The Sonos One SL is a premier WiFi (or wireless) speaker that was first announced in late 2019. The speaker offers WiFi connectivity, and since it is wired, it is designed for indoor use. The speaker’s WiFi connection provides a low latency of only 43ms, making it an excellent pick for owners who want to connect it to their Apple devices to stream video or music content through Apple AirPlay. While it might not rank among the best speakers in the market today, the Sonos One SL still delivers clear sound, and unlike most highly rated Bluetooth speakers, it can only be linked (through WiFi) to another Sonos speaker for a stereo sound output. Still, its only issue might be the lack of Bluetooth connectivity. Buyers who would prefer a speaker that has both Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity would be better off checking out our Sonos Roam review.
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Sonos One SL Review
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Absolutely Fresh
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Expert reviewers praised the Sonos One SL’s design and sturdy build quality. They liked that its companion app was easy to use, but they complained that the speaker could not play stereo content and that it didn’t have support for voice assistants.
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Product Snapshot
Overview
The Sonos One SL is a premier WiFi (or wireless) speaker that was first announced in late 2019. The speaker offers WiFi connectivity, and since it is wired, it is designed for indoor use. The speaker’s WiFi connection provides a low latency of only 43ms, making it an excellent pick for owners who want to connect it to their Apple devices to stream video or music content through Apple AirPlay. While it might not rank among the best speakers in the market today, the Sonos One SL still delivers clear sound, and unlike most highly rated Bluetooth speakers, it can only be linked (through WiFi) to another Sonos speaker for a stereo sound output. Still, its only issue might be the lack of Bluetooth connectivity. Buyers who would prefer a speaker that has both Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity would be better off checking out our Sonos Roam review.
Consensus
our Verdict
The Sonos One SL was praised by expert testers for its unique TruePlay tuning feature and build quality. Reviewers from Rtings liked the speaker’s vocal reproduction and that they could adjust its bass and treble levels through the Sonos S2 app. The Yamaha Music Cast 50 allows for more sound adjustability through the MusicCast app, so if that sounds more appealing, check out Yamaha MusicCast 50 review. They were also pleased with how easy it was to use, while testers from Tech Radar were also able to use its Trueplay tuning feature to improve their listening experience during their sound tests.
The Sonos One SL failed to impress with its inability to play stereo content. In contrast, the Sony SRS RA3000 is capable of stereo output, so if you’re interested, go ahead and check it out in our Sony SRS RA3000 review. They also didn’t like that the speaker didn’t work with voice assistants and that its sound was distorted at higher volumes. They also didn’t like its missing Bluetooth support.
ReasonS to Buy
- Great build quality
- Easy to use Sonos S2 app
- Great vocal reproduction
- Bass and Treble adjustable
- Low AirPlay latency over WiFi
Reason to Avoid
- Stereo playback requires another speaker
- No Bluetooth connectivity
- No support for voice assistants
Sonos One SL Specs
 | Battery Life | 17 hrs |
 | Built In Microphone | n/a |
 | Charge Time | 2 hrs |
 | Size | 9.7" (h) x 6.9" (w) x 6.9" (d) |
 | Smart App | Yes |
 | Speaker Pairing | Yes |
 | Water Resistant | Yes |
 | Wattage | 125W |
 | Wireless Range | 100 m |
All Specs
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Product Comparison
 Sonos One SL Review |  Bose Soundlink Revolve Review | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
True Score | 84 | 77 | 84 | NR |
Ranking | # 10 / 260 | # 83 / 260 | # 11 / 260 | # / 260 |
Market Context |
The Sonos One SL is a premier WiFi (or wireless) speaker that was first announced in late 2019. The speaker offers WiFi connectivity, and since… |
The Sonos One SL may be difficult to differentiate from the Sonos One Gen 2 due to their similar appearances, but the One SL operates… The Sonos One SL may be difficult to differentiate from the Sonos One Gen 2 due to their similar appearances, but the One SL operates on both the 2.4Ghz & 5Ghz WiFi frequency band, while the Gen 2 is restricted to the 2.4Ghz band. However, the One Gen 2 has a microphone and voice assistant support that are both lacking in the Sonos One SL. Make sure to check out our Sonos One Gen 2 review to see what else it has in store. |
The Sonos One SL is a wired speaker while the Sonos Move is battery-powered; however, the Sonos Move has Bluetooth support and voice assistant functionality,… The Sonos One SL is a wired speaker while the Sonos Move is battery-powered; however, the Sonos Move has Bluetooth support and voice assistant functionality, which are both missing on the Sonos One SL. |
The Sonos One SL supports WiFi connectivity while the Bose SoundLink Revolve does not; however, the SoundLink Revolve offers Bluetooth connectivity, speakerphone functionality, and voice… The Sonos One SL supports WiFi connectivity while the Bose SoundLink Revolve does not; however, the SoundLink Revolve offers Bluetooth connectivity, speakerphone functionality, and voice assistant support – features that are all missing on the Sonos One SL. |
Battery Life | 17 hrs | – | 11 hrs | – |
Built In Microphone | n/a | – | Yes | – |
Charge Time | 2 hrs | – | 2 hrs | – |
Size | 9.7" (h) x 6.9" (w) x 6.9" (d) | – | – | – |
Smart App | Yes | – | Sonos app | – |
Speaker Pairing | Yes | – | Yes | – |
Water Resistant | Yes | – | Yes | – |
Wattage | 125W | – | 25W | – |
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Score Card
E
Expert Score
*.75
We place a 75% weighted value on Expert Test Scores
C
Customer Score
*.25
We place a 25% weighted value on Customer Scores
True Score
Any product with a True Score above 80 is a Absolutely Fresh
Expert Scores
Publications with higher Trust Ratings are given more weight.
100.6Category Trust Rating
71The Sonos One SL is fair for music. Like most premium models, it uses a… Read MoreBy:
Kob Monney
43.1Category Trust Rating
100For those looking for a great sounding home speaker on a budget, the Sonos SL… Read MoreBy:
What Hi-Fi?
45.5Category Trust Rating
100If voice assistance doesn’t interest then the One SL offers (most of) the same great… Read MoreBy:
John Panoryios
43Category Trust Rating
100Hate voice control? Or simply don’t need it on everything? This microphone-less version of the… Read MoreBy:
Max Mutter
52.7Category Trust Rating
51The Sonos One SL might seem like an odd addition to the Sonos portfolio at… Read MoreBy:
Jamie Carter
15.6Category Trust Rating
100The Sonos One SL is part of the Wireless & Bluetooth Speakers test program at… Read MoreBy:
Britta O’Boyle
Customer Scores
- 92
(
4.6/5
)
6480Ratings
- 96
(
4.8/5
)
3886Ratings
- NR
(
NR/5
)
Ratings
- 88
(
4.4/5
)
1391Ratings
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