- Table of Contents
- Intro
- Our Verdict
- Test Results
- Differences
- Compared To Others
- Deals
- Discussions
The Sonos One SL is the microphone-free variant of the Sonos One Gen 2. While it doesn't support voice assistants, it retains the audio-centric features of the Gen 2 like Trueplay tuning, which adjusts the speaker's audio reproduction to better-suit the room it's in. It also has bass and treble sliders so you can customize its sound, and you can even add it to your existing Sonos-compatible soundbar setup as satellite speakers. Unfortunately, it doesn't get very loud, and there are compression artifacts at max volume. It also doesn't support Bluetooth.
Our Verdict
The Sonos One SL is just okay for music. It has a boomy sound profile that's suitable for genres like hip-hop. The mid-range is also fairly balanced, so vocals and lead instruments are clear and present. While it struggles a bit to reproduce low-bass, there are bass and treble sliders in its companion app to help customize its sound to your liking. Unfortunately, it doesn't get very loud and there are a lot of compression artifacts at max volume. It also downmixes stereo content into mono to play it.
-
Bass and treble sliders available.
-
Doesn't get very loud and compression artifacts at max volume.
The Sonos One SL is disappointing for videos and movies. While it has a boomy sound profile, it still has some trouble reproducing low-bass, so sound effects lack thump and rumble. It also has to downmix stereo content into mono, which doesn't sound very immersive, and it doesn't get very loud. Luckily, if you have a Sonos-compatible soundbar, you can use this speaker as a satellite speaker in your setup.
-
Bass and treble sliders available.
-
Doesn't get very loud and compression artifacts at max volume.
-
Downmixes stereo content into mono.
-
No audio streaming via Bluetooth.
The Sonos One SL is passable for podcasts. It has a balanced mid-range, so vocal-centric content is clear and accurate. Although it can only be used wired, you can connect multiple units if you want to listen to different audio throughout your home. The speaker also has decent directivity, so your podcasts should sound clear from most angles.
-
Bass and treble sliders available.
-
Supports multi-room.
-
Doesn't get very loud and compression artifacts at max volume.
-
No audio streaming via Bluetooth.
The Sonos One SL doesn't have a microphone, and it doesn't support any voice assistants.
The Sonos One SL isn't recommended for outdoor use as it has a wired design.
- 6.5 Music
- 5.5 Videos/Movies
- 6.4 Podcasts
- 2.8 Voice Assistant
- 4.5 Outdoors
- Updated May 27, 2021: Updated sound tests with current 13.1 firmware.
- Updated Mar 02, 2021: Review published.
- Updated Feb 26, 2021: Early access published.
Test Results
The Sonos One SL has an almost identical look and feel to the Sonos One Gen 2. It's meant to sit vertically on your table, and it comes in two different colors: 'Black' and 'White'. You can also pair it with compatible Sonos soundbars like the Sonos Beam or the Sonos Arc if you're looking to upgrade them with surround speakers.
This speaker isn't very portable. Although you can carry it with one hand, it needs to be plugged into a power source to work. For a portable Sonos speaker you can take with you on the go, check out the Sonos Roam and the Sonos Roam SL.
The Sonos One SL has an okay build quality. Just like the Sonos One Gen 2, its top and bottom sides are made of plastic. It also has a metal grille to cover the front and sides, which gives it a premium feel. It's advertised to withstand high-humidity environments like a bathroom with a running shower. However, it doesn't have an IP rating for dust and water resistance, and we don't currently test for this.
The Sonos One SL has decent controls. They're located on the top side. However, unlike the Sonos One Gen 2, it doesn't have a microphone. You can swipe left or right to return to the previous track or skip to the next one. You can also press and hold the play/pause button to add audio that's playing in another room, which groups speakers together. There's a small light on the top that lights up when you're registering commands and can be turned on or off in the companion app.
Update 05/27/2021: We retested our sound tests after updating the speaker with the current 13.1 firmware.
The Sonos One SL has decent frequency response accuracy. It has a Trueplay tuning feature, which automatically adjusts the speaker to the acoustics of your room by measuring how sound reflects off of your walls and other surfaces around it. Using this feature, it has a boomy sound profile, although it lacks a bit of low-bass. Vocals and lead instruments are clear and present, though. If you prefer a different sound, the companion app offers bass and treble sliders so you can tweak it to your liking.
The Sonos One SL has a sub-par soundstage. It has to downmix stereo content into mono to play this content, which doesn't sound very immersive. That said, it has decent directivity, so your audio should sound clear from most angles.
The Sonos One SL has a sub-par dynamics performance. It doesn't get as loud as the Denon Home 350 and there are a lot of compression artifacts at max volume. This speaker may not be the best choice if you have a large or crowded room.
The Sonos S2 App is outstanding. It's supported on iOS and Android. Although it lacks a more comprehensive EQ, there are bass and treble sliders so you can customize its sound to your liking. You can also connect this speaker to another unit to create a stereo pair, or link multiple speakers to cover a wide area. You can connect multiple units in different rooms of your home, too.
This speaker has an Ethernet port, which is nice if you want to connect it to your home network. Unfortunately, it lacks an AUX port, so you can't use a wired connection to link your smartphone and speaker together.
The Sonos One SL uses Bluetooth low-energy so you can temporarily communicate with your phone or mobile device to simplify the first-time setup process. However, you can't use this connection to stream audio.
This speaker is Wi-Fi compatible and supports Apple AirPlay. It has low latency over this connection, so you shouldn't notice audio sync issues. However, it doesn't support Chromecast. If you're looking for a Sonos speaker with an even lower Apple AirPlay latency, consider the IKEA SYMFONISK Bookshelf speaker.
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Sonos One SL comes in two colors: 'Black' and 'White'. We tested the White variant, and you can see its label here. This speaker is also a variant of the Sonos One Gen 2. It doesn't have a microphone or support voice assistants, but it otherwise performs very similarly.
If you come across another variant, please let us know in the discussions and we'll update our review.
Compared To Other Speakers
The Sonos One SL is a variant of the Sonos One Gen 2 and lacks a microphone, so it doesn't support voice assistants. It's a suitable choice for those looking for a non-smart speaker, though, and it has many of the same features as the Gen 2 like Trueplay tuning, which helps adjust its audio reproduction to better suit the room you're using it in, and an Ethernet port if you want to connect it to your home network. However, it still lacks Bluetooth support, and it can't get very loud. Check out our recommendations for the best home speakers, the best speakers for iPhone and iPod, and the best Bluetooth speakers.
The Sonos One SL and the Sonos One Gen 2 are almost the same speaker. The primary difference is that the Sonos One SL lacks a microphone and doesn't support voice assistants. That said, both speakers have the same alright build quality, downmix stereo content into mono, and have disappointing dynamics performances. On the upside, they're both compatible with the Sonos S2 app, which offers bass and treble sliders.
The Sonos Move is a better speaker than the Sonos One SL. The Move is battery-powered and has a built-in carrying handle, making it more portable. It can get louder and has better directivity so its soundstage may be perceived as more open and spacious. It also offers fantastic voice assistant support with Google Assistant and Alexa built-in, and can understand your commands from far away and in noisy environments.
The IKEA SYMFONISK Bookshelf speaker and the Sonos One SL are similar speakers. The Sonos is smaller and has a more neutral-sounding sound profile. However, the IKEA can get slightly louder than the Sonos with fewer compression artifacts present at max volume, so your audio sounds clearer during louder listening sessions.
The Sonos Five is a better overall speaker than the Sonos One SL. The Five is capable of reproducing a lot more low-bass, which is great for genres like EDM or hip-hop, and it can play stereo content without downmixing it into mono. However, some may prefer the One SL's smaller size. You can also add it to a Sonos-compatible soundbar setup if you want surround speakers.
The Apple HomePod has a better overall performance than the Sonos One SL. The Apple has a better-balanced sound profile capable of reproducing more low-bass, and it can get louder with fewer compression artifacts. It also has Siri voice assistant built-in, which offers excellent performance. That said, it may be harder to find in new condition since it's been discontinued. However, the Sonos has bass and treble sliders to help adjust its sound, and it feels somewhat better built.
The Sonos One SL and the Apple HomePod mini have different strengths. The Sonos offers a better-balanced sound profile that can produce a more extended low-bass when its Trueplay tuning feature is on. You can even tweak its sound using the bass and treble adjustments featured in its companion app. That said, the Apple comes with Siri built-in and can understand your commands from far away and in noisier settings. Also, it has better directivity, resulting in a wider and more natural-sounding soundstage.
The Bose SoundLink Revolve is a more versatile speaker than the Sonos One SL. The Bose is smaller, better-built, has a wider soundstage, and supports your phone's voice assistant. Since it's battery-powered, you can also take it with you outside, and it supports Bluetooth for easy wireless streaming. However, the Sonos supports Wi-Fi, and it has bass and treble sliders to help customize its sound. It also has a Trueplay feature, which allows the speaker to adjust its audio reproduction to better-suit the room it's in.
The IKEA SYMFONISK Speaker lamp is a slightly better speaker than the Sonos One SL, though they perform similarly. The IKEA speaker can produce a slightly more extended low-bass. It has better directivity, resulting in a wider-sounding soundstage. It also has a dual function as a speaker and a lamp. That said, the One SL is smaller in size. It also has a bit less compression present at max volume, so your audio quality doesn't degrade as much as you bump up the volume.
The JBL Charge 5 is a slightly better speaker than the Sonos One SL. The JBL is better-built, battery-powered, and supports Bluetooth, making it more portable and easier to bring with you on the go. It can get louder than the Sonos with less compression present at max volume, resulting in cleaner audio at louder volume levels. It can also be paired to up to two devices at once, which is handy when you need to quickly switch between audio sources. That said, the Sonos is a wired Wi-Fi speaker designed for use at home and can produce a more extended low-bass out-of-the-box.
The Sonos Roam SL is a better speaker than the Sonos One SL overall. Since the Roam SL is designed to be taken along with you on the go, it's Bluetooth-compatible, battery-powered, and smaller in size. It's also better-built with an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance that certifies it to be dust-tight and immersible in a meter of water for 30 minutes. It gets about as loud as the One SL, though it has less compression present at max volume, resulting in cleaner audio at louder volumes. That said, the One SL is a wired speaker designed to be used at home. It offers a better-balanced sound profile with its room correction feature enabled and can produce a more extended low-bass.