Best Sonos speakers – CNET [CNET]

As a system, Sonos range of speakers has become remarkably robust over the years. We’ve seen the company add features such as voice command via Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa and Apple AirPlay 2, as well as support for popular music streaming services such as Spotify and Pandora. With the release of the Sonos Arc and the Beam Gen 2, the company is able to offer one of our readers’ most requested features: Dolby Atmos. It also helps that this comes with amazing sound quality. When you add in the budget-friendly Ikea Symfonisk range, the number of Sonos-compatible speakers available today makes the multiroom system more attractive than ever. 

Yet as the number of Sonos products keeps growing, it’s also become trickier to decide which speaker system device or devices in the Sonos ecosystem to buy. With that in mind, we’ve put together a quick guide to Sonos to help you figure out which products are right for you and which offer the best performance for your money. We’ll keep this list updated as the company releases new products.

Which Sonos is right for you?

What is Sonos?

Sonos is one of the oldest multiroom audio systems on the market and also one of the most successful. Since the way we consume digital music has changed from playing MP3s to streaming services and beyond, the audio system has also adapted and grown. 

Sonos began as a way to play iTunes playlists on your existing speakers and it’s grown to support streaming music services on a range of tabletop speakers, amplifiers, sound bars and subwoofers. Controlling the system began with a desktop app and the CR100 handheld controller, then it grew to mobile apps and voice assistants. Sonos now offers a range of speakers which include a choice of either Google Assistant or Alexa onboard (One, Beam and Arc).

Here are some things about the product line that you need to know:

• Works without a hub over a standard Wi-Fi network (no Bluetooth except for the Roam)
• Supports over 100 streaming services
• Works with Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri
• Compatible with Apple AirPlay 2 and Spotify Connect
• The new S2 system supports hi-res (i.e. Dolby TrueHD and Atmos) while legacy Sonos systems only carry 16-bit/44.1kHz
• Stream your analog-connected music around the house (with Amp, Five or Port)
• Beam Gen 2 and Arc include Dolby Atmos 

With the arrival of its S2 operating system, the company has replaced many of its legacy products while also introducing new ones. In 2020 alone, the company has announced the Sonos Arc soundbar, the new Sonos Five and an updated Sonos Sub. If you own older components, especially ones with “Zone” in the title, they are not interoperable with the new system.

The current Sonos lineup is as follows:

• Sonos Roam: $179 — Bluetooth and WiFi outdoor speaker
• Sonos One SL: $199 — small tabletop audio speaker without microphones
• Sonos One (Gen 2): $219 — smart table audio speaker with onboard voice assistant
• Sonos Beam Gen 2: $395 — soundbar with voice assistant and HDMI
• Sonos Move $399: — portable smart speaker with water resistance
• Sonos Port: $449 — streaming add-on box for existing systems, analog input/output
• Sonos Five: $549 — large tabletop audio speaker
• Sonos Amp: $699 — amplifier with analog input
• Sonos Sub: $749 — wireless subwoofer
• Sonos Arc: $899 — Dolby Atmos soundbar

There are also three speakers from Ikea that work with the Sonos system: the Ikea Symfonisk Bookshelf Wi-Fi Speaker, the $140 Symfonisk Speaker lamp base (which replaces the Table Lamp) and the $199 Ikea Symfonisk Picture Frame.

The Sonos app

Until voice control completely replaces it, the Sonos app is where you control most of your audio’s setup and playback. The app’s focus has changed over the years as it’s moved away from services to concentrate on the speakers themselves. The app still has one of the best universal searches, and it’s easy to set up your speakers. 

The app is available for the following devices:

• Apple iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch
• Android phones and tablets
• Apple laptops and desktops
• Windows laptops and desktops
• Amazon Fire tablets

As well as the Sonos app, you’ll also be able to serve to the audio speakers directly from your favorite apps using Play To Sonos. These include: Spotify, Pandora, YouTube Music and Tidal’s streaming music service. The system also supports streaming from iOS and compatible software using Apple AirPlay 2.

The competition

The main competitive standards to Sonos are Bose Music, DTS Play-Fi, Google Chromecast built-in, Apple AirPlay 2, Yamaha MusicCast and Denon HEOS. Amazon Echo and the Polk Command Bar also support the Amazon MRM system.

Wireless audio speakers start at around $100 — with most featuring Apple AirPlay, Chromecast or both — and great wireless sound bars such as the Polk Command Bar start at $250. Here are some of the best multiroom music systems.

More audio guides

• Best smart speaker for 2021 
• Sonos Roam review: A good speaker in a small package
• Best soundbar for 2021
• Is Sonos Arc the Dolby Atmos soundbar you’ve been waiting for?
• The best Bluetooth wireless speaker of 2021
• Best PC speakers for 2021
• Best wireless Bluetooth boombox for 2021