The Sub’s unique design—y’know, that gap in the middle—reduces any unwanted vibrations, because the drivers housed inside cancel each other’s rattling. We’ve had ours in a New York City apartment for years, and never once had someone bang on their ceiling with a broom to complain. Which is to say: we stan the Sub.
If you can’t see your way to spending the $800, Sonos’ recently-released $429 Sub Mini is a more affordable, excellent alternative—though it can’t be paired with a second Sub Mini, the way the big daddy Sub can be doubled up for extreme bass.
SONOS PORTABLE SPEAKERS
The Best Traveling Portable Speaker: Sonos Roam
The Sonos Roam is a bit of an outlier in the Sonos world, in that it’s meant to leave the driveway. And yet: it still packs plenty of Sonos touches. Which explains why in our review of the Sonos Roam, we called it the “best sounding portable speaker [we’ve] tested.” That statement still holds today, in a still-crowded category.
The Roam nails the everyday portable speaker basics: it’s IP67 rated (meaning it can be submerged in up to three feet of water) for no-worries beach and poolside duty. Integrated Amazon Alexa and Sonos’ automatic audio-optimizing Trueplay are baked in (though you can save $20 on the Roam SL, which has neither).
But the most Sonos thing about the Roam is that it has WiFi, as well as Bluetooth. Which means it seamlessly syncs into your home’s Sonos setup, letting you treat it like a carry-everywhere speaker. The Roam is also available in more than just the usual Sonos black or white. Which doesn’t make it work better, but is certainly more fun.
The Best Sonos Speaker for a Backyard Party: Sonos Move
We love the Sonos Roam, but it’s very much a travel speaker at heart. The Move 2, Sonos’ bigger battery-powered speaker, is what you want if by “portable” you mean “I wish I could take my Sonos speakers out to the yard.”
It is, for all intents and purposes, an Era 100 speaker that’s cut the electrical umbilical. The Move 2 has the same array of hardware inside, including a similar dual angled tweeter setup for projecting sound all around. But pull the Move 2 off its wireless charging base, and you can drag it anywhere.
An IP56 rating means it can withstand humidity, a little drizzle, and hotter temps, plus it has a shock-absorbing design. (Though don’t go tossing it around.) It’ll stay in sync with your home’s Sonos system so long as it can hook into WiFi, but Bluetooth means you can just treat it like a travel speaker—a bigger, boomier, better travel speaker. We called it the “ultimate party animal,” and you can find out more about why review of the Move 2.
SONOS SURROUND-SOUND SYSTEMS
The beauty of Sonos speakers is that you just need to plug them in, add them in the app, and they all play nicely together. To make life even easier—particularly if you’re upgrading your entertainment system audio—Sonos sells bundles that net you a nice discount. Here are three Sonos speaker bundles worth checking out.
The Best Entry-Level Sonos Sound System
A pair of Sonos Era 100s and a Beam (Gen 2) is all it takes to make your movie nights (and music-filled days) exponentially better than before. The compact Beam, our favorite Sonos soundbar, pairs perfectly with a couple of excellent bookshelf speakers, and it all comes in at under a grand.
The Best Mid-Tier Sonos Sound System
Alone, the Arc is an exceptional soundbar that can make it feel like you have something close to a surround sound system, thanks to the way Sonos Trueplay’s automatic optimizing and the Arc’s angled speakers work magic. But add in a Sub, and you’ll find it hard to pay for a movie theater ticket every again.
The Best High-End Sonos Sound System
It’s expensive, sure, but not that expensive given what you get: an Arc, a Sub, and two Era 300s. With sound coming at you from all sides and angles—and zero time spent running speaker wires across your floorboards—you’ll feel like you’re at the recording studio with your favorite artist or on set for whatever you’re watching.
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