As speakers have become smaller, smarter and wireless, multi-room systems have moved from the realms of sci-fi fantasy and are now very much a reality.
The April issue of What Hi-Fi?, available on the newsstands today, takes an in-depth look at all things multi-room, testing some of the best systems out there and explaining the what, the how and the why.
In the kitchen (bedroom and bathroom) at parties
Not so long ago, the idea of a household soundtracked by thin air was a fantasy. But multi-room is now home audio’s most rapidly-expanding market.
Bluesound and Sonos have led the way, but can they see off the latest competition? We test five systems from Audio Pro, Bluesound, Bose, Denon and Sonos to see which one is best for you.
For those considering investing in a multi-room system, our handy guide to all things multi-room should help. With all your questions about set-up, voice control and audio quality answered, we’ve got it covered.
We also test two of the best smart speakers on the market as heavyweight tech giants go head-to-head. Amazon’s Echo Dot or Google’s Home Mini – which will come out on top? Read the April issue of What Hi-Fi? to find out.
You can subscribe or buy the latest issue here, or buy the digital edition on iPhone, iPad, Android devices or Kindle edition
Best of the rest
As high-resolution music becomes ever more popular, we test the three best hi-res streaming services: Deezer, Qobuz and Tidal.
And following on from CES 2018 in Las Vegas (where manufacturers gave us a glimpse of their new TV) we take a look at what 2018 has in store for televisions. And following 4K and HDR, we predict the next big thing in TV technology.
Reviews galore!
Our First Tests section is where you’ll find reviews of all the latest hi-fi kit, and the April issue of What Hi-Fi? features Apple’s HomePod smart speaker, a superb 50in 4K TV from Philips and speakers from Mission and Monitor Audio.
There are also headphones from Beyerdynamic, a turntable from Roberts and the Amazon Echo Spot – a smart speaker described as an “almost perfect bedroom clock”.
Don't miss out
In our Temptations section, we review Goldmund’s Prologo Wireless speakers and a new Marantz SACD/CD player. That's a cool £67,000 worth of kit to drool over, but is it worth the (rather hefty) price?
Plus: Don’t miss your chance to get your hands on a free Rega Couple 2 interconnect (worth £99) when you subscribe to What Hi-Fi?.
The April issue is not to be missed. So wrap up warm and grab your copy of What Hi-Fi? on sale today. Or turn up the heating and download it onto your tablet or smartphone instead. Enjoy!
You can subscribe or buy the latest issue here, or buy the digital edition on iPhone, iPad, Android devices or Kindle edition