MULTI-ROOM MAGIC FOR EVERY KIND OF HOME

It doesn’t matter how big your space or budget

AMAZON ECHO, STUDIO AND DOT

Amazon’s Echo range is great value for money and a great choice for anyone on a modest budget. Echos are good stand-alone speakers for bedrooms and the Echo Studio is good for larger rooms or for giving a pair of Echos some extra low- end thump. The Echo Dot, Amazon’s cheapest smart speaker, doesn’t sound brilliant – but it has a 3.5mm jack so you can use it to add a non-smart speaker to your multi-room setup.

£329.97, amazon.co.uk

NAIM MU-SO AND MU-SO QB 2ND GENERATION

Naim’s Mu-sos are superb music streamers with lots of ways to bring high- end audio to up to five rooms. They work with pretty much every streaming service including hi-res audio providers, support up to 384kHz/32-bit audio, include room compensation to adjust sound based on their surroundings and deliver incredible sound: 450W of it from the Mu-so and 300W from the comparatively titchy QB. £2,048, naimaudio.com

Every home is different and so is every multi-room audio setup. But we think there are four main kinds of system, and we’ve identified good options for each one of them here. We’ll start with one of the simplest and most affordable options, which may not deliver audiophile sound quality but is very convenient, very flexible and excellent value for money – especially if you buy everything when Amazon has it on special offer. Next, we’ve put together a good all-rounder that encompasses high quality home cinema as well as streaming. And finally we’ve featured two audiophile friendly systems, one offering exceptional sound and the other absurdly luxe.

SONOS ARC, SUB, MOVE AND ONE

For many, a Sonos system will be the ideal multi-room solution thanks to its fine app and wide product range. The One and One SL speakers are great stand-alone smart speakers, the Move enables you to take your music outdoors, the Arc soundbar sounds like a cinema thanks to 11 amps, eight woofers and three tweeters, and the Sub delivers exceptional bass without distortion, cabinet buzz, vibration or rattles.

£2,096, sonos.com

BOWERS & WILKINS FORMATION SUITE

Yes, it’s expensive. But it’s money well spent. Not only does the Formation family include the iconic Duo speakers but also the Bar, Bass, Wedge, Audio and Flex (which we’ve upped to a pair). The Bar is a soundbar that specifically delivers 24-bit, 96kHz audio; the Bass adds accurate and distortionfree bass; the Flexes belie their small size with big sound and the Audio connects your existing hi- fi to your new high-res system. £7,694, bowerswilkins.com