Sonos has built out a large collection of products that includes smart speakers, soundbars, subwoofers, portable devices, and more. And we can’t forget about the many Symfonisk speakers that the company has released in partnership with Ikea.
With such a broad portfolio of hardware at prices ranging anywhere from $120 to $899, picking the best Sonos speaker for your needs isn’t always as straightforward as it might seem. You probably have some idea of the category of speaker you want — soundbar, desk speaker, or something portable — but even then, it takes some narrowing down to land on the right product.
Sonos is expected to introduce several new devices in 2023 and will enter new product categories, but that shouldn’t stop you from buying anything from the current lineup. Few companies support their hardware with software updates and new features for as long as Sonos.
The Sonos One (and One SL) are excellent smart speakers for everyday music listening. Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge
The Sonos One is a perfect speaker to put in your kitchen or living room for casual music listening. With built-in mics that support Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Sonos’ own voice controls, you can play your favorite artists and playlists from across the room.
Despite its relatively compact size, the Sonos One produces a nicely balanced dynamic sound. But like most other speakers on this list, you can fine-tune its performance with Sonos’ Trueplay feature. Once the One is in position, just walk around the room with an iPhone and the Sonos app will take microphone measurements that are used to optimize its audio profile.
Most people will be able to get by with a single Sonos One, but you can also link two of them together for stereo playback — or use a pair as rear surround speakers for any of Sonos’ soundbars. If you’re not a fan of putting mic-enabled gadgets in your home, the Sonos One SL lacks the mics but is otherwise identical to the regular One. It sounds exactly the same but ditches the hands-free voice capabilities. You’ll save a little bit of money compared to the regular Sonos One, too.
$219
The Sonos One delivers room-filling sound and has built-in microphones for voice commands. The speaker is small enough to fit pretty much anywhere in your home.
The wireless Sonos Move can go wherever you need it and sounds even better than the One. Photo by Dan Seifert / The Verge
Sonos’ original Bluetooth speaker isn’t “portable” in the same sense as the much smaller Roam, but it’s easy enough to lug around different rooms of your home or haul out to the backyard for a party. It’s a hefty little thing at 6.6 pounds, but at least there’s a handle molded into the back of the speaker for easier carrying.
Sonos advertises up to 10 hours of continuous playback when the Move is off its wireless charging base. Like the company’s other speakers, you can stream music over Wi-Fi using the Sonos app. But with the Move, you can also flip the switch on the back to Bluetooth mode and pair a phone, laptop, or any other audio source to listen that way.
Sound-wise, the Move might very well be Sonos’ best speaker dollar for dollar. It’s fuller and bassier than the One, which can’t be used unplugged, and is more than powerful enough to fill an outdoor patio area with sound. And best of all, Sonos’ portable speakers have automatic Trueplay, meaning they use their own built-in mics to produce the best possible audio for whatever environment you’re using them in. Whenever the Move (or Roam) is picked up and put somewhere new, this process automatically happens in the background while you listen. One last thing: Sonos has made efforts to help the Move last long into the future by offering a battery replacement kit that can be purchased when the included battery no longer holds a satisfactory charge.
$399
The Sonos Move is a large wireless speaker that you can easily move around the house or to the backyard for a party. The integrated handle makes it easier to carry, and when away from Wi-Fi, you can listen to the Move in Bluetooth mode.
The Sonos Five offers the best sound quality of the company’s entire speaker lineup. Image: Sonos
a:hover]:shadow-highlight-franklin [&>a]:shadow-underline-black dark:[&>a:hover]:shadow-highlight-franklin dark:[&>a]:shadow-underline-white md:text-26″>Best sounding Sonos speaker
What the Sonos Five lacks in smarts (there are no integrated mics on this product), it makes up for with pristine sound. Excluding soundbars, the Sonos Five is Sonos’ largest, most powerful speaker. Play some of your favorite tracks through the Five, and you’ll quickly come to understand why it ranks above the rest of the lineup in audio fidelity, detail, and overall performance. It’s among the very best standalone speakers on the market at its price point and will outclass any HomePod, Echo, or Nest Audio speaker you test alongside it. Pair two of them together in stereo, and your music will sound sublime; a pair of Fives can also be used as rear surrounds, though there are more affordable options for that scenario.
Aside from its powerful, enveloping sound, the Five has one relatively unique hardware feature among the Sonos lineup: there’s a 3.5mm aux input that can be used for plugging in a record player or another audio device of your choosing. The only other Sonos devices with line-in functionality are the Amp and Port.
$549
As the flagship desk speaker in Sonos’ lineup, the Sonos Five provides superb sound quality that outperforms any other smart speaker in its price range. It also has an auxiliary input for playing other audio sources through your Sonos system.
The Sonos Roam is far more portable than the Move and is easy to take anywhere. Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge
The Sonos Roam is a small, lightweight Bluetooth speaker that’s easy to toss into your bag and bring anywhere or travel with. It also makes for a great bathroom speaker and can be placed throughout the home in areas that might be lacking audio coverage from your other Sonos devices. When used around the house, the Roam will play music over Wi-Fi — and it has built-in mics for voice controls. Take it on the road, and it works like any Bluetooth speaker. And if you happen to own a turntable that supports Bluetooth, you can play your vinyl collection across your entire Sonos system by pairing the turntable with the Roam.
You can only expect so much from the tiny Roam in terms of sound quality. It outputs clean, detailed audio and can fill small rooms, but the bass and overall presence are no match for something like the Sonos Move. You can always link two Roams together for a more immersive stereo listening experience.
$179
The tiny, portable Sonos Roam can be used like any Bluetooth speaker when you’re on the go. But at home, it plays music over Wi-Fi like other Sonos products. The integrated mics make it easy to use Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, or Sonos Voice Control.
The Sonos Arc is among the very best, most immersive soundbars on the market today. Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge
At $899, the Sonos Arc soundbar doesn’t come cheap. But this Dolby Atmos soundbar is a true powerhouse that will bring out the most from the latest Hollywood blockbusters or your Netflix streams. With 11 drivers in all (including two up-firing height speakers), the Arc delivers truly immersive home theater audio. The company has continued to improve its flagship soundbar with firmware updates that have focused on clearer dialogue and other enhancements.
The Arc includes mics for voice assistants and smart speaker functionality, but you can optionally purchase the Arc SL from Costco if you’d prefer to go without them. If you’re serious about your home theater system and want the best, most powerful soundbar that Sonos offers, the Arc is the move. You’ll quickly get over the steep price once you hear it.
$899
The Sonos Arc is the company’s flagship soundbar, offering a plethora of drivers including upward-firing Dolby Atmos speakers. This soundbar provides immersive, powerful sound whether you’re watching movies or enjoying music.
The Sonos Beam soundbar is a great option for getting Dolby Atmos without breaking the bank. Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge
a:hover]:shadow-highlight-franklin [&>a]:shadow-underline-black dark:[&>a:hover]:shadow-highlight-franklin dark:[&>a]:shadow-underline-white md:text-26″>Best budget Sonos soundbar with Dolby Atmos
Stepping down to the mid-level Sonos Beam doesn’t mean you’ll be settling for lackluster sound. While it lacks proper up-firing height speakers for Dolby Atmos content, the second-gen Beam does an impressive job of virtualizing those channels in a way that’s convincing to your ears — especially in small- to mid-size rooms. The inclusion of eARC means you don’t have to worry about any lip sync issues when watching movies or audio delay while gaming.
While the second Beam is similar in size and weight to the first, it features a perforated plastic grille instead of the hard-to-clean fabric of the original model. And priced at $449, it’s certainly easier on your wallet than the flagship Arc.
$449
The Sonos Beam fits into the middle of Sonos’ soundbar lineup. It supports Dolby Atmos through virtualized surround sound and offers eARC compatibility with newer TVs.
If you want a soundbar for the bedroom or a smaller apartment, the entry-level Sonos Ray makes a lot of sense. Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge
With its optical-only design and no HDMI connection, the entry-level Sonos Ray is best suited for smaller rooms or secondary TVs. You don’t get any Dolby Atmos support with this $279 soundbar, and it doesn’t have a dedicated center channel for dialogue. Still, the Ray provides balanced, crisp audio and surprisingly big sound for its relatively small size. Bass output is limited compared to Sonos’ pricier soundbars, but if you’re looking for a simple solution that sounds good for both movies and music, the Ray isn’t a bad purchase. I’d recommend saving a bit more for the Beam if you have any plans to build out your home theater system with additional Sonos speakers, however.
$279
The Ray is Sonos’ entry-level soundbar that’s best for bedrooms and smaller apartments. It only connects to TVs via optical cable, thus missing out on HDMI-CEC functionality. But despite its cheaper price and reduced size, the Ray still produces balanced, dynamic sound that beats any TV speakers.
The Sonos Sub offers all the bass and low-end kick that you could ever want. Image: Sonos
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If you want to unleash the full potential of any Sonos home theater setup, the Sub is an essential piece of kit. It’s got plenty of boom and floor-shaking power (if you want it) for those blockbuster action sequences, and the Sub also adds another layer of depth when you’re playing music through your system.
The Sub can either be positioned upright or laid flat on the floor; you can conveniently hide it under a couch, which can’t be said of the cylindrical Sub Mini. But there’s no denying that the best low-end rumble that Sonos offers comes at a stiff premium: the Sub costs $749, and sales on the subwoofer are rare to come by.
$749
Sonos’ premium Sub subwoofer can add a new level of depth and powerful bass response to your home theater setup. It’s compatible with all Sonos soundbars and many speakers including the One and Five.
The Sub Mini offers bass response that’s nearly as good as the Sub in a smaller package. Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge
The Sub Mini can’t fully match the loudness of the full-size Sub, but it gets you surprisingly close — and for substantially less money. It’s also arguably more stylish, trading the dust-magnet glossy finish for a matte design. The Sub Mini’s reduced size makes it easy to place discreetly somewhere near your TV without calling much attention to the hardware itself.
$429
It can’t fully match the loudness and sheer power of the flagship Sub, but the more compact Sub Mini still kicks out plenty of boom that will make you feel the low-end bass from your couch.
Ikea’s Symfonisk Bookshelf Speaker is a perfect choice for anyone new to Sonos. Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge
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The Symfonisk lineup of speakers is jointly developed by Sonos and Ikea, and they can be a great entry point to the world of Sonos. There’s perhaps no better deal in the entire portfolio than the versatile bookshelf speaker, which sells for under $120. This stylish unit is great for so many different use cases: it’s a great option for anyone getting started with Sonos, delivering sound quality that’s basically on par with a Sonos One in a different form factor that some people might prefer. Remember that you can pair two bookshelf speakers together for stereo audio (or to use as surround speakers). Ikea sells plenty of accessories for it, including a floor stand and wall bracket.
$120
The versatile Symfonisk Bookshelf Speaker costs less than any other Sonos speaker and delivers sound quality similar to a Sonos One. It’s a great starting point for a new Sonos user.
Not everyone likes gadgets clashing with their home decor, and the Symfonisk Picture Frame Speaker is a great option for them. Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge
a:hover]:shadow-highlight-franklin [&>a]:shadow-underline-black dark:[&>a:hover]:shadow-highlight-franklin dark:[&>a]:shadow-underline-white md:text-26″>Most stylish Sonos speaker
The bookshelf speaker is a great deal, but it still looks like a speaker. If you’re looking to camouflage tech in your home so that it blends in with other decor, that’s where the Symfonisk picture frame speaker shines. When mounted on your wall, it looks like a piece of artwork — albeit with a power cord coming out of the bottom. If you don’t love the default pattern, Ikea sells various replacement art panels, including the Mona Lisa, Starry Night, or this record player print that I’m a fan of.
Behind the front piece of art are Sonos drivers and waveguides that help distribute sound from the picture frame speaker throughout a room. There are many possibilities and potential use cases for this thing: you can mount two picture frame speakers together on the same wall for surround sound with any Sonos soundbar. And when the TV’s off, they fit into the room better than any traditional speaker can.
$250
Ikea’s Symfonisk Picture Frame Speaker conceals a great-sounding Sonos speaker behind a piece of art. It’s an excellent choice for people who don’t like the way most speakers look.
