Over the last few years, we've seen a resurgence in home speakers thanks to the rise of Alexa and Google Assistant. The idea of having a "smart speaker" is a lot more appealing to folks than a traditional "dumb speaker," which created a significant shift in the home audio market. Sonos has been making killer speakers since 2002 and lately, adapted to a changing industry. As a result, its product line is now better than ever, with its top overall offering being the tried-and-true Sonos One. Here's why the One is so darn good, along with the company's other top gadgets.
Best overall: Sonos One
With an impressive portfolio, one of the best Sonos speakers that stand out for most people is the Sonos One. This is the Gen-2 model that was quietly released in March 2019, and while it's mostly the same as the Gen 1 version, it benefits from an upgraded processor and better Wi-Fi performance.
In any case, the Sonos One is our favorite Sonos speaker for a lot of reasons. It's compact and easy to fit in just about any room, and even though it has a small footprint, the sound that comes out of it is incredible. Audio is crisp, full of life, and worlds better than your typical Google Home or Amazon Echo speaker.
Speaking of Google Home and Echo, the Sonos One has an array of far-field microphones, allowing you to talk to both Google Assistant and Alexa. You can only have one assistant active at a time, but the fact you can switch back and forth between them on the fly is fantastic. Also, if you're involved in the Apple ecosystem, Sonos One supports AirPlay 2.
On top of all that, you get the usual array of Sonos perks. For example, you can pair two Ones together for stereo sound, control the Sonos One via the excellent Sonos mobile app, and connect the One with other Sonos speakers throughout your home for simultaneous music playback across all of them at once.
Best value: Sonos One SL
If you really like what you see with the Sonos One but don't care about using it to talk to virtual assistants, take a look at the Sonos One SL. This is the same speaker as the Sonos One, offering the same sound quality, pairing capabilities with two One SLs for stereo sound, and the ability to be controlled and used with other Sonos speakers with the Sonos app. The only difference is that you can't use it to interact with Google Assistant or Alexa. AirPlay 2, however, is still present on the One SL.
We think it's worth spending the extra money for the Sonos One as having the option for Assistant and Alexa adds a lot of extra functionality, but if you just aren't interested in that, you might as well save some cash and go for the SL.
Best wireless speaker: Sonos Move
After years and years of patiently waiting, Sonos finally released its first wireless speaker earlier this year with the Sonos Move. The Move is the most versatile speaker in Sonos's lineup, and while you'll pay a pretty penny to own it, it's a phenomenal product.
The Move sounds noticeably better than the Sonos One, with deeper bass and a more powerful amplifier allowing for better overall audio. You'll need to stick with the Sonos Five (more on that later) for the best possible sound Sonos has to offer in a speaker, but this is an excellent mid-range option between the two. There are also microphones on the Move, allowing you to talk to Google Assistant and Alexa, along with support for AirPlay 2.
You can set up the Sonos Move as a stationary speaker in your home, but the real draw to it is the fact that you can take it with you wherever you want. Transporting the Move is easy thanks to the built-in handle on the back. Battery life is shockingly good, and the Move has an IP56 rating to protect it from rain, snow, dust, salt spray, UV rays, and extreme heat/cold. The Move is quite heavy and might be too expensive for some potential buyers, but if you've ever dreamed about taking a Sonos speaker with you out of the home, you'll be hard-pressed not to fall in love with the Move.
Best portable speaker: Sonos Roam
A portable speaker similar to some small Bluetooth models out in the wild was like the last frontier for Sonos. But alas, the Sonos Roam finally came and ultimately proved that the company could take this level of portability seriously.
The Roam takes all the connectivity Sonos is known for and adds an additional layer of convenience in that you can use the speaker just about anywhere and everywhere. Roam around your home, and the speaker will play whatever you want using your Wi-Fi connection. Roam away from home, and the Bluetooth connection will keep you wirelessly linked so you can listen wherever you go. And with its rugged body, it makes it so much easier to take it to the park, pool, beach, or campground and not have to worry.
Unlike the larger Move, the Roam is so diminutive. It's like holding a water bottle that blares out audio. Pop it in a bag, and you're good to go. With support for Google Assistant and Alexa, plus AirPlay 2, you have a smart speaker that also plays nice that way too. Battery life could be better for something this portable, but at least the sound quality is up to snuff, making it a little easier to forget such a shortcoming.
Best soundbar: Sonos Beam (Gen 2)
A good soundbar can take your TV experience to the next level, and Sonos has tried to address the size and output combination with the Beam (Gen 2). It is, in many ways, similar to the original Sonos Beam, though it differs in a couple of key respects.
It maintains the same size, which is to say that it's not long or cumbersome at all. The one major difference being that there is no more fabric on the front of the speakers. It's all perforated plastic now. You'll be surprised with just how small of a footprint it actually takes up — making it a great choice for people with limited space on their TV stand. Setup is also a breeze, as the Beam (Gen 2) maintains the same approach. Plug in its power cord and connect the soundbar to your TV with the included HDMI cable, and that's all there is to it.
Sonos didn't change the speakers so that you will hear the same solid bass. Crank up the volume without any noticeable distortion, and everything from movies to music all sound excellent. Unlike the previous Beam, this one supports Dolby Atmos, so it's best to connect it to your TV's eARC port. And if your TV has an HDMI 2.1 port, you can say goodbye to any audio/video sync issues.
It's just a shame none of the speakers point up to try bouncing sound off the ceiling for more of that virtual effect Atmos is known for. The good news is that you get plenty of support. It works with both Alexa and Google Assistant, along with Apple's AirPlay 2. If you want, pair the Beam with Sonos Ones, Fives, and the company's Sonos Sub subwoofer to create a true surround sound system.
Best sound quality: Sonos Five
None of Sonos's speakers are considered cheap, but if you want to go overboard and "treat yo' self" to something especially nice, the Sonos Five is the way to go. It's an update to the already-great Play:5 that debuted in 2015, and it keeps the same great audio quality while upgrading the internals to ensure it gets updates for years to come.
The Five ships with three custom-designed subwoofers, allowing it to kick out deep bass that gives all of your tunes immense power and force. The entire package is also sealed tightly, meaning that you won't put up with annoying echoes or reverb like what you'll find on other speakers of this size. Add that together with six digital amplifiers and six speakers, and the result is outstanding audio no matter what you're listening to.
If you can afford two Sonos Fives, you can pair them together for truly heart-stopping stereo sound. There's also support for AirPlay 2, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, and a 3.5mm headphone jack that allows you to plug in a turntable or phone.
Best for home theaters: Sonos Arc
While the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) is the best soundbar/TV speaker for most people, the Arc is Sonos's most powerful product for your home theater setup. It's long, bulky, and expensive, but there's no denying the sheer prowess offered by it.
You'll find 11 drivers total inside the Arc, which is a big improvement from the five in the Beam. This allows for even better sound quality, giving your movies, TV shows, and music that much more oomph. Also included in the Sonos Arc is Dolby Atmos, which creates a 3D listening experience, unlike anything you've heard before.
Outside of the impressive audio quality, the Sonos Arc comes equipped with voice control via Google Assistant and Alexa, along with support for Apple's AirPlay 2. Set up is dead simple, as is expanding the Arc with additional gear like the Sub and One SL for a true surround sound system.
Best for old speakers: Sonos Port
Sonos speakers stand out for two main reasons: Sonos makes great-sounding speakers, and the seamless pairing and playback capabilities across multiple Sonos devices are ridiculously simple. With the Sonos Port, you even can introduce it to any old pair of non-smart stereo speakers you already have.
The Port has a variety of, well, ports on the back to connect to your old hardware, and once all set up, you can make your existing speakers a part of your Sonos ecosystem through the Port's interface. The line-in ports allow you to connect your record player, CD player, or another audio source, whereas the line-out ports support amplified audio equipment.
Also included with the Port are controls for treble and bass, AirPlay 2, and seamless management of everything through the Sonos app.
Bottom line
There's not a bad speaker in the entire Sonos lineup. However, among everything the company offers, the speaker we think is the best overall pick for most people is the Sonos One.
When you step back and think about it, the Sonos One is the perfect speaker in many ways. It's small enough to fit in most rooms, offers shockingly great sound quality being such a compact speaker, and has the awesome flexibility of being able to use the Google Assistant or Alexa to answer all of your random questions throughout the day.
The Sonos One works great on its own, but thanks to how Sonos designed its ecosystem of products, it gets even better the more you buy into it. For example, you can pair the One with other Sonos products throughout your home for home-filling audio, pair two Ones next to each other for stereo sound, or pair a couple of Ones with the Beam or Arc for 3.1 surround sound.
Whatever you decide to do with the Sonos One, it offers an insane amount of value and function for its relatively low asking price.
Credits — The team that worked on this guide
Joe Maring Loves talking about all things tech, but smart wearables are what get him really excited (just ask the drawer of smartwatches in his office). He also likes coffee and goes to Starbucks far too often.
Ted Kritsonis loves taking photos when the opportunity arises, be it on a camera or smartphone. Beyond sports and world history, you can find him tinkering with gadgets or enjoying a cigar.
Joe Maring was a Senior Editor for Android Central between 2017 and 2021. You can reach him on Twitter at @JoeMaring1.
