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The Sonos wireless sound system is simply one of the best-sounding, most reliable and flexible there is. With the latest Sonos components, you don't even require a BRIDGE or BOOST, as they are capable of linking via your home Wi-Fi system. For the very best results, though, linking one component to an Ethernet connection will allow you to take advantage of the famous Sonos 'Mesh' system. The quality of the microphones makes the One less likely to mishear your requests and instructions – we find it makes fewer mistakes than our third-generation Echo Dot. Correctly hearing the request is only half the battle, though, and Alexa is still capable of misunderstanding. Setup takes minutes, and control is simple with the Sonos app, AirPlay 2, and your voice. And you can customise your system to play what you want, where you want. Saying that we were very impressed by the width of the soundstage. You get the sense that the action onscreen is taking place all around you without adding additional rear left or right speakers, like the Sonos One SL. While at launch the functionality seemed a little more limited than we were expecting due to the absence of its integration with Spotify, this has now been rectified via a software update.
When we first heard the One we suspected it was a slight sonic upgrade on the Play:1 but, having listened to both in our testing rooms, the two speakers sound pretty much identical. Integration with the Sonos network gives the Beam (Gen 2) something many other soundbars don’t have: an easy way to upgrade your home cinema system. While the new Beam works very well on its own, adding in a sub and rear speakers is a great way to add to your setup over time. If you already have a Sonos Roam portable speaker, you’ll be able to ‘throw’ your audio between the Bluetooth speaker and the Beam using the Sound Swap feature. We’d recommend going to the effort of TruePlay tuning the One with a compatible iPhone or iPad if you have one, as it opens the sound up. Unfortunately for Google users, TruePlay via Android devices isn't supported for the One – only for the Era 100 and Era 300 speakers.We prefer the sound with the Loudness setting left on, but experiment to discover which combination works best for you and your room. We set it up the way we like, and get a delivery that’s weighty, full-bodied and loud – not traits you’d generally expect from a wireless speaker of this size. The soundstage is spacious and impressively organised, with vocals given plenty of breathing room, making them instantly more engaging.
To facilitate this voice control, Sonos has equipped the speaker with six internal microphones to allow it to hear you drunkenly ask to play ‘Hey, Jude’ just one more time, and these are joined by more or less the same guts as the Sonos Play:1; namely its pair of Class-D amplifiers and a tweeter / mid-woofer driver combo. It's great news, as Spotify is one of the more popular streaming services out there. Being able to simply request songs by using your voice is far more convenient than having to dig into an app on your phone. Easily connect Sonos speakers in different rooms over Wi-Fi to create a home sound system that plays music in any or every room.
The Sonos Beam (Gen 2) is the perfect soundbar for smaller spaces
Sonos One seamlessly syncs voice, app, and touch commands, enabling you to manage music with a single word, tap of the app, or swipe on the speaker touch panel. Combine voice control with the Sonos app to manage all your music in one place. With the Sonos Alexa skill, you can also use voice commands to get music playing on other Sonos speakers throughout your home. The skill is still in beta and is hence a little buggy (it refused to play the radio on “kitchen speaker”, but was fine with “kitchen”), but when this sees a full launch it will be another helpful feature. Conclusion One Sonos One device produces satisfying audio output. But two can generate an instant stereo setup. A pair of Ones or One SLs will automatically sync, ensuring perfect balance and richer sounds, whether you're watching movies or streaming Spotify. Perfect for parties. Sonos speakers now support over 100 3rd party streaming services – mainly music, but also smart home – with more rolling out via an open API and 'favoured partner' programme on an ongoing basis. You’ll also be encouraged to go through a ‘Trueplay Tuning’ process, which requires you to walk around your room with your phone as your speaker plays a number of test sounds. Your phone listens to how the speaker sounds in its environment, and tunes its sound accordingly.
The app also allows you to pair the Beam with any other Sonos speaker, such as the Sonos Sub, or a pair of Sonos One SL speakers that could be used as left and right rear speakers. That’s not to say that instruments are left out – they emerge in an impressively stereo-like way from either side of the singer. It’s rather sophisticated and natural in that regard. Find the right music for every moment on Spotify. Search any artist or song, create and share playlists, and get personalized recommendations. Listen on Sonos and control the music with your voice, the Spotify app or the Sonos app. (Requires Spotify Premium account for full features).The Sonos One was first released in 2018. However, it's worth pointing out that since then Sonos speakers have had several updates. You can pair two Sonos One speakers in stereo to use them as a wireless alternative to bookshelf speakers, or use them as rear speakers in a surround sound setup with a Sonos Beam or Sonos Arc soundbar. It's all very seamless to do – it's very impressive. The treble stands out from the mid mix nicely, and the Sonos One can be crisp without getting too harsh with it. Everything is refined but full. The more components you add, the stronger the dedicated wireless mesh becomes. Best of all, because it runs independently from your Wi-Fi, the reliability and strength of the signal is unaffected by Wi-Fi dropouts.
The Gen Two Sonos speaker will fit into any Sonos system you might already own and would be a nice add-on to Sonos speakers in your current set up. The original Sonos One speaker has dropped slightly in price since the release of the Gen Two model and is a fine option for anyone who doesn't need the possibility of adding Google Assist at a later date. Unsurprisingly, you can also use the One as a surround speaker for a Sonos Beam, Arc, PlayBase or PlayBar-based system, with or without a subwoofer. The Sonos Amp also allows you to create a 4.1 system, with a phantom centre channel, from a pair of wired front speakers and a pair of Ones acting as surrounds. The Sonos Beam (Gen 2) also sounds great when playing music. Listening to Little Simz' Woman, the bass sounds deep and well-controlled, while synth strings are warm and rich. Simz's rap vocal comes through with clarity, while Cleo Soul's avant-soul melodies float sumptuously above the mix. The One’s weight makes for deep, solid bass for a speaker this size, and there’s enough rhythm to just about keep up with Trivium’s Pull Harder On The Strings Of Your Martyr, and enough tonal shading to make the most of Flea’s finest Red Hot Chili Peppers basslines. At 2.72 x 25.63 x 3.94 inches (H x W x D), it’s much smaller than the company’s flagship soundbar, the Sonos Arc, making it ideal for smaller spaces.
The Sonos One is the best smart speaker you can buy today
The Sonos One Speaker combines powerful, crystal clear sound with comprehensive voice control to provide the user with a hassle-free way to enjoy music the way you want. Featuring BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy), increased memory and an updated processor, the Sonos One is more capable than ever. BLE simplifies first-time set-up by temporarily communicating with your smartphone or tablet (note, BLE does not support audio streaming). The new processor and increased memory give the latest version of the Sonos One greater potential for exciting future updates. In terms of wireless connectivity, the Beam (Gen 2) supports Wi-Fi and Apple AirPlay 2 with compatible iOS devices. There’s also the option to hook it up to your router with an Ethernet cable if you want a more stable connection to your home network.
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