I test Wi-Fi speakers for a living if youre switching away from Sonos, this one feature is an absolute must-have

Date:
Sun, 18 Jan 2026 01:00:00 +0000

Description:
Don't worry about Spatial Audio, eARC or built-in phono stages this is the most essential Wi-Fi speaker feature in my book.

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When youre upgrading your wireless speaker, it can be tempting to focus on finding the most trailblazing features. Spatial Audio. AI-enriched voice assistants. HDMI input for home cinema sound. But sometimes youll find its
the more prosaic features that youll miss most if theyre absent.

Ive tested a lot of wireless speakers over my career, so Ive got a lot of experience in both feature-packed superstars and no-frills Wi-Fi workhorses. But Im also heavily invested in Apples ecosystem I use an iPhone 16 Pro, MacBook Pro, Apple TV and Apple Music. Thats why theres one feature thats an absolute deal breaker for me: AirPlay 2.

So if youre stepping outside of Sonoss ecosystem for the first time and, like me, Apple gadgets are your go-to, let me explain why this is still a killer feature when picking up one of the best wireless speakers . The argument for AirPlay

Peruse the specs of some wireless speakers and youd be forgiven for thinking AirPlay 2 is a ubiquitous feature these days. But thats not always the case. For example, Amazons Echo range doesnt support the technology, not even in
the lossless Echo Studio . And while carrying out the testing for my recent Sonos Era 100 VS WiiM Sound feature, I was surprised to find out that the latter didnt have AirPlay 2. So its definitely not always a given.

But why does it matter? Well, for several reasons.

First of all, while many wireless speakers allow you to stream lossless and even hi-res audio direct from services like Tidal or Deezer , fewer devices can natively stream from Apple Music . So if youre not using a HomePod or Sonos multi-room system, AirPlay 2 offers the only way to wireless enjoy lossless quality music from Apple Music.

Its not just about streaming services though. A far bigger benefit of AirPlay 2 is the fact it allows you to wirelessly stream all kinds of audio from your Apple devices. Tired of your TV outputting insipid audio? With the Apple TV
4K , you can stream sound wirelessly to your multi-room speaker system. Playing Alien: Isolation on your iPad 11-inch (2025) ? Then you can enjoy its creepy soundtrack with real depth by connecting to an AirPlay-enabled
speaker.

I know first-hand just how flexible AirPlay 2 can be. Not only do I stream music and TV shows on my Apple devices but I often use them to create content too. When Im producing music on my MacBook Pro 2017 , being able to ping my sound to a high-res speaker like my Cambridge Audio Evo One allows me to hear what it sounds like on a different setup without having to faff around with wired connections. That kind of versatility really cannot be beat and the
fact I can do this with any audio from my Apple devices really is invaluable to me.

So when youre shopping for a new wireless speaker, yes, its worth looking out for fancy features like Dolby Atmos or automatic room compensation. But if youre an Apple user, dont sleep on AirPlay as itll add value in all kinds of subtle ways you might not even be able to predict yet.

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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/audio/wireless-bluetooth-speakers/i-test-wi-fi-speak ers-for-a-living-if-youre-switching-away-from-sonos-this-one-feature-is-an-abs olute-must-have


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