Sonos S2 app
Although most Sonos speakers have touch controls, the best way to control them is via the Sonos app. The app was updated in 2020 to the current S2 version, which paved the way for a new generation of Sonos products and features such as hi-res audio as well as improving usability.
The S2 app can be downloaded for free from your iOS, macOS or Android app store, but the S2 update also marks the end of the line for some older Sonos products that simply don’t have the processing power required to keep pace with the latest functionality. All the models listed ar compatible with the latest version of the app.
Sonos is respected as one of the first brands to perfect the multiroom music system. It pretty much introduced the world to the idea of whole-home audio experience, with the ability to play different tracks in various parts of the house, sync them together and control them all from your phone or tablet.
Simply put, Sonos builds a range of high-quality audio solutions that can easily be integrated with one another for a great sound experience in any space inside the home or out.
For this round up, we’ve gathered the best Sonos speakers we’ve tested, and ranked them based on their facilities, durability, integration, and audio performance. Every speaker on this list won’t make sense for every size room, but we believe that our top pick – the Sonos One – should be versatile enough to fill most spaces.
Ready to see what Sonos has to offer? Scroll down for the best Sonos speakers to see which model is best suited to your requirements and activities, or build a Sonos ecosystem with a mix of models tailored to fit with different environments around the home.
Best Sonos speakers Black Friday deals
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It’s Black Friday deals (opens in new tab) season, which means we can expect all sorts of discounts on the best Sonos speakers. It pays to start shopping as early as possible if you’re looking for top performance but without the big price tag. Many of our favorite picks will be on sale, making this period an ideal time to buy one of the best Sonos speakers. Be sure to follow our Black Friday live blog (opens in new tab) for all of your shopping needs this holiday season.
Speakers
If you’re looking for the best in sound quality from a smart speaker, look no further than the Sonos One. This little wireless speaker can be purchased individually or as a pair of two, then be configured as a stereo pair for music or as rear surround speakers in home theater setups. The Sonos One churns out tunes that you would swear were coming from a much larger device.
Aside from audio quality, another advantage of the Sonos One is that you can stream audio from hundreds of streaming services, from well-known sources like Spotify, Apple Music, or Tidal, to many more. It can be set up to accommodate either Alexa or Google Assistant (although some capabilities may not be fully supported), and it also offers Sonos Voice Assistant. Unlike the Move and Roam speakers below, the Sonos One isn’t portable, and needs to be near a power outlet. Nevertheless, its size and sound performance make it the most versatile speaker in the Sonos range, and the main entry point for many towards a wider Sonos ecosystem over time.
Read our full Sonos One review.
The Sonos Move might not be as portable as the newer Roam (below), but it ranks as one of the best smart speakers and is still one of the best Bluetooth speakers on the market. The Move takes the well-tuned sound and rich feature set found in the Sonos One and lets you take it on the go, with a 10-hour battery packed into a portable (albeit fairly chunky) design.
In our review, we found the Move delivers a crisp sound with satisfying bass and clear vocals. The speaker works with all major streaming services including Spotify and Apple Music, it sports Apple AirPlay 2 support and can seamlessly switch from Bluetooth to Wi-Fi on the fly. Alexa and Google Assistant support allow you to do anything from check the weather to control your smart home, and the Move’s auto Trueplay tunes the speaker’s audio output for wherever you’re listening, whether you’re having a rooftop party or rocking out in your bedroom.
Read our full Sonos Move review.
Building on the success of the Sonos Move (above), the Sonos Roam is a connected smart speaker at home and powerful Bluetooth beast on the road. It’s much more portable and more affordable than the Move, though, and its auto Trueplay feature adjusts the sound to suit your surroundings wherever you’re listening.
It is available in five color options including traditional black, and white, as well as sunset (orange), wave (blue) and olive. Although we wish the battery lasted more than 10 hours, it juices up quickly via USB-C or wireless charging. When you return back from your latest excursion, the Sonos Roam should rejoin your larger Sonos network on its own. It also gives you the option to hand off your current soundtrack to the nearest Sonos speaker. Or you could stick to Roam, bringing your voice assistant and streaming services room-to-room, or as far as your Wi-Fi can reach.
Read our full Sonos Roam review.
Soundbars
The Sonos Arc is one of the best soundbars you can buy if you’re able to splurge. This premium speaker stands out with its gorgeous curved design, which is built to be a centerpiece of your living room as much as it’s meant to enhance your TV’s sound. And it certainly doesn’t skimp on sound performance, delivering deep bass and clear treble for your favorite movies and TV shows complete with Dolby Atmos support.
Thanks to Sonos’ Trueplay technology, the Arc can automatically tune itself to whatever room it’s in to deliver the crispest, most accurate audio possible. It also supports voice controls via Alexa and Google Assistant, making it one of the smartest soundbars you can buy. If you have a larger entertainment area — and big budget, the Sonos Arc is the top premium soundbar out there.
Read our full Sonos Arc review.
This second-generation Sonos Beam brings a new CPU, tweaked profiles, more audio formats, and HDMI eArc support into the mix. The drivers have been re-tuned, resulting in a crisper central channel that emphasizes vocal clarity and dialog. Dolby Atmos and other home-theater sound formats grant you numerous ways to experience wide 3D sound in your living room. Other unique features like NFC for seamless setup, as well as Trueplay to curate sound to your space and optimal couch position, bring more value to this small speaker system. It also pairs perfectly with 55-inch (or smaller) HDTVs.
The price may seem steep, but those who can afford it will find this to be a welcome addition to their ecosystem of Sonos products.
Read our full Sonos Beam (Gen 2) review.
The brand new Sonos Ray is the company’s most affordable soundbar yet and has a sound that’s unified, confident and detailed. It’s compatible with Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS Digital Surround information but is essentially a stereo speaker. Nevertheless, it’s got the punch to propel a Hollywood blockbuster forwards, and the deft powers of communication to make sure you never miss a moment’s nuance where dialogue is concerned. It’s even quite an engaging listen when used as a music speaker, too.
If you already have a Sonos speaker or two, and are after a usefully compact soundbar with some genuine performance highlights, go right ahead: the Sonos Ray is here to charm and delight you. If you’re unconcerned about wider multi-room possibilities, though, this soundbar is far from the only game in town — and it’s possible to buy just as much of the good stuff the Ray delivers without spending quite as much as Sonos is asking.
Read our full Sonos Ray review.
Subwoofers
If you already have a Sonos Ray soundbar or a Sonos One speaker (or two), then the genuine performance highlights of pairing them with the Sub Mini are sure to charm and delight you. It gives TV sound the boost it deserves, and has enough depth and musicality to bring energy and pace to tracks that sound a bit lifeless through a soundbar alone.
The price may be off-putting, as it significantly ramps up the overall costs of a system, but when you consider the fuss-free integration, seamless control via the Sonos S2 app, and the outright sonic boost it brings once you hear it in action, the Sonos Sub Mini feels like a very worthwhile investment indeed.
Read the full Sonos Sub Mini review.
How to choose the right Sonos speaker for you
Size: There are a number of factors that play into deciding which speaker or soundbar you should buy. Size will likely be prohibitive for most customers; you obviously need a speaker that will suit your space. And, because a Sonos speaker or soundbar is one of the centerpieces of your home sound setup, it has to look good and fit stylistically.
Then you have to factor in the size of the room you’re dealing with. If you’re dealing with a larger space, it’s probably best to consider a subwoofer — you’ll surely appreciate the extra bass, and we highly recommend giving these 5 best bass tracks to give your music system a workout a listen with the volume cranked up. Also, for all the latest tips and tricks check out our 5 ways to make Sonos speaker sound even better.
Connectivity: Connectivity is crucial too, both in terms of wired and wireless access. Not every Sonos soundbar comes with an HDMI port; some force you to make do with optical audio. That’s perfectly fine if you want to use your TV as a pass-through, but those who are in dire need of more HDMI ports — because their capacity is limited between game consoles, streaming boxes and so on — will need to prioritize options that offer those additional connections.
Pricing considerations: Obviously, price is a big consideration when looking for the best soundbars. Although there are always exceptions, big-name brands will typically command a bit extra, but generally speaking, the less you spend on a speaker or soundbar the greater the chance that sound and features will be compromised. Going for a budget option isn’t always the best choice, as any money you save on your purchase won’t do you much good if the sound quality is poor.
As the saying goes: timing is everything; and right now it’s worth waiting for the holiday season sales when many of our favorite models will be discounted at online retailers, meaning you can bag a bargain for even less. Bookmark our Black Friday deals page to keep track of the best deals.
How we test speakers
When testing for inclusion in any speaker or soundbar round ups, we play a range of media — including movies, music and games — in order to evaluate overall sound quality. We also test any companion software that may come with a soundbar, and factor in how easy it is to set up and use each device.
Other features we consider include inputs, outputs and ability to be wall mounted, all of which determine how well it will work with your home entertainment setup. We also take into account each soundbar’s wattage (if disclosed), its supported audio channels and speaker driver configuration — all factors that greatly affect how each speaker will sound in and around your home.
Once testing is completed, we rate the best soundbars based on our five-point system (1 = worst, 5 = best). Products that hit nearly every mark are awarded an Editor’s Choice badge.
More: Find out how we test for more information on our reviewing procedures.
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