Best Sonos speaker 2021: Sonos Roam, Move, One, Five, Beam and Arc compared
The market for multi-room speakers has grown significantly in recent years, with new entrants all the time. There are some brands that have been doing the work for many years though, like Sonos. The company has been around for well over a decade and offers one of the best app platforms out there, with support for many of the big streaming services including Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music.
There are several speakers within the Sonos multi-room line up, and there are two soundbars and a wireless subwoofer too.
Let us help you work out which Sonos speaker, or speakers, are the best for you.
Quick summary
The Sonos Roam is an ultra-portable Bluetooth and Wi-Fi speaker that is smaller and cheaper than Move, offers waterproofing, automatic switching between Wi-Fi and Bluetooth and extra features like Sound Swap. It also has built-in voice control and features like AirPlay 2.
The Sonos Move is bigger than the Sonos One, and more expensive, but it brings water resistance, portability and Bluetooth audio streaming capabilities like Roam, whilst also offering all the usual Sonos features when connected to Wi-Fi, as well as built-in voice control.
The Sonos One has a similar design and sound output to the older Play:1 but it offers integrated Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant voice control, capacitive touch controls and Apple AirPlay 2 support.
The Sonos One SL has the exact same design and sound architecture as the Sonos One, but without built-in voice control from Google or Alexa, making it a little cheaper and a good alternative to the older Play:1.
The Sonos Five is a larger, more capable speaker than the One, with extra drivers inside and more a sound system in its own right. It replaces the Play:5 in the company’s line-up.
The Beam is a small form factor soundbar, designed for your TV. It’s compact, powerful and fully connected, offering HDMI for your TV, as well as Alexa and Google Assistant voice control. Like the Sonos Roam, One, One SL, Move, and Five, it also supports Apple AirPlay 2.
Replacing the old Playbar is the Sonos Arc, the larger of the two soundbars offered by Sonos. Not only does it support many of the features of the Beam, it also comes with Dolby Atmos upfiring speakers and HDMI eARC capabilities.
The main reason you would invest in the Sub is to pair it with the Beam or Arc, although it could also work as an excellent companion to two Sonos Five speakers working as a pair. They are an expensive pair though so make sure you really want that extra bass.
The Sonos Ikea Symfonisk Wi-Fi Bookshelf Speaker is a bookshelf and speaker in one. It doesn’t offer the same power as a Sonos One or Sonos One SL, but it’s more affordable and it offers many of the Sonos features, as well as Apple AirPlay 2.
The Sonos Ikea Symfonisk Table Lamp Speaker is a table lamp and speaker in one. It has the same power as the older Play:1 and it’s the same price a the Sonos One SL but you get a table lamp too, and Apple AirPlay 2 compatibility.
