IFA 2014: Monster launches SoundStage multi-room music system

The slim SoundStage S1 is the most affordable speaker in the range, with a price tag of $200, with the larger S2 and S3 speakers coming in at $300 and $400 respectively.

The range is set to go on sale on October 25th in the US, with a UK and Europe launch to follow in November. There's no official word on UK pricing as yet.

Monster is the latest brand to join the booming multi-room wireless speaker market, joining new arrivals such as the Harman Kardon Omni and LG Music Flow speaker system in taking on more established systems from Pure and Sonos.

The Monster SoundStage system works in a familiar way, using your smartphone or tablet as a remote control to select your music and streaming music around your home over your WiFi network. You can play different music in different rooms or sync all your speakers to play the same track on every speaker.

The SoundStage speakers can also play wireless music over Bluetooth, allowing you to play any music you can play on your phone through the speakers (Pure's Jongo system offers similar functionality).

Bluetooth and WiFi streaming

There's a SoundStage app for controlling playlists, playback, volume and more, with the speakers themselves also having controls to allow you to stop and start without reaching for your phone.

The SoundStage app will come with the Spotify music streaming service integrated at launch, though perhaps not too many other services - though Monster stresses you can play music from any app on your phone to the speakers regardless thanks to Bluetooth connectivity ("if you can stream it, you can play it".)

Monster has joined forces with huge mobile company Qualcomm and the speakers use 'Qualcomm AllPlay' technology to ensure seamless syncing between speakers.

The speakers have a 3.5mm stereo aux input and a digital optical input, plus a USB socket for charging a phone.

MORE: IFA 2014 latest news and product highlights

Joe Cox
Content Director

Joe is Content Director for T3 and What Hi-Fi?, having previously been the Global Editor-in-Chief of What Hi-Fi?. He has worked on What Hi-Fi? across the print magazine and website for more than 15 years, writing news, reviews and features on everything from turntables to TVs, headphones to hi-fi separates. He has covered product launch events across the world, from Apple to Technics, Sony and Samsung; reported from CES, the Bristol Show, and Munich High End for many years; and written for sites such as the BBC, Stuff, and the Guardian. In his spare time, he enjoys expanding his vinyl collection and cycling (not at the same time).