Wireless multiroom speaker systems offer the easiest way to listen to music, podcasts, and other audio entertainment in multiple rooms at once, and Sonos is the best option for most people. It supports the widest range of streaming services, has a variety of great-sounding speakers, and is easier to set up and use than most multiroom systems.
However, we also recommend it to those looking for something less expensive or for a more luxurious, high-end streaming experience.
our picks
This speaker produces rich, balanced sound and fits nicely into any room. It also supports Bluetooth, AirPlay, and Alexa voice control.
This speaker can play spatial audio from Apple and Amazon, giving you a more spacious sound even with regular stereo music. However, audio purists may prefer one of Sonos’ more traditional speaker designs.
Sonos has been developing multi-room wireless systems longer than anyone, and that experience shows at every level. The mobile and desktop apps rank among the most sophisticated available, offering unified search across all the music services you subscribe to. Additionally, the platform supports more streaming services than its competitors, and in some cases even more.
Sonos speaker products come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and prices. There are currently five tabletop speakers to choose from, ranging from $200 to $550. The company also sells four portable He speakers and two He subwoofers, as well as three smart sound bars. All of these can be combined with two Sonos tabletop speakers to form a surround system. IKEA also sells Sonos compatible speakers.
All Sonos-branded speakers have built-in AirPlay 2 support, some newer models support Bluetooth, and many add voice control with Amazon Alexa, Google Home, or both. Masu.
There are two main drawbacks to the Sonos ecosystem. First, it’s a closed ecosystem, so if you want all parts of your multiroom system to work together seamlessly, you’ll need to use a Sonos-branded device. Second, the system’s voice control capabilities aren’t as advanced as what you get from smart speakers from Amazon or Google.
budget selection
This small, affordable speaker is great value for money and supports many streaming services. However, the Nest Audio platform isn’t as robust or intuitive as Sonos’ system.
If you want to build a more affordable multi-room wireless music system while still maintaining great sound, Google’s Nest Audio platform is a great alternative to Sonos. Currently, there’s only one speaker in the lineup that focuses on audio performance: the Google Nest Audio speaker. This speaker sounds pretty good for $100, even if it’s not as detailed as Sonos’ entry-level speakers and doesn’t offer stereo sound from a single speaker like more expensive alternatives. However, you can pair the two for stereo sound for the same price you’d pay for Sonos’ cheapest speakers.
Google has made many improvements to its multiroom audio platform over the years. It’s still limited compared to our top picks, but it’s better than Amazon’s Alexa platform, which was also a great product whether you use voice commands or the Google Home app to control your system. I also found it easy to use. It also works seamlessly with countless devices that have Chromecast built-in, including streaming media players, smart TVs and projectors, and some third-party wireless speakers.
Upgrade selection
This big, room-filling speaker sounds great, but the real draw is its gorgeous design and excellent BluOS control app. However, the Bluesound ecosystem is more limited and its devices are more expensive.
If you prefer interacting directly with your speakers rather than controlling playback using an app or your voice, you’ll love the luxury and high-end appeal of Bluesound’s Pulse M speaker, the latest addition to the Bluesound wireless speaker family. You’ll love it! and a streaming audio player. Proximity-activated capacitive touch controls greatly increase the swank factor, and the speaker’s sound quality competes with the best Sonos has to offer.
The Bluesound streaming platform also offers good value for money with easy setup, and outperforms Sonos in intuitive navigation and day-to-day usability. My only complaint is that you can’t currently search for songs across different music services like you can with Sonos.
Overall, our biggest complaint is that we wish Bluesound had offered more speakers that looked and felt as premium as the Pulse M.
