Subscriptions help fund the work we do every day. If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. This helps support our journalism. Learn more. Alexa and Google voice commands work like normal though you must choose between them. It can play music, tell you the weather, find a recipe, and answer simple questions, like any of our other favorite smart speakers.
It also works with Siri via AirPlay 2. It's nearly identical to the One but doesn't have microphones, so you can only control it from your phone or the touch buttons on it and you don't have to worry about someone listening in to your home. The SL is also a good way to add more satellite speakers to your home. If you want to network a few speakers together for a larger room, or connected rooms, this is the cheapest way to do it. Sonos collaborated with Ikea on this bookshelf speaker, which is why it's more affordable and slightly less pristine than the others in this guide.
It's been awhile since a Sonos speaker had physical buttons. Looks aside, it sounds almost as good as a Sonos One. You can mount it right to your wall or stand it upright on a bookshelf or table.
It doesn't directly take audio commands, because it has no mic, so you'll need a Sonos One, Google speaker, or Alexa speaker that you can yell at if you want to control it with your voice. Other than that, it does everything you'd want a Sonos to do. It offers enhanced sound and is more customizable this time around, with swappable shades.
The first model, which you can read about in our dual review , sounded great. We have high hopes for the new version. We haven't tested these new models. With built-in Bluetooth connectivity it's one of our favorite Bluetooth speakers , you can easily throw it into a tote bag and play music on the go. Using the Sonos app, available for Android and iPhone, you also have the ability to stream from major services like Spotify, Apple Music with support for AirPlay 2 , Tidal, and more.
And you can control the speaker via voice commands using Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. The Sonos One is a monophonic speaker, and our testers found the sound improves when the model is stereo-paired with another One. The Ikea Symfonisk offers similar sonic performance to the Sonos One for slightly more than half the price. Who should buy it: A consumer who wants great sound and smart speaker convenience but is concerned about obsolescence in the fast-changing AI marketplace.
The sonic signature is clear and detailed, and the bass is impactful, if not super-deep. The One SL is a monophonic speaker, and our testers found that the sound improves when the model is stereo-paired with another One SL. The Ikea Symfonisk below does offer similar sonic performance for slightly more than half the price of the One SL. Like the Move, the model features Bluetooth connectivity, so you can stream music easily from a smartphone.
But it also allows you to stream your favorite playlist throughout your home simply by connecting the speaker to your multiroom system via the Sonos mobile app. According to our testers, the bass has decent impact for a speaker this size, but the midrange is a bit congested and the sound can get harsh at max volume.
In short, the sound is competitive with other compact portable models, but it falls well short of the sound of the Sonos One and the Ikea Symfonik, which is considerably less expensive.
W ho should buy it: A consumer who already owns a Sonos system and wants a good-sounding portable that will not only extend Sonos convenience onto the patio but also add useful Bluetooth pairing to the entire system.
Ikea now has Sonos-powered lamp and picture frame options, too see below. Our testers note that a stereo pair of Symfonisk speakers sounds significantly better than a single unit, especially when it comes to capturing that you-are-there factor on a good recording. Positioned horizontally, the Symfonisk can be mounted on a wall and used as a shelf, but its limited capacity makes it better suited to holding bric-a-brac than heavy books.
Who should buy it: Someone who lives in a place where space is at a premium and the interior design is such that an Ikea Frame would fit right in. I believe that technology has the power to change our lives—for better or for worse. For me, there's no better way to spend a day than talking to a bunch of experts about an important subject and then writing a story that'll help others be smarter and better informed.
But if you can accommodate it, you won't be sorry. And unlike the Beam, it packs upward-firing speakers to more convincingly and effectively deliver Atmos content. If you want one of the most convincing surround sound performances from a soundbar on the market, plus all the usual Sonos functionality built-in, the Arc would be an inspired choice. The Sub can be added for more grunt although we don't feel it necessary and other Sonos speakers like the Sonos One can be used as dedicated surrounds if you wish, just as with the Beam above and Playbar and Playbase below.
It certainly is! The Sony adds more width to the soundstage and its forward projection is more convincing, while its bass is also the most taut, controlled and powerful we've heard from a one-bar proposition. Because there's no built-in microphone, you can't speak to control it it's much the same proposition as the mic-less Sonos One SL but you can easily add voice controls by wirelessly connecting the Arc SL to a voice-enabled speaker such as the Sonos One, Amazon Echo or Google Home.
Indeed, you might already have such a speaker in your home, in which case the Arc SL could be a canny buy. It looks identical to the Arc and is just as capable as filling large rooms with immersive Dolby Atmos sound at a slightly more affordable price.
Costco also carries this exclusive Arc SL 'Shadow Edition' , which is the same product in a fetching dark grey finish.
If you want convincing surround sound performance from one of the finest soundbars on the market, but you're not bothered about built-in voice controls, the Arc SL is a smart buy over the standard Arc. Yes indeed. Like the Sonos Playbar soundbar which now isn't widely available , the Playbase has now been discontinued but is Sonos S2-compatible.
Stylish yet sturdy enough to plonk your telly on top of, the Playbase makes perfect sense if you don't fancy using a soundbar. In fact, it's the only Sonos option if you're set on the soundbase form. This Sonos product isn't flawless. Despite its huge, airy soundstage and energetic, solid bass which sounds more natural than the Playbar there's a sibilance to the treble that can be hard to ignore.
It's punchy and dynamic, though, so we'd recommend giving it a try before you buy. It's a breeze to use when going multi-room and you still get access to all those streaming smarts, but like the Playbar the lack of HDMI connections is something worth bearing in mind. The Playbase isn't perfect, but the core Sonos features we love — its ease of use, the extensive streaming features, the great S2 app — are all present. It's a sure step up from your flatscreen TV's sound, and there isn't any other soundbase that packs in so many useful features into one streamlined box.
What's more, it is currently the cheapest it's ever been. Soundbases appear to have had their day; there aren't many around any more. People clearly prefer soundbars that sit in front of your telly to soundbases that are designed to go underneath them. That said, if that isn't you, the Sonos Playbase is a very decent option and, yes, probably the best one out there for its significantly reduced price. And if you want to add voice control into the mix, it's a seamless process. Finally, it's worth noting that the Sonos S2 app now supports bit The Sonos S2 app already lets users play bit files from a local drive, but this is the first time that users have been able to stream hi-res tracks from a music service.
Sonos is far from the only option when it comes to choosing a multi-room system. The company may have been first, but big players such as Bose, LG and Yamaha, and hi-res supporting brands, including Bluesound and Denon , have since joined the fray.
The increasingly popular and cheaper smart speakers from Amazon and Google also offer multi-room streaming across their various voice-controlled products, while the Apple HomePod Mini boasts exceptional multi-room powers thanks to AirPlay 2 which Sonos also has in select products.
While most rivals may not have been able to topple the multi-room giant, newcomers such as Audio Pro have shown it is possible to deliver great-value sound. Check out our full 'everything you need to know about Sonos' guide for an A to Z on the company's ecosystem and its alternatives.
He has worked on What Hi-Fi? In his spare time he enjoys mixing vinyl and cycling. What Hi-Fi? Joe Cox. See all comments 0.
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