The Works with Sonos badge certifies products that connect with the Sonos family seamlessly, so you know which smart products you can count on to connect to your system without fuss. That's the theory, at least. You can see a fuller list on the Works with Sonos page. Of course, while Sonos bills itself as a "wireless hi-fi system", there's no denying a little more cash spent on a dedicated separates system will deliver better sound.
There are myriad streaming options should you value sound quality over the flexibility Sonos offers. You can stream music from your NAS device and other digital libraries to the Audiolab N Play , for instance, to get fantastic audio performance. And the more streamers and speakers you buy, the more rooms of music you can have. You may also then get wider high-resolution audio support an area where Bluesound and Denon have been quick to capitalise.
Sure, the Sonos S2 app lets users play bit files from a local drive, but at the time of writing users can only stream hi-res tracks from the Quboz music service. That's fine if Quboz membership appeals to you, but not ideal if you're already wedded to one of the other high-res audio streaming services. Another issue to consider is future compatibility, with Sonos recently getting into hot water over its Recycle Mode, which was accused of 'bricking' perfectly good speakers which had become too old to receive the latest firmware updates.
The latest announcement saw Sonos row back from that and end Recycle Mode , encouraging customers to perform a simple factory reset on their older gear before trading it in, choosing to give it to someone, recycling it at a nearby facility or sending it to Sonos and letting the firm handle it.
The good news is that the Sonos Trade Up programme still exists, and customers who own eligible older 'legacy' products can get the same discount, but they are no longer required to needlessly render usable speakers inoperable. The following older products are not compatible with the S2 software platform and will not receive future firmware updates:. Realistically, this is an issue affecting all smart products, from speakers to TVs.
If anything, the fact Sonos has supported older products for far longer than many other companies, and many people still love their older Sonos devices, has inadvertently served to make Sonos' future support issue a much bigger deal than it is for other companies.
As we said in our opinion piece, the Sonos backlash simply reveals the cold hard truth of smart tech — it has a shelf life, especially if you want the latest features and updates. As an entire ecosystem, Sonos is hard to fault — if you don't mind sacrificing hi-res audio, of course. Sensibly priced, beginner-friendly and with an appealing expand-as-you-go ethos, it's a multi-room solution to be reckoned with.
Now that you're armed with all the information, fancy creating your own wireless home sound system? If you're set on investing in a Sonos speaker or soundbar, congratulations, we'd say you've made a great choice. The next step is to choose what Sonos products your system consists of. So, which Sonos speaker is best for you? We've tested every Sonos speaker and soundbar to help you make your choice.
There are other options to consider, some of which offer a different flavour of sound or a different set of features to challenge Sonos's dominance.
The first of these is one of the newer entrants into the multi-room market: Audio Pro. We're big fans of the Swedish company's individual wireless speakers which have picked up plenty of What Hi-Fi? What surprises us more is how its musicality is unrivalled by anything at a similar price — or even quite a lot more. Such is the appeal of Audio Pro's expressive, nuanced and precise performance, we prefer it — in pure sound quality terms — over Sonos and Bluesound systems.
Audio Pro's simple app can be a little buggy and isn't anywhere near as fully-featured as Sonos's but, for sound quality at an affordable price, this multi-room system is currently unbeatable.
Read the full review: Audio Pro multi-room system. The first genuine threat to Sonos was Bluesound, whose key hook of support for high-resolution audio made it our preferred multi-room system for years as multiple Awards trophies will attest.
Its wide range of products which includes wireless speakers, a streamer, amplifier and soundbar and subtly detailed and punchy sound made this pricey system worth investing in. But that was before Audio Pro came into the picture with its better value wireless speakers. Bluesound remains a solid-sounding system despite losing its fifth star, though, with an improved BluOS app that now supports Alexa voice control and makes daily use a breeze even if it's still can't match Sonos's intuitiveness.
If you'd like me to explain this to you over video, watch me below, or keep reading! As long-term owners of Sonos ourselves, we think there are 3 distinguishing qualities to Sonos as a brand: Usability Sound quality Longevity Usability As you might be aware, all control is done through the Sonos app along with a few other methods. Sound quality Sonos have worked very hard on making the sound quality appeal to everyone.
Longevity Sonos are not in a fast-moving industry such as the smartphone industry for example. Who is Sonos not right for? So who is Sonos right for? Shop Sonos Speakers Why not check out the full range of Sonos speakers in our Sonos video overview below?
Sign Up for Our Newsletter:. Sonos One Gen 2 Powerful wireless smart speaker with voice control built-in. Buy Now. Add to Compare. Related Posts. Tags: FAQs. Tags: New releases. How do I activate my 6-year Sonos warranty? Your warranty starts from the date your speaker is first activated We will be able to obtain all your details from the serial number of your registered product. Place an order with Smart Home Sounds on any qualifying items look for the 30 days hassle-free returns icon on the product page Your 30 Days start when your order arrives.
Test and enjoy your new purchase from the comfort of your home over the next 30 days. Not applicable on in-ear headphones. To take advantage of our extended returns window over the Holiday period to the 31st January , simply get in contact with us with your order number by emailing us, online chatting with us or phoning us and we can start the procedure for you. Drivers: three tweeters, six mid-woofers Amplification: nine Class-D digital amplifiers Connectivity: Wi-Fi, ethernet, optical.
The Playbase is a soundbase so it sits underneath your TV that was released in , but Sonos announced in that it would be phasing it out with the Playbar, in favor of the new Arc. It has a dedicated woofer, unlike the Playbar, so it naturally has more bass. And it supports AirPlay 2. Again, the Playbase only has an optical TV connection.
No HDMI. Other than that, the main reason why people would choose the Playbase over the Playbar, or vice versa, comes down to shape. The Play:3 can also output stereo without being paired with another Sonos speaker, just like the current Play And just like the current Play:1 and One, two Play:3 speakers can be designed as rear surrounds in a home theater system.
Sonos now only sells refurbished Play:5 models. The Play:5 works exactly the same as a Play:1 speaker — you can group it with other Sonos speakers or pair it with an Alexa device and control it with your voice — but it also has some key differences that make it more versatile. It can output both mono and stereo, for example. This product is unsupported by Sonos' latest "S2" app. It still functions, but in a limited capacity.
Learn more here. Reviewed well by critics in its heyday, the first generation Play:5 is well over the hill, and no longer supported by the most modern version of the Sonos app. It is mainly worth knowing about solely so that you do not confuse it with its newer, more modern varieties. Drivers: two mid-woofers, two tweeters Amplification: five Class-D digital amplifiers Connectivity: Wi-Fi, ethernet, 3.
The Connect has analog, optical and coaxial digital audio outputs. In late , Sonos introduced the Port , which is the next-gen model of the Connect.
The Connect:Amp has its own built-in amplification and takes the place of that receiver and was designed to integrate passive bookshelf speakers into an existing Sonos system. Amplification: class-D digital amplifier watts per channel Connectivity: Wi-Fi, ethernet, analog RCA , digital optical and coaxial , subwoofer. As an audio ecosystem, Sonos plays well with a lot of different streaming services. You can check out the full list of streaming services, here.
You can just open the streaming app that you normally use, say Spotify, and direct the app to play music through your Sonos system rather than through your smartphone. To do this, simply. And then follow the rest of the instructions to finish adding your account. You can do this from a smartphone or computer from a Mac or PC. Further setup info can be found here. It requires you to flip your smartphone upside down and wave it around the room.
You look crazy and your Sonos speaker will make some bizarre sounds, but your smartphone is actually listening and measuring how the sound reflects in the room. Trueplay then tunes the speaker, which only takes a few minutes per speaker , so that it sounds more closely to how the artists originally intended.
Of course, not everybody wants technology to tune their speakers for them. And if you do, but then regret it, you can turn Trueplay off at any time. Today's Best Deals. Type keyword s to search. Today's Top Stories. Two Creatives on Their Journeys to Sustainability. As you'd expect, the Sonos Move is as much a Sonos wi-fi speaker as those before it — you get network music streaming, multi-room and voice assistant — but it's big, heavy and expensive compared to the newer Sonos Roam above.
That said, the Move's 3kg heft enables it to deliver weighty sound that is spacious, loud and entertaining. All in all, it does a fine job of delivering the Sonos experience in a portable-ish package. It too boasts the same hour battery life, with a IPrated dust and water-resistant design. If you want a light, portable, Bluetooth Sonos speaker, you'll want to consider the newer, smarter Roam.
However, while the Move is heavier and more expensive, it also delivers a sense of scale that the Roam cannot match. If you want a significantly sized Sonos speaker that is portable, the Move is the only speaker to match your requirements.
It has the crucial feature of being able to use Alexa to control Spotify, and it even supports AirPlay 2 and Siri, with Google Assistant support offering an alternative means for voice control. The One is easily one of the most well-specified and versatile smart speakers around, and a great way for existing Sonos users to affordably expand their multi-room set-up around the house.
But it's a great perk that's hard to ignore. Don't care for voice control? Save some money and get the cheaper Sonos One SL below instead. It's not the best-sounding smart speaker out there for the money, that's probably the Apple HomePod Mini , but it's not far off and nevertheless a great way to kickstart or expand a Sonos multi-room system.
The second cheapest wireless speaker in Sonos's range after the Roam, the One SL is essentially a Sonos One above without voice control. To that end, it looks almost identical to the Sonos One, with a touch-sensitive top plate and pairing button at the back.
And it sounds like one too, which is to its credit; the Sonos One sounds excellent. If you don't care for voice control and simply want Sonos integration, the One SL makes a lot of sense for you and your bank account. But it also serves another purpose for those who do want voice control: to work in a stereo pair with the One.
If you're keen to benefit from Sonos multi-room, absolutely. If, however, you'd be happy without the Sonos element, a great alternative is the Audio Pro Addon C3 which is also portable.
The Sonos IKEA Symfonisk WiFi bookshelf speaker can be wall-mounted or stand upright and hold up to 3kg of books, ornaments or any other clutter you decide to place upon it.
But as well as that, it also has all the Sonos wireless multi-room functionality you'd expect. Though this cheap speaker was never likely to rival the Sonos One or One SL for sound quality — and doesn't — the same character is there. This Symfonisk bookshelf speaker sounds bold and focused, only lacking a little refinement compared to the best speakers at this price.
Do you like the design? Do you want a Sonos speaker that's also a bookshelf? Do you want the most affordable way to get a piece of the Sonos magic?
Look no further. But if you value sound quality and are prepared to spend a little more, we'd go for the Sonos One or One SL instead.
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