Wireless audio for the home has been around for a long time, but in the past few years, we’ve seen a big spike in systems and products using Wi-Fi as an alternative to Bluetooth. These are our top picks for Wi-Fi-connected speakers, streamers and receivers of the past year (give or take a couple of months).
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Amazon Echo Dot (2nd Generation)
Product Review: https://www.cnet.com/products/amazon-echo-dot-2nd-generation/review/#ftag=CAD187281f
CNET rating: 5.0 stars out of 5 (Spectacular)
The good: The second-gen, mini-sized Amazon Echo Dot smart speaker is just as smart as the first at nearly half the cost, and it’s better at hearing you, too. It’s also the only Echo product you can connect to an existing audio setup.
The bad: Amazon’s Echo products still can’t offer audio that syncs across multiple devices in multiple rooms.
The cost: $29.99 to $49.99
The bottom line: The improved Echo Dot takes Amazon’s best-in-class smart home speaker and wraps it in an ultra-affordable package.
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Chromecast Audio
Product Review: https://www.cnet.com/products/chromecast-audio/#ftag=CAD187281f
CNET rating: 4.5 stars out of 5 (Outstanding)
The good: Google’s ultra-affordable Wi-Fi music dongle streams anything from an Android device and many top iOS apps as well. It supports multiroom audio, digital and analog outputs and — with Google Home — voice control.
The bad: Some notable music services, including iTunes, Apple Music and Amazon Music, are not supported on iPhone and iPad. You need to supply the speakers.
The cost: $35
The bottom line: The phenomenal Google Chromecast Audio should be your starting point if you’re looking into multiroom wireless audio.
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Sony STR-DN1080
Product Review: https://www.cnet.com/products/sony-str-dn1080/review/#ftag=CAD187281f
CNET rating: 4.5 stars out of 5 (Outstanding)
The good: The Sony STR-DN1080 offers all of the features you could want in a modern receiver — multiroom music, Chromecast streaming, AirPlay, Dolby Atmos and a slew of 4K-compliant inputs. Sound quality is excellent, especially for movies. The user interface is easy to follow, and it is coupled with a friendly remote.
The bad: Sound quality is a little less full than on last year’s model, meaning it may not be quite as forgiving of bright speakers.
The cost: $448 to $598
The bottom line: The Sony STR-DN1080 is fully featured and easy to use, and it sounds great, making it the best AV receiver available for the price.
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Sonos One
Product Review: https://www.cnet.com/products/sonos-one/review/#ftag=CAD187281f
CNET rating: 4.5 stars out of 5 (Outstanding)
The good: The Sonos One integrates full-fledged Alexa voice control, just like an Amazon Echo speaker but with better sound quality. It offers most of Alexa’s smart home controls and its far-field microphone performs similarly to an Echo. The Sonos One works seamlessly as part of a Sonos multiroom system, and can pair with another One for stereo sound. In 2018 Sonos will add Google Assistant, and Apple AirPlay 2 support is coming too.
The bad: The One costs twice as much as the new Echo. It cannot form a stereo pair with an existing Sonos Play: 1. Google Assistant and AirPlay 2 support won’t arrive until 2018. It doesn’t work how you’d expect if you have an Echo within earshot. There’s no Bluetooth.
The cost: $199
The bottom line: The Alexa-powered Sonos One is the first smart speaker that actually sounds good with music — and even more new features will be coming to it in the months ahead.
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The following CNET staff contributed to this story: Senior Associate Editor Ry Crist, CNET contributor Steve Guttenberg, Associate Editor Ty Pendlebury and Senior Editor Laura K. Cucullu. For more reviews of personal technology products, please visit www.cnet.com.
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