It still has limitations compared with our top pick, but we now find it easier to use than our former also-great pick, Amazon’s Alexa platform-regardless of whether you use voice commands or the Google Home app to control the system. Google has made a number of improvements to its multiroom-audio platform over the years. But you could pair two of them for stereo sound for the same price as you’d pay for Sonos’s cheapest speaker. That speaker sounds quite good for $100, even if it’s not as detailed as Sonos’s entry-level speakers and doesn’t offer stereo sound from a single speaker the way pricier alternatives do. The lineup currently offers only one speaker that’s really focused on audio performance: the Google Nest Audio speaker. If you’re looking to build a more affordable multiroom wireless music system that still sounds great, Google’s Nest Audio platform is a good alternative to Sonos.

Second, the system’s voice-control capabilities are not as advanced as what you can get from Amazon’s or Google’s own smart speakers.

First, it is a closed ecosystem, so you must use Sonos-branded devices if you want all of the pieces of your multiroom system to work together seamlessly. The Sonos ecosystem has two main drawbacks. IKEA sells Sonos-compatible speakers, too.Īll Sonos-branded speakers have built-in AirPlay 2 support, some newer models support Bluetooth, and many of them add voice control via Amazon Alexa, Google Home, or both. The company also sells four portable speakers and two subwoofers, as well as three smart soundbars-all of which can pair with two Sonos tabletop speakers to form a surround system. Currently you can choose from five tabletop speakers priced from $200 to $550. Sonos’s speaker offerings come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and prices. Plus, the platform supports more streaming services than the competition-in some cases, a lot more. The mobile and desktop apps rank among the most polished available and offer unified search across every music service you subscribe to.

Sonos has made multiroom wireless systems for longer than anyone, and its experience shows at every level.

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