Multiroom Systems There once was a time where uttering the words “Multi” and “Room” in the same breath would result in you haemorrhaging cash instantly as the hi-fi retailer grinned and talked about knocking out walls and wiring this and drilling that and channelling cables here…Thankfully, recent advances in Wi-Fi (wireless networking for the uninitiated) mean that getting a multi-room system at home isn’t the daunting task it once was.
The Basics
Most new multi room systems are modular and consist of base unit, speakers and a remote of some kind and then any number of receivers spooling from that. The base unit will house a hard drive and network controls and act as the central hub and music server for your multi room hi-fi system. If you are thinking “That sounds like a normal hi-fi”, it’s because it is. What really sets multi-room systems apart is that you can add extra amplifier/speaker modules (for much less than the original base unit) to enable you to play and control music from the main unit in another room. As everything is wireless you just set up the new unit like any other bit of hifi and after a few tweaks to connect it to your network, you’ll have multi-room hi-fi system.
The Contenders Although it’s still quite new as a development, wireless multiroom systems range from around the £200 mark all the way up to a couple of thousand for a truly exceptional system. We’ve selected a few and given you the low down on them.