We've currently tested eight Sonos speakers. Sonos is an American brand that manufactures home audio products, primarily soundbars and speakers. Some of their speakers are compatible with their soundbars to make a surround sound setup. Sonos speakers have many different features, so you can find one that best suits your needs. Many Sonos speakers have a wired design, making them most suitable for home use.
Updates
- 11/22/2023 Sonos Move updated
- 11/17/2023 Sonos Move 2 reviewed
- 04/20/2023 Sonos Era 100 reviewed
- 04/18/2023 Sonos Era 300 reviewed
- 01/19/2023 Sonos One Gen 2 updated
Best Sonos Speakers
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Best Sonos Speaker
Music7.7Videos/Movies7.0Podcasts6.8Voice Assistant8.8Outdoors5.5Battery PoweredNoSpeakerphoneNoVoice AssistantYesBluetoothYesWi-FiYesThe best Sonos speaker that we've tested is the Sonos Era 300. Released in 2022, this sleek home speaker offers a wide array of features to make the most of your listening experience. Bluetooth and Wi-Fi support make it easy to stream content to the speaker over a wireless connection, and built-in Alexa gives you hands-free control. It's also one of the only speakers we've tested to support Dolby Atmos, which is handy if you want to listen to Dolby Atmos Music through a compatible music streaming service like Apple Music. Pair it with other Sonos speakers to spread audio throughout your home, or add it with a soundbar to create a more immersive surround sound setup.
As with most premium speakers on the market, this device has a room correction tool that's designed to adjust its output based on your room's unique acoustics. The full Trueplay feature is only available on iOS, but for now, Android users can use a paired-down alternative called Quick Tuning. This feature only uses the microphones built into the speaker, and it doesn't take advantage of the microphones in your smartphone like the full offering, but it's still a good alternative. Bass and treble adjustments in the Sonos S2 app let you manually adjust the speaker's output, too. Of course, it's wired-only, so it's not meant to bring your music with you on the go—but it's still a standout choice for at-home use.
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Best Upper Mid-Range Sonos Speaker
Music7.0Videos/Movies6.5Podcasts8.1Voice Assistant8.6Outdoors7.7Battery PoweredYesSpeakerphoneNoVoice AssistantYesBluetoothYesWi-FiYesThe Sonos Move is another speaker with great sound quality available at a slightly more affordable price. This versatile Bluetooth speaker is designed to make the most of your favorite tunes both in and out of your home. With a sleek design, it blends right into your living room decor, and its built-in voice assistant support makes it easy to control it with your voice while you catch up on chores. Since it's battery-powered, you can also unplug it to listen out in your backyard. The built-in handle makes it easy to transport, and it's rated IP56 for dust and water resistance to protect it from the elements. We plan to test the next-generation Sonos Move 2 as well, and we'll update this article as soon as we do.
This speaker's sound quality is also impressive, making it suitable for listening to many different types of audio content. Its room correction tool, called Auto TruePlay, is built into the speaker itself. As its name implies, it automatically adjusts the sound to your room's acoustics, so both Android and iOS users can take advantage of it. You can also change its bass and treble in the S2 app and pair it up with other devices in your Sonos ecosystem. Still, this speaker is a little big compared to other portable models on the market, so if you're looking for something to bring on a hike or out to the park, you might find it too bulky. It doesn't support Dolby Atmos like the Sonos Era 300, either. That said, it's still a great choice for listening both in and out of your home.
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Best Mid-Range Sonos Speaker
Music7.4Videos/Movies6.8Podcasts6.8Voice Assistant8.5Outdoors5.4Battery PoweredNoSpeakerphoneNoVoice AssistantYesBluetoothYesWi-FiYesIf you want a more affordable option, check out the Sonos Era 100. Also released in 2022, this sleek home speaker is a smaller and more affordable alternative to its larger cousin, with many of the same cool features on hand. Like the Sonos Era 300, it supports Bluetooth connectivity and Wi-Fi, and its built-in Alexa capabilities let you control the device using only your voice. Through the Sonos S2 app, you can pair it with other compatible devices from the manufacturer to spread sound throughout multiple rooms in your home. You can also connect it with a Sonos soundbar to create an immersive surround sound in your living room.
This speaker doesn't support Dolby Atmos, but if you prefer to listen to music that's mixed in stereo, it's not a huge deal. Since it supports Trueplay, you can adjust its output based on your room, and the less stringent Quick Tuning alternative is still available for Android users. For the price, it still offers good sound quality, making it suitable for many different types of audio content. Unlike the Sonos One Gen 2/One SL, it supports stereo content, too, resulting in a wider sound with better instrument separation. Overall, this speaker is a great value pick.
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Best Budget Sonos Speaker
Music6.3Videos/Movies6.2Podcasts7.2Voice Assistant8.5Outdoors6.6Battery PoweredYesSpeakerphoneNoVoice AssistantYesBluetoothYesWi-FiYesThe Sonos Roam is the most budget-friendly option available from the manufacturer. It's a solid pick if you're looking for a speaker that won't break the bank, especially if you want something to take with you on the go. Available in several colors, this speaker has a smaller and more lightweight build than the premium options on the list. It's also rated IP67 for dust and water resistance, meaning it can withstand some exposure to elements. With a battery life of only five hours, though, it doesn't last as long off a single charge as more premium options like the Sonos Move.
Still, this speaker performs well for the price and offers access to many of the same features as the manufacturer's more premium models. It has great sound quality with many of the same customization tools as its more premium cousins, including Trueplay and bass and treble adjustments. Built-in voice assistant support is on hand for hands-free control, and you can even opt for the SL variant if you prefer a version without a microphone. That said, unlike the Sonos Era 100, this speaker has to downmix stereo content into mono to play it. You can always buy a second stereo pairing unit if you want.
Compared To Other Brands
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Built-in voice assistants.
Some Sonos speakers have built-in voice assistants, typically Alexa and Google Assistant. They also have little trouble understanding you, even if you're far away or in a noisy room. -
Well-balanced sound profile.
The Sonos speakers we've tested tend to have well-balanced sound profiles, making them suitable for listening to most audio content. Many can also produce a thumpy low-bass, which will please fans of bass-heavy genres. -
Sound customization options.
The Sonos S2 app is compatible with most of the Sonos speakers we've tested, and it has bass and treble sliders, letting you tweak the speaker's sound to your liking. Although it doesn't include a full graphic EQ, it has a room correction feature Sonos calls 'Trueplay' that automatically adjusts the speaker's sound profile to the room it's in. However, the full feature is currently only available with iOS devices. -
Multiple devices can be linked together.
Using the Sonos S2 app, you can pair multiple Sonos speakers to amplify your audio or play it across different rooms in your house. Also, some Sonos speakers, like the Sonos One SL, can be paired with compatible soundbars to create a surround sound system.
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Some wired-only models.
Some of the Sonos speakers we've tested need to be plugged into a power source to work, so they're unsuitable for outdoor use. That said, you can find some other battery-powered models if you prefer. -
Often no Bluetooth compatibility.
Older Sonos speakers are wired and designed for use at home, meaning they can't stream audio over Bluetooth. Fortunately, Sonos speakers tend to be Wi-Fi compatible, and you can stream audio using Apple AirPlay. Plus, some newer models have added Bluetooth connectivity. -
Downmixes stereo content into mono.
In general, the Sonos speakers we've tested have to downmix stereo content into mono when using them on their own, resulting in a soundstage that isn't as immersive-sounding. However, you can often pair them with another compatible speaker to create a stereo pair.
Sonos vs Bose
Both manufacturers focus on producing premium, high-end products for in and out of the home. With smart features like built-in voice assistants, their speakers are designed for easy integration with existing products in their respective ecosystems. However, Bose speakers aren't as limited to iOS support, and even their older models support Bluetooth, unlike Sonos.
Sonos vs Apple
Apple has a small lineup of smart speakers designed for home use, so you won't find any portable Bluetooth options like with Sonos. Still, both speaker manufacturers release products with stand-out voice assistant performances, and depending on whether you prefer Alexa or Siri, you may opt for one over the other. However, Apple speakers aren't as customizable as Sonos, as they don't offer bass or treble adjustments.
Overall, Sonos makes speakers with well-balanced sound profiles suitable for home use. Some are even compatible with certain Sonos soundbars, letting you create a surround sound system. Many of their speakers have built-in voice assistants, like Alexa and Google Assistant. They're typically compatible with the Sonos S2 app, which has customization features like a room correction Sonos calls 'Trueplay' and bass and treble sliders. However, the full Trueplay feature is currently only available with iOS devices, which may disappoint some users. Some Sonos speakers don't support Bluetooth, so you may have to stream audio over Apple AirPlay or an AUX port.
Lineup
Sonos keeps only a few models on the market at a time compared to other speaker manufacturers. Their naming conventions reveal a bit about their products' intended use. As with many other speakers, the higher the number, the more features you'll find.
- Era lineup: Wired home speakers with built-in voice assistant support released in 2022.
- One lineup: Similar to the Era lineup, these wired home speakers with built-in voice assistant support were released in 2019. They lack Bluetooth connectivity compared to the Era speakers, though.
- Move lineup: Portable Bluetooth and Wi-Fi compatible speaker with built-in voice assistant support.
- Roam lineup: Another portable Bluetooth and Wi-Fi compatible speaker available at a budget-friendly price.
Recent Updates
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Oct 12, 2023: Product picks remain the same after verifying their accuracy and availability.
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Jul 18, 2023: We haven't tested any new Sonos speakers since the last update. Some minor updates to the text.
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Apr 20, 2023: Restructured article to include the Sonos Era 100 and the Sonos Era 300.
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Dec 21, 2022: No changes in product picks after verifying their accuracy and availability.
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Sep 22, 2022: Added the Sonos One Gen 2 as the 'Best Mid-Range Sonos Speaker' and recategorized picks to better meet user needs.
Conclusion
Sonos offers a variety of speakers that are suitable for different uses. Generally, they have well-balanced sound profiles, and some can even produce a thumpy low-bass. The best Sonos speakers have built-in voice assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant, making them suitable for home use. However, many have a wired-only design, so they're hard to use outside.