If you're yet to experience multi-room, you're doing audio wrong. Setting up a multi-room system is a doddle, and it can fill your home with music easily and with great sound quality. It doesn't even have to cost that much, if you know where to look, and by buying components separately over time, you can spread the cost over months or even years.
It's versatile too, giving you a diverse range of source material, be it legacy media, streaming services, or locally stored media played wirelessly from a phone, tablet or computer. It can incorporate classic wireless, home cinema, portable and dedicated outdoor speakers, and even 'proper' hi-fi speakers, if you have the right kit. So you will not be short of choice.
Sonos is the easy option, for its broad range of speakers, ease of use and sheer quality. But there's a lot more to multi-room besides...
Each of the systems below has earned a glowing review from us. We've been reviewing audio gear of all stripes for nearly 50 years, so we know a thing or two about sound quality. We test each against its closest price rivals to see how it stacks up, with review verdicts agreed on as a team rather than one individual reviewer. For more on our reviews process, see the how we test multi-room systems section lower down this page.
At the start of the 21st century, I was working at T3 magazine when the original Sonos system arrived for testing. I still remember the giddy thrill of playing music all over the office as we passed around the Sonos Controller (complete with iPod-style click wheel). Multi-room audio has come a long way since then – now you're spoilt for choice when shopping for a system, and there's nary a click wheel in sight.
The quick list
Best overall
A combination of great choice, very good sound quality and effortless user-friendliness makes Sonos the best choice for most people.
Best for value
If it's bang-for-buck you're looking for, you can't get better than Audio Pro. Its speaker sound fantastic and are some of the most reasonably priced around.
Best for versatility
It's not just Denon products that work with the HEOS system, but certain Marantz ones too. Which makes HEOS more versatile than most multi-room rivals.
The best multi-room systems we recommend in 2024
Why you can trust What Hi-Fi? Our expert team reviews products in dedicated test rooms, to help you make the best choice for your budget. Find out more about how we test.
Best overall
It’s facing more competition than ever, but few multi-room offerings are as complete or as pleasurable to live with as Sonos.
Sonos as a system has two big advantages: breadth of choice and simplicity of use. In the time its rivals have been playing catch-up, Sonos has launched a whole family of products – including the Move 2, Era 300 and 100, Sonos Ray, Beam (Gen 2) and Arc soundbars, Roam portable speaker and Sub Mini – got onside with a long list of streaming services (including Apple Music Spatial Audio), and added lossless audio support, not to mention nailing the usability aspect of multi-room.
But it's not all been plain sailing. Its first wireless headphones only scored three stars, which was a massive disappointment after years of waiting. And its CEO recently apologised for redesigning the mobile app in such a way that broke some features and outright removed others.
Apart from these missteps, Sonos remains one of the best multi-room options, combining a broad range of accomplished products with the most substantial selection of streaming services and the most pleasant and complete user experience around.
For those dipping a toe into wireless waters, we'd always recommend giving Sonos a look.
Read the full Sonos multi-room system review
Best for value
The Audio Pro range might be a bit limited compared to some multi-room rivals (there's no soundbar, for example), and the app is a little lacking, but for sound quality at the price, it's the best around. And the company continues to grow the family: recent additions include the Award-winning Addon C10 Mk11 and the latest flagship C20.
The affordable, puck-like Link 1 hub turns your hi-fi and other Addon speakers into a simple multi-room system, while the larger Audio Pro offerings tend to deliver great sound and are easy to use. Their musicality is unmatched by anything at this price level. In fact, the Drumfire outperformed the first-gen Naim Mu-so, despite only costing half as much.
Audio Pro's speakers might divide opinion aesthetically (Sonos' are more crowd-pleasers in terms of looks), but there's no denying their sound and build quality. Consider that filling your house with them is a lot more affordable than rival systems, and you'll soon get over any reservations you might have about their looks.
Read the full Audio Pro multi-room system review
Best for versatility
We can't help but feel Denon has been typecast. And like all typecasting, it's grossly unfair – as well as its AV receivers (for which it's best known), Denon makes all manner of audio gear, like wireless speakers, soundbars, amps and headphones. And that's before you get to the 'Audio Components' section of its website, which includes turntables, audio streamers, CD players and micro systems.
But it's not only Denon's kit that work with the firm's HEOS platform – certain Marantz gear is also compatible (both brands are owned by the same company). Which makes it one of the most versatile, mix-and-match options when it comes to multi-room.
HEOS does a great job of bringing together seemingly disparate components into a musical whole. Plus it supports high-res audio and plays nice with streaming services like Amazon Music. You can also add Alexa skills, and control it all just by speaking – now that's power.
Of course, that wouldn't mean much were the sound quality not up to scratch, but it is. It can't quite match Audio Pro in this department, but HEOS is a great all-rounder, with a broad selection of audio components to choose from.
Read the full Denon HEOS multi-room system review
Also consider
The best multi-room system alternatives we've tested:
Bluesound Generation 2i: It's been a long time since we tested this system and there are new models released, so while it earned five stars at the time (and a series of Awards), we're hesitant to include it in the main list until we review the system again fully. It includes some excellent components and the BluOS streaming system is versatile and sturdy, but the quality varies across the range of products – read our full review for more info.
Apple HomePod 2/HomePod Mini: Apple's smart speakers gained multi-room powers thanks to AirPlay 2, and can fill your home with sound if you decide to buy multiple 'Pods. They're immaculately built, with superb sound quality and typically intuitive user-friendliness. As long as you're an Apple user, that is.
Amazon Echo/Echo Dot: If you have multiple Amazon Echo speakers – or have products with the Works With Amazon logo – you can combine them together for a multi-room system. Amazon's Echo/Echo Dot smart speakers alone are a cheap and easy way to achieve the multi-room effect.
How to choose the best multi-room system for you
You don't have to buy a complete multi-room system all at once, you can start with one or two speakers and add to it bit by bit, or room by room. That way you can dip your toe into the multi-room waters to find out if you like your chosen system. And it helps spread the cost out over months or even years.
Most systems are now compatible with voice assistants such as Siri, Google Assistant and Amazon's Alexa, or you can control them via a mobile app. You can opt to listen to the same song in every room, or a different tune in each, ensuring a harmonious home in more ways than one.
There's a vast choice of multi-room speakers and systems on the market, but which is best? Sonos is the most recognisable brand, and with good reason: it's intuitive and sounds fantastic. But there are plenty of rivals, too, all serving tempting features such as support for hi-res audio files or your favourite streaming service, Bluetooth connectivity and more, so which is best for you will depend on your needs and budget.
How we test multi-room systems
At What Hi-Fi? we comprehensively test and review every product we recommend, from soundbars to speakers, headphones and TVs. And it's no different for multi-room systems.
We pit each against its closest rivals for features and price. Almost all the testing is carried out by our team of expert reviewers at our dedicated test rooms, but for multi-room we'll take the systems home and live with them in our own homes as if we had bought them (sadly, we do have to give them back at the end of the process). That's the best way to see how they fare in day-to-day use.
Multi-room speaker systems are tested for sound quality, features, ease of set-up and use, and overall performance. And we test multiple products in each family, usually at least two wireless speakers and a soundbar but this will vary depending on each system's product line-up.
There's no input from PR or sales people, and all review verdicts are agreed on as a team instead of one person making or breaking a product. Not only does that eliminate bias, it also pools our shared knowledge while also making sure we haven't missed anything. We've been reviewing audio products for nearly 50 years now (with over 100 years of combined experience), and we're proud of our reputation as the home of honest, unbiased reviews.
To really dig into what our reviews process entails, see our how we test page.
MORE:
Check out the best multi-room speakers
Hi-res and lossless music services compared
Our pick of the best cheap speaker deals
F.A.Q.
Is multi-room audio worth it?
Yes. It allows you to listen to music throughout your home, so either the same track can follow you from room to room, or you can play a different one in each room to set different moods.
How much does a whole house sound system cost?
It depends on which brand you go for, how many speakers you want in each room and how many rooms you have. Multi-room speakers start from about £100 / $100 / AU$200, and can cost into four figures.
Which sound system is best?
Sonos has remained one of the most popular in the 20-odd years since it launched, and with good cause: it's simple to use, the app is a breeze and the speakers sound very good. Its range now includes soundbars, subwoofers, spatial audio speakers, portable models with Bluetooth and more. But other systems trump it for sound quality and price.
Recent updates
- 30th July 2024: Rewrote intro. Removed Jump Menu and 'Test results' tables. Bolded advisory text in 'How to choose' section.
- 14th May 2024: Converted to new Best Buy format. Removed Bluesound Generation 2i from main list. Added 'Also consider', 'F.A.Q.' and 'Recent updates' sections.
- 9th June 2023: Added new images. Mentioned newer Bluesound products within the Bluesound Generation 2i entry.
- 3rd April 2023: Added mention of Sonos Era 300 and Era 100 speakers.
