All posts tagged: Sonos

Sonos Summer Sale Takes Up to 25% Off Speakers, Headphones, and More

Sonos Summer Sale Takes Up to 25% Off Speakers, Headphones, and More

Published by skeptic

Sonos this week kicked off a new summer sale, with big discounts aimed at dads and anyone else shopping ahead of Father’s Day. This sale includes deals on Sonos smart speakers, sound bars, subwoofers, and more. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Sonos. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running. One highlight of the event is the Sonos Arc Ultra Soundbar at the record low price of $899, down from $1,099, which is being matched at Amazon. For a cheaper soundbar, you can get the second generation Beam for $369, down from $499. Additionally, the new Sonos sale has a few bundle deals, which combine a few different home audio devices at one discounted price. This includes the 2 Room Set with Era 100 for $378 ($60 off), Premium Entertainment Set with Arc Ultra for $1,658 ($340 off), and more. If you’re on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap …

3 ways a smarter Siri could make me rethink the HomePod over Sonos and Bose

3 ways a smarter Siri could make me rethink the HomePod over Sonos and Bose

Published by skeptic

Maria Diaz/ZDNET Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. ZDNET’s key takeaways Gen AI Siri upgrades are expected at WWDC. A smarter Siri could make HomePod more useful. Siri remains HomePod’s biggest advantage. It’s been three years since Apple released a smart speaker, and competitors from Sonos, Bose, Denon, and Amazon are taking advantage of Apple’s absence. Apple’s contemporaries have made meaningful strides in fidelity, whole-home audio support, and expanded smart home integration. Also: Forget the soundbar: How I upgraded my TV audio with spare Bluetooth speakers Still, HomePod’s integration with Apple’s device ecosystem, consisting of smartphones, laptops, tablets, and more, gives the company’s smart speaker a significant edge over its contemporaries. Additionally, one other major advantage sets Apple apart from others: Siri. Siri has its limitations, but Apple is expected to announce meaningful gen AI upgrades to its voice assistant during this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). If a reborn Siri seems promising, here’s how I’d like it to behave in HomePod. 1. Smarter music discovery HomePod’s primary functions are serving …

Sonos App Currently Unavailable on iOS and Mac App Stores

Sonos App Currently Unavailable on iOS and Mac App Stores

Published by skeptic

The Sonos app is currently unavailable to download on the iPhone and Mac App Stores owing to a mysterious problem that the company is currently looking into. The app disappeared as of about two hours ago, and the app’s URL link currently throws up the message: “The page you’re looking for can’t be found,” while a manual search in the App Store returns no results. A red banner across the Sonos status page reads: “We have identified a problem with the Sonos App availability in the iOS / Mac App Stores and are working on a solution. You may experience issues downloading or updating the Sonos app from the App Store until this issue is resolved.” The same page shows a major outage of Sonos Account, suggesting the problems are related. The last info we had on the app’s future came in a February Bloomberg report that said Sonos was preparing a major update that would aim to simplify navigation and introduce iPhone Lock Screen controls using Live Activities. Those changes were supposed to be …

I didn’t expect Bose’s new lifestyle speaker to coexist with my Sonos Era 100 like this

I didn’t expect Bose’s new lifestyle speaker to coexist with my Sonos Era 100 like this

Published by skeptic

Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker pros and cons Pros Great sound Native Android and iOS casting Sleek, modern design Cons Pricier than some competitors Favors Bose’s in-house spatial audio over Atmos Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. The latest from Bose is the Lifestyle Ultra family, which includes a soundbar, a subwoofer, and a smart speaker, and I find the smart speaker to be the most interesting product in the lineup. Smart speakers for the home are increasing in popularity, and more consumers are interested in whole-home audio products with smart home features — Bose is right on time. Also: Sonos Play review: This portable Wi-Fi speaker may be Sonos’ greatest hit yet I spent a week with the Lifestyle Ultra Speaker, and though it’s $50 to $100+ more than its counterparts from Apple, Sonos, and Amazon, it has one considerable boost over the rest. Let’s dive in. Best bluetooth speaker deals of the week Deals are selected by the CNET Group commerce team, and may be unrelated to this article. Out with the …

Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker vs. Sonos Era 100: I compared both models, and here’s the winner

Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker vs. Sonos Era 100: I compared both models, and here’s the winner

Published by skeptic

Jada Jones and Maria Diaz/ZDNET Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. Sonos has cemented itself as the king of multiroom audio, but more companies are joining in on the trend, some offering features that Sonos doesn’t. Also: Forget the soundbar: How I upgraded my TV audio with spare Bluetooth speakers Bose recently joined in on the fun, unveiling its Lifestyle Ultra Speaker, which operates in a way that’s familiar to Sonos’ smart speakers. Both companies offer separately sold smart speakers that can stand on their own around the house, group together for left/right audio, or pair with a compatible soundbar to perform as rear speakers. Yet, aside from a hard-to-miss $130 price difference, there are other differences to consider regarding ecosystem integration, smart features, and voice assistants. Let’s break them down. You should buy the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker if… Jada Jones/ZDNET 1. You have Android devices Bose fitted the Lifestyle Ultra Speaker with native Google Cast, which is a plus for people with Android devices or a mixed-device ecosystem. I’ve …

Your Sonos smart speaker has an underutilized automation feature – 5 helpful ways I use mine

Your Sonos smart speaker has an underutilized automation feature – 5 helpful ways I use mine

Published by skeptic

Jada Jones/ZDNET Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. ZDNET’s key takeaways Your Sonos speakers have a built-in voice assistant. Sonos Voice Control isn’t as smart as other assistants, but it’s not useless. Daily alarms, weather reports, and timers can elevate your experience. I’m not a smart-home enthusiast, but I do have several Sonos smart speakers around my house. Though I’m not a huge fan of automated voice assistants, I often use Sonos Voice Control. Aside from basic play/pause directives, I try to find every way to make my speakers smarter and more integral to my whole-home audio system. Also: I’m automating these 5 unexpected home devices – and life has been so much easier Whether it’s on my bedside, in my living room, or on the kitchen counter, as someone who works, rests, and is always trying to keep busy at home, I’m constantly commanding my speakers to do something. Here are my favorite commands. Bedside table Commands: Set a daily alarm clock; Give weather reports To start my day, I use a Sonos …

How I customized my Sonos speaker to make my home theater sound truly immersive

How I customized my Sonos speaker to make my home theater sound truly immersive

Published by skeptic

TV and Music Level: In this settings folder, you can adjust the audio level of your surrounds when playing TV audio or music. You can adjust these levels on a 30-point scale, plus or minus 15. I keep these settings neutral Surround Distance: Ensure your surround distance is as accurate as possible, as this feature serves as a balancing measure for your surrounds. This distance refers to how far your Sonos surround speakers are from your preferred listening position. However, Sonos only provides three vague distance options for this option, so if you don’t plan to move your room’s furniture or speakers anytime soon, let TruePlay gauge this distance for you. Music Playback: This feature changes the loudness of your rear speakers’ output. Your options are Ambient or Full. I prefer listening to music when my rear speakers are set to Full. I noticed that this setting improves balance when listening to stereo music. In Ambient, I felt that my soundbar was doing too much of the heavy lifting, and I could only hear vocals …

How I upgraded my Sonos soundbar’s audio quality – 3 easy and free methods

How I upgraded my Sonos soundbar’s audio quality – 3 easy and free methods

Published by skeptic

Christian de Looper/ZDNET Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. ZDNET’s key takeaways Your listening room’s layout has a huge impact on your soundbar’s Dolby Atmos performance. There are several audio features that can help improve dialogue clarity. Building out your Sonos home theater can help with audio clarity and robustness. Sonos’ webpages and popular reviews are full of specs, but several real-life factors affect your soundbar’s performance more than you’d think. Factors such as placement, your content’s audio format, and your room’s size and furniture all affect your soundbar’s output.  I use my Sonos Arc and Arc Ultra soundbars, Era 300 speakers, Sub 4 subwoofer, and Ace headphones daily, but achieving complete satisfaction required some adjustments. I’m finally ready to share the secrets. Also: Your TV’s USB port has hidden superpowers: 4 benefits you’re not taking advantage of Start with your soundbar’s placement. Regardless of whether you have a flagship Arc or Arc Ultra, or a smaller Beam or Ray, location matters. Ensure your soundbar is as close to eye level as possible …

Best Bluetooth Speakers (2026): JBL, Sonos, Bose, and More

Best Bluetooth Speakers (2026): JBL, Sonos, Bose, and More

Published by skeptic

Honorable Mentions Here are some other good speakers we’ve tested that didn’t quite make the cut for our top picks: Bose Soundlink Max for $329: The Bose SoundLink Max has quickly become my favorite speaker to drag along to outdoor events. It’s not as big as the boombox that John Cusack held over his head in the ’80s, but this robust, rubberized speaker has bold sound and gets loud enough to woo your sweethearts with a love song. I also like that you can plug in your phone while it plays music, which is nice for those of us who are forgetful on our days off. Bold bass, even when outside, makes this good for dance parties in the middle of nowhere, and the handle is easy to tie up to packs, kayaks, or tents. —Parker Hall Brane Audio Brane X for $499: The Brane X speaker may be shockingly spendy, but this lunchbox-sized bomber has something no other portable we’ve tested has: A true, fully functional subwoofer. Thanks to Brane’s mystifying RAD (Repel Attract …

I traded my Sonos Era 300 for Denon’s new home speaker – and see no reason to go back

I traded my Sonos Era 300 for Denon’s new home speaker – and see no reason to go back

Published by skeptic

pros and cons Pros Hi-res audio support Multi-room integration Dolby Atmos support Cons More expensive than competitors Vague EQ settings Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. Sonos has perhaps been the most recognized name in the home speaker market for some time, but Denon has something to say about that. The company recently launched its lineup of second-generation home speakers: the Denon Home 200, Home 400, and Home 600. The Denon Home 400 is the mid-tier option in the lineup, and it’s designed to go head-to-head with the Sonos Era 300. It has a similar, larger form factor, up-firing Dolby Atmos speakers, and a slew of smart streaming features. It’s also built on the company’s HEOS multi-room audio platform, for integration with speakers from other HEOS-compatible lineups. Also: I replaced my Sonos Era speakers with an unlikely alternative – and didn’t miss a beat Sonos has spent years refining its smart speaker offerings, and the Era 300 is an excellent example of where it’s landed. Can Denon truly take on the likes of Sonos …