It doesn’t feel like that long ago that a multi-room audio system required a significant outlay, and a lot of wiring. Being able to listen to the same music throughout your home was once an expensive rarity, but with wireless speakers, it’s become more accessible.
Best Sonos speakers: Audiophile tested and reviewed
From the portable Sonos Roam to the impressive Sonos Arc, this is an audiophile’s guide to the best Sonos speakers.
Sonos led the way for mainstream wireless multi-room audio in the early days, but now it has much more competition, so choosing the right system is becoming increasingly tricky. Many companies offer proprietary systems, but there are now numerous platforms for multi-room audio too, including AirPlay 2, Alexa MRM, and Google Chromecast. These systems allow you to use devices from different compatible manufacturers, without being tied down to one specific brand.
To help you decide which speaker is best for your multi-room set up, we’ve compiled a list of some of the main players in the multi-room audio game, from the all-conquering Sonos, to details on the platforms that will allow you to combine different speakers from different manufacturers.
Best multi-room audio systems: Our top choices
Sonos Era 100
1. Best multi-room audio system for ease of use
A wide range of stunning sounding speakers ideal for multi-room audio
Sonos has been offering multi-room audio for a long time and the performance is excellent. There are many Sonos speakers to choose from, including soundbars and the unique-looking Sonos Era 300, but the sweet spot between price and performance is probably the Sonos Era 100.
- Great quality sound
- Easy to use
- Can work with other brands
One of the easiest-to-use multi-room systems on the market, Sonos has long been a popular choice. Whether you need a smaller speaker for a kitchen or bedroom, like the Era 100, a larger spatial audio-compatible speaker like the Era 300, a soundbar like the Beam Gen 2 or Sonos Arc, or a portable speaker like the Sonos Move 2 or Sonos Roam, there’s a Sonos to meet your needs.
Sonos also supports the vast majority of streaming services. There’s high-res audio support up to 24-bit/48kHz, but audiophiles wanting to listen to their 24-bit/192kHz tracks in all their glory will need to look elsewhere.
Bluesound Pulse M
2. Best multi-room audio system for hi-res
A smart speaker that can play hi-res audio up to 24bit/192kHz
If you want to experience multi-room audio at the very highest quality, then the Bluesound Pulse M could be just what you need. It’s capable of playing 24-bit/192kHz hi-res audio, so you can enjoy crystal-clear sound all around your home.
- Support for hi-res audio up to 192kHz
- Wirelessly stream over Bluetooth in CD quality
- Alexa and Siri support
- More expensive than some other systems
If you do want to enjoy your music in high-res, Bluesound offers exactly what audiophiles may feel is missing from Sonos. With Bluesound speakers, you get support for 24-bit/192kHz playback across a range of wireless speakers, soundbars, and streamers. You can even integrate third-party Hi-Fi gear via the multi-room platform BluOS.
Although it doesn’t feel quite as refined as Sonos, it’s made big improvements, and with Siri and Alexa support, it’s simple to start music playing on your Bluesound speakers. The Bluesound Pulse M is a great option if you’re looking to start building a Bluesound multi-room system.
Denon Home 150
3. Best multi-room audio system for existing equipment
Hi-res audio support and the ability to add existing audio equipment
Denon has a wide range of speakers, but you can also purchase a Heos Link device that allows you to add your existing audio equipment to your system. There’s support built into Marantz speakers, too. The Denon 150 is the most affordable way to start your Denon journey.
- Add any audio device with the Heos Link
- Support for hi-res audio up to 192kHz
- Support for Marantz products with Heos built-in
- Not the best-looking speakers
Denon’s Heos system goes with its standalone Heos Home speakers and soundbars, as well as being built into other AV products from the wider Denon and Marantz family. That’s thanks to something the brand calls Heos Built In. This means compatible AV receivers and stereo amps can feed into your system, and share their audio throughout the house.
If you already have audio equipment that you’re not yet ready to say goodbye to, you can purchase the Neos Link, which allows you to add your existing equipment to your Neos system. If you want to start from scratch, there are plenty of options to choose from, including soundbars, AV receivers, and standalone speakers such as the Denon Home 350. Everything is controlled via the Denon Heos app, which is compatible with Android, iOS, Google Assistant, and Alexa.
Bose Portable Smart Speaker
4. Best multi-room audio system for built-in options
A portable smart speaker that can be used as part of a multi-room experience
Bose is a huge name in the world of audio, so it’s no surprise that they offer products for creating a great multi-room system. The Bose Portable Smart Speaker can be moved from room to room, allowing you to adapt your multi-room system as you wish.
- Built-in voice control
- Wide range of compatible speakers, home cinema, soundbars, and amps
- Compatible in-ceiling speakers available
- Not a huge choice of home speaker options
Bose offers a wide range of products that can be added to a multi-room system, including several soundbars, two speakers including a handy portable speaker, and a home cinema system, as well as an amplifier for hooking up older Hi-Fi gear. The system connects directly to your Wi-Fi, but Bluetooth is also supported, so you can stream to a single speaker (though this won’t work with multi-room).
You’ll need the Bose Music app for the best experience, though the speakers in the lineup are also all compatible with the likes of AirPlay 2 and Chromecast too, giving you the option to hook up several speakers to play the same content. If you want to mimic the more expensive dedicated multi-room audio systems, you can even get in-ceiling speakers too, to pipe music into any room you wish.
Audio Pro Addon C10 MKII
5. Most stylish multi-room audio system
A beautiful speaker that will look great in any room
If you’re building a multi-room system, you want your speakers to look as good as they sound if they’re popping up all around your home. Audio Pro speakers really do look spectacular and offer high-quality sound to match.
- Stylish design
- Superb sound
- Line-in
- No built-in voice control
Some speakers have designs that are pretty boring, to put it mildly. While you might get away with this when they’re hidden away on a shelf, if you’ve got one on your kitchen worktop, those drab looks can really become obvious.
Audio Pro has a range of speakers that look good enough to put in any room. It’s not just a case of style over substance, either; the sound quality is excellent. We’ve been admirers of Audio Pro speakers for some time now, and while the multi-room experience may not be the most polished or comprehensive, there’s no doubting the sound quality of these stylish speakers.
Google Nest Audio
6. Best multi-room audio system for Google Assistant
A smart speaker that can be built into a multi-room system
Smart speakers are a great way to build a multi-room system, and the Google Nest Audio is a solid choice. It has decent sound, Google Assistant built-in, and is a reasonable price.
- Good value
- Google Assistant smarts
- Easy control of multi-room audio
- Not the best-looking speaker
Google is very much a supporter of multi-room audio and its Chromecast Built-In platform can be found on many wireless speakers now, including, of course, Google’s own Nest and Google Home speakers, but also speakers from B&O, Sony, Philips and LG. It’s completely open, so all compatible devices will work with one another and the number of supported services is vast.
Why you should use a Chromecast for all your streaming and casting
You can turn any TV into a smart TV with Google’s own dongle. It’s inexpensive, has a full UI, and lets you stream, cast, and more.
You can mirror the audio from a web browser or YouTube too, plus, voice control is baked into the system at its core.
You can only control playback of a single source to multiple speakers though, which is quite different to something like Sonos, so just be aware of the differences, so you know what to expect.
Apple HomePod Mini
7. Best multi-room audio system for Apple
A Siri smart speaker that makes a great multi-room system
If you’re an Apple user, then the HomePod mini is a great choice for building a multi-room system. It offers good sound for the size, Siri built in, and you can hand off music from your iPhone just by bringing it close to your HomePod.
- Good sound for the size
- Works seamlessly with your iPhone
- Reasonably small footprint
- Cheaper options available
Apple announced AirPlay 2 at WWDC 2017 with one of the key updates being the introduction of multi-room audio to AirPlay. This being Apple, you can only control the audio from an Apple device, but there are plenty of non-Apple products that support AirPlay 2, from speakers to smart TVs.
Apple HomePod mini: Making the world go round?
We’ve been listening to the HomePod mini to find out how it sounds and whether it should be your next smart speaker
Apple’s own speakers, like the HomePod Mini and HomePod 2 are a joy to use with AirPlay 2.
You can even hand off music from your iPhone to your HomePod just by holding it nearby. With multiple HomePods or AirPlay 2 compatible speakers in your home, you can play multi-room audio just by asking Siri.
Amazon Echo Dot with Clock (5th Gen)
8. Best multi-room audio system for Alexa
A great value smart speaker that can work for multi-room audio
$40 $60 Save $20
Echo smart speakers are one of the easiest ways to set up a multi-room audio system. You may already have one or more Echo devices in your home. Just set up a speaker group or ask Alexa to play music everywhere, and you can enjoy music from multiple Echos at once.
- Great price
- Reasonable sound
- Alexa built in
- Better sound quality from other options
Amazon’s Echo speakers are some of the most affordable ways to build a multi-room system. Amazon’s smart speakers are very competitively priced and can offer pretty good sound for the size. You can put Echo devices around your home for a multi-room audio system without breaking the bank.
Like Google and Apple, Amazon has also opened up the ecosystem to third-party speakers. You can add speakers from other brands, such as Sonos, in the Alexa app, and add them to speaker groups alongside your Echo smart speakers. You can then enjoy multi-room audio on a range of speakers that can give better sound quality than your Echo speakers can.
The bottom line: What is the best multi-room audio speaker?
Sonos has been offering multi-room audio for a long time and the performance is excellent. There are many Sonos speakers to choose from, including soundbars and the unique-looking Sonos Era 300, but the sweet spot between price and performance is probably the Sonos Era 100.
Sonos Era 100
Editor’s Choice
FAQ
Q: What is multi-room audio?
Multi-room audio is exactly what is sounds like. It gives you the ability to listen to music across multiple rooms at the same time. You could have different songs playing in different rooms, or you can have the same music playing across different rooms in perfect sync. Walk out of the kitchen and into the living room, and your song is still playing, without skipping a beat.
Music played across a multi-room audio system can come from streaming services such as Spotify or Apple Music, or your own personal music collection. For example, you can use a NAS (Network Attached Storage) drive, your computer, a CD or even vinyl with the right setup.
Q: How does multi-room audio work?
There are two main ways that multi-room works. Thre first is via a mesh connection, in which the speakers communicate directly with each other. The second is via a connection to your Wi-Fi, in which each speaker communicates with your Wi-Fi hub rather than speaker-to-speaker. A mesh connection can be more stable, but it does have some additional requirements.
You’ll still need a Wi-Fi connection, but you’ll usually hardwire one speaker to your router. That speaker then creates a dedicated network for your speakers, where they all speak to one another directly. This can help when you have some areas of your home with weak Wi-Fi signal — a mesh system allows you to put another speaker or speakers between your furthest speaker and your router, and each of these speakers can pass on the audio information from the router.
Q: What do you need to use multi-room audio?
Multi-room audio systems are usually wireless, connected over Wi-Fi, and controlled using an app. As long as you have access to power sockets, your internet connection is good, and you have a smartphone, you can position your speakers wherever you want in your home. You’ll need at least one speaker in each room you want to hear music in, but you can always buy a single speaker that’s capable of multi-room audio to start with, and then add another when you’re ready to take your audio multi-room.
Q: Do multi-room audio systems offer wireless connection?
Some systems offer the option of either Wi-Fi or mesh connection, but others will perform a purely wireless setup. Just be aware that if you’re connecting over Wi-Fi alone you’ll need a good Wi-Fi connection in all areas of the house where you want to play music.
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