Sonos superlatives
1
Most versatile
If you only have room in your budget for one Sonos speaker, I highly recommend the go-anywhere Sonos Move . I keep mine charging in my guest bedroom for visitors (my sister appreciates that she can take it with her to the bathroom when she's getting ready). But I use it all the time, too. I love that I can rock out as I do work all over my yard. If I lose Wi-Fi , I can just switch to Bluetooth . It even has enough juice left at the end of the day to play on as I enjoy a well-earned beer on the screened porch.
Sonos Move #616MOVEBK $399 (also available in Lunar White)
2
Best couple
A stereo pair of Sonos One or One SL speakers, the smallest in their lineup, can be a surprisingly impressive music system. I had a single older- model Play:1 in my bedroom for years - I couldn't believe how much better it sounded when I added another to create a stereo pair.
3
Most improved
I am testing out the new Sonos Five as I write this, and from the first notes on the title track of The Highwomen , the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. I was similarly wowed when I bought the first- generation Play:5 nearly a decade ago, but this streamlined update has me seriously considering replacing it for the very first time. Arc has side-firing drivers, too. When I watched the original Batman , I actually had to check the Sonos app several times to make sure the extra surround speak- ers I had set up weren't turned on. It really sounded like bullets were ricocheting all around me in the shootout scene at Axis Chemicals.
Even richer with the Sub
Arc sounds really great by itself - better than most bars I've tested - but adding the Sonos Sub brings more to the table than just booming bass. The Sub takes on the lowest frequencies - leaving Arc's amplifiers free to drive more high and midrange frequencies. This makes all your content sound fuller, like the rumble of thunder in Netf- lix's Our Planet . No surprise there - but what did surprise me was the added rich- ness it brought to David Attenborough's voice-overs. And music nearly always sounds more complete with a sub to round out the low end.
Surround sound convert?
I'll be honest, I've been pretty happy with my existing 3.1-channel setup for home theater, so the added clutter of rear speakers and their associated wire didn't hold much appeal. Pairing two wireless One SL speakers with this bar made me rethink my opinion. For one thing, they are very unobtru- sive. And you don't have to run any wires across your room - just plug them in for power. But as compact as they are, they still brought that enveloping movie-the- ater feel I've been missing being stuck at home so much this summer. They added greatly to the psychedelic intensity (and creepiness) of the movie Midsommar .
Music is a priority, too
Sonos knows how to make sound bars that maximize your music enjoyment, and that's truer than ever with Arc. It's their biggest bar yet with powerful and precise driver arrays that create a spacious and engaging soundstage. Arc also has Apple AirPlay 2, Google Assistant, and Amazon Alexa built in, so it's easy to crank your favorite tunes with minimal effort.
For more about my experience, visit crutchfield.com/newsonos
Sonos Sub (Gen 3) #616SUB3BK $699 Sonos One SL #616ONESLW $179 each (stands not included) 5
Emi>S.
got her first Sonos gear on the recommendation of a Crutchfield advisor long before she worked here.
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