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Best Sonos speakers

Sonos: like Apple but exclusively for audio.
By

Published onOctober 12, 2023

The Best
Sonos Move
MSRP: $438.95
7.8
Check price
Positives
Reliable connection
Solid Sonos app
IP56 rating
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
Microphones work well, can be toggled off
Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa compatibility
The charging cradle is great
Negatives
Price
AAC and SBC only, no aptX
The handle is not for carrying the speaker long distances
Speaker is too heavy and awkward to be truly portable
Best bass
Sonos Five
Check price
Positives
Sound quality
Loud output
Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and aux port
Negatives
Expensive
No microphone
No Bluetooth connectivity
Best durability
Sonos Roam
Check price
Positives
Durable IP67 rating
Small and portable
Easy-to-use smart features
Integrates well with other Sonos products
Negatives
Potential frustrating setup hiccups
Can't be used for phone calls
Only SBC and AAC Bluetooth codecs
Not much bass
Best features
Sonos Arc
MSRP: $899.00
6.3
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Positives
Dolby Atmos, TrueHD and Dolby Digital Plus
Discrete all-in-one soundbar
Amazing surround sound and music playback
Negatives
Doesn’t suit every room
Trueplay Tuning is iOS only
Smart assistant integration limited
Best design
Sonos One (Gen 2)
MSRP: $219.00
Check price
Positives
Built-in Amazon Alexa / Google assistant
Integrated Apple Music, Pandora, Spotify, YouTube
Sound quality
Negatives
Surface collects fingerprints
Convoluted setup process
Privacy concerns (applies to any smart speaker)

Sonos speakers are some of the best around if you’re into home audio. You can get a single speaker just for your room or multiple speakers to arrange an entire 5.1 surround sound system in your living room. Even though the Sonos lineup isn’t all too vast, it’s still hard to parse apart one model from the next. In this article, we break down the differences between the best Sonos speakers in order to help you find the best one for your home.

What's new?

  • This list was updated on October 12, 2023, to refresh our Top Picks and Notable Mentions.
  • We have acquired the Sonos Move 2 and are currently in the process of testing and reviewing the Bluetooth speaker. Once the review is complete, we will update this article accordingly. In the meantime, the original Sonos Move has seen a significant price drop.

Want something that sounds good anywhere in the house? Get the Sonos Move

Sonos Move on bookshelf next to plant
The speaker is small enough to move around the house easily, but it isn’t small enough to be convenient.

The Sonos Move does exactly as its name suggests: it allows you to move around with it. You can take this IP56-rated Bluetooth smart speaker anywhere, so long as you don’t mind a little lifting. When you use the Move speaker in your home, you can connect it to all of your other Sonos speakers over your Wi-Fi network.

Sonos claims that you’ll get 10 hours of constant playback, but our testing falls short of this; we recorded 6 hours and 24 minutes of playtime over Bluetooth. While this can’t compare to some of our favorite JBL Bluetooth speakers, it’s more than enough to host a backyard barbeque.

It has Amazon Alexa built-in if that’s something that you want. So you can skip between songs or change the volume with just your voice. You can also set up Google Assistant voice access or mute the microphones completely. If you want to learn more about the Sonos Move, check out our video review here.

Sonos Move
Sonos Move
Sonos Move
Reliable connection • Solid Sonos app • IP56 rating
MSRP: $438.95
Portable but not convenient.
The Sonos Move is a great speaker but it might not be for you. If you already are a part of or plan on joining the Sonos ecosystem then this is a great addition to your setup.

The Sonos Five brings the bass

A white Sonos Five speaker shown from abaove against a dark background.
Being large means the Sonos Five produces ample bass, and it gets pretty loud.

The Sonos Five is a hefty addition to any audio setup, especially if you’re already living in the Sonos ecosystem. It shines in its range of connectivity options, offering Wi-Fi and Ethernet over the more common Bluetooth, which will please those who find Bluetooth’s limitations irksome. While the speaker does have an auxiliary port, it’s optimized for music streaming rather than real-time audio like TV or gaming.

Setting up the speaker is a breeze with the Sonos app, but be prepared for the app to be your main control hub. Unlike some other smart speakers, the Sonos Five doesn’t come with a built-in microphone. Its physical buttons offer basic control, but anything more intricate will require diving into the app. You’ll even need the app to switch to the line-in port, as the speaker won’t automatically detect and switch to an auxiliary input.

Audio performance is where the Sonos Five truly excels. Expect robust bass and balanced tones thanks to its three tweeters and three mid-woofers. For the Apple enthusiasts among you, the speaker also supports Trueplay for fine-tuned sound optimization, though you’ll need an iOS device to use this feature.

Is the Sonos Five for you? If you’re already invested in the Sonos world or put a premium on non-Bluetooth connectivity, it’s a solid choice. It’s designed to be a long-lasting fixture in your home, so if you’re after a speaker that blends high-quality audio with dependable performance, the Sonos Five has got you covered.

Sonos Five
Sonos Five
Sonos Five
Sound quality • Loud output • Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and aux port
Bigger, but is it better?
The Sonos Five makes for a decent option if you're already immersed in the Sonos Ecosystem and want something large and loud to expand your setup. If you can't stand Bluetooth, then its Wi-Fi and Ethernet options might appeal to you even without other Sonos products around, but be aware even the aux port has latency issues.

The Sonos Roam is the best for portability

A hand holding a white Sonos Roam speaker above the box it came in.
The Sonos Roam is small and portable, meaning it lives up to the “roam” in its name.

When it comes to portable speakers, the Sonos Roam takes the crown. Its unassuming design belies the robust sound quality it delivers. Thanks to automatic TruePlay technology, the Roam adjusts its audio output according to its surroundings, offering a dynamic sound profile that fills any space. But don’t let the modest size fool you; this speaker packs a punch.

What sets the Roam apart is its diversity of connectivity options. Whether it’s Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or AirPlay 2, this versatile device seamlessly switches between them, making it incredibly user-friendly. Add wireless charging to the mix, and you’ve got a speaker that delivers freedom alongside its superior sound. Its durable, waterproof exterior with an impressive IP67 rating also means the Roam is adventure-ready at a moment’s notice.

But the real kicker is how effortlessly the Roam integrates into the existing Sonos ecosystem. If you already own a Sonos soundbar or other Sonos speakers, you can easily loop the Roam into your multi-room audio setup. The Sonos app makes managing this entire system a breeze. In essence, the Sonos Roam isn’t just a portable speaker; it’s an all-in-one sonic experience that stands head and shoulders above the competition. If you’re in the market for a portable speaker that offers a blend of convenience and superior audio, the Sonos Roam is the clear choice.

Sonos Roam
Sonos Roam
Sonos Roam
Decent audio • IP67 durability • Well-featured app
A built-in support for voice assistance along with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity.
Sonos Roam is a portable speaker that operates over Bluetooth and Wi-Fi and offers an IP67 rating. The app allows voice assistance and pairs the speaker with other devices.

The Sonos Arc is a premium soundbar with Dolby Atmos

Sonos

If you want the most immersive home theater experience that money can buy (from Sonos), you need the Sonos Arc. The Arc shares features with the Sonos speaker lineup, like smart assistant voice access, AirPlay 2 support, and more.

This large soundbar houses 11 drivers for loud, engaging audio reproduction, and its low-profile design allows it to blend in with the rest of your furniture. Avid movie watchers will enjoy the Speech Enhancement feature, which is a separate sound profile that’s specifically tuned to prioritize dialogue clarity during scenes when actors speak quietly or when loud action occurs in the background.

As with all other Sonos speakers, you can easily connect the Sonos Arc to other first-party peripherals like the Sonos Sub and Sonos One speakers. The Arc is made for TVs larger than 49 inches, while the Beam is for TVs smaller than 49 inches. They’re very similar soundbars, though the Beam lacks Dolby Atmos support.

Sonos Arc
Sonos Arc
Sonos Arc
Dolby Atmos support • Easy setup • Trueplay room correction
MSRP: $899.00
Bring all your entertainment to life with the extraordinarily realistic sound of Arc, the premium smart soundbar for TV, movies, music, and more. Surround yourself in the story with 3D sound from Dolby Atmos, and enjoy control with your TV remote, your voice, the Sonos app, and Apple AirPlay 2.

Why is the Sonos One (Gen 2) the best Sonos speaker?

Sonos One Gen 2) on a side table with curtains and string lights in the background.
Setting up the Sonos One Gen 2) is no simple task, but once you do it, you will never have to do it again, even if you unplug it.

The Sonos One (Gen 2) is the best Sonos speaker for most people because it’s a good size and offers powerful smart features for an affordable price (relative to Sonos’ other offerings, that is). Right out of the box, you get support for Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant along with Apple Music, Pandora, Spotify, and YouTube Music integration. Aside from the initial setup process, you don’t need your smartphone to enable these streaming services and can use your voice to enable playback through them.

While you don’t get an official IP rating, the mainly metal speaker is humidity-resistant. With a design like this, you can keep the Sonos One (Gen 2) in the bathroom and don’t have to worry about shower steam damaging its internals. You may need to dry your hands off before interacting with the touch panel, but again, you can bypass this altogether with a simple “Hey Google” or “Hey Alexa.”

The Sonos One (Gen 2) has a very pleasant sound akin to the Google Nest Audio and Amazon Echo (4th Gen). Bass notes are loud enough, though there’s very little sub-bass present, and this is common with all standalone speakers. To compensate a bit, you get Sonos Trueplay here, which measures the acoustics of the room and adjusts the speaker’s frequency response accordingly.

For around $200, you’re getting a feature-packed speaker with the Sonos One (Gen 2).

Sonos One (Gen 2)
Sonos One (Gen 2)
Sonos One (Gen 2)
Built-in Amazon Alexa / Google assistant • Integrated Apple Music, Pandora, Spotify, YouTube • Sound quality
MSRP: $219.00
Difficult to set up, but nice to use.
The Sonos One (Gen 2) is a smart speaker and a fine one at that. With both Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa built-in, it's almost guaranteed to satisfy anyone's preferences. The speaker has excellent, app-adjustable sound large enough to fill a room, and you can also connect it to your home Sonos ecosystem for multiroom audio.

Don’t want Alexa or Google in your home? Get the Sonos One SL

Image of the Sonos One (Gen 1) on a wooden table.
Touch controls on top of the Sonos One let you control your music if the voice isn’t supported.

If you don’t want to spend too much money on your first Sonos product and don’t care about (or don’t want) voice assistant integration, then you should pick up the Sonos One SL. It’s just like the Sonos One — minus the microphones.

You can buy two of these speakers for the price of a Sonos Move, but you sacrifice portability and Bluetooth connectivity. The One SL requires an outlet and a Wi-Fi signal at all times. Still, it’s hard to beat for the price.

Sonos One SL
Sonos One SL
Sonos One SL
Simple • Integrates into Sonos ecosystem • Loud sound
MSRP: $199.00
A great option if you don't want voice assistants.
The Sonos One SL is just like the Sonos One except it doesn't have smart assistant functionality. This lowers its cost and makes it a great addition to your Sonos ecosystem.

The best Sonos speakers: Notable mentions

  • Sonos Playbase ($242 at Amazon): While it’s expensive, the Playbase is one of the more convenient ways to up your home audio game without getting a surround sound system.
  • Sonos Beam (Gen 2) ($529 at Amazon): If you want to get better sound for your TV in a medium-sized room, this is a great option.
  • Sonos Sub (Gen 3)($798 at Amazon): If you’re looking to boost the low end of your music, this wireless subwoofer will create rich bass without unwanted booming and rumbling.
  • Sonos Sub Mini ($578 at Amazon): For those who still want some added bass response but want to save a bit of cash and space in their home, the Sonos Sub Mini is an excellent alternative to the Sonos Sub (Gen 3).

What you should know about Sonos speakers and accessories

While Sonos’ speaker lineup is sparse compared to Sonos’s competitors, there are plenty of reasons to buy them. We like Sonos speakers because they’re very easy to connect for multi-room playback and sport a host of smart features. Let’s learn a bit more about what you should know before buying.

What is the Sonos ecosystem?

A man holds a phone with the Sonos app in front of the Sonos Playbase.
You need a little technical know-how to operate Sonos speakers.

Sonos is synonymous with home audio because it has refined its ecosystem over the years. Similar to Apple, all of Sonos’ products work together seamlessly, and you get complete control over everything via the free app. Whether you want to play different songs on different speakers, play a podcast throughout the house, or just watch a movie, Sonos has you covered.

Sonos is fastidious about updating its products, keeping them updated for years. You can rest easy knowing that if you buy some Sonos speakers today, they’ll work with your future Sonos products down the line.

What is the Sonos mesh network?

Image of a man holding an iPhone in front of a Sonos One (Gen 1) Google Assistant speaker (Alexa-supported) in white on a wood background.
The Sonos One app is surprisingly good and lets you connect dozens of services

The best part about Sonos is also one of the more frustrating parts: you can control all of your Sonos speakers through the Sonos app. During the setup process, Sonos products create their own mesh network exclusively for Sonos and this piggybacks off your wireless router. This is how you can seamlessly stream music to multiple devices at once.

When you play music through the mobile app, it directs your speakers where to play from; this differs from a direct Bluetooth connection. The Sonos app then pulls content from the internet all on its own (after you connect your relevant music streaming service accounts to it). As long as you’re connected to the same Wi-Fi network as your Sonos system, you can control your speakers.

Voice assistants, streaming services, and Sonos

The Sonos One on a table.
Touch controls on top of the Sonos One let you control your music if voice isn’t supported.

Sonos is banking on the success of smart home technology. Unlike the Apple Homepod mini, which only has Siri, Sonos is compatible with every voice assistant and every streaming service.

While this is definitely a boon for those with multiple platforms, you cannot make cross-platform playlists, so just be aware that you’ll likely be sticking to one app or another during your listening sessions. However, if your music library is local, you can use Plex, Plexamp, or Roon to stream your tunes to the Sonos speakers in your house.

Do Sonos products support Dolby Atmos?

This one is for the home theater nerds out there because, unfortunately, most Sonos speakers do not support Dolby Atmos, save for the Sonos Arc and Beam. Most Sonos products do, however, support Dolby Digital 5.1, which you can take advantage of if you have a classic 5.1 surround sound system.

Unlike the classic 5.1 system, Dolby Atmos is an object-based audio format, meaning that sounds can be packaged into “bubbles” of 3D audio that provide a sense of height and even more directionality to your movies or games.

Speakers that support Dolby Atmos, like the Sennheiser Ambeo, can bounce sound off of the ceiling to create a more immersive sound experience. And while it’s hard to explain without breaking out my “marketer language-to-English” dictionary, trust us when we say that the effect is actually really cool, and it’s kind of a bummer that only the Arc and Beam support it.

The Dolby Digital 5.1 sound system, on the other hand, uses regular surround sound and projects different sounds through different channels (speakers).

(Click the image to expand.)


Why you should trust SoundGuys

A photo of a man wearing Sony WH-1000XM3 headphones.
The Sony WH-1000XM3’s exterior boasts a soft-touch material.

The team at SoundGuys has spent years reviewing, testing, and generally enjoying any and all audio products that we can get our hands on. We pride ourselves on transparently outlining objective facts while accounting for the subjective experience to contextualize an audio product’s performance. When we do misspeak, we correct and own up to it. Our continued existence is mostly predicated upon serving our readers in a way that supports their purchasing decisions in a satisfactory manner.

Frequently asked questions about Sonos speakers

What if you already have a home speaker and are just discovering Sonos? Rather than having to throw your gear away and start from scratch, you can just get the Sonos Port or the Sonos Amp, but what’s the difference between these two products?

The Sonos Port isn’t a speaker; it’s more like an adapter that allows you to connect your existing speakers to the Sonos network and stream music over Wi-Fi. It’s designed to work with powered peripherals like an amplifier (Sonos Amp) or a receiver. If you have an older wired system with a non-Sonos amp, you can connect the amp to the Port and stream over Wi-Fi directly through your favorite music streaming services like Spotify, Qobuz, and Amazon Music HD.

The Sonos Amp is its own amplifier and can power passive speakers, which is great for anyone with really high-end gear. If you plan to install in-ceiling or in-wall speakers, you’re going to need an amplifier, and that’s where the Sonos Amp really shines. This is great for multi-room playback across your non-Sonos audio system.

Follow this link to see the full list of audio streaming services that Sonos speakers support over Wi-Fi.

To set up a surround sound system with Sonos, you’ll want a soundbar, so either the Arc or Beam, a subwoofer, and rear surround speakers. Sonos offers quite a few surround sound sets that you can buy for easy compatibility, and you can connect multiple speakers together through the Sonos app.

Yes, you can create Alexa groups with both Sonos speakers and Echo speakers. This is often done by the rooms in your house. For example, if you have an Amazon Echo and a Sonos One speaker in the kitchen, these two speakers will function as the kitchen group. When you issue a command to the group, it will be executed by both speakers.

Sonos’s website shows deals, including some that may only occur on a one-day-only basis, so if you’re in the market for a Sonos speaker, it would be worth checking the website every so often.

In a world of Sonos alternatives, Bose is definitely a close competitor. Both companies have smart home lineups, soundbars, and home theater speakers, but Sonos’ speaker options pretty much end there. Bose, on the other hand, also has a collection of portable Bluetooth speakers. As for the value of each brand’s smart home speakers, soundbars, and home theater speakers, it depends a bit on which specific product you’re looking at. Overall, both Bose and Sony opt for a consumer-friendly sound signature that is pleasing to most average listeners. Whether or not you’re a tech whiz, Sonos speakers are typically easier to set up and the experience with the Bose app is usually more frustrating.

Not necessarily! It all depends on what you’re looking for, but if you’re looking for multi-room audio, Sonos is probably your best bet. However, if you’re looking for the best cheap standalone Alexa device, you might want to go with something like the Amazon Echo Dot (5th Gen) $49 at Amazon.

Sonos Trueplay is a technology included in all Sonos speakers except for the Sonos Port and Sonos Connect and is partially supported in the Sonos Amp and Sonos Amp: Connect. It tunes itself to whatever room your speakers are configured in so that it can utilize the furniture and walls of the room to create a soundscape.

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