Forget Sonos: WiiM and Bluesound Just Dropped Compact Hi-Fi Speakers That Could Change Multi-Room Audio Forever

Two new wireless speakers are here to shake up Sonos’ dominance — and they’re coming in hot with premium sound, sleek design, and serious tech.

A Big Day for Small Hi-Fi: WiiM Sound and Bluesound Pulse Flex Are Here

If you’ve ever dreamed of building a high-fidelity multi-room system without breaking the bank or cluttering your home with bulky gear, today’s your day. Two major players — WiiM and Bluesound — have just launched next-generation smart speakers that are gunning squarely for Sonos’ territory.

The WiiM Sound, the brand’s first-ever smart speaker, and the Bluesound Pulse Flex (2025), a completely redesigned version of the company’s popular compact model, are both hitting the market this month.

Priced at £279 / €299 for the Pulse Flex and £299 / €349 for the WiiM Sound, they land right between the Sonos Era 100 and the Era 300 — making this one of the most competitive corners of the smart audio world.

Bluesound Pulse Flex 2025 — Redesigned, Refined, and Ready

Bluesound’s Pulse Flex has always been a crowd favorite for audiophiles who want hi-res audio in a compact, flexible form, but 2025 marks a new era.

This all-new model sports a complete design overhaul: it’s now sleeker, softer, and more vertical, with a modern teardrop profile that feels right at home on any shelf. Available in White Tan, Black Charcoal, and Pebble Gray, it finally looks as premium as it sounds.

Under the hood, the Pulse Flex 2025 packs serious hardware:

• 50W SmartDSP amplifier

• 4-inch woofer + 0.75-inch tweeter

• Hi-Res Audio support up to 24-bit/192kHz

• MQA decoding and DSD256 playback

  
  

And as always, it runs on Bluesound’s BluOS platform, which means instant access to over 20 streaming services, including TIDAL, Qobuz, and Spotify HiFi.

Connectivity is robust too — dual-band Wi-Fi, Gigabit Ethernet, Bluetooth aptX HD, plus USB-C, optical, and analog inputs. The speaker can act as a standalone player, form a stereo pair, or become part of a multi-room or surround sound setup.

Price: £279 / €299Availability: December 16, 2025

WiiM Sound — The Newcomer That Means Business

On the other side of the ring, WiiM’s debut smart speaker arrives with confidence — and numbers to match.

The WiiM Sound delivers 100W of power through a 4-inch long-throw woofer and dual angled tweeters, creating a wide, immersive soundstage. It supports 24-bit/192kHz Hi-Res Audio, just like the Pulse Flex, but adds a few tricks of its own.

One standout feature is the 1.8-inch touchscreen on the front, which allows quick access to playback, EQ, and input controls — no phone required. It also ships with a voice remote, perfect for hands-free operation.

The WiiM platform supports all major streaming services and integrates smoothly into multi-room setups with other WiiM amps or streamers. Plus, it features automatic room correction and can even serve as a center or surround speaker in a Dolby 5.1 system.

Connectivity list? Impressive:

• Wi-Fi 6E

• Bluetooth 5.3 with LE Audio

• Ethernet

• 3.5mm Aux input

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Price: £299 / €349 / $299 (approx. AU$459)Availability: October 2025

How They Compare to Sonos

The Sonos Era 100 remains the go-to option for many, starting at $219 / £199, while the Era 300 sits at nearly double that price. But WiiM and Bluesound are clearly betting that audiophile-grade fidelity, better connectivity, and broader streaming flexibility will lure users looking for something beyond Sonos’ ecosystem.

Both newcomers support true Hi-Res playback, something Sonos still avoids, and both can expand into full wireless multi-room systems — without the proprietary limitations that Sonos has become infamous for.

The Verdict — A Shakeup Is Coming

Between WiiM’s fresh innovation and Bluesound’s refined evolution, 2025 might mark a turning point in the wireless audio market.

If you’ve been craving studio-quality sound, future-proof connectivity, and the freedom to choose your streaming ecosystem, these two contenders might just make you forget about Sonos altogether.

Stay tuned — detailed sound comparisons and listening tests are coming soon.