How to stream music all around your house

Transform your home into a concert hall with ease! Wireless technology and readily available hardware make whole-home audio simpler and more affordable than ever. This guide highlights some popular and cost-effective options, emphasizing that systems can be combined for a customized solution.

Sonos Play Speakers

Sonos is a leading wireless home audio system, known for its excellent sound quality and seamless integration. Speakers connect directly to your router, eliminating tedious setup. Control is via app (phone or computer), supporting major music services (Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, etc.) and local music files. The app allows room assignment for effortless transitions between rooms and customized playlists. While setup is easy and sound quality is superb, the high cost (systems can exceed $1000) is a significant factor.

Starting price: $199

Bose SoundTouch Speakers

A strong Sonos competitor, Bose SoundTouch offers similar features. It supports web-based music services (Spotify, Deezer, Amazon Music) and Bluetooth connectivity for guest device streaming. The app provides room assignment and playlist control. Larger speakers offer independent operation via online radio stations. The SoundTouch Wireless Link adapter adds SoundTouch capabilities to existing speakers with compatible ports. While expansion is straightforward, the cost remains relatively high.

Starting price: $199.95

Google Home and Google Cast

Primarily a smart speaker, Google Home delivers decent audio quality, though not quite matching Sonos or Bose. It integrates Google Cast for wireless audio streaming from various apps (Google Play Music, Spotify, etc.). The Google Assistant enables voice control for music playback and other smart home functions. Recent additions include Bluetooth support and multi-user functionality. Multiple Google Home speakers can be set up in different rooms with independent playlists or grouped for synchronized playback. The trade-off is between audio quality and smart assistant features.

Price: $129

Amazon Echo

Similar to Google Home, Amazon Echo prioritizes smart assistant functionality (Alexa) over top-tier audio quality (though the sound is acceptable). It supports major music services (Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn) via voice commands and Bluetooth streaming from other apps. While lacking true multi-room syncing, multiple Echos can be used in different rooms. The Echo Dot offers an upgrade path for existing speakers.

Price: $179.99

Apple HomePod and AirPlay

The Apple HomePod combines stylish design with high-quality audio and a built-in smart assistant. It adapts sound output to the room and can automatically link with another HomePod in the same room. AirPlay 2 enables multi-room audio across multiple HomePods. However, its high price and Apple Music exclusivity limit its appeal to non-Apple users. Bluetooth streaming is not supported.

Price: $349

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