Sonos review: Do these speakers stand out from the rest?

Sonos speaker review

When it comes to listening to music and media, audiophiles set a bar high for sound quality, but finding speakers that deliver robust, immersive sound is challenging. It’s even harder to find speakers with unique capabilities that cover all your audio needs. While there are many options on the market, sound quality and performance often fall short of expectations.

Enter Sonos, a leading wireless home audio company that claims to have mastered the art of speaker versatility to deliver high-quality sound no matter where you rock out.

Sonos presents a diverse line of high-performance smart speakers. As the products of premier sound engineering, Sonos speakers deliver rich, layered sound with deep tones and precision tuning.

We wanted to see whether Sonos smart speakers live up to their reputation as the top choice for home and on-the-go audio, so we decided to test four of their bestselling models. Here’s what we found.

How we tested Sonos speakers

We tested the following Sonos speakers:

Sonos Roam

Sonos Move

Sonos One

Sonos Beam

We used these speakers in different environments and exposures to determine their overall performance levels. To assess sound richness and quality, we played a diverse range of music and movies.

What are Sonos speakers?

Sonos is considered a leader in whole-house wireless speaker systems. Their speakers offer considerable versatility because they can be used individually or as part of a larger audio setup.

Sonos speakers work together on WiFi to deliver an immersive sound experience. This is achieved through cutting-edge sound engineering and Trueplay, Sonos’ intuitive technology that adapts the sound to the environment.

The Sonos speakers we tested are compatible with Apple AirPlay 2. Some of these speakers support Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri. Others have built-in Alexa and Google Assistant.

How do Sonos speakers work?

Sonos Roam

About Sonos Roam

Sonos Roam touts “supreme versatility” for its portable design that lends itself to seamless listening and streaming. The compact smart speaker fits almost anywhere, from golf bags to handbags. The Roam has two Class-H digital amplifiers to achieve perfectly tuned sound.

Sonos Roam is WiFi and Bluetooth-compatible. Its rugged indoor/outdoor design is drop-resistant and features an IP67 waterproof and dustproof rating. The Roam offers up to 10 hours of play time on a full charge.

Our experience with Sonos Roam

We brought Sonos Roam along to several rounds of golf on sunny, high-heat days.

A stand-out feature of the Roam is its user-friendly WiFi and Bluetooth setup. It connects easily to smartphones and other devices, delivering a seamless music streaming experience. The onboard buttons made it easy to connect the Roam with our other Sonos speakers.

Though it has a lightweight design, this Sonos outdoor speaker impresses with its durability and never-fail connectivity. Even when jostled around in a golf bag or clipped onto a backpack, music didn’t skip or cut out.

The Roam delivers deep sound with rich bass tones that didn’t suffer when we turned the volume up to the max. We appreciated that the Roam’s well-tuned sound wasn’t overpowered by ambient outdoor noise, either.

The battery life of Sonos Roam is notable. We felt confident relying on a full charge to power music through all-day excursions, including golf games and outdoor day trips.

Sonos One

About Sonos One

Sonos One is thought of as an “every room” indoor smart speaker. It’s even humidity-resistant for bathroom listening.

Sonos One is WiFi-operated and it has built-in Alexa and Google Assistant. The One can be used individually or paired with other Sonos speakers for more detailed sound.

Our experience with Sonos One

We used Sonos One speakers in more than one capacity. Individually, The One functioned as a bookcase speaker in home offices and a bedroom. We also used a pair of Ones as rear sound in a Sonos WiFi surround sound setup.

In both capacities, Sonos Ones leveraged Trueplay to deliver robust, high-quality sound for music and movies. The One offered a much deeper, immersive audio experience compared to traditional bookshelf speakers we’ve tried.

Overall, the One offers a smooth user experience from initial setup through individual control. It didn’t take more than a few minutes to incorporate Sonos One with other Sonos speakers. Adjusting settings was easy through the onboard buttons and with voice command.

Sonos One lives up to its name as an “every room” speaker, especially when it’s part of a whole-house Sonos setup. We were able to move from room to room while still listening to the same music or movie — something we found incredibly convenient and practical.

Sonos Move

About Sonos Move

Sonos Move is considered a “sound anywhere” smart speaker that delivers rich sound indoors or outdoors. It has a durable, weatherproof design suitable for regular outdoor use.

Sonos Move is WiFi and Bluetooth-enabled with built-in Alexa and Google Assistant. The Move delivers up to 11 hours of playtime.

Our experience with Sonos Move

We used the Sonos Move individually and as part of a Sonos surround sound setup. We also used the Move in a variety of indoor venues and brought it outdoors frequently in hot weather.

Sonos Move is much heavier and bulkier than other portable speakers, but with its weight comes notable advantages.

The Move offers a more robust sound than Sonos Roam. This was best demonstrated when we played loud, thumping bass without losing any richness due to the volume. It’s incredibly supportive when it’s incorporated with other Sonos speakers as well.

Sonos Move exceeded our expectations when we used it as the primary sound source at a crowded event in a small venue. We considered its performance to be a shining example of Trueplay in full effect, as the Move adapted its sound to accommodate a louder, larger space.

Sonos Beam

About Sonos Beam

Sonos Beam is a smart soundbar that delivers high-definition sound fine-tuned by Oscar-winning sound engineers. It’s equipped with premium features, like Speech Enhancement, faithful playback, five Class-D digital amplifiers and capacitive touch controls.

Sonos Beam is WiFi-enabled with built-in Alexa and Google Assistant. It’s compatible with most newer TVs and offers an easy setup with just two cords and automatic remote detection.

Our experience with Sonos Beam

Our first impression of Sonos Beam was how small it was compared to other high-end soundbars. Despite a modest footprint, the Beam delivers far-reaching sound that fills the room. Even after almost 3 years of daily use, sound quality remains pristine.

Sonos Beam enhanced the audio experience for movies and sports given its unique layered sound. The Beam was most impressive with blockbuster films in which it delivered precise sound for sounds meant to be both close up and far off.

As far as setup is concerned, Sonos Beam is as easy as it gets. It took us no more than a few minutes to connect it with other Sonos speakers. Additionally, it’s an ideal companion for newer TVs that require soundbars.

How to group Sonos speakers

Two or more Sonos speakers can be connected and synced, or grouped, to play the same content.

To group speakers on iOS or Android:

Go to the “System” tab in the Sonos app. Select the “Group” icon next to the selected rooms.

Tap all the rooms where you intend to add the group. Select “Done” to finalize the group, or you can select “Everywhere” to group all rooms.

To group speakers on Mac OS or Windows:

Go to the “Rooms” pane located on the left side of the Sonos app. Select the “Group” button next to the selected rooms.

The Sonos app offers options to ungroup rooms and change the volume of grouped rooms. Users can save, create, delete and edit groups. The Sonos website also provides more detailed instructions on how to complete these tasks.

Sonos speakers cost

Sonos speakers range in price from $169-$1,856, which includes individual speakers and surround sound systems.

The speakers we tested include some of Sonos’ more affordable options priced from $169-$399.

Sonos Roam retails for $169

Sonos Move retails for $199

Sonos One retails for $399

Sonos Beam retails for $399

Consumers that buy speakers directly from Sonos may be eligible for payment plans through Klarna. Payments start as low as $28.17 per month.

Where to buy Sonos speakers

Sonos speakers are available from Sonos.

Sonos speakers pros

Sonos is consistent in sound quality and experience across all the smart speakers we tested.

Sound is always rich, full-bodied and adaptive thanks to Trueplay technology.

Sonos speakers earn high marks for their easy setup and smooth user experience. They offer flexibility in control, so whether you’re partial to buttons or voice commands, you’re good to go.

In the age of smart homes, Sonos speakers with built-in Alexa or Google Assistant contribute to a more streamlined setup. Many speakers offer automatic updates, making them low-maintenance, high-performing devices.

Sonos speakers cons

Sonos speakers are expensive, especially for users who plan on investing in multiple devices or surround sound setups.

Not every Sonos speaker has Bluetooth. If a home has a weaker WiFi connection, Sonos speakers won’t function at an optimal level.

While Sonos speakers essentially have a plug-and-play setup, newer Sonos users may experience a modest learning curve.

Are Sonos speakers worth it?

Based on our experience using Sonos speakers, we feel they live up to their reputation. Sonos delivers unparalleled sound quality that elevates everyday listening into a brilliant sound experience. Sonos smart speakers are for consumers ready to upgrade to premium wireless speakers with rich, fine-tuned sound.

Sian Babish is a writer for BestReviews. BestReviews is a product review company with a singular mission: to help simplify your purchasing decisions and save you time and money.

BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. BestReviews and its newspaper partners may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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