Raumfeld multi-room wireless music system

All this kit and convenience doesn't come cheap. The basic system will set you back £1149 with one pair of S speakers or £1212 with two pairs. The Ms will set you back £699 a set, while extra Connectors cost £280 and further Controllers £349 a pop.

The speakers also come in white

By contrast, a basic two-room Sonos wireless music system with a pair of BU250 bookshelf speakers will set you back £839. That's clearly cheaper, but it lacks the Raumfeld's internal storage.

The trick up Sonos' sleeve is the network mesh it sets up allowing the system to expand ever outwards from the source. Clearly a simple 802.11g basestation-to-clients network won't be able to match that, but the system worked perfectly well in my three bedroom semi - and didn't interfere with my domestic 802.11b/g Wi-Fi network. Raumfeld recommends the use of standard Wi-Fi repeaters as a way of extending your music network's wireless footprint.

Verdict

Assuming you don't balk at the price, the Raumfeld is a very impressive system. It's extremely easy to set up, even easier to use, and produces a very fine sound. The remote control is a superb bit of design, and the bundled speakers - often the Achilles' Heel of all-in-one-box systems - are very easy on the ear. ®

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