers: Our top choices
Apple HomePod mini
1. Best Airplay-compatible speaker overall
Great sound and perfect Apple integration at a decent price.
When Apple first introduced the first HomePod, it was priced out of the reach of many users. The HomePod mini brought the speaker we thought we’d be getting, with decent sound at an affordable price. The integration with other Apple devices is seamless.
- Good sound for its size
- Great value
- Seamless integration with Apple devices
- Not ideal for bigger rooms
- Doesn’t match the sound quality of the HomePod
AirPlay was designed to let your Apple devices work with any AirPlay-compatible devices, but it’s no surprise that the experience works best with one of Apple’s own wireless speakers. The HomePod mini is the ideal companion to your other Apple gear, with clever features such as the ability to start playing music on your iPhone, and then move that music to the HomePod mini just by holding your iPhone next to it.
The sound quality is outstanding too, considering the size and price of the speaker. It offers a 360-degree sound field, which isn’t surprising given its shape, and you can combine two HomePod minis to create a stereo pair. If you’re all in on the Apple ecosystem, then a HomePod mini is a great choice of AirPlay-compatible speaker, allowing to you stream from your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, or just stream directly from the speaker itself.
Apple HomePod 2
2. Best Airplay-compatible speaker for Apple integration
Superb sound quality that works seamlessly with your Apple gear.
The original HomePod was designed to sound incredible, and the second-generation model doesn’t shirk from those roots. The sound quality is impressive and can fill a decent-sized room. If you’re an Apple user, it’s a great match.
- Excellent sound quality
- Can fill a larger room than the HomePod mini
- Effortless integration with Apple devices
- More expensive
- Siri not the best voice assistant
If you want all the compatibility of the HomePod mini, but with even better sound quality, then the HomePod (2nd generation) is probably what you need. It’s a lot bigger than the HomePod mini (obviously) being more than twice the height, and a little wider, too. It’s also a more cylindrical shape than the mostly spherical HomePod mini. All that extra real estate means that the HomePod (2nd generation) can offer truly great sound. In fact, we’ve found it to be one of the best-sounding smart speakers out there.
Just like the HomePod mini, the second-generation HomePod works seamlessly with your other Apple devices, too. As well as supporting AirPlay from your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, the HomePod (2nd generation) has Siri built in. If you have your iPhone, Mac, Apple Watch, and HomePod all in close proximity, saying “Hey Siri” will get a response from the HomePod, while Siri on your other devices will keep quiet, so you’re not talking to four versions of Siri at once.
Sonos Era 300
3. Best airplay-compatible speaker for spatial audio
A unique speaker that offers impressive spatial audio.
Spatial audio can give you the impression of being immersed within a soundscape, with the different instruments positioned all around you. The Sonos Era 300 manages to create this effect from a single speaker, which is the reason for its unusual design.
- Impressive spatial audio from a single speaker
- Great Sonos sound quality
- Works well as part of a multi-speaker system
- More expensive
- Unique looks may not be to all tastes
The Sonos Era 300 is the most unusual-looking speaker on this list, with its unique design that looks like two speakers have been glued together. The strange shape is for a very good reason, however; it allows the Sonos Era 300 to generate spatial audio from a single speaker. There are six drivers inside to push the audio to all areas of the room and give you a much more immersive experience. The results are impressive, producing a soundstage that sounds wide and rich.
As with all Sonos speakers, the AirPlay compatibility is excellent. You can quickly select the Sonos Era 300 as your output source for your music from your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, allowing you to enjoy the music or audio you’re streaming in impressive sound quality. It even outguns the HomePod (2nd generation), giving a fuller sound with more bottom end.
Sonos Era 100
4. Best value Sonos Airplay compatible speaker
A great Sonos speaker at a reasonable price point.
Sonos has a proven track record for speakers of this size, and the Sonos Era 100 is the best one to date. It improves upon its predecessors by adding stereo sound, line-in support, and better sound quality. It works well as a rear surround speaker, too.
- Great sound quality
- Improves upon the excellent Sonos One
- Offers wired connections
- Not a huge upgrade if you own a Sonos One
- No Google Assistant baked in
If you want the audio quality that Sonos is famous for, but don’t want to splash out for the more expensive Sonos Era 300, then the Sonos Era 100 is worth a look. It’s the latest in a long line of excellent similarly sized speakers from Sonos that includes the original Play:1 and the more recent Sonos One. The Sonos Era 100 makes some improvements on the already excellent Sonos One, such as improved sound quality thanks to the slightly larger size, extra tweeter, and larger mid-woofer. There’s also a USB-C aux port for direct connection to a turntable, computer, or other device, although you’ll need an adapter.
As well as using the aux port, the Sonos Era 100 supports Bluetooth streaming, and, of course, AirPlay 2, allowing you to stream your music straight from your Apple device to your Sonos Era 100. You can also set up two Sonos Era 100 speakers as a stereo pair, or even use them as rear speakers for a surround sound setup.
Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin (2021)
5. Best AirPlay compatible speaker for larger rooms
A statement speaker that boasts impressive sound quality.
$704 $799 Save $95
A remake of an iconic iPod dock, the Zeppelin is a speaker with a lot of power and impressive sound quality. You’ll need a fair amount of room for it, but it can easily fill larger rooms with stereo audio.
- Room-filling sound
- Wide stereo
- Classic look
- Needs a lot of space
- No wired inputs
The Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin is hard to miss. Not only does it have an iconic zeppelin-shaped design, but it’s also a pretty decent size too, at 65cm wide. The original Zeppelin speaker was released in 2007 as an iPod dock, allowing you to enjoy music from your iPod in high-quality sound. This updated version does the same for your devices, letting you wirelessly stream your favorite tunes through a speaker that can do the music justice.
In fact, wireless streaming is your only option as there’s no option to use a wired source at all. AirPlay 2 support, however, means that this isn’t a huge problem. The sound quality is gorgeous, with powerful bass and a wide stereo soundstage. It’s also plenty loud enough, too, with 240W total amplified power output. It can do for your iPhone or Mac what the original Zeppelin did for your iPod.
Naim Mu-so Qb 2nd generation
6. Best AirPlay compatible speaker for bigger budgets
Stunning looks and sound that come at a significant price.
If you’re willing to pay for stunning audio quality, then this speaker has it in spades. Not only does it offer incredible sound, but looks the part, too. There may be cheaper speakers out there, but few that can offer this level of quality.
- Stunning sound
- Good looks
- Stylish controls
- Very expensive
- Bass could be better
If money is no object and you’re looking for an AirPlay-compatible speaker that both looks and sounds incredible then you might want to consider the Naim Mu-so Qb (2nd generation). It certainly doesn’t come cheap, with a price tag that’s pushing four figures; enough to buy yourself a whole multi-speaker setup from some other well-known brands.
As you’d expect for the price, the sound quality is nothing short of stunning. Whether you’re listening to acoustic songs or banging dance tracks, you get a crisp, clear sound with some decent bass for a speaker of this size. The controls are also incredibly stylish, with an infinitely-spinning dial on the top which can be used to adjust the volume or tweak settings, and only activates when you reach out for it. And with AirPlay 2 on board, you can enjoy music from any of your Apple devices with the sensational sound the Naim Mu-so Qb 2ndGeneration can offer.
Audio Pro Addon C10 MKII
7. Most stylish AirPlay-compatible speaker
A stylish speaker that sounds as good as it looks.
Speakers aren’t just meant to be heard; they’re part of your furniture, too. Many speakers forget this and opt for function over form. The Audio Pro Addon C10 MkII offers both, with high-quality sound, and good looks to match. It also includes RCA inputs so you can connect a turntable, too.
- Beautiful design
- Great sound
- Good clarity
- Lacks the leather strap of the previous model
- Not the cheapest option
If you want a speaker that doesn’t just sound great but looks great too, then look no further than the Audio Pro C10 MkII. The stylish magnetic grille looks great, but it can also be removed for an even bolder look. There’s a metallic control panel on top that looks and feels beautiful and comes in gray, black, or white.
The sound quality is balanced and warm and is precise enough to produce great sound whether you’re listening to a light acoustic piece or more bass-driven beats. You have the option of wired playback thanks to the RCA line-in ports, but the Audio Pro C10 MkII also supports Bluetooth and Wi-Fi playback, with support for AirPlay 2. Your iPhone music has never looked or sounded so good.
The bottom line: What is the best AirPlay-compatible speaker?
If you’re looking for an AirPlay-compatible speaker that has great integration with your other Apple devices, offers decent sound, and won’t break the bank, then you can’t go far wrong with the Apple HomePod mini. It has surprisingly good sound for its size and works seamlessly with your iPhone or Mac. It won’t take up a huge amount of space, either.
If you’re looking for a speaker from a brand with a great reputation for sound but don’t want to have to splash a huge amount of cash, then the Sonos Era 100 is an excellent speaker that offers good compatibility with AirPlay.
Apple HomePod Mini
Editor’s Choice
How I chose the best AirPlay-compatible speakers
When compiling this list, there were a few things I wanted to keep in mind. Firstly, I wanted to include speakers that would cover a range of use cases, from a speaker for your work desk to one that can fill a large room with sound.
Secondly, I wanted to include a range of price options, so that there were options to suit most budgets. Not everyone can justify buying a Naim Mu-so Qb 2nd Generation, but for those who do have the money, it’s a great choice.
Most importantly, I wanted to select products that worked well with AirPlay, making it simple to stream your music from your Apple device to your wireless speaker.
How to choose the best AirPlay-compatible speakers
When you’re looking for an AirPlay speaker, there are a couple of things you need to keep in mind.
Is the speaker compatible with AirPlay 2?
If you’re buying new, it’s highly likely that if a speaker is AirPlay compatible at all, it’s compatible with the upgraded AirPlay 2. However, if you’re buying an older model second-hand, be sure to check if it has AirPlay 2 compatibility. There are some key differences between AirPlay vs AirPlay 2, including some useful features such as support for multi-room audio, and support for lossless audio streaming.
What connectivity does the AirPlay speaker offer?
AirPlay allows you to stream music wirelessly from your Apple device to an AirPlay-compatible speaker. However, there may be times when you need to use a different type of connection. Some speakers will offer Bluetooth support, allowing you to stream from any Bluetooth device. Some will also offer support for wired connections; if you want to connect a turntable, for example, then this could be a deal-breaker.
Is the AirPlay speaker suitable for my room?
It’s easy to buy a speaker that isn’t the right size for the space that you want to use it in. A HomePod mini is ideal for a home office, for example, but might feel a little lost in a large open-plan living space. On the flip side, a Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin can fill a decent-sized room with sound, but is overkill for a small home office, and will eat up a lot of desk space. Make sure you choose a speaker that’s suitable for your needs.
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