Sonos One SL (White), The powerful microphone-free speaker for music and more

Product Information

Featuring BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy), increased memory and an updated processor, the Sonos One is more capable than ever. BLE simplifies first-time set-up by temporarily communicating with your smartphone or tablet (note, BLE does not support audio streaming). The new processor and increased memory give the latest version of the Sonos One greater potential for exciting future updates. I had the same issue, but worse with Echo Studios. Same with Apple HomePods, not as bad as Sonos though. Although it's about the size of a large shoe-box (and heavier than it looks, at 6.36kg) the Sonos Five isn't quite a cuboid since its grille portion is slightly bigger than its rear end and the baffle is slightly bowed out and angled upwards too, to aid with sound dispersal. With its smooth good looks, the Sonos One is designed to look every bit as good in years to come as it does now. Yet Sonos have taken the idea of design longevity further by engineering in the ability to update the electronics through future software updates. With its increased memory and updated processor, the One has more potential for future upgrades than ever.

A soft self-generated hissing noise is so common on active speakers that some manufacturers publish the level of self-generated noise for their products. The name-plate is positioned so that when you flip it to it's upright orientation, it still reads. (Image credit: TechRadar) Sonos Five review: Design Under the hood, the speaker array remains exactly the same as its Play:5 predecessor –and Sonos actually makes no bones about this. You're getting the same six custom-designed drivers driven by six class D amplifiers for a combined power output of 120W: three high excursion 10cm mid-woofers across the bottom of the unit and three tweeters above them, two of which are angled outwards. That's not to say it's bass-heavy overall though. Listen to Fontaines D.C.'s Skinty Fia and you'll hear a low-end that, while impactful and unwavering, never bloats or muddies other musical passages such as accordions, drum riffs, angered vocals and keys.Stream Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor, performed by Andre Previn, the London Symphony Orchestra and Vladimir Ashkenazy, and the flute is never harsh through the sparkling and untethered treble. Piano notes are distinct, three dimensional and lilting with enough space around them to shine in a cohesive mix. With AirPlay, stream directly from your Apple devices or ask Siri to play your favourites from Apple Music throughout your home. Prices valid in stores (all including VAT) until close of business on 2nd November 2023. (Some of these web prices are cheaper than in-store, so please mention that you've seen these offers online.) The hissing/white noise starts as soon as audio starts playing. It continues when you pause whatever is playing for 15 seconds (every time as I have timed it). This hissing/white noise remains at the same level no matter the level of volume from the speakers. The quieter the audio, the more you notice it when audio is playing.

To some extent all electronics will have some level of hiss. From my chair I cannot evaluate if your hiss level is abnormal or not. I tend to be abnormally sensitive to this sort of noise (‘buzz’ -- get it) and I’m not annoyed by the SONOS hiss levels. Hiss is usually masked by normal room noises, but if your rooms are very quiet and you sit very close to a speaker, you are more likely to notice the hiss. Unfortunately, once you are sensitized to the hiss, it never goes away and becomes a “ The Princess and the Pea” drama. The hiss is emitted from the speaker drivers, both woofers and tweeters. There is a potential for another type of noise that is generated by the power supply. I don’t consider this noise as being normal. It is not emitted by the speakers and typically emits from the rear of the unit when there is a problem. Normally this noise is above the frequency range of humans, but if, due to a defect the frequency slips down, it may be audible to some listeners. Since high frequency hearing capability varies from person to person and the high frequency limit of humans diminishes with age, there can be some arguments between listeners over this “obvious” noise. Early ultrasonic alarm systems used in schools operated at a frequency that was easily heard by kids, but not audible to adults. There would be running arguments between the distressed kids and the adults about this noise. (‘What noise!!’) When I was younger you’d observe me take a step into a retail store, then abruptly turn and leave. I was repelled by their “ultrasonic” alarm system that had not been turned OFF during business hours. The Sonos One also features revolutionary TRUEPLAY technology. TRUEPLAY scans your room, analyses the results and then fine-tunes the speaker for the ideal listening experience. Whether your room is large or small and the unit is placed close to a wall or in the centre, the One adapts to give the most natural and realistic sound possible.I can’t (hand on heart) say I’ve noticed any excessive hiss from any of my Sonos products and it’s not something I’ve seen complained about before.