Stuart Pritchard guides you through the evolving world of multiroom audio, where cutting-edge technology and emerging trends are fuelling sustained demand and widespread adoption.
To paraphrase the Bard of Avon: “If music be the food of love... turn it up to 11!” But while the reality of multiroom audio in the time of Bill Shakespeare was only for those who could afford to hire a minstrel to follow them around with a lute, in today’s tech-savvy society, multiroom audio is massive. How massive? The global multiroom audio solution market size was estimated to be USD 15.2 billion in 2023 and is anticipated to reach USD 32.6 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of 8.9% during the forecast period. That’s how massive.
So, what’s driving the market? Well, one might obviously assume increasing consumer demand for flawless audio across entire residential spaces. Alongside an upsurge in the availability of smart home systems of all sizes, significant advancements in wireless and the ability to add voice-controlled assistants.
One might obviously assume... but I’m not here to make obvious assumptions, rather it’s my job to hit you with a wall of solid fact. So, to that end, I’ve spoken to a selection of actual experts from within the multiroom audio industry and picked their collective minds. Namely, that’s Peter Gibb, NAD CI product manager and channel development, Lenbrook International; Amit Ravat, MD of Lithe Audio; Ben Davidson, head of Elite Dealers at AWE Europe; Francesco Fanicchi, corporate & marketing communication manager at Powersoft; and Andrew Sutherland, director, product management at Sonos. A veritable quintet of high-quality home audio authority, so open your ears and let their words of wisdom pour in like song sweeter than even the most sonorous wine...
1) Streaming
As established with some nifty stats in the opening paragraph, we’ve seen demand for multiroom audio grow at a rapid rate over the last few years, so exactly what is driving the public’s renewed desire for whole home audio?
“Music has always been a key part of any home, but during Covid we also saw an increase in demand,” says NAD CI’s Gibb. “This has continued after Covid with people choosing to do more entertaining in their homes and gardens. The increasing popularity of music streaming services has also made music content more accessible than ever.”
Ravat at Lithe agrees that streaming has been a major force: “Growth in, and desire for, whole home audio is being driven by improved streaming technology and the development of smart speakers that are compatible with multiple platforms, offering cutting-edge technology and discreet and easy installation.
“Wireless streaming services have now become a part of our daily lives. With music and video streaming services available at our fingertips, consumers want speakers that can effortlessly connect to their favourite content, across their living spaces, through streaming apps or via voice commands.”
All-weather speakers like this one from Lithe Audio allow seamless listening inside... and outside
So, streaming has been a vital tool in selling multiroom to the public, but Fanicchi at Powersoft believes improvements in install ease have also been key: “It boils down to the convenience of setting up integrated systems that can cover multiple roles, from simply playing music to delivering high-quality audio while watching a good movie, or even having amps hooked up to security systems. Modern systems offer multiple convenience factors that make them appealing, both for the integrator and for the end-user. AoIP integration allows seamless routing of audio signals across wide networks with just the use of a single ethernet cable.”
2) The 'wow factor'
So, we know why multiroom audio is enjoying such a stratospheric rise in popularity, but what do the punters actually want?Does it extend beyond the indoors, and does the ‘wow-factor’ card come into play?
Ravat: “The mass market audience wants convenience – simple streaming via speakers that offer great sound quality, look discreet and offer easy installation. But we’re seeing an additional growth area – perhaps those looking for the additional ‘wow-factor’ – in flexible systems that offer both indoor and outdoor zoned audio.
“At Lithe Audio we’ve developed a product that transforms an outdoor space into a sophisticated entertainment zone with one easy-to-install all-weather audio unit. The IO1indoor/outdoor speaker exemplifies the integration of amplification and connectivity into a single unit, offering creative and flexible placement of speakers, enabling homeowners to design their outdoor audio setups without the constraints of traditional wiring systems.
“As we look to the future, the concept of outdoor active audio is becoming increasingly prominent. These systems are not just about listening to music or watching movies outdoors; they are about creating a fully immersive, high-quality audio-visual environment.”
Sutherland, meanwhile, believes the public want the complete package: “Convenience, quality and the ‘wow-factor’ describe many of the aspects that consumers are looking for in multiroom audio. They want intuitive controls, seamless integration with smart home ecosystems, and the ability to easily play music or audio in any room at the touch of a button or via voice command. At the same time, quality is non-negotiable. Customers expect a premium sound for everything. The ‘wow-factor’ lies in creating immersive, personalised environments that transform ordinary moments into extraordinary ones.”
PSB Alpha iQ streaming powered speakers bring audio to any room in the home
3) Wireless
With all this talk of convenience and advanced audio technologies thrusting multiroom forward, it would be easy to imagine that the ability to go wireless would be a huge attractionfor house-proud homeowners looking to make the move to multiroom, but just how important a factor is it in the average installation?
Gibb: “An integrator will always run network cabling whenever possible, however, wireless is an important feature since it’s not always possible to hardwire a device. While a wired connection is always more stable and predictable, Wi-Fi is a technology that is continuing to evolve and improve, with Wi-Fi 6 and 7 offering more bandwidth, higher speeds and new features to improve reliability.”
“Wired systems are safer by definition,”agrees Fanicchi, “but the convenience of wireless integration for certain parts of the system is a great selling point. The wired infrastructure enclosed behind the walls should abide by the ‘set it and forget it’ rule, meaning that it will stay relevant and useful even with future system upgrades.”
Davidson at AWE is well-aware of the appeal: “Yes, wireless multiroom audio is a draw. Products such as Sonos and HEOS provide a robust wired and wireless multiroom ecosystem that is easy to use and scalable so clients can add to their systems over time.
“HEOS is built into many products from audio streaming boxes to AVRs for both Denon andMarantz, providing a range of options for clients. Denon and Marantz offer something for everyone and every application.
"A wireless sound system is one of the easiest ways to achieve multiroom audio. The ease of setup and the flexibility to reposition speakers without the constraints of wiring are highly appealing."
HEOS is built into many products from audio streaming boxes to AVRs for both Denon and Marantz
4) Hi-Res
We all know that digital audio has had its issues over the years, most notably being that the resolution is too low to appeal to those with a more audiophile lust for life. However, the ability of Hi-Res has changed all that, making digital audio a high-fidelity force to be reckoned with. But is the availability of Hi-Res that important to the average ear-user?
“Absolutely!” enthusiastically confirms Gibb.“We are huge advocates for Hi-Res audio, the BluOS platform is designed around always supporting 24/192 content to all devices, whether a single zone or multiple zones, using wired or wirelessly connected to the network. The better quality the source material, the better it will sound on a high-quality audio device. Any BluOS Enabled device is designed to get the best out of lower resolution sources, but we would always recommend Hi-Res source content.”
Ravat is equally keen: “Yes – there is a growing expectation for Hi-Res audio and consumers will expect it to become standard. The Lithe Audio Pro ceiling speakers are already delivering this high-quality solution, offering ultimate connectivity with Airplay 2, Google Chromecast built-in, and add-ons including WiSA and Dolby Atmos, ideal for home cinema audio. Developing speaker hardware that can process and output the Hi-Res streams will over time become the standard and not the exception.”
“Hi-Res Audio is setting the new standard for premium sound,” adds Sonos’ Sutherland. “It’s not just for audiophiles, but anyone seeking a rich, immersive listening experience.
Lithe Audio Pro ceiling speaker
5) Bespoke sound
Of course, the ultimate expression of multiroom audio heaven is bespoke sound. Here the integrator can really show off their talents and dazzle the client on a whole new level. So, who can benefit from bespoke?
Ravat: “In the real world, people don’t always want audio playing across the whole house at the same time. Sometimes just the kitchen, the bathroom, the living area, or even outdoors. The ideal system offers complete control – with single-zone, multiroom, multi-zone options, speakers at different volumes in different zones and perhaps weatherproof outdoor speakers in the line-up too. The Lithe Audio speaker collection has been developed to offer consumers an intuitive way of personalising and customising their home audio system, giving them the flexibility they require.”
Davidson at AWE believes that it’s the dealer’s job to help customers decide whether bespoke works for them: “The dealers are the experts who can take a client by the hand and take them on an audio journey to deliver a bespoke, tailor-made, high-end, experience. Yes, audio is subjective, and people have different listening environments, equipment and musical tastes, control preferences, and lifestyle... all of this has an impact on an audio solution. This can be crafted and engineered in a way that gleans better performance and a more enjoyable user experience.
“Our recommendation is not to just treat multiroom as a copy and paste of ‘x’ number of zones. The system design should be tailored to who and how content will be consumed in each area.”
6) AI
The big tech topic of the moment is, obviously, AI. Some fear it will turn evil and will destroy the world, others see it as a tool that can work in conjunction with virtual assistants to elevate the client experience. Here’s some thoughts, fortunately, from the latter camp...
Lithe Audio’s Ravat: “Our speakers pair and connect to any of the popular voice assistants, which is key because voice assistants are getting much smarter and using AI to enhance the customer experience. For example, AI is being integrated into Siri, Alexa and Google; there’s Apple Intelligence and Amazon is working with Cloud AI. These advancements mean that consumers will be able to control devices just with their voice, making multiroom and multi-zone speaker control even easier and more desirable than before.”
But Davidson, while conceding that AI has its place, still views the human factor as being vital to achieving the desired audio end: “AI calibration is great but doesn’t always meet the client’s needs. For example, what is it calibrating too – does it know what the client is looking for? Not everyone has the same preferences when it comes to listening to music, so manual intervention by an experienced professional is still crucial to achieve the desired result.”
Some reassurance there for those concerned with how AI looks set to steal jobs, then.
7) Integration
I suppose the biggest question when we look at the public’s adoption of multiroom is, is this an upshot of the greater availability of smart home systems, or is multiroom itself introducing people to the idea of owning their own smarts? And is seamless integration between the two the core consideration?
"I can try to answer from a CI perspective,”offers Gibb. “Most of our sales in this channel come from a customer who is already looking at a smart home solution, so the interest in further integration is often already there, as the end-customer will be having discussions around this with an integrator. Based on the customer’s needs the integrator will recommend the best methods of controlling and interfacing. What we know from industry surveys and feedback is the audio is the highest adopted aspect of a smart home, with most smart homes having some sort of audio system in there.”
Ravat adds: “Some people start with an audio system alone and then realise the benefits of expansion. But at the same time, we’re seeing the growth of AV solutions as part of a wider smart home system such as Control 4, KNX, Loxone and Nice/Elan to name a few. With these smart home systems, consumers will want a seamless integration of audio and entertainment as part of their wider security, lighting and building management systems."
Over at Powersoft, Fanicchi sees two sides of the same coin: “Multiroom and smart home are intrinsically linked, people want to simplify their lifestyle with technology, and this is what multiroom audio and smart home achieves. The thing that is really pushing the growth of multiroom is the quality of audio and the fantastic breadth of options we now have available to consume it. And once we have our foot in the door with multiroom, smart home solutions become an obvious and desirable upsell for the client.”
BluOS Controller app used to control the Bluesound NODE ICON music streamer
8) Shallow aesthetics
Finally, having looked at the tech, the consumer desire and the possibilities, we turn to the all-important aspect of shallow aesthetics. Clients want minimal upheaval in their home lives and even less disruption to décor. So how important is it that multiroom is geared up to give the public what it wants?
Davidson: “Very. In the CI space, installing in-wall and in-ceiling speakers is what we traditionally do. But now we also have a great choice of completely hidden speakers which can be plastered over. Of course, a hidden speaker will not perform like a dedicated stand-mount or floor-stander, so every room should be specified to meet the clients’requirements."
“We believe that the world of smart speakers is experiencing a transformation that is making multiroom audio the star of the show in the smart home. Improved technology – including the rise of the Wisa protocol and advanced high-resolution streaming sources – is setting new standards for audio quality. And ceiling speakers are stealing the limelight in sales, offering both performance and affordability, and meeting consumer demand for wireless streaming and discreet smart audio systems.”
Multifaceted multiroom
So, there we have it. Multiroom audio is on the rise because, well, the timing is immaculate. A pandemic that changed home habits for good, an upsurge in audio tech advancement, the coming of age of AI – all three elements entwined in the public consciousness, resulting in demand for multiroom audio and also smart home systems soaring.
Will homes with Hi-Res in every room become the norm? Our experts think so, and the figures speak for themselves. So, dealer, integrator, be ready, for the audio-loving masses want multiroom.