SonosWhite.jpgEarlier this year, my wife and I moved from Vancouver back to our hometown, Toronto. After a few months of living in a condo, we took the plunge and purchased our first house together. The extra space in the house is awesome—three bedrooms to enjoy and outfit, especially endless options for technology.

After moving boxes and furniture in, I felt a void in the air: good quality sound of music from playlists and our TV. (Playing music off my smartphone just doesn’t cut it.) So, I turned to a brand that leads the category of the wireless speakers’ space: Sonos.

I first heard of Sonos about four years ago when the wireless speaker company launched its first product line through Best Buy. If you are new to Sonos, this company was founded in 2002 and became mainstream after releasing wireless sound systems controllable with a smartphone app, in one or dozens of rooms, all at once.

Even back then, the idea of having a truly wireless system without the need for Bluetooth really intrigued me. Only a few years prior to Sonos’ launch in Canada, I had purchased a home audio system, comprised of a receiver, complete with the “revolutionary” (back then) iPod adapter cord, five surround sound speakers and a massive sub-woofer to catch every bass beat when I played a track by rock band U2 or the Notorious B.I.G. The components were represented by several brands instead of one uniform company. I went this route based on top reviews and wanting the best of each component in its class.

Looking back at the system I had put together, it was a lot of clutter compared to what I have today. I literally had speaker wire and power cables going everywhere in my condo in Vancouver. The idea of concealing the rear speaker wire crossed my mind, but at the time it would have been a large task to have it done professionally, so I skipped that altogether.

Wireless = Less Clutter

Today, thanks to wireless technology, living in a house involves less clutter. The combination of having Sonos and high-speed internet, creating a clean, awesome-sounding home audio system for the home is easy to attain. With three sizes of speakers, plus a sound bar and sub to create a five-channel surround sound experience, choosing the units best suited for each rooms is simple.

In our home, we are relying on the following Sonos devices to pump music into our space:

  • Play 3, the mid-size speaker for the dining area
  • Playbar Sound Bar for the living room TV
  • Play 1 units – the smallest in the Sonos family – entertain upstairs in the bedrooms and office
  • Boost Wireless Extender to do as the device name indicates: improve our wifi connection to Sonos devices so we never miss a beat when playing music

It is clear I am an advocate for Sonos.

Here are five more reasons why I think Sonos rocks:

1. Sonos is beautifully crafted, inside and out

From the packaging, right to the units themselves, these speakers look as beautiful as they sound. Developed by some of the world’s most talented engineers, Sonos packs a lot of punch to go with timeless design.

Watch the below video to discover the efforts that the teams put forward in creating their product lines:

2. Sonos is so easy to set-up

Using the free app for iOS or Android devices, Sonos is extremely easy to set-up. With the step-by-step guide, you literally will be set-up on Sonos in minutes. If you do not believe me, watch this video of me adding another Play 1 to my home as evidence:

3. Sonos is hyper-connected to its entire suite of products

As mentioned above, the huge benefit of owning Sonos speakers is the ability to have full control of the listening experience. The user controls what music is played, in what rooms and at their preferred volumes in up to 32 rooms. Yes, you read that correctly: you can have 32 Sonos speakers under one roof and control each one from a mobile device, wirelessly.

4. Sonos can give you a boost

With Sonos Boost, say goodbye to wireless connectivity issues. One thing I noticed within the first week of playing my Sonos Play 3 on the main floor of the house and the Play 1 in the office was the occasional drop of playlists in the Sonos App. Enter the Sonos Boost and I have never missed a beat since installation. This accessory neutralizes network interference from other wireless items in the home and offers a dedicated signal for Sonos products. And like the other Sonos family of products, it was easy to set-up, literally in minutes. See the proof here:

5. Most importantly, Sonos sounds incredible

SonosPlay3Black.jpgAt the end of the day, if you want amazing, crystal-clear sound quality with the touch of an app, Sonos’ lineup is a top choice. The craftsmanship, functionality and ease of set-up and use – without wires dangling everywhere – make it a user friendly experience.

Whether you’re filling up sound inside a family house, bachelor pad, or anything in between, Sonos enhances the entertainment value of any room in the home. With four sizes to choose from (Play 1, Play 3, Play 5 and the Playbar), the possibilities are endless. Remember, you don’t have to buy your entire system all in one sitting; try two to start and hear the benefits of multi-room music streaming with your favourite music sources, such as Apple Music, Google Play Music and Spotify.

Before you know it, like me, you will hear and discover how wonderful the listening experience is through Sonos and you will be adding more units as your needs grow, room by room.

Check out more ways to supe-up your pad with Sonos through Best Buy!

Elliott Chun
Elliott Chun is passionate for all things tech, consumer and enterprise-focused. He appreciates the betterment and fun they bring to the world and is known for evangelizing their merit on TV, radio and online, including Plug-In. A veteran in the marketing-communications space, today he is the head of both areas for the ASTOUND Group, an award-winning design and fabrication house building brand expressions, experiences and environments. When not promoting brands and discovering what’s new in tech, you’ll find Elliott in pursuit of finding the world’s best pizza.

1 COMMENT

  1. I hope you have settled into the new digs @ElliottC . I am sure you’ll enjoy the greener side of a back yard this summer Smiley Happy

    That’s another great review of SonosSmiley Wink

    I love my Sonos also, having heard various “wireless speakers”, I have to say everything else pales in comparison.

     

    I had purchased a home audio system, comprised of a receiver, complete with the “revolutionary” (back then) iPod adapter cord, five surround sound speakers and a massive sub-woofer to catch every bass beat when I played a track by rock band U2 or the Notorious B.I.G. The components were represented by several brands instead of one uniform company. I went this route based on top reviews and wanting the best of each component in its class.”

     

    On this note; when dealing with surround sound, the primary rule of thumb is to keep the brand of speakers the same. Otherwise dispertion, efficiency and timbre differences between the speakers will cause a problem in proper sound quality, despite what a review said. It kind of goes along with my analogy of cooking a fine meal, even with the finest ingrediants, if over spiced or over cooked, the meal will fail.

     

    I love the idea of being able to create an independant “mesh network” ,without affecting my wi-fi, by simply plugging any Sonos unit into my router’s port.

    Another bonus with Sonos, is the Sonos Connect, which allows my stereo system to integrate to my Sonos system, I can even take my Play1’s to my buddy’s place and still have full Sonos access through the Sonos Connect on my stereo system.  I can also use the Sonos Connect by itself, to allow an Auxilliary Input from another source, like a Turntable with built-in pre-amp, or an audio output from a TV etc.., and then hear it on my Play1’s. So dust off that old beast of a receiver and ” Connect” it to your Sonos, now that’s Networking.Smiley Very Happy

    The idea of being able to “pair” speakers in a room, and even create a dedicated wireless 5.1 surround sound system using all Sonos components, is the wonders of Sonos.Smiley Wink

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