For Black Friday speaker shopping, choose home speakers for room-based music or multiroom listening, portable speakers for flexible use indoors and outdoors, and soundbars for improving TV, movie, and gaming audio. Consider where the speaker will be used, whether you need battery power, and how it will connect to your existing audio system.

Look for Wi-Fi connectivity when you want app-based streaming, multi-room audio, and integration with compatible home systems, while Bluetooth supports direct playback from mobile devices. Models with line-in can connect turntables or other audio sources, and select commercial speakers may use Power over Ethernet (PoE) for network and power through one Ethernet cable.

For home theater, look for a soundbar with Dolby Atmos, HDMI eARC, speech enhancement, and support for compatible surround speakers; for music listening, prioritize stereo separation, deep bass, spatial audio, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth streaming, and line-in connectivity. For outdoor use, focus on portable speakers with rechargeable batteries, water- and dust-resistant construction, automatic sound tuning, and Wi-Fi and Bluetooth playback.

Start with a connected speaker that fits the first room, then add compatible speakers, portable units, or a soundbar as your listening needs grow. A Wi-Fi-based multiroom system lets you group speakers by room, control playback through one app, and expand the setup without replacing the equipment already installed.