1 day ago
4
Sonos speakers are inactive great. There, I said it. Though the app issues that began successful 2024 person enactment the institution successful rather the consumer-confidence hole, my notation models person worked good for implicit a twelvemonth now. I usage an aged (now discontinued) Sonos Symfonisk Lamp from IKEA each nighttime to enactment my girl to bed, and speakers similar the Sonos Era 100 and Era 300 are among the astir accessible and best-sounding wireless speakers successful my library.
While caller challengers similar Wiim person won my bosom (their amps are unthinkable for the money), Sonos remains the easiest, astir versatile mode to acceptable up a multi-room audio strategy oregon plug-and-play situation dependable system. For anyone looking to dispersed the dependable astir successful a assortment of talker shapes and sizes, these are the champion Sonos speakers worthy grabbing (and why).
Updated March 2026: We've updated this usher with semipermanent investigating of the Sonos app and speakers, removed discontinued models, added specs, and refreshed our tips and proposal with the latest products and information.
What’s WIRED About Sonos Speakers
I've tested each large Sonos product, from the past Play:1 and Play:5 to the latest Era 100, Era 300 speakers, and flagship Arc Ultra soundbar. Apart from their caller app troubles, my acquisition implicit the years has ever been overwhelmingly positive. Here are my favourite aspects of Sonos:
Simple setup, loads of options: The Sonos app guides you done mounting up a caller strategy oregon adding speakers to an existing one. Some Google Assistant speakers connection akin setup and features, but it's not arsenic seamless to radical them. My favourite Sonos rival is Wiim, which offers likewise intuitive products, but lone 2 standalone speakers (testing to come). Wiim focuses much connected streaming amplifiers similar the Wiim Amp Pro for connecting accepted speakers. Sonos has galore much merchandise models for antithetic usage cases, from soundbars to headphones.
Easy streaming: The Sonos app supports astir each large streaming service, and Sonos cogwheel supports in-app services similar Spotify Connect and Tidal Connect for nonstop streaming. Sonos soundbars similar the Arc Ultra supply awesome location theatre support, portion besides letting you watercourse TV audio to different speakers passim the home, oregon arsenic portion of a situation dependable system.
In-house Voice Control: Sonos erstwhile provided enactment for some Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, but the marque dropped Google enactment successful newer speakers similar the Era 100, Era 300, and Sonos Arc Ultra. In its place, Sonos added its ain in-house dependable assistant, Sonos Voice Control (SVC), voiced by histrion Ginacarlo Esposito. Apart from coagulated perfomance, SVC provides amended privateness protection. SVC touts aggregate measures to support your privacy, including utilizing AI information alternatively of lawsuit information and section processing that doesn't scope the cloud.
Top-tier dependable and physique quality: Every Sonos talker I've tested rises supra average, and astir dependable genuinely excellent. This is nary accident, arsenic the marque has ever been profoundly focused connected dependable quality, and things person lone improved with the latest Era speakers. I toured Sonos' Santa Barbara, CA, installation up of the Eras release, and was struck by the company's committedness to improving the audio architecture, arsenic good arsenic utilizing much replaceable parts (like screws successful spot of glue) truthful its speakers are much repareable than astir rivals. Sonos speakers are built to past and dependable bully doing it.
What’s TIRED About Sonos Speakers
While I've ever enjoyed Sonos products, determination are immoderate drawbacks, chiefly astir the caller software.
They unrecorded and dice by the app: The Sonos app was an oak for years, but successful 2024 the institution updated the full strategy and problems ensued. From dropping speakers disconnected the web to basal power issues, the app update was confirmed by the caller CEO arsenic a profound mistake. After aggregate updates, I've noticed fewer issues with the app, and others person reported improvement. Sonos is besides reportedly moving connected different app update for 2026, including caller features and a absorption connected simplified control.
They're pricey: Apart from their app issues, Sonos products are roundly among the astir costly options successful their class. I deliberation they mostly marque up for this with their dependable and physique quality, but they're seldom offered astatine ample discounts and determination are fewer options for fund shoppers.
A deficiency of inputs and accessories: This is mostly a ailment astir older speakers and the soundbar, but Sonos devices don't ever see arsenic galore playback options arsenic rivals. The Arc Ultra, for example, offers nary distant and lone 1 HDMI input for connection, erstwhile competitors similar the Samsung HW-Q990F connection aggregate HDMI inputs and a dedicated remote. Older speakers, similar the Sonos One, omit Bluetooth, but thankfully newer options similar the Era 100 person adopted it.
.png)
English (CA) · 
English (US) · 
Spanish (MX) ·