Do you love to fill your home with music? If one speaker isn’t cutting it anymore, especially when you miss your song when grabbing something from a different room, a multi-room speaker could be the solution for you.
But what is a multi-room speaker? A multi-room speaker is a small network of wireless speakers that work together over Wi-Fi to play music throughout your home or even customise room-by-room.
In this TechTalk, we’ll explain how multi-room speakers work and recommend the best multi-room speakers to suit your needs and budget.
How do multi-room speakers work?
Multi-room speakers work by connecting to your home Wi-Fi, as opposed to Bluetooth. The Wi-Fi links the speakers together to create an audio network. Wi-Fi isn’t limited by range in the same way Bluetooth can be. So, whether you’re enjoying some tunes close to your router or bopping away in the shower, the sound should be crystal clear without any drops.
Not to mention that via the speaker’s app, you’re able to play different audio in each room or each zone. If you want to listen to your favourite podcast in the kitchen while there’s a dance party happening in the sitting room, that’s no problem for your new multi-speaker system!
Finding the best multi-room wireless speaker system for your home
When planning your new multi-room wireless speaker system, we always recommend sticking with one brand instead of combining multiple speaker brands. Why? First, because it makes setting up your new speaker system a lot easier – and isn’t an easy tech set-up always welcome! Secondly, it gives you a better day-to-day experience as the speakers will seamlessly talk to each other, so you don’t have to lose hours researching why Speaker A won’t work with Speaker B.
So which multi-room speaker system is best for your home? Here we’ll talk you through three of the biggest speaker brands: Sonos, Bose and LG.
Bose multi-room speakers
Bose is known for its premium sound quality. With a Bose speaker, you can enjoy clear vocals, rich bass and consistent sound performance, no matter how big or small the room is. Whether that’s a compact model like the Bose Lifestyle Ultra for the kitchen, or a larger speaker for your living room like the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar. Plus the Bose SoundLink Flex doubles as a portable speaker, so you can take that great sound with you.
Some Bose smart speakers have built-in Alexa or Google Assistant support. That means you can turn up the volume with your voice or sync up to your smart home devices. And the Bose Music app lets you group speakers, making sure each one is playing exactly what you want.
Explore Bose speakers.
Sonos multi-room speakers
Sonos is the pioneer of multi-room audio. Its speakers work seamlessly together as you move from room to room to give you a fantastic continuous sound.
Sonos has a great range of speakers to fit your home, whether that’s the compact Era 100, the powerful Sonos Five or the portable Move 2.
The Sonos App gives you complete control over your multi-room system. You can group and ungroup rooms, adjust volume by room, access multiple music streaming services and manage each speaker’s settings. You can be your own home’s DJ, giving each room its own personal sound!
The beauty of Sonos speakers is that you can keep expanding your system with a max of 32 speakers per multi-room system. It will take your music to a whole other level.
Shop the Sonos multi-room speakers range.
LG multi-room speakers
LG’s Sound Suite range uses AI and Dolby Atmos FlexConnect technology to optimise audio. Movie nights will feel more epic with surround-style sound, no matter where the speakers are placed.
And XBOOM Bluetooth speakers have strong bass and built-in light shows. Use the XBOOM app to control playlists and sync with other XBOOM speakers for a bouncing soundscape. Perfect for parties!
Check out LG multi-room speakers.
What to look for in a multi-room speaker system
With so many speakers on the market, it’s important to know what features to look out for and which are essential for your new speaker system.
Connectivity
Speakers tend to have either one or both connection types:
Wi-Fi links all speakers to your home router and lets you choose what each independent speaker plays. Your music or podcasts stream directly from the internet, so you can still use your phone as normal. You can even leave the house, and the audio will carry on.
Bluetooth pairs directly from your phone to one speaker. Because the audio is streamed directly from your phone, every notification sound will also be broadcast. And if you walk too far with your phone, whatever you’re playing stops.
Ecosystem compatibility
If you have smart home devices, you can create a network that your speakers can sync with. Most speakers are either compatible with Apple AirPlay, Google Home or Alexa. So once your devices are all hooked up, you can use your speakers hands-free by giving voice commands.
Audio quality
Speaker power is measured in watts (W) and refers to how much energy a speaker uses to make sound.
Smaller speakers (around 10-30W) are great for kitchens or bedrooms.
More powerful options (50W-200W+) are better suited for larger living spaces.
Dolby Atmos or spatial audio creates a surround-sound effect which makes your movies, music and video games feel more immersive.
Voice control
Built-in voice assistants like Alexa or Google Assistant let you play music, skip tracks or adjust the volume just by asking. And if you’ve got smart home devices, you can use your speaker to control lights, home heating and more.
Apps
Most modern multi-room speakers are controlled by a central app which lets you quickly switch between rooms, group speakers together, control volume and choose what’s playing.
Drivers
Drivers are what produce the sound you hear. Speakers with a well-balanced setup of both tend to sound fuller, so your music feels richer and more immersive.
Tweeters handle the higher notes (like vocals and effects)
Woofers are responsible for bass and depth
Best budget multi-room speaker
If you think this is something that’s expensive to set up, don’t worry, you can start small with budget-friendly multi-room speakers and build it out. All the brands mentioned above have fantastic entry-level speakers which deliver the same sound quality but without some of the added features like voice assistants.
The Sonos Era 100 SL is a great option for a budget speaker. Or go for the Sonos Roam 2 if you want a voice assistant for hands-free control.
How to set up a multi-room speaker system
Setting up a multi-room wireless speaker system is seriously straightforward. While the details vary slightly by brand, the basics are the same:
Make sure your Wi-Fi is working
Place your speakers where you want them
Download the app that works with your speakers
Open the app and follow the instructions to connect each speaker
Link your streaming services (Spotify, Apple Music, etc)
You’re set – hit play!
And that’s it – it’s super easy to set up, so you’ll be up and running/dancing in no time.
Ready to upgrade to a multi-room speaker system?
A multi-room speaker system is one of the easiest ways to transform how you listen at home. Choosing the right system for you depends on your current home setup, your budget, and the type of experience you want from your speakers. Whether it’s a full house soundscape or different rooms for different tunes!
For more tips, learn how to connect multiple Bluetooth speakers or check out our full audio buying guide to find your perfect setup.
