Sonos makes some of the best speakers out there, including the best soundbars, best wireless speakers, best smart speakers, and best Bluetooth speakers on the market right now.
I'm a big fan of the Sonos x Ikea Symfonisk range, too, which blend into their surroundings while sounding absolutely superb.
My Sonos setup includes two Sonos One speakers, a Sonos Beam soundbar, and Ikea Symfonisk lamp. All of them seamlessly connect to each other, spreading music throughout my flat.
The Sonos app can be a little fiddly at times but the integration with Spotify, Apple Music, and others, alongside support for AirPlay 2, makes for a pretty dreamy experience, besides when the WiFi dies.
If you're thinking of getting into the Sonos ecosystem, here are five things that you should know.
- Sonos Beam vs Sonos Arc: Which Sonos soundbar is right for you?
1. They sound so good
This one might sound obvious but Sonos speakers sound so good, even if you don't have them up that loud. (You can configure the EQ in the app for more control.)
Some Bluetooth speakers, while sounding really good, can often be missing the low-end provided by a proper speaker.
The Beam especially, acting as a soundbar, sounds incredible when watching movies, completely capturing the low rumbles found so often in films.
2. The more the merrier
Because you can connect multiple Sonos speakers together and manage them via the app, getting more is ideal and, in fact, encouraged.
The options are pretty much endless: If you get two Sonos speakers and the Beam, you can configure them into a sound setup.
Speakers can be grouped and ungrouped either on the app or by long-pressing the play/pause button, to bring the speaker into the loop. It's a magical system and I personally can't see a way of going back.
No more annoying Bluetooth pairing dances and no more dropping when out of range – it's the perfect speaker system.
3. Sonos Beam is a treat – if you have eARC
As I've said, the Sonos Beam is really, really good as a soundbar but only if your TV comes with an eARC HDMI port, which looks exactly the same as a 'normal' HDMI port.
The gist is that sound can travel one way and picture the other, meaning you can use your TV and Beam with only one HDMI port, freeing up others for a PlayStation 5.
One thing to note: The entry-level Sonos Ray doesn't have eARC at all, so keep that in mind. Make sure to check your TV has one (and most modern TVs do) to avoid disappointment and extra wiring.
4. Turn them off at night
With energy prices going through the roof, you don't need to leave your Sonos systems on all night if they aren't being used.
In order to always be available to connect, Sonos speakers enter a low-power mode – but that can add up to quite a chunky bill. We recommend getting some timer switches to save yourself some money.
5. Sonos doesn't come cheap
Depending on how much you use your speakers and for what, spending hundreds of pounds of a high-end, WiFi-connected Sonos set might not make much sense.
Of course, deals are almost always available and we recommend looking at getting a second-hand set, as they hold their value and are very well made.
Lots of the best Bluetooth speakers can do a decent enough job – and won't annoy your neighbours as much. Check our some deals for the Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 v2, our pick for the best Bluetooth speakers going.
