How many Sonos speakers do I need per room?

When setting up a Sonos multi-room audio system, one of the most common questions is: how many Sonos speakers do I need in each room? The answer depends on several factors, including room size, audio needs, and budget. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk through how to determine the ideal number of Sonos speakers for each room in your home.

Do I need a Sonos speaker in every room?

A Sonos system can cover your entire home, but that doesn’t mean you need speakers in every single room. Here are some quick tips:

  • Main rooms where you listen to music and audio most need speakers. This includes living room, kitchen, bedroom, and office.
  • Bathrooms don’t necessarily need an entire speaker, unless you want music while showering. Consider a smaller Sonos product like the Sonos One SL.
  • Hallways and foyers don’t need full speakers. These are spaces you pass through.
  • Garage and outdoor areas can benefit from Sonos speakers designed for rugged use, like the Sonos Move.

Focus first on rooms where you spend time enjoying music, TV, movies, podcasts, and more. For secondary spaces, you can add speakers as needed over time.

How many Sonos speakers for small, medium, and large rooms

The number of speakers needed scales up with room size. Here are general guidelines based on room dimensions:

Small rooms

For smaller rooms up to 150 square feet, such as a bedroom, home office, or bathroom, a single Sonos speaker is usually sufficient. The compact Sonos One or Sonos One SL provides enough sound for music listening or TV audio in a small space.

Medium rooms

For mid-sized rooms of 150 to 250 square feet, like a dining room or medium-sized living room, plan on 2 Sonos speakers. Options like a Sonos One paired with a Sonos Five, or two Sonos Ones, can fill a medium room with great sound.

Large rooms

For bigger rooms from 250 to 550 square feet, such as an open floor plan or large living room, we recommend 3-4 Sonos speakers. A 5.1 surround sound home theater setup with Beam, Sub, and One SL rears is great for large living spaces. For music, you can spread several Ones or Fives throughout the room.

Extra large rooms

For extra large spaces over 550 square feet, such as an open concept great room, you may need 4-6 Sonos speakers to provide sufficient coverage. Options like multiple Fives, or combining Ones and Fives with a Sub, can fill these big areas with sound.

Speaker placement principles

It’s not just the number of Sonos speakers, but also where you place them that matters. Follow these home audio guidelines:

  • Place speakers evenly around the room for balanced, full-range sound.
  • Mount speakers at ear height when possible for best direct sound.
  • Avoid cramming all speakers together in one spot.
  • For home theater, place TV speakers at front center, and surrounds to the sides or rear.
  • Consider wall-mounting for surrounds and high-positioned speakers.

Do I need a subwoofer?

Adding a Sonos Sub takes your sound system to another level. While not always essential, a subwoofer brings out the full audio experience. Here’s when to get a Sonos Sub:

  • You listen to music genres with heavy bass like hip hop, EDM, reggae.
  • You want cinema-quality sound for movies and TV.
  • You have a large room that needs deeper, fuller audio.
  • You have the budget for a premium listening experience.

Even in a smaller room, a Sonos Sub makes a noticeable difference. The easy integration and compact design also makes it appealing for most homes. But a subwoofer is not absolutely necessary if on a tighter budget.

Recommended Sonos setups by room

To summarize the key points so far, here are the Sonos speaker configurations we recommend for common rooms:

Living room

  • Small: Sonos One or One SL
  • Medium: Pair of Sonos Ones
  • Large: Sonos Arc or Beam, Sub, One SL rears for home theater. Or two to four Fives or Ones for music.

Kitchen

  • Small: Sonos One SL
  • Medium: Pair of Sonos Ones
  • Large: Two Sonos Fives or four Sonos Ones

Bedroom

  • Any size: Sonos One or One SL is usually sufficient.

Office

  • Small home office: Sonos One
  • Large open office: Pair Sonos Ones

Bathroom

  • Single Sonos One SL

Outdoors

  • Patio: Sonos Move
  • Backyard: Pair Sonos Moves for stereo separation

This covers typical whole home scenarios. You can always add more speakers later as needed. A thoughtful initial layout goes a long way.

Consider entire home coverage

Don’t limit your thinking to just one room. With Sonos, you can stream music to every room simultaneously for whole home audio. Determine how you want to listen across your entire place, then build up each area as your budget allows.

For full coverage, most homes need:

  • Main living room: 3-5 speakers
  • Kitchen: 2-3 speakers
  • 2 Bedrooms: 1 speaker each
  • Office: 1-2 speakers
  • Outdoor: 1-2 weatherproof speakers

That’s a total of 8-14 Sonos speakers for whole home audio, depending on room sizes. It’s an investment, but delivers an unparalleled wireless music experience.

Should I choose Sonos Amp or Port?

Along with speakers, Sonos makes the Amp and Port products to integrate your own audio equipment. You may be wondering whether to use these over Sonos speakers:

  • Sonos Amp – for connecting your favorite non-powered speakers, like bookshelf or floorstanding audiophile speakers. Amp adds streaming over WiFi.
  • Sonos Port – for wiring into your existing stereo or receiver with passive speakers. Port adds streaming.

The simple rule of thumb: if you want true Sonos multiroom and voice control for an existing sound system, use a Port or Amp. If building a new Sonos system, their speakers offer convenience and consistency throughout the home.

Boost for larger homes

For homes over 2,000 square feet or with multiple levels, consider adding a Sonos Boost. This amplifies the wireless network signal between your Sonos speakers for reliable coverage across bigger areas. Place it centrally.

You may not need a Boost for a typical single floor home. But for large, multi-level houses it helps ensure consistent streaming, minimizing dropout.

Cost per room

What’s the budget for a Sonos system? Cost obviously varies based on total rooms, size of each room, and number of speakers needed. Here is an estimate for typical room setups described earlier:

  • Living room – $400-$1800 depending on home theater or just music listening
  • Kitchen – $400-$1000 for a pair of speakers
  • Bedroom – $200 for a single speaker like One SL
  • Office – $200-$400 for one or two speakers
  • Bathroom – $200 for a speaker
  • Outdoors – $400 for a Sonos Move speaker

For whole home coverage across 5-7 rooms, budget $2000-$6000. Bundles like the Sonos Five bring down the per-speaker cost. It’s an investment, but delivers amazing wireless streaming audio throughout your space.

Mix and match Sonos models

With a variety of speaker options, you can mix and match models based on budget and needs per room:

  • Sonos One – mid-priced all-purpose speaker with voice control.
  • Sonos One SL – budget version without microphone for more private rooms.
  • Sonos Five – premium speaker for high-fidelity stereo sound.
  • Sonos Arc – dedicated TV soundbar for living room home theater.
  • Sonos Sub – add powerful bass to any Sonos system.
  • Sonos Move – portable weatherproof speaker for outdoors.

For example, put Sonos One SLs in bedrooms and bathrooms for affordability, while using Ones or Fives in main living areas. Match the speaker capabilities to each room.

Conclusion

Determining how many Sonos speakers you need depends on room size, intended use, and budget. For most homes, you can start with one speaker in 3-5 main rooms you want to hear audio. Expand from there for whole home coverage.

Aim for 2-3 speakers in larger spaces like open concept living room/kitchens, and just 1 speaker in smaller rooms like office and bedrooms. Add a Sonos Sub for thunderous bass, and weatherproof Move speakers to extend music outside.

While not cheap, a complete Sonos system delivers a wireless music experience far beyond any single speaker. With smart planning for each room’s needs, you can craft a home audio system to fit your lifestyle. Now start filling your place with brilliant sound!

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