Stuart Pritchard guides you through the evolving world of multiroom audio, where cutting-edge technology and emerging trends are fuelling sustained demand and widespread adoption.To paraphrase the Bard of Avon: “If music be the food of love... turn it up to 11!” But while the reality of multiroom audio in the time of Bill Shakespeare was only for those who could afford to hire a minstrel to follow them around with a lute, in today’s tech-savvy society, multiroom audio is massive. How massive? The global multiroom audio solution market size was estimated to be USD 15.2 billion in 2023 and is anticipated to reach USD 32.6 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of 8.9% during the forecast period. That’s how massive.

So, what’s driving the market? Well, one might obviously assume increasing consumer demand for flawless audio across entire residential spaces. Alongside an upsurge in the availability of smart home systems of all sizes, significant advancements in wireless and the ability to add voice-controlled assistants.

One might obviously assume... but I’m not here to make obvious assumptions, rather it’s my job to hit you with a wall of solid fact. So, to that end, I’ve spoken to a selection of actual experts from within the multiroom audio industry and picked their collective minds. Namely, that’s Peter Gibb, NAD CI product manager and channel development, Lenbrook International; Amit Ravat, MD of Lithe Audio; Ben Davidson, head of Elite Dealers at AWE Europe; Francesco Fanicchi, corporate & marketing communication manager at Powersoft; and Andrew Sutherland, director, product management at Sonos. A veritable quintet of high-quality home audio authority, so open your ears and let their words of wisdom pour in like song sweeter than even the most sonorous wine...

1) Streaming

As established with some nifty stats in the opening paragraph, we’ve seen demand for multiroom audio grow at a rapid rate over the last few years, so exactly what is driving the public’s renewed desire for whole home audio?

“Music has always been a key part of any home, but during Covid we also saw an increase in demand,” says NAD CI’s Gibb. “This has continued after Covid with people choosing to do more entertaining in their homes and gardens. The increasing popularity of music streaming services has also made music content more accessible than ever.”

Ravat at Lithe agrees that streaming has been a major force: “Growth in, and desire for, whole home audio is being driven by improved streaming technology and the development of smart speakers that are compatible with multiple platforms, offering cutting-edge technology and discreet and easy installation.

“Wireless streaming services have now become a part of our daily lives. With music and video streaming services available at our fingertips, consumers want speakers that can effortlessly connect to their favourite content, across their living spaces, through streaming apps or via voice commands.”

All-weather speakers like this one from Lithe Audio allow seamless listening inside... and outside

So, streaming has been a vital tool in selling multiroom to the public, but Fanicchi at Powersoft believes improvements in install ease have also been key: “It boils down to the convenience of setting up integrated systems that can cover multiple roles, from simply playing music to delivering high-quality audio while watching a good movie, or even having amps hooked up to security systems. Modern systems offer multiple convenience factors that make them appealing, both for the integrator and for the end-user. AoIP integration allows seamless routing of audio signals across wide networks with just the use of a single ethernet cable.”

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