Here at WIRED, We like Sonos speakers. We really do. Over the last decade, we’ve tested all of the company’s wireless speakers, from small bookshelf speakers to TV soundbars, and we’ve recommended every single one of them. But turning your home into a Sonos-powered shrine of sound isn’t cheap. Sonos speakers, like Apple products, are sold at a premium, starting at $120 for a base model. But which one should you buy? Read on for our favorites, from tiny Bluetooth speakers to full-fledged home theaters.
Updated May 2024: We’ve added the Victrola Stream Carbon as another great Sonos turntable option and updated links and pricing.
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Overall the best Sonos speaker
The Sonos Era 100 (9/10, WIRED Recommends) is our favorite Sonos speaker due to its perfect blend of sound and features. It has the same shape and size as the previous Sonos One model, so it fits easily into most rooms. The speaker is equipped with a volume control and a play-pause button, so you don’t have to take out your phone when you want to control it. It also has a USB-C input, as well as a switch on the back of the speaker that allows you to manually disable the built-in microphone for privacy reasons.
The Era 100 features large woofers and angled tweeters that produce true stereo sound, as well as a fast processor that allows the speaker to receive software updates for longer. According to WIRED editor-in-chief Parker Hall, the speaker sounds significantly better than the previous two generations of the Sonos One speaker. It offers punchier, more defined bass, clear definition and room-filling sound. There’s also a room tuning feature that adjusts the sound depending on your location (although this works better on iOS devices). We’re also pleased that in addition to Wi-Fi, Bluetooth pairing is also possible, so you can stream audio without a Sonos account and also easily pair it with a phone.
If you’re looking for a cheaper speaker that doesn’t require microphones, the Sonos One SL is a solid alternative. You can only control it via your phone or the touch buttons on it (and you don’t have to worry about someone listening in on your home). The SL is also a great way to add more satellite speakers to your home.
The best speakers to fill a room
In 2022, Sonos teamed up with Ikea again to launch a second generation of its bookshelf speaker. At $130, it’s slightly more expensive than its $99 predecessor, but it has a few upgrades, including an increase in RAM and a faster processor. We have yet to test the second generation model, but we liked the first generation version.
You can mount it directly on the wall or place it upright on a bookshelf or table. And if you want to network multiple speakers together for a larger room or connecting rooms, this is the cheapest option. It doesn’t take audio commands directly because it doesn’t have a microphone. So you’ll need a Sonos One, Sonos Era 100, Google speaker, or Alexa speaker that you can shout at if you want to control it with your voice. Otherwise, it does everything you’d expect from a Sonos.
Photo: IKEA
Like the first model, the second generation Symfonisk speaker lamp has great sound and is a beautiful addition to any room. I keep it on the media console in my apartment. The lamp gets bright enough to light up the living room and I love listening to podcasts on the speaker every morning. It also looks more modern and classy compared to its predecessor – with glass shades available in both black and white. But it’s a fingerprint magnet. I would recommend the fabric shade ($240) if that bothers you. My only criticism is that there is no microphone and therefore you cannot control it using voice commands. However, you can connect it to an Amazon or Nest smart speaker to take advantage of Smart Assistant support. If wall art is more your style, Ikea offers the Symfonisk picture frame with built-in Sonos Wi-Fi speaker for $260.
Best big speaker
The Sonos Era 300 (9/10, WIRED Recommendations) looks pretty awkward and baffling (we think it looks like a robot’s butt), but the sound quality makes up for it. Under the hood are six speaker drivers, four tweeters and a pair of mid/bass drivers – all delivering detailed, rich and confident sound. The outstanding feature, however, is the spatial sound. With sound that travels in all directions and over a considerable distance without lacking definition, we think the Era 300 far outperforms the Apple HomePod when it comes to filling the room. It’s worth noting that it supports Amazon and Apple’s spatial audio catalog, but not Tidal’s library of Dolby Atmos content.
Like the Era 100, the Era 300 has physical controls, including a volume control, play/pause, skip forward/back, and voice assistant interaction (with a choice between Amazon Alexa and Sonos Voice Control). On the back you’ll find a power outlet, a switch to mute the microphones, a USB-C aux input, and a button for Bluetooth pairing (which means you don’t have to use the Sonos app to control it). . If you choose the Sonos companion app, you can adjust EQ, adapt the speakers to your environment using the TruePlay feature, and pair other Sonos speakers together.
Best portable speaker with Bluetooth
The Sonos Roam (9/10, WIRED recommends) is the company’s smallest and most portable speaker. With built-in Bluetooth connectivity (it’s one of our favorite Bluetooth speakers), you can easily slip it into a carrying case and play music on the go. With the Sonos app, available for Android and iPhone, you also have the ability to stream from major services like Spotify, Apple Music (with AirPlay 2 support), Tidal, and more. And you can control the speaker via voice command using Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant.
It may not offer audiophile-grade sound for its size, but it’s still pretty impressive. The dual driver system, subwoofer and tweeter work together to deliver rich bass and clear highs – without distortion when the volume is turned up. And with up to 10 hours of listening pleasure, it’s enough for a whole day at the beach – and more.
Photo: Sonos
The Sonos Move 2 (8/10, WIRED Reviews) isn’t as portable as the Roam—it weighs 6.1 pounds, while the Roam weighs 0.95 pounds—but the second-generation version has a whole host of features Upgrades (which explains). the higher price). It offers 24 hours of battery life (a significant increase from 11 hours on its predecessor), a touch interface for media controls (instead of physical buttons), and the ability to connect via Bluetooth 5.0 and Wi-Fi (the original Move did exclusively the case). Bluetooth or Wi-Fi when in use). It is also equipped with a second tweeter (both radiate left and right above the mid/woofer) and a third digital amplifier that delivers powerful, detailed sound. It’s worth noting that, unlike the first Move, the latest version doesn’t have support for Google Assistant. You can choose between Amazon Alexa or Sonos Voice Control. It’s a solid speaker for those who are already part of the Sonos ecosystem and want a speaker they don’t want to take outside of their living room or backyard.
Best Sonos Soundbar (for Most)
Like the original Beam (8/10, WIRED recommends), the second-generation Beam delivers impressive sound and has a sleek design. As for upgrades, it has a faster processor, support for Dolby Atmos (with compatible TVs and streaming apps) for improved sound, and an HDMI eARC port for high-resolution audio. You also get hands-free Alexa and Google Assistant, and it works with Airplay 2. You can pair it with a Sonos Sub (an expensive subwoofer) and two other Sonos speakers for surround.
Sonos has also tweaked the design, adding a polycarbonate grille to the front instead of a fabric cover like the Gen 1 model. This should make it easier to fit into your interior design. It’s $50 more than the previous model, which isn’t the case The much more expensive than the already expensive soundbar. For non-Sonos alternatives, see our guide to the best soundbars.
Sonos sub-speaker Gen 3Photo: Sonos
The standard Sonos Sub costs $799 at Sonos. It’s great but expensive. If you’re working with less space, the cheaper Sonos Sub Mini is $430 at Best Buy. However, don’t bother buying surround speakers until you own a sub. It will make a profound difference.
Best small soundbar
If you have an apartment or a smaller room, or are just getting started in the soundbar department, the Sonos Ray (9/10, WIRED recommends) is a solid option for you. The Ray has a compact frame, but don’t let that fool you. The soundbar produces crisp, clear sound that easily fills your room with zooms and booms, quiet conversations, and all the other moments you don’t want to miss in your favorite movies and shows. Additionally, customizable settings in the Sonos app allow you to configure your ideal listening experience for each song from your favorite album.
This small soundbar fits easily on entertainment centers and dressers, or you can mount it on the wall to free up as much valuable space as possible.
Want to take it to the next level? You can pair the Ray with the aforementioned Sonos Sub Mini to round out the sound in your room. The Sub Mini is wireless (aside from a power cord), so it connects seamlessly to your current system via the Sonos app.
Best suited for large home theaters
A soundbar can make all the difference in a home theater and costs much less than a full surround sound setup. And if you’re looking for a truly powerful device, the Sonos Arc (9/10, WIRED recommends) is the way to go. It has full Dolby Atmos support and in many rooms can bounce sound off the walls and ceiling so well that it sounds like you have a surround setup.
With three tweeters and eight midrange drivers, it delivers deep bass and has more balance and depth than the Beam. It’s also much longer, spanning 45 inches, which is about the width of a 55-inch TV. Its design is elegant and understated in usual Sonos fashion – you won’t always notice the bar, but when you do notice it, it’s not an eyesore at all.