Features

Connectivity is key

These multi-room speakers all use Wi-Fi to connect to your home network, but there are other features to think about too.

The LG Music Flow H5 and Samsung M5 are the most expensive speakers here, but they’re packed with useful features, including dualband Wi-Fi for maximum range and reliability, and Ethernet for homes where Wi-Fi doesn’t work so well. The Sonos Play:1 has Ethernet too, which may come in handy, as its single-band Wi-Fi may struggle.

Pure’s Jongo T4X just has basic Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, but it can use both wireless technologies in tandem in order to stream music from a really wide range of devices and apps, and it’s currently the only multi-room speaker system that will work with the Apple Music service.

In contrast, the Philips Spotify speaker only works with Wi-Fi connections and will only let you play music from the Spotify app on iOS devices. It can’t play iTunes music from a Mac and, to add insult to injury, you’ll need a paid-for Spotify Premium account too.