The marketplace for multi-room speakers has been steadily rising for years, however Sonos stands out among the many competitors not just for the sheer measurement of their product choice, however for constant high quality of their audio system. The corporate has been round for over twenty years and provides probably the greatest app platforms on the market, with native help for lots of the large streaming providers.
How Sonos Trueplay can upgrade your speaker game
You should use your iOS gadget to enhance the sound of your Sonos audio system with only a little bit of arm waving.
The Sonos lineup of audio system covers a large spectrum of use circumstances and value factors, from soundbars, to subwoofers, and every little thing in between. We have put collectively a round-up of the perfect Sonos audio system that will help you work out which is the perfect Sonos speaker(s) or soundbar for you.
We have reviewed — or seen and heard — the whole Sonos line-up and these are the merchandise we’d extremely advocate shopping for if you happen to’re available in the market for a Sonos speaker or soundbar.
The very best Sonos audio system: Our prime picks
Sonos Period 100
1. Finest speaker total
An important start line
The Sonos Period 100 is among the latest Sonos audio system obtainable, changing the Sonos One. It delivers wonderful sound high quality for its measurement, provides a stunning design and carries loads of options on board. The Period 100 is the right beginning place for a Sonos system, in addition to an amazing addition to an current one.
- Beautiful compact design
- New intuitive controls
- Nice efficiency
- No Google Assistant
- Costlier than Sonos One
Sonos Era 100 is among the latest audio system throughout the Sonos portfolio, changing the Sonos One and One SL. It is costlier than the outgoing One and One SL, however you get a variety of additional options, together with Bluetooth capabilities, stereo sound as a substitute of mono and a contemporary design that is extra trendy and seamless.
There is no Google Assistant on the Period 100 — with simply Alexa and Sonos Voice Management on board, and it does not help spatial audio and Dolby Atmos just like the bigger Period 300, however the Period 100 sounds nice and provides sensible sound efficiency from its measurement. It additionally has all the usual Sonos options, like AirPlay 2, the flexibility to adapt EQ, help for over 100 music streaming services, and Trueplay tuning.
Sonos Period 300
2. Finest mid-range speaker
Nice Dolby Atmos help
The Sonos Period 300 has a singular design that some will love and others won’t. Regardless of it is doubtlessly polarizing aesthetics, The Period 300 sounds nice, and comes packed filled with options, together with Bluetooth and Dolby Atmos help.
- Distinctive design
- Nice efficiency
- Bluetooth and USB-C line-in
- Fairly costly
- No Google Assistant
Sonos Era 300 is the corporate’s all-singing, all-dancing speaker that launched alongside the smaller Period 100 a little bit greater up this record. It contains a barely totally different design to your common speaker, although it has the identical management panel on the prime because the Period 100 and there is a USB-C line-in port on the rear too, in addition to Bluetooth capabilities. It is smaller than the Sonos 5 beneath, but it surely provides help for spatial audio and Dolby Atmos content material, designed to supply a extra immersive expertise when listening to appropriate content material.
The Period 300 additionally options AirPlay 2 help, together with Alexa and Sonos Voice Control and it is available in black and white shade choices. You’ll be able to stereo pair two collectively and so they can be utilized as rear surrounds with a Sonos Arc and a Sonos Sub for a 7.1.4 multi-channel setup.
Sonos 5
3. Finest speaker for a bigger house
Function-rich and durable
The Sonos 5 does not have Bluetooth, Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant help like another Sonos audio system, however these are about the one downsides we will leverage at this in any other case excellent speaker. The 5 exhibits what twenty years of expertise can ship. It is a really perfect approach to begin a Sonos multi-room system, or add a badass centrepiece to an current one.
- Wonderful sound high quality
- Nice options
- Strong construct high quality
- Costly
- No Bluetooth
- No direct Amazon Alexa/Google Assistant help
Sonos Five is the largest speaker within the Sonos line-up. It options capacitive contact controls and might be positioned vertically or horizontally. There isn’t a built-in voice management from Alexa or Google Assistant, and there is no Bluetooth or Dolby Atmos help just like the Period 300, however there’s Apple AirPlay 2 compatibility and excellent sound efficiency.
As with different Sonos audio system, you get the identical choice to pair two 5 audio system collectively for a full-fledged stereo pair, have multi-room audio, mix it with Sonos soundbars for {surround} sound, place the speaker the place you select when linked to the Wi-Fi mesh community, in addition to the streaming choices and app options.
Sonos Ray
4. Finest worth speaker
Smaller soundstage for a smaller value
The Sonos Ray is a soundbar providing a stunning design, nice sound high quality for its measurement, and a variety of wonderful options.
- Compact design
- Good vary of options
- Fast setup
- Not as robust at decrease volumes
- No HDMI ARC or eARC
The Sonos Ray is the corporate’s funds soundbar and whereas it misses out on some features compared to the Sonos Beam, it is an amazing improve to your TV sound for value. It makes use of optical as a substitute of HDMI so it is appropriate with older TVs and it may be a standalone Sonos speaker when not in use, providing plenty of Sonos options.
There are not any sensible assistants on board and the soundstage is not as large because the Beam, nor are there options like Atmos, however the Ray is a unbelievable soundbar for its measurement.
Sonos Arc
5. Finest sensible soundbar
A sensible soundbar, nice for Dolby Atmos
The Sonos Arc sensible soundbar presents an exemplary sound expertise. With Alexa and Google Assistant built-in, plus AirPlay 2, help for Dolby Atmos, and Sonos’ personal feature-filled music platform, you may have your self a really compelling, if dear, speaker.
- Wonderful Atmos expertise
- Alexa and Google Assistant on board
- Straightforward to setup and combine with Sonos multiroom resolution
- Requires appropriate TV for Dolby Atmos help
- Expensive
- Solely single-band (2.4GHz) Wi-Fi
The Sonos Arc is a 5.0.2 bar with HDMI eARC and a totally re-tuned expertise over the Playbar, which it changed within the line-up. It comes with a more moderen design aesthetic, with smooth, curved edges and rounded ends that look much like the Sonos Transfer speaker if you happen to take a look at that from above, tying it in with the remainder of the Sonos household.
Moreover, there is a stack of speaker drivers inside, with middle, left and proper channels, plus a pair angled for a wider {surround} impact than the Beam (for instance). Two further drivers are angled upwards to ship Dolby Atmos additional channels to your ceiling and right down to the seating place that envelopes you in immersive audio.
You’ll be able to add two Sonos Period 300 audio system as surrounds for a 7.1.4 Dolby Atmos expertise.
Sonos Sub (Gen 3)
6. Finest speaker for bass
Huge and bass-heavy
The Sonos Sub is not for everybody, however it’s a gadget that’s all about sound, and makes an amazing addition to the Sonos system if you happen to can swing it. For these intrigued sufficient to pony up for the price-tag, you will not be disenchanted.
- Nice bass
- Straightforward setup
- Wonderful addition to Sonos system
- Huge and heavy
- Might be too loud for some
- Costly
Audio settings are mechanically adjusted to steadiness the Sub and the paired Sonos part and like the remainder of the Sonos system, the Sub might be managed utilizing the Sonos app, and it connects wirelessly to your private home community.
Sonos Roam SL
7. Finest funds speaker
Nice worth in a conveyable design
The Sonos Roam SL is a good transportable Bluetooth speaker that’s excellent for these seeking to begin a Sonos system however who nonetheless need the pliability to take their speaker out of the house.
- Beautiful design
- Nice sound efficiency
- Good value
- Some options lacking
- No sensible assistants
The Sonos Roam SL has the identical design and sound structure because the Sonos Roam, but it surely does not supply a microphone and due to this fact misses out on a couple of features. There are not any sensible assistants on board, and the Sonos Roam SL does not have Sound Swap or computerized Trueplay tuning, but it surely nonetheless switches mechanically between Wi-Fi and Bluetooth and it delivers nice sound in a small bundle.
Apple AirPlay 2 vs AirPlay: Differences and perks explained
AirPlay 2 improves upon Apple’s unique AirPlay, together with multi-room audio, listening to totally different songs on totally different audio system, and extra.
There’s AirPlay 2 on board, waterproofing, and it’ll swap seamlessly between being a part of your Sonos system and being a Bluetooth speaker as you progress round.
Sonos Roam
8. Finest transportable speaker
Packs a punch on the go
For these seeking to take your music on the go, the Roam is a no brainer. For these contemplating a Bluetooth speaker and questioning if the Roam is well worth the funding — it delivers every little thing a Bluetooth speaker ought to, plus a lot extra.
- Light-weight and really transportable
- Nice sound high quality in a compact measurement
- Water-proof
- No accompanying case
- Battery life a little bit beneath claimed
The Sonos Roam is the smaller of the transportable, Bluetooth audio system from Sonos and the smallest Sonos speaker obtainable (alongside the Roam SL), in addition to one of many smartest. It provides computerized switching between Wi-Fi and Bluetooth – which the larger Move doesn’t – permitting for a extra seamless listening expertise when transferring from exterior to inside, and vice versa.
Together with all the usual Sonos options, the Roam additionally has a characteristic known as Sound Swap, and it comes with each Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, in addition to AirPlay 2 and Automatic TruePlay. It will possibly’t be used as a part of a {surround} system or paired to a Sub, however it’s small, gentle, very transportable and sounds nice.
The underside line: What’s the greatest Sonos speaker?
Primarily based on our years of listening and testing, we have discovered that the perfect Sonos speaker total is the Sonos Period 100, because of its nice sound and ease. This speaker is well the perfect for Sonos novices to start out constructing their final residence surround-sound system.
Sonos Period 100
Editor’s Alternative
Nice start line
The Sonos Period 100 is among the latest Sonos audio system obtainable, changing the wonderful Sonos One. It delivers wonderful sound high quality for it measurement (from what now we have heard to date), provides a stunning design and there are many options on board. The Period 100 is the right beginning place to a Sonos system, in addition to an amazing addition to an current one.
What are the various kinds of Sonos audio system?
Conventional Sonos audio system: The non-portable audio system throughout the Sonos line up embrace the Sonos Period 100, Period 300 and the Sonos 5. The Period 100 replaces the Sonos One and One SL and brings Bluetooth capabilities, whereas the Period 300 sits beneath the bigger Sonos 5, however provides just a few additional tips like Dolby Atmos and spatial audio help.
Sonos soundbars: Sonos has three soundbars in its providing, together with the funds Sonos Ray, designed for smaller TVs, the Sonos Beam (2021, Gen 2) that has digital Dolby Atmos help and the all-singing, all-dancing Sonos Arc with full Dolby Atmos help. Inside the residence theater line-up, there’s additionally the Sonos Sub and the Sonos Sub Mini, with the latter providing the identical low frequency response however a bit much less energy than the bigger Sub.
Moveable Sonos audio system: There are three transportable audio system within the Sonos line up. These embrace the Sonos Transfer, the Sonos Roam and the Sonos Roam SL. There are just a few differences between the Sonos Roam and Sonos Move, however in a nutshell, the Roam is an ultra-portable Bluetooth and Wi-Fi speaker that’s smaller and cheaper than Transfer, and the Roam SL is a Roam with out the built-in microphones and sensible assistants.
Sonos Ikea Symfonisk audio system: Along with the transportable Sonos audio system and the usual Sonos audio system, the corporate additionally collaborated with Ikea to supply the Symfonisk vary of audio system. There’s the Wi-Fi Bookshelf Speaker, which is a speaker that doubles up as a bookshelf and the most cost effective approach to enter the Sonos system. In the meantime, the Desk Lamp Speaker doubles up as a desk lamp and the Image Body Speaker doubles up as a chunk of artwork. All of the Symfonisk audio system work as conventional Sonos audio system whereas additionally that includes Trueplay tuning, multi-room audio, and compatibility with over 100 music providers. In addition they supply voice management by way of Alexa or Google Assistant in addition to AirPlay 2 compatability.
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