Philips goes after Sonos with its izzy multi-room audio line

Companies have finally caught on to Sonos' style of multi-room audio and are trotting out similar products of their own. Philips is jumping on the bandwagon as well, and at CES this year, the company is debuting its izzy line. Made up of four speaker options, the izzy series aims to blanket your house with audio and it has a key feature that differentiates it from the competition. Most multi-room setups require an app to handle the configuration, but that's not the case here. Philips' izzy doesn't need a router or any extra software as the speakers create their own network and can be paired in a group of up to five with the push of a button.

Ranging from compact up to larger sizes, the izzy speakers can be used to all play the same thing or split off for individual use. The izzy BM50 can play CDs and broadcast radio in addition to streaming Bluetooth audio from your mobile device. It has integrated speakers as well, so it can serve as the hub, if you will. And yes, you can beam CD audio and radio (and USB files) to all of the other izzy speakers in your setup. Philips isn't talking pricing just yet, but the izzy series is expected to arrive in May.