The feeling that chaos was about to erupt was palpable": Thurston Moore's memoir Sonic Life is a fascinating insider account of life-changing outsider art, and one music geek's insatiable lust for the loud This includes a clever process where the speaker uses in-built sensors to optimise its sound settings for its position in the room. Testing the feature by moving it closer to a wall in our listening room, our reviewers could hear the HomePod 2 adjusting its sound in real-time. Very impressive. In our minds, the first genuine alternative to Sonos was Bluesound, whose key hook of high-resolution audio support made it our preferred multi-room system for years (as multiple Awards trophies attest).

The headline-grabber here is that you now get three options for multi-room connectivity: aside from Audio Pro’s app, there's both Google Chromecast and AirPlay 2. We set two C10 MkIIs up with Audio Pro’s app (we name one 'White' and one 'Grey' for easy identification) and it’s surprisingly easy to get audio to play through one, both, or as a stereo pair. Though there is a pair of unknown quantities in the Audio Pro line-up as far as we’re concerned – the Addon C-Sub can help those smaller speakers delve deeper into the low frequencies, while the A40 is set to receive a wider release following its design for the company’s 40th anniversary– our time spent with the rest of the company’s speakers allows us to confidently celebrate it as the best-sounding multi-room suite available for the money. Listening to Apple Music’s Dolby Atmos version of The 1 by Taylor Swift, the vocals hold a wonderful clarity and warmth. Really pushing it with SBTRKT’s Trials Of The Past in Apple Lossless quality, the speaker delivers equally precise audio and avoids falling victim to sibilance, which is a common issue we encounter playing the song on speakers this price. The new HomePod has boundless energy; its enthusiasm is infectious, its rhythmic drive always exciting and engaging. If that doesn’t bother you, going for Audio Pro speakers that less price than Sonos speakers is a good deal to start with. However, when it comes to multiroom-audio speakers, Sonos is still on the top and enjoying its monopoly along with the quality it provides. Personal Hotspot: Activate this and the device acts as a personal hotspot and others may connect to its WiFi.

With the C10 MkII, Audio Pro builds on the original model's feature list, which boasted Bluetooth, AirPlay, aux and RCA inputs and access to music streaming services via wi-fi, by adding AirPlay 2 and Google Cast streaming smarts.

It's all a moot point when we lose power, which is frequent, though if we run the generator, I can have all of my connected devices (and yes, the Lutrons and cheap wall outlet plugs still work manually if that outlet/circuit is connected to our generator (which they aren't). Whether you want something cheaper than Sonos, or simply offering a different set of features (such as hi-res audio or Bluetooth across the range), we've rounded up the best Sonos alternatives on the market. And many of them might just suit you better... When you’re controlling music through Audio Pro’s app, there’s a slight delay between tapping a control and the speaker obeying, but in the grand scheme of multi-room apps it’s easy to get along with. At a single glance, Audio Pro speakers look very bulky and spacious that serves as a huge turnoff. However, if you love your speakers to have that traditional touch like Audio Pro C5A, looks won’t be an issue for you.you can set a computer as a music source for a Sonos system, and the Sonos app can then reach into that source and play that music over WiFi. Is that similar to what you are asking? Of course, that size is one of the AddOn C3’s other big strengths. It stands under 12cm high and weighs just over 2kg, while the built-in lithium-ion battery will comfortably last for up to 15 hours at half volume or nine hours playing at full-tilt. All that makes it a brilliant speaker for outdoors or on the move, connecting to your phone or tablet via Bluetooth or the 3.5mm aux in. The new Addon T3+ remains a very fine option for those keen to have 12 hours of outdoor music at full volume, even if it has fallen somewhat foul of Audio Pro’s high-risk strategy. What Hi-Fi? said:Sonos might be among the best in the business, but it isn't your only option if you want to go multi-room.

They keep time with metronomic precision, but with a harmonic sense that nicely catches rhythmic focus. And the speakers’ expressive speech is a strong plus during their entire show, able to convey extravagant changes as well as delicate complexity. It actually does everything correctly and efficiently. Sized and shaped like an ashtray, the Link 1’s duties are to collect song selections from the app, connecting to your home network via either wi-fi or its ethernet input, and dispense via whichever output you have selected. Included in our initial test were the Award-winning and still class-leading Addon C5 speaker, its larger (and even more sonically talented) sibling the Addon C10– a wireless speaker Award-winner in its own right in 2018 – and the Link 1 (whose job it is to connect existing hi-fi components or wireless speakers into the chain).The Audio Pro Addon C3, Addon C5A and Addon C10 MkII all deliver excellent audio performance for the money. (In fact, the C3 and C10 MkII both won 2022 What Hi-Fi? Awards.) They're entertaining, musical performers and superior to a lot of rivals at similar money. Crucially, they also offer Bluetooth and line-in inputs on many of their models, giving even more flexibility. They time with metronomic precision, but temper it with the kind of dynamic sense that captures rhythmic emphasis nicely. And that dynamic expression is a strong positive over the speakers’ entire performance, able to reflect lavish shifts and subtle nuance alike. It simply does everything right, and without fuss. Its case is made more difficult when you consider that the Addon C3 is currently available for just slightly more outlay – and for that you get wi-fi compatibility and, as it turns out, a more engaging performance. The only downside is a battery life lasting half as long, but that's a compromise we’d be willing to make in return for its impeccable sound. Verdict

So even though you failed miserably with your reinvention all those years ago, don’t assume there are no exceptions to the rule. This may not look like the Audio Pro you know, but in terms of its sonic potential, the A10 is very much part of the family. Over the years it's also built up a portfolio of products that covers every need, from portable speakers ( Sonos Roam), to soundbars ( Sonos Ray), and everything in between. So whatever kind of system you're building, there's a Sonos speaker (or three) for every room in the home. DON'T BUY SONOS is the only advice I can offer. I don't know what else to get; the options you gave were really limited.It’s difficult to imagine a less stressful set-up procedure. The Audio Pro app seeks out all available products connected to the home network (with the option of adding those not already tethered manually), and they are then all there to manipulate as you wish. The bugs are neither constant nor devastating, but the odd stutter and hang – particularly when pairing or splitting speakers – gets annoying in a short time. Set-up is a painless process, whether you choose a Bluetooth or wi-fi connection. When setting up a multi-room system, the app searches for other Audio Pro speakers in the vicinity on the same network.