High AirPlay 2 Audio system 2026: Finest wi-fi sound for Apple gadgets

We’re placing the HomePod mini within the high spot on the idea of its low price ticket, glorious sound high quality and deep integration with Apple’s software program ecosystem – so long as you don’t thoughts being tied to Siri.

The HomePod mini can’t match the bass punch of the full-size HomePod, however the output remains to be much better than we’ve any proper to anticipate at this dimension and worth. (Simply to reiterate, it’s a 3rd of the worth and a seventh of the load of its bigger sibling.)

For jazz, rock and classical we have been blown away by its clear, wealthy sound. And whereas it’s not fairly received the welly to deafen your neighbors with home music at 3 am, and also you gained’t fill a village corridor with sound, but it surely does fill a room fantastically – particularly when teamed with a second mannequin as a stereo pair.

In the event you’re deep within the Apple ecosystem and also you admire high quality audio, that is the sensible speaker for you: it should play your music fantastically and make TV watching a delight.

As with the HomePod mini, ease of setup is certainly one of its strongest options–plug within the HomePod and wave an iPhone vaguely in its route and an onscreen popup (on the telephone) will invite you to set it up. If there’s one other HomePod of the identical mannequin within the chosen room, you’ll be given the choice to hitch them as a stereo pair.

It sounds nice whether or not used as a single unit, or as a stereo pair, and it’s a fantastic accompaniment to your Apple TV because it helps Dolby Atmos and Spatial Audio (the HomePod mini doesn’t). To seek out out extra, learn extra about how the HomePod compares to the HomePod mini.

The primary disadvantages of the 2023 HomePod are the excessive worth (thrice that of the HomePod mini) and the frustrations related to being reliant on Siri to regulate it. We actually need a HomePod with a display screen.

The Audio Professional C10 MKII W has a minimalist design, consisting of a easy rectangular field measuring 166mm excessive, 320mm broad, and 180mm deep. Regardless of its small dimension, it’s sturdy, weighing over 4kg.

The entrance panel encompasses a sensible material grille that may be eliminated for a retro look with uncovered drivers. Eradicating the grille reveals a big woofer within the centre for deep, full sound, with smaller tweeters on both facet for larger frequencies.

The C10 MKII W has a complete output of 80W, making it appropriate as a principal speaker system in the lounge. Nonetheless, it requires mains energy and is probably going for use in a single room at residence as a result of its weight. 

The C10 MKII W helps Bluetooth, Apple’s AAC codec, and dual-band Wi-Fi. The up to date Audio Professional app works with numerous streaming providers, together with Spotify, Amazon Music, and SoundCloud. It additionally helps AirPlay 2, permitting audio streaming from Apple gadgets and integration with multi-room music techniques. Android customers could also be disillusioned that there’s no aptX help with Bluetooth, however the C10 MKII W helps Google Forged.

The speaker has RCA connectors for wired connections, however no audio cables are included.

The C10 MKII W delivers good sound high quality. The lossless model of Madonna’s Frozen on Apple Music by way of AirPlay revealed delicate string touches and mild digital chimes, adopted by a pointy percussion crack that led into the refrain.

The C10 MKII W handles tougher rock sounds properly. Sing Alongside by Sturgill Simpson, captured the thick, fuzzy guitar sound and the wailing keyboards, making a energetic ambiance. The deep bass could possibly be firmer, however an additional RCA connector permits for an exterior sub-woofer for enhanced bass.

Whereas it’s dearer than Apple’s HomePod, the C10 MKII W excels in readability and precision, particularly with high-res music on Apple Music and different streaming providers. It additionally provides higher connectivity.

Audio Professional’s mannequin numbers are inconsistent, with some older fashions nonetheless on sale, so make certain to purchase the right mannequin.

In the event you desire correct stereo audio system the A28 W is a good possibility.

The speaker cupboards are fabricated from MDF, which feels very sturdy and likewise helps to scale back vibrations which may have an effect on the sound high quality. The A28 W is offered in black or white, or with a walnut wooden end. There are detachable material grilles supplied with every speaker.

Inside every cupboard you’ll discover a 4.5-inch woofer for dealing with the mid-range and decrease frequencies, together with a 1-inch tweeter for the upper frequencies. Every speaker gives 75W output – 150W whole.

The ‘W’ refers back to the audio system’ emphasis on wi-fi connectivity. There’s help for Apple’s AAC codec (however no aptX for Android customers). There’s dual-band Wi-Fi for connecting to your house community (2.4GHz and 5.0GHz). And there’s help for AirPlay 2 and Google Forged.

Wired inputs embrace stereo RCA inputs, one digital optical enter to be used with different Hello-Fi tools, and an HDMI-ARC interface for a TV. There’s additionally yet one more RCA connector that permits you to hook up with an exterior sub-woofer as properly. No normal 3.5mm or USB-C connector for wired audio although.

There’s a 10-band equaliser, however what actually impresses concerning the A28 W is its skill to create an expansive stereo sound that’s way more immersive and atmospheric than one-piece audio system comparable to Apple’s HomePod. It’s pretty costly, however the sound high quality is superb.

Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin vary of audio system first appeared again in 2007. The  Zeppelin Professional Version launched on the finish of 2024 and appears nearly an identical to the Zeppelin launched, so watch out to verify which mannequin you’re contemplating shopping for. 

At $799/£699, it’s one of many dearer AirPlay audio system presently obtainable, but it surely actually does ship the products when it comes to sound high quality.

The Zeppelin Professional Version measures 210 x 650 x 194mm and weighs 6.6kg. It’s obtainable in a darkish ‘area gray’ or ‘photo voltaic gold’. 

Not like many one-piece speaker techniques – together with Apple’s HomePod – the Zeppelin Professional Version gives a full stereo system, with separate left and proper audio channels, in addition to a devoted sub-woofer for dealing with decrease frequencies. That’s the same set-up to earlier Zeppelin fashions, however Bowers & Wilkins says the woofers and tweeters have been redesigned for the Zeppelin Professional Version for even higher sound high quality.

Like earlier fashions, the Zeppelin Professional Version helps Bluetooth with AAC for Apple gadgets, and aptX Adaptive for Android. There’s additionally Wi-Fi with help for AirPlay 2, which lets you stream wi-fi audio (and Apple Music) over your house community out of your Apple gadget. Utilizing AirPlay with Apple gadgets gives extra bandwidth for high-quality audio information. The Zeppelin Professional additionally helps Spotify Join, and Tidal and Amazon Music by way of an app. 

Our solely grievance is that the Zeppelin Professional doesn’t supply wired inputs, so you may’t join it to a CD participant or Hello-Fi.

The Zeppelin Professional Version is likely one of the bigger and dearer AirPlay audio system. If you’d like a robust, high-quality stereo speaker that helps AirPlay 2 it is a nice possibility. 

Roku is well-known for its vary of streaming media gadgets, which provide an reasonably priced various to Apple’s personal Apple TV field. Nonetheless, the Roku Streambar goes a step additional by combining streaming options with a compact soundbar speaker and help for Apple’s AirPlay 2 – and all for a extremely aggressive $129.99/£129.99.

The AirPlay help and built-in dual-band Wi-Fi imply you can merely use the Streambar as a traditional AirPlay speaker, utilizing AirPlay to stream music by way of Wi-Fi from any Apple gadget. It’s surprisingly highly effective for such a compact speaker, and greater than loud sufficient for enjoying music at residence or watching a number of Hollywood blockbusters. It even gives fairly good bass too, touchdown the bass guitar and crashing drums on Kate Bush’s The Massive Sky with actual impression (and Roku has just lately introduced a brand new vary of wi-fi audio system that additionally help AirPlay 2, though we’ve not had the possibility to check these but).

Going past fundamental speaker mode, you can even use the HDMI port on the again of the Streambar to attach it to a TV or laptop show, and this lets you stream video at as much as 4K decision out of your Apple gadgets as properly. You may even eliminate your Apple gadgets altogether, and simply use the Streambar’s built-in streaming options to attach your TV or laptop monitor to a variety of video providers–together with Apple TV+, Netflix, Disney+ and so forth. It additionally helps quite a few music streaming providers too, comparable to Apple Music and Spotify.

Admittedly, the low value of the Streambar signifies that it does lack a number of superior options, comparable to help for Dolby Atmos, which you will get from Apple’s HomePod and likewise the Apple TV 4K. However, in fact, the Apple TV field doesn’t embrace a speaker, and the Streambar’s low-cost mixture of AirPlay speaker and music and video streaming options makes it an absolute cut price at this worth.

In 2024 Roku launched the Streambar SE, which is a less expensive model of the Streambar reviewed right here. The bigger Streambar Professional has been discontinued, however for now Roku appears to be persevering with to promote the Streambar.

When Sonos first launched the Period 100 it was positioned as a mid-range possibility that sat between the entry-level Sonos One and the imposing Period 300 with Dolby Atmos on the high quality. Nonetheless, the veteran Sonos One quietly light away a number of months in the past and the Period 100 has taken over as the brand new entry level for the Sonos vary of multi-room audio system, with a $249/£249 price ticket that makes it a very good various to the Apple HomePod at £299/$299.

At first look, the Period 100 does look similar to the unique Sonos One, with an upright cylindrical design that’s obtainable in black or white. It’s barely bigger than the Sonos One, although, standing 182.5mm excessive, 120mm broad and 130mm deep. This permits the Period 100 to squeeze in a further high-frequency tweeter, in order that it now homes two tweeters which might be angled out to the suitable and left to unfold sound extra extensively than the Sonos One. It additionally features a bigger woofer than the Sonos One, to deal with the mid-range and bass and add somewhat further energy as properly.

This new design works a deal with and the Period 100 gives superb sound high quality for a comparatively compact speaker. The atmospheric harmonies of Enya’s Orinoco Stream have a light-weight, shimmering sound, however the compact speaker has received some muscle too, and is definitely capable of fill the room round me with Enya’s swirling cloud of sound. The dual tweeters present a crisp, clear sound for the digital loops that fly by means of the air, however that bigger woofer may also attain down and embrace the gradual bass pulse and rumbling drums that enter as Enya’s multi-tracked vocals chant – “flip it up, flip it up”.

The one minor disappointment is that the Period 100 doesn’t help Dolby Atmos or spatial audio. In the event you’re a house cinema fan who actually needs Atmos you then’ll have to pay somewhat extra for alternate options such because the Apple HomePod or the high-end Period 300. However, for those who’re simply on the lookout for a compact, high-quality speaker with wi-fi and help for AirPlay, then the Period 100 delivers the products at a cheaper price than most of its AirPlay rivals.

Sonos’ Roam needs to be the smallest and most moveable AirPlay 2 speaker we’ve seen to this point.

Sonos’s authentic Roam sensible speaker was launched again in 2021, and it was among the finest moveable audio system we’ve ever seen, offering superb sound high quality in a extremely compact design that additionally managed to squeeze in helpful options comparable to wi-fi charging and even help for Wi-Fi and AirPlay for Apple gadgets. The Roam 2 fine-tunes quite a few options comparable to its set-up and tuning course of, and gives extra simple controls.

Accessible in a wide range of colours–together with pink, inexperienced, blue and plain previous black and white–the Roam 2 seems to be an identical to its predecessor. It’s 168mm tall, 62mm broad and 60mm deep, and weighs 0.43kg. It’s not pocket-size, however it should match right into a backpack. It has a IP67 score water and dirt resistance, so it’s suited to the outside.

There’s no room for a big battery within the compact design, but it surely ought to final for as much as 10 hours with music at 50% quantity. It wants to face upright for wi-fi charging and the quantity, playback and microphone controls sit on the highest, however you may flip the speaker onto its facet and lay it flat. A USB-C port on the again can be utilized for charging too. 

Roam 2 helps Bluetooth 5.2 and now has separate buttons for Energy and Bluetooth pairing, that are simpler to make use of than the fiddly multi-function button on the unique Roam. You may press the Bluetooth button to pair by way of Bluetooth, however it’s good to obtain the Sonos app for iOS so as to set the speaker up correctly. We encountered issues getting the speaker related to our Wi-Fi community and needed to spend time altering the Wi-Fi settings. However, as soon as that was finished, the Roam 2 labored very well. Fortunate its help for AirPlay made connecting it to further Apple gadgets simple.

The Roam 2 provides nice sound high quality for such a compact speaker, particularly over a Wi-Fi connection. It did a very good job with Sturgill Simpson’s Sing Alongside, laying down the grinding, fuzzy guitars that type the bedrock of the sound. On Billie Eilish’s Unhealthy Man it achieved a reasonably respectable bass beat for such a small speaker.

Switching to Bluetooth brought about the sound to lose somewhat readability–however that’s a limitation of Bluetooth slightly than the speaker itself, and the Roam 2 can go head-to-head with any moveable speaker of this dimension and weight. The Roam 2 actually punches above its weight in relation to sound high quality and its sturdy and light-weight design is nice for outside use. 

Apple has been banging the drum for spatial audio for a number of years now, however Sonos actually took a step ahead with that know-how when it launched the Period 300 in 2023. Appropriately sufficient, it additionally marked a brand new period for the Sonos vary of multi-room audio system, with a completely new design that was no less than eye-catching even when it wasn’t maybe as elegant as Sonos claimed.

Accessible in black or white, the cumbersome, hourglass design of the Period 300 could be very a lot designed for spatial audio, housing at least six separate speaker drivers, with help for Dolby Atmos when watching movies and video, or listening to spatial audio on Apple Music. There’s one woofer and one tweeter on either side of the unit, which offer a large stereo soundstage, whereas one other tweeter on the entrance highlights vocals and dialogue, or lead devices. There’s yet one more tweeter on the highest, which is designed to fireside pontificate the ceiling to assist create a way of peak and area when listening to music or video that makes use of Atmos.

Like most Sonos audio system, the Period 300 makes use of dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4GHz/5.0GHz) to hook up with your house community, and likewise helps AirPlay 2 to be used with Apple gadgets and different AirPlay-compatible audio system. However, in contrast to earlier Sonos audio system, the Period now helps Bluetooth as properly, in order that it could present a fast and straightforward wi-fi connection for cellular gadgets and computer systems when required. You can too purchase an adaptor that gives a wired connection (though it’s annoying that this prices an additional $19/£19, given the speaker’s hefty $449/£449 price ticket).

The Period 300 can earn its maintain, although. The Dolby Atmos help works very well on the opening scene of Blade Runner, creating an actual sense of motion because the hovercar flies over the Los Angeles skyline, and there’s a satisfying bass rumble to the bursts of steam and flame that erupts into the air.

It does a very good job with spatial audio on Apple Music too, particularly with Ringo’s deft percussion on the Atmos mixture of Come Collectively by the Beatles. The bongos skip evenly by means of the air and the bass guitar glides ahead with a swaying, sinuous rhythm. There’s actual weight behind the guitar riff that leads into the refrain, however the Period 300 can nonetheless pick gentler particulars such because the shimmering cymbals and rhythmic keyboards. Admittedly, it’s one of many dearer AirPlay audio system presently obtainable, however the highly effective and atmospheric sound of the Period 300, and help for Dolby Atmos, make it a very good various to dearer soundbar techniques for music and watching video.

It sounds higher than most moveable audio system this dimension, however nonetheless sounds clipped at excessive volumes and a few controls are somewhat opaque.

The Beats Tablet is way improved over earlier variations, but it surely has a number of faults that we’d like to see addressed within the subsequent revision.

Beats’ iconic “capsule” form is helpful to hold round, matches wherever a water bottle would go, and sits properly on a desk or equally flat floor. You will get one in basic Beats colours—black, pink, or champagne.

When at relaxation the audio system are tilted 20 levels upward, which is a good way to mission the sound extra immediately at you. 

The Tablet is IP67-rated, so is ought to be secure on the seashore, beside a pool, or within the rain. A silicone outer wrap helps forestall bumps and dings, whereas including weatherproofing.

Alongside the highest, you’ll discover quantity buttons, a middle multi-function button, and an influence button. They’re far sufficient aside and labeled clearly sufficient that it’s simple to hit the suitable one with out paying shut consideration.

Within the again is a single USB-C port that can be utilized for charging or as an audio enter, with help for lossless audio (not that the Tablet has the sound high quality to do it justice). It even reverse-charges with a triple-tap of the facility button so it may be a form of energy financial institution to your telephone.

Beats says the battery will final 24 hours. We will verify it could simply run all day with out recharging.

With a single woofer able to 90 % extra air displacement than the woofer within the Beats Tablet+ and a paired tweeter, the brand new Beats Tablet sounds OK. Like all moveable audio system with a cylindrical design it lacks low-end oomph. There’s extra bass than you’d anticipate, however nonetheless lower than you want. It does get fairly loud, however at excessive volumes, there’s a clipped or restricted really feel.

There’s a microphone to allow speakerphone or voice assistants, but it surely doesn’t have a lot in the way in which of noise discount to guard from robust wind or close by freeway noise.

The weatherproofing, comparatively loud quantity, and implausible battery life all make this a extremely nice reasonably priced speaker for hanging out by the pool. The $149.99/£149.99price is cheap, too. You simply have to handle your expectations for getting nice sound high quality out of somewhat moveable speaker like this.

We’ve appeared on the JBL Flip 7, which launched in spring 2025, and they’re good, however they lack AirPlay. Tucked away in a quiet nook of the JBL web site the corporate has a spread of sensible audio system, referred to as Authentics, which embrace each Wi-Fi and help for Apple’s AirPlay.

There are three audio system within the vary, beginning at $349.99/£238.99 for the entry-level Authentics 200, going as much as $699.99/£529.99 for the top-of-the-range Authentics 500. Nonetheless, the candy spot for us is the mid-range Authentics 300, which has essentially the most versatile design and prices $449.99/£249.99, though you could find them cheaper.

The Authentics 300 is attractively designed, with a sturdy wood cupboard and a giant, chunky grille on the entrance that offers it an deliberately retro look. It’s pretty giant, standing 195mm excessive, 342mm broad and 180mm deep, and it weighs in at a hefty 4.9kg. Even so, it’s nonetheless meant to be a transportable speaker and – in contrast to the opposite Authentics audio system – it features a rechargeable battery that lasts for round eight hours. There’s additionally a sturdy metallic carrying deal with, so it’s simple to select the speaker up and carry it from room to room at residence, or out into the backyard when the summer time finally arrives.

Contained in the speaker are two 25mm tweeters, and a beefy 133mm woofer, together with a big passive bass radiator on the underside of the speaker to assist in giving the bass a little bit of a lift. There’s a quantity dial on the highest panel, together with separate controls for adjusting Treble and Bass, however the inclusion of wi-fi and help for AirPlay means you can additionally simply management the speaker from any Apple gadgets, and the JBL One app additionally contains an eight-band Equalizer that gives extra exact management over the sound.

Getting began is a bit of cake, because the JBL One app initially makes use of Bluetooth to hook up with the speaker after which guides you thru the method of connecting to your house community, utilizing both wi-fi or the Ethernet port situated on the again of the speaker. There are two microphones constructed into the speaker, though these solely work with Alexa and the Google Assistant, however there’s a Mute button that allows you to flip the mics off for those who desire to maintain issues non-public.

Sound high quality is nice, and the Authentics 300 lets the bass guitar on Blondie’s Rapture bounce together with a relaxed, infectious power. There’s a vivid, clear tone on the chopping rhythm guitar, and the drums and percussion of the late, nice Clem Burke are as taut and exact as ever. And, with 100W output, the speaker has greater than sufficient energy to get issues going at a BBQ or house-party. Our solely minor grievance is that the USB-C port on the again of the speaker doesn’t present a wired audio enter – though there’s a 3.5mm connector on the again of the speaker for those who want a wired connection.