It does not really feel like that way back {that a} multi-room audio system required a major outlay, and a number of wiring. Having the ability to take heed to the identical music all through your private home was as soon as an costly rarity, however with wireless speakers, it is grow to be extra accessible.
From the transportable Sonos Roam to the spectacular Sonos Arc, that is an audiophile’s information to one of the best Sonos audio system.
Sonos led the way in which for mainstream wi-fi multi-room audio within the early days, however now it has rather more competitors, so selecting the best system is changing into more and more difficult. Many corporations supply proprietary techniques, however there at the moment are quite a few platforms for multi-room audio too, together with AirPlay 2, Alexa MRM, and Google Chromecast. These techniques help you use units from completely different suitable producers, with out being tied down to 1 particular model.
That will help you resolve which speaker is greatest on your multi-room arrange, we have compiled a listing of a few of the major gamers within the multi-room audio recreation, from the all-conquering Sonos, to particulars on the platforms that may help you mix completely different audio system from completely different producers.
Finest multi-room audio techniques: Our prime decisions
Sonos Period 100
1. Finest multi-room audio system for ease of use
A variety of beautiful sounding audio system very best for multi-room audio
Sonos has been providing multi-room audio for a very long time and the efficiency is superb. There are numerous Sonos audio system to select from, together with soundbars and the unique-looking Sonos Period 300, however the candy spot between value and efficiency might be the Sonos Period 100.
Professionals
Nice high quality sound
Simple to make use of
Can work with different manufacturers
One of many easiest-to-use multi-room techniques in the marketplace, Sonos has lengthy been a well-liked selection. Whether or not you want a smaller speaker for a kitchen or bed room, just like the Era 100, a bigger spatial audio-compatible speaker just like the Era 300, a soundbar just like the Beam Gen 2 or Sonos Arc, or a transportable speaker just like the Sonos Move 2 or Sonos Roam, there is a Sonos to fulfill your wants.
Sonos additionally helps the overwhelming majority of streaming providers. There’s high-res audio help as much as 24-bit/48kHz, however audiophiles eager to take heed to their 24-bit/192kHz tracks in all their glory might want to look elsewhere.
Bluesound Pulse M
2. Finest multi-room audio system for hi-res
A sensible speaker that may play hi-res audio as much as 24bit/192kHz
If you wish to expertise multi-room audio on the very highest high quality, then the Bluesound Pulse M could possibly be simply what you want. It is able to enjoying 24-bit/192kHz hi-res audio, so you’ll be able to get pleasure from crystal-clear sound throughout your private home.
Professionals
Help for hi-res audio as much as 192kHz
Wirelessly stream over Bluetooth in CD high quality
Alexa and Siri help
Cons
Costlier than another techniques
In case you do wish to get pleasure from your music in high-res, Bluesound affords precisely what audiophiles might really feel is lacking from Sonos. With Bluesound audio system, you get help for 24-bit/192kHz playback throughout a spread of wi-fi audio system, soundbars, and streamers. You possibly can even combine third-party Hello-Fi gear by way of the multi-room platform BluOS.
Though it does not really feel fairly as refined as Sonos, it is made large enhancements, and with Siri and Alexa help, it is easy to start out music enjoying in your Bluesound audio system. The Bluesound Pulse M is a good choice when you’re trying to begin constructing a Bluesound multi-room system.
Denon Residence 150
3. Finest multi-room audio system for present tools
Hello-res audio help and the power so as to add present audio tools
Denon has a variety of audio system, however it’s also possible to buy a Heos Hyperlink system that means that you can add your present audio tools to your system. There’s help constructed into Marantz audio system, too. The Denon 150 is essentially the most reasonably priced technique to begin your Denon journey.
Professionals
Add any audio system with the Heos Hyperlink
Help for hi-res audio as much as 192kHz
Help for Marantz merchandise with Heos built-in
Cons
Not the best-looking audio system
Denon’s Heos system goes with its standalone Heos Residence speakers and soundbars, in addition to being constructed into different AV merchandise from the broader Denon and Marantz household. That is because of one thing the model calls Heos Constructed In. This implies suitable AV receivers and stereo amps can feed into your system, and share their audio all through the home.
If you have already got audio tools that you simply’re not but able to say goodbye to, you should purchase the Neos Hyperlink, which lets you add your present tools to your Neos system. If you wish to begin from scratch, there are many choices to select from, together with soundbars, AV receivers, and standalone audio system such because the Denon Home 350. Every thing is managed by way of the Denon Heos app, which is suitable with Android, iOS, Google Assistant, and Alexa.
Bose Moveable Good Speaker
4. Finest multi-room audio system for built-in choices
A transportable good speaker that can be utilized as a part of a multi-room expertise
Bose is a big identify on the earth of audio, so it is no shock that they provide merchandise for creating an ideal multi-room system. The Bose Moveable Good Speaker will be moved from room to room, permitting you to adapt your multi-room system as you would like.
Professionals
Constructed-in voice management
Big selection of suitable audio system, house cinema, soundbars, and amps
Suitable in-ceiling audio system obtainable
Cons
Not an enormous selection of house speaker choices
Bose affords a variety of merchandise that may be added to a multi-room system, together with a number of soundbars, two audio system together with a useful portable speaker, and a house cinema system, in addition to an amplifier for hooking up older Hello-Fi gear. The system connects on to your Wi-Fi, however Bluetooth can also be supported, so you’ll be able to stream to a single speaker (although this may not work with multi-room).
You will want the Bose Music app for one of the best expertise, although the audio system within the lineup are additionally all suitable with the likes of AirPlay 2 and Chromecast too, supplying you with the choice to hook up a number of audio system to play the identical content material. If you wish to mimic the dearer devoted multi-room audio techniques, you’ll be able to even get in-ceiling audio system too, to pipe music into any room you would like.
Audio Professional Addon C10 MKII
5. Most fashionable multi-room audio system
A good looking speaker that may look nice in any room
In case you’re constructing a multi-room system, you need your audio system to look nearly as good as they sound in the event that they’re popping up throughout your private home. Audio Professional audio system actually do look spectacular and supply high-quality sound to match.
Professionals
Trendy design
Very good sound
Line-in
Cons
No built-in voice management
Some audio system have designs which might be fairly boring, to place it mildly. Whilst you would possibly get away with this once they’re hidden away on a shelf, when you’ve received one in your kitchen worktop, these drab appears can actually grow to be apparent.
Audio Professional has a spread of audio system that look ok to place in any room. It is not only a case of fashion over substance, both; the sound high quality is superb. We have been admirers of Audio Pro speakers for a while now, and whereas the multi-room expertise will not be essentially the most polished or complete, there is no doubting the sound high quality of those fashionable audio system.
Google Nest Audio
6. Finest multi-room audio system for Google Assistant
A sensible speaker that may be constructed right into a multi-room system
Good audio system are a good way to construct a multi-room system, and the Google Nest Audio is a strong selection. It has first rate sound, Google Assistant built-in, and is an inexpensive value.
Professionals
Good worth
Google Assistant smarts
Simple management of multi-room audio
Cons
Not the best-looking speaker
Google may be very a lot a supporter of multi-room audio and its Chromecast Constructed-In platform will be discovered on many wi-fi audio system now, together with, after all, Google’s personal Nest and Google Home speakers, but in addition audio system from B&O, Sony, Philips and LG. It is fully open, so all suitable units will work with each other and the variety of supported providers is huge.
You possibly can flip any TV into a sensible TV with Google’s personal dongle. It is cheap, has a full UI, and allows you to stream, forged, and extra.
You possibly can mirror the audio from an internet browser or YouTube too, plus, voice management is baked into the system at its core.
You possibly can solely management playback of a single supply to a number of audio system although, which is sort of completely different to one thing like Sonos, so simply concentrate on the variations, so you realize what to anticipate.
Apple HomePod Mini
7. Finest multi-room audio system for Apple
A Siri good speaker that makes an ideal multi-room system
In case you’re an Apple person, then the HomePod mini is a good selection for constructing a multi-room system. It affords good sound for the scale, Siri inbuilt, and you’ll hand off music out of your iPhone simply by bringing it near your HomePod.
Professionals
Good sound for the scale
Works seamlessly along with your iPhone
Fairly small footprint
Cons
Cheaper choices obtainable
Apple introduced AirPlay 2 at WWDC 2017 with one of many key updates being the introduction of multi-room audio to AirPlay. This being Apple, you’ll be able to solely management the audio from an Apple system, however there are many non-Apple merchandise that help AirPlay 2, from audio system to good TVs.
We have been listening to the HomePod mini to learn how it sounds and whether or not it needs to be your subsequent good speaker
Apple’s personal audio system, just like the HomePod Mini and HomePod 2 are a pleasure to make use of with AirPlay 2.
You possibly can even hand off music out of your iPhone to your HomePod simply by holding it close by. With a number of HomePods or AirPlay 2 suitable audio system in your house, you’ll be able to play multi-room audio simply by asking Siri.
Amazon Echo Dot with Clock (fifth Gen)
8. Finest multi-room audio system for Alexa
An awesome worth good speaker that may work for multi-room audio
$40 $60 Save $20
Echo good audio system are one of many best methods to arrange a multi-room audio system. You might have already got a number of Echo units in your house. Simply arrange a speaker group or ask Alexa to play music all over the place, and you’ll get pleasure from music from a number of Echos without delay.
Professionals
Nice value
Cheap sound
Alexa inbuilt
Cons
Higher sound high quality from different choices
Amazon’s Echo speakers are a few of the most reasonably priced methods to construct a multi-room system. Amazon’s good audio system are very competitively priced and might supply fairly good sound for the scale. You possibly can put Echo units round your private home for a multi-room audio system with out breaking the financial institution.
Like Google and Apple, Amazon has additionally opened up the ecosystem to third-party audio system. You possibly can add audio system from different manufacturers, akin to Sonos, within the Alexa app, and add them to speaker teams alongside your Echo good audio system. You possibly can then get pleasure from multi-room audio on a spread of audio system that can provide higher sound high quality than your Echo audio system can.
The underside line: What’s the greatest multi-room audio speaker?
Sonos has been providing multi-room audio for a very long time and the efficiency is superb. There are numerous Sonos audio system to select from, together with soundbars and the unique-looking Sonos Period 300, however the candy spot between value and efficiency might be the Sonos Period 100.
Sonos Period 100
Editor’s Selection
FAQ
Q: What’s multi-room audio?
Multi-room audio is strictly what’s feels like. It offers you the power to take heed to music throughout a number of rooms on the identical time. You can have completely different songs enjoying in several rooms, or you’ll be able to have the identical music enjoying throughout completely different rooms in excellent sync. Stroll out of the kitchen and into the lounge, and your tune remains to be enjoying, with out skipping a beat.
Music performed throughout a multi-room audio system can come from streaming providers akin to Spotify or Apple Music, or your personal private music assortment. For instance, you should utilize a NAS (Community Hooked up Storage) drive, your laptop, a CD and even vinyl with the proper setup.
Q: How does multi-room audio work?
There are two major ways in which multi-room works. Thre first is by way of a mesh connection, during which the audio system talk immediately with one another. The second is by way of a connection to your Wi-Fi, during which every speaker communicates along with your Wi-Fi hub fairly than speaker-to-speaker. A mesh connection will be extra steady, however it does have some further necessities.
You will nonetheless want a Wi-Fi connection, however you may often hardwire one speaker to your router. That speaker then creates a devoted community on your audio system, the place all of them communicate to 1 one other immediately. This may help when you’ve got some areas of your private home with weak Wi-Fi sign — a mesh system means that you can put one other speaker or audio system between your furthest speaker and your router, and every of those audio system can cross on the audio info from the router.
Q: What do you have to use multi-room audio?
Multi-room audio techniques are often wi-fi, linked over Wi-Fi, and managed utilizing an app. So long as you’ve got entry to energy sockets, your web connection is nice, and you’ve got a smartphone, you’ll be able to place your audio system wherever you need in your house. You will want no less than one speaker in every room you wish to hear music in, however you’ll be able to all the time purchase a single speaker that is able to multi-room audio to start out with, after which add one other while you’re able to take your audio multi-room.
Q: Do multi-room audio techniques supply wi-fi connection?
Some techniques supply the choice of both Wi-Fi or mesh connection, however others will carry out a purely wi-fi setup. Simply remember that when you’re connecting over Wi-Fi alone you may want an excellent Wi-Fi connection in all areas of the home the place you wish to play music.
