In just under two decades, Sonos has become one of the leading smart home brands. The company specializes in high-quality connected speakers and home audio equipment. Increasingly, the devices integrate with other smart home hardware, making them an integral part of a modern dwelling. Sonos speakers connect to a wide range of streaming services, radio stations, and even local music libraries. All you need is a single app to control multiple Sonos speakers, and you can even link them together to synchronize music around your home. Here are the best Sonos speakers available right now.
Q: Is Sonos Better Than Bose?
The Sonos Five is a studio-quality smart speaker. The company positions the Five as its most premium offering, making it ideal for audiophiles. Like others in the range, the Sonos Five integrates with the Sonos ecosystem and can be controlled via the Sonos app and connected with other speakers for simultaneous playback.It’s also the ideal Sonos speaker for vinyl lovers, as the Five is the only unit with a 3.5mm audio-in jack. You can use the Trueplay feature to tune the Sonos Five to the acoustics of your room for personalized sound reproduction. If you place the Five horizontally, it’ll operate in stereo mode.However, connect two Five speakers and position them vertically, the devices will automatically switch into a mono mode for stereo separation. The speaker connects to your network via Wi-Fi or the provided Ethernet port.
The Sonos Roam is a portable and durable wireless speaker with a seamless connection to the Sonos ecosystem. The speaker connects to your Wi-Fi network at home and streams audio via Bluetooth while on the go. Despite its budget-friendly price, the Sonos Roam is well-suited for audiophiles, with two Class-H digital amplifiers tuned to the speaker’s design.There’s a tweeter for higher frequencies and a mid-woofer for mid-range frequencies and bass to enhance the audio reproduction. For smart home enthusiasts, the Sonos Roam also integrates with Google Assistant and Alexa when connected to your Wi-Fi network. In addition, the unit comes with a microphone array to support voice commands, echo cancellation, beamforming, and Trueplay tuning.The speaker can last up to 10 hours on a single charge and can be topped up via USB-C or any Qi-based wireless charger. The Sonos Roam is also IP67-rated for water resistance.
The Sonos Sub (Gen 3) is not a speaker in itself but a subwoofer to add bass to your Sonos setup. As a result, you must already own a Sonos speaker to use the Sonos Sub. However, suppose you have already invested in one of the company’s smart speakers or have a collection of them.In that case, the Sonos Sub (Gen 3) is an excellent way to expand the system and add detailed bass reproduction to your audio. There are two force-canceling drivers at the unit’s center to prevent any distortion, so the audio is always clear.Like most subwoofers, the Sub is designed to be placed on the floor, but its discreet design means you can display it around your home or easily hide it out of the way, too.The Sonos Sub (Gen 3) comes with two Class-D digital amplifiers, has a frequency response down to 25Hz, and can also be used with Sonos’ Trueplay tuning feature.
Sonos and Bose both produce high-quality audio equipment. Each company has a reputation for audiophile-level speakers, where sound reproduction excels. However, the main difference between the two manufacturers is software. Bose has a broader range of hardware products, including speakers and headphones.On the other hand, Sonos aims to make a connected ecosystem supported by the Sonos Controller app. After connecting your digital audio services, including streaming options and local media, you can play audio from any source on any of your Sonos speakers independently or link them together for simultaneous playback.
Q: Is There Anything Better Than Sonos?
To most people, Sonos is one of the best consumer audio companies around. Despite offering near-audiophile sound reproduction, the speakers are much more affordable than high-quality studio sets often retail for. Sonos’ ecosystem is also one of the most flexible, allowing you to connect multiple digital and online sources in one place.Despite these benefits, Sonos speakers may not be suitable for you. For example, many of the company’s speakers now come with integrated digital assistants, which might put off privacy enthusiasts. Similarly, the speakers are relatively neutral aesthetically, so they may not suit your taste.
Q: Are Sonos Speakers Repairable?
There are no user-repairable Sonos speakers. Despite offering a well-respected, high-end product, Sonos has faced a lot of criticism for its approach to device support. Not only can you not repair the devices yourself, but for a time, Sonos would intentionally brick trade-ins to prevent them from being resold or refurbished.In many cases, if something goes wrong with your Sonos speaker, your only option is to contact the company. However, you may be able to claim the repair under warranty or pay for a service instead.
