Home Speaker Setup

[Peerzy]

Hi all,

I'm looking to buy into a brand of 'smart' speaker that allows the following:

* Stream audio from an Android phone (ideally using VLC Media Player on the phone) over WiFi
* Stream audio stored and synced onto an iPad using the standard inbuilt Music app over WiFi
* Allow me to stream the audio to one or multiple speakers at the same time (I'd likely buy 4-5 and have them around the house. I'd like to output to just 1 speaker sometimes and others output to 'all downstairs speakers' for example
* Reasonably cheap - I'll be buying 4-5 so nothing that's £100 a pop
* Half decent audio, doesn't need to be amazing
* Doesn't really need to do much else, not bothered by specific integration to Amazon this or Apple that
* Won't be unsupported in 12 months time or some random no-brand Chinese knockoff
* Bonus if it can stream audio from a Windows PC running iTunes (or similar) without the need to touch the PC

Does what I want exist and what can you recommend?

 

[The_Arbiter]

Wireless openback headphones
Portable battery speaker?
Small active blutooth speaker?
First thought would be Sonos stuff, that seems like the thing you're after. No idea if it can do the 100 point checklist for a mere £100. Think you're expecting too much if i'm honest.

 

[Peerzy]

Wireless openback headphones
Portable battery speaker?
Small active blutooth speaker?
First thought would be Sonos stuff, that seems like the thing you're after. No idea if it can do the 100 point checklist for a mere £100. Think you're expecting too much if i'm honest.

We have a small Sony bluetooth speaker at the moment which is good but obviously can't be linked to multiple ones.

I was under the impression my 'wish list' was fairly basic and most of the £30-£50 Google Mini, Alexa Small etc.... thingys would do it?

The '100 point checklist' is really just 3 requests with a 4th as a bonus:

1) Audio from Android via an app over WiFi
2) Audio from iPad via Music app over WiFi
3) Ability to stream to multiple speakers
4) Stream from Windows PC in some capacity (bonus - ideally via iTunes and without the need to touch the PC)

 

[sHo0sH]

WiFi is killing this.

 

[Peerzy]

WiFi is killing this.

What alternative is there? I'd assume Bluetooth wouldn't be good enough for me to be downstairs and it streaming to speakers upstairs?

Both the Android phone and iPad have bluetooth so that's fine if it does what's required - I assumed WiFi would be the standard used for this sort of requirement.

 

[sHo0sH]

What alternative is there? I'd assume Bluetooth wouldn't be good enough for me to be downstairs and it streaming to speakers upstairs?

Both the Android phone and iPad have bluetooth so that's fine if it does what's required - I assumed WiFi would be the standard used for this sort of requirement.

The old echo dot and the google home mini have atrocious sound. The new one might though -https://www.amazon.co.uk/all-new-echo-4th-generation-with-premium-sound-smart-home-hub-and-alexa-charcoal/dp/B085G58KWT/ref=lp_21731907031_1_2?srs=21731907031&ie=UTF8&qid=1601307167&sr=8-2

 

[The_Arbiter]

My knowledge of what's available is poor in regards to multi connectivity, but thought i'd post originally as you mentioned half decent audio. In my opinion the likes of Alexa type speakers i wasn't impressed with sound wise when my friend had one, but they tick the cheap and work in multiple rooms box IIRC. I know there are cheap setups around but i doubt they'll ever be trouble free, with poor app/OS integration/pairing.

With these things i'm as sceptical as you in regards to future support and functionality. I wouldn't be surprised if one day they suddenly don't work as you need a paid subscription.

You could oldschool it and cable around the house
Which would work alright if done well, but obviously not ideal for a cheap setup. I think Sonos second hand might be worth a pop.

 

[Peerzy]

My knowledge of what's available is poor in regards to multi connectivity, but thought i'd post originally as you mentioned half decent audio. In my opinion the likes of Alexa type speakers i wasn't impressed with sound wise when my friend had one, but they tick the cheap and work in multiple rooms box IIRC. I know there are cheap setups around but i doubt they'll ever be trouble free, with poor app/OS integration/pairing.

With these things i'm as sceptical as you in regards to future support and functionality. I wouldn't be surprised if one day they suddenly don't work as you need a paid subscription.

You could oldschool it and cable around the house
Which would work alright if done well, but obviously not ideal for a cheap setup. I think Sonos second hand might be worth a pop.

Cabling is a no go, most of the house has been plastered and the locations of speakers would likely change as kids grow up and room uses change.

I think I assumed the Google and Amazon speakers needed subscripts to Spotify etc.. to work and wouldn't allow outputting from a random app.

Sonos worries me because they cut support for old stuff recently and killed it. Want to avoid random cheap stuff due to poor OS / pairing / app integration as you mention.

My current benchmark is a small Sony bluetooth speaker that cost about £80 and to my ears seems amazing. I just get annoyed with carrying it round the house as I move between rooms and having to charge it + taking it to work means nothing for my wife to use.

 

[lucid]

Cabling is a no go, most of the house has been plastered and the locations of speakers would likely change as kids grow up and room uses change.

I think I assumed the Google and Amazon speakers needed subscripts to Spotify etc.. to work and wouldn't allow outputting from a random app.

Sonos worries me because they cut support for old stuff recently and killed it. Want to avoid random cheap stuff due to poor OS / pairing / app integration as you mention.

My current benchmark is a small Sony bluetooth speaker that cost about £80 and to my ears seems amazing. I just get annoyed with carrying it round the house as I move between rooms and having to charge it + taking it to work means nothing for my wife to use.

Part of your problem here is loose definitions such as "good sound". That means very different things to people. Undefined price expectations too aren't helpful to your cause.

Another problem with your requirement is you're benchmark Sony speaker. It's a battery Bluetooth device for £80. Okay, accepting that battery tech has a price, so taking that out of the mix frees up a little budget. But is it really enough to get the rest of the features you want and reasonable sound quality too? My guess is that the answer is no. Adding Wi-Fi and some sort of app control is perhaps beyond the budget you want to spend.

How important is the multiroom thing? Are the kids really going to list to mum or dad's music choice playing through the whole house?

 

[The_Arbiter]

You're probably right about the Amazon/Google thing, subs are their real goal for making money i'm led to believe. Now you mention Sonos and "killing off" i do seem to recall a friend saying something about that. It's not something i'd ever do as tech just never works as advertised for me.

 

[Peerzy]

Part of your problem here is loose definitions such as "good sound". That means very different things to people. Undefined price expectations too aren't helpful to your cause.

Another problem with your requirement is you're benchmark Sony speaker. It's a battery Bluetooth device for £80. Okay, accepting that battery tech has a price, so taking that out of the mix frees up a little budget. But is it really enough to get the rest of the features you want and reasonable sound quality too? My guess is that the answer is no. Adding Wi-Fi and some sort of app control is perhaps beyond the budget you want to spend.

How important is the multiroom thing? Are the kids really going to list to mum or dad's music choice playing through the whole house?

We are not audio nuts so anything better than 'rubbish' will be fine.

Kids are both very little so it's more than a room will become a play room and we'll want sound in there and then it might become an office etc... Multiroom is key - the house is fairly well spaced out so realistically we'd need 3-4 downstairs and 1-2 upstairs to cover the family areas.

My understanding is my requirements are fairly basic and whatever the small Google / Amazon / etc... thing should be fine and it was just a case of finding which one was best for us? Obviously once I buy one I'll be sticking with the set product system.

A quick Google suggests I could get 4-5 Google Home Speaker / Amazon Echo Plus for £200-£250 which is probably the realistic budget. Do these not do what I'm after?

No requirement for it to be super smart / chat back and no interest in a paid sub like Spotify / Apple Music etc... Doesn't need to change my lights or do any smart home stuff.

We'll eventually get Hive / Nest so working with that would be handy but I won't buy anything because of that - it's a cheap home music system I'm after.

 

[mid_gen]

The Amazon echo dot....the audio quality is akin to a phone speaker. It's not great. I have one in the garage I use for radio sometimes, but I wouldn't consider one as a music option.

 

[Peerzy]

How about the Google Home range? VLC can Chromecast from version 3 and it allows you to set up speaker groups so that seems to tick all my boxes unless I'm missing something obvious.

Mini's for the smaller rooms and then the bigger ones for the living room and kitchen area where better sound is required.

 

[Peerzy]

Looks like it's possible to get the Google Home (large one) for £40 each so that seems a no brainer - semi decent audio, multiple room coverage and Chomecast from VLC.

 

[sHo0sH]

Looks like it's possible to get the Google Home (large one) for £40 each so that seems a no brainer - semi decent audio, multiple room coverage and Chomecast from VLC.

Didn't realise these had dropped so much in price! That's an absolute steal and would likely be the best way of achieving these goals on a realistic budget.

 

[Peerzy]

Didn't realise these had dropped so much in price! That's an absolute steal and would likely be the best way of achieving these goals on a realistic budget.

4 ordered, £156 delivered so seems like they are ideal.

 

[poosemon]

Looks like it's possible to get the Google Home (large one) for £40 each so that seems a no brainer - semi decent audio, multiple room coverage and Chomecast from VLC.

Probably ripe for some low prices on these as they have just released details/pre-order of a new Net Speaker around £89 which is meant to be a big improvement audio wise on these.

 

[Peerzy]

I set up my 4 yesterday and am happy with the sound quality. Having 3 downstairs all playing at the same time is nice.

I've not played with many of the features yet, sadly you can't use your voice to play locally stored music in Plex. I'm casting from my phone using VLC which seems to work fine.

 

[lucid]

How does the sound quality of one compare to that Sony BT speaker?

 

[sHo0sH]

I set up my 4 yesterday and am happy with the sound quality. Having 3 downstairs all playing at the same time is nice.

I've not played with many of the features yet, sadly you can't use your voice to play locally stored music in Plex. I'm casting from my phone using VLC which seems to work fine.

Great to get an update, glad you're happy with them for that kind of outlay cash wise I don't think you could have acheived anything better at all