Wi-Fi speakers offer more than wireless music playback, with features such as multi-room audio, voice controls and support for popular streaming services.
Apple HomePod supports Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos
A Wi-Fi speaker is handy when you want music playing at home without having to keep your phone connected to it. You can stream directly over your home network, switch between devices and, with some models, play the same music in different rooms. Features vary quite a bit across speakers, too. Some focus on smart home controls and voice assistants, while others put more emphasis on spatial audio and Dolby Atmos. Here are five options available in India, at different price points.
The Apple HomePod (2nd Gen) makes the most sense if you already use Apple devices and services. It packs a 4-inch high-excursion woofer and five tweeters, with Siri built in for voice commands. The speaker can also sense the room it's in and adjust the sound accordingly. It supports Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos for compatible music and videos. If you want a stereo setup, you can pair two second-generation HomePods and use them together.
You can stream music through Apple Music, your iTunes library and select third-party services. AirPlay also lets you play music across multiple compatible speakers around the house. The HomePod doubles as a smart home hub through Apple's Home app, and has built-in temperature and humidity sensors. It can also recognise certain sounds, including smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.
The Apple HomePod (2nd Gen) is available at Rs. 32,900 on Croma. It is available in Midnight and White finishes.
The Samsung Music Studio 5 (LS50H) is a 70W Wi-Fi speaker with one woofer and two tweeters. Samsung has added a built-in waveguide and its Pattern Control Technology to reduce overlap between the audio signals. It also gets AI Dynamic Bass Control, which adjusts the bass to keep distortion in check. You can use it on its own or connect it to a compatible Samsung TV or soundbar through Q-Symphony.
For streaming, the Music Studio 5 supports Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 6.0, Spotify Connect, Chromecast and Apple AirPlay. It also works with the SmartThings app, where you can manage playback and group it with other compatible speakers. It also supports wireless Dolby Atmos, along with built-in Alexa and Google Assistant compatibility.
The Samsung Music Studio 5 is listed at Rs. 21,990 on the Samsung India website.
The Amazon Echo Studio supports spatial audio and Dolby Atmos, and uses Amazon's AZ3 chip to process sound. It can adjust the audio based on the room it's in, so you don't have to fiddle with the settings yourself. You can use Alexa to play music, control smart home devices or pair the speaker with a compatible Fire TV Stick for an Alexa Home Theatre setup. Amazon also lets you connect up to five Echo Studio or Echo Dot Max speakers to a compatible Fire TV Stick for a multi-speaker experience.
If you want some privacy, there's a button to turn off the microphone. You can also check and manage your voice recordings in the Alexa app. The speaker is expected to support Alexa+, Amazon's generative AI assistant, once the service arrives in India.
The Amazon Echo Studio is priced at Rs. 21,499 on Amazon India at the moment. It is available in Graphite and Glacier White shades.
The Sonos Era 300 is made for spatial audio, with six drivers placed across the front, sides and top of the speaker. It supports Dolby Atmos Music, so compatible tracks can sound more immersive, with audio coming from different directions. If you already have a Sonos soundbar, you can also pair two Era 300 speakers with it for a home theatre setup. Trueplay tuning adjusts the sound to suit the room they're placed in.
You can connect to the Era 300 over Wi-Fi 6 or Bluetooth 5.3, and it also supports Apple AirPlay 2, which makes streaming from an iPhone, iPad or Mac straightforward. The Sonos app handles music playback and speaker settings, while voice controls are available through Sonos Voice Control and Amazon Alexa, depending on your region. If you want to connect another audio device, there's a USB-C port, but you'll need to buy Sonos' line-in adapter separately.
The Sonos Era 300 can presently be bought at Rs. 38,249 on Flipkart.
The JBL Authentics 200 has a retro-style design, but comes with the Wi-Fi and smart features you'd expect from a modern speaker. It delivers 90W of output through a stereo setup with two 1-inch tweeters, a 5-inch woofer and a passive radiator. It can also tune its sound automatically based on where you place it. For manual adjustments, there are separate knobs for volume, bass and treble on the top.
You can stream music over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth 5.3, or use Chromecast built-in and Apple AirPlay. The speaker also works with the JBL One app and supports multi-room playback. Another useful feature is that it supports Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant at the same time, so you can use either voice assistant to play music or control compatible smart home devices.
The JBL Authentics 200 is currently listed at Rs. 24,899 on Flipkart.
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