Avid Contributor I

Sonos v. Heos Comparison

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I am trying to find straight comparison's between the various Sonos and Heos speakers. Ignoring the apps, lawsuits, and preference of appearance and instead focusing strictly on sound quality, does anyone know of where to find some good comparisons between the products or maybe have done comparisons of their own?

Below are a few basics as best I understand or have compared:

Sonos One v. Heos 1 - Most seem to give the Sonos One a slight edge in sound quality.

Sonos Play 3 v. Heos 3 - Neither really seems to have an edge.

Sonos Play 5 v. Heos 5 - Most seem to give the Play 5 a slight edge in sound quality.

Sonos Play 5 v. Heos 7 - A vast majority seem to give the Heos 7 the easy edge here. It seems to be highly rated all around.

Sonos PlayBar (w/ sub) v. Heos HomeCinema - Neither really seem to have an edge.

Sonos PlayBar (w/ sub) v. Heos Bar (w/ sub) - Reviews that compare these are hard to find but between the lack of HDMI on the PlayBar and the raw specs of the Heos Bar, it seems to be the better pick. A few stores will tell you the same.

Does anyone have links that support/refute the above? What are your personal experiences?

Have the specs for the new PlayBar/PlayBase leaked?

Thx.

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A

Atari_PrimeAuthor

Avid Contributor I

Bose SoundTouch launched October 11, 2013

Denon HEOS launched June 2, 2014

Both have been through full line redesigns since.

I'm also curious as to where the "17% compared to Sonos's 50(ish)%" came from. Sonos does not give sales figures, and even so, if Denon is outselling Bose, I'd be very, very surprised.

I didn't make up the statistics, they are out there. As for Bose, they have only recently dove head first into the whole home wireless audio market. For a long time they fought tooth and nail claiming that their wired systems were the way to go. The SoundTouch system was never meant to be a true whole home audio system, it's been kind of shoehorned into the role.

jgatie

I didn't make up the statistics, they are out there. As for Bose, they have only recently dove head first into the whole home wireless audio market. For a long time they fought tooth and nail claiming that their wired systems were the way to go. The SoundTouch system was never meant to be a true whole home audio system, it's been kind of shoehorned into the role.

Link for statistics? Because I can't find them. And no, Bose announced the SoundTouch as wireless whole home audio back in 2013. They were deemed a "Sonos Killer" in the press and here by worried enthusiasts. There was no "shoe horning", that's exactly what they were designed for.

Here's an article from the Verge stating that it was specifically made to take on Sonos:

www.theverge.com/2013/10/10/4821712/boses-soundtouch-system-brings-wireless-audio-to-every-room

chicks

Crutchfield allows sorting by "best sellers" in a filtered products list. Pretty obvious who sells by far the most multiroom audio systems.

https://www.crutchfield.com/g_385750/Wireless-Multi-room-Audio-Systems.html?tp=61788&o=v&pg=1#&nvpair=FFType|Adapter/Streamer&nvpair=FFType|Amplified%20Music%20Player&nvpair=FFType|Powered%20Speaker&nvpair=FFType|Sound%20Bar

A

Atari_PrimeAuthor

Avid Contributor I

As of May 30 at approximately 9 PM, group volume control has been restored to the HEOS App. Everything appears to be functioning as normal.

B

BurtBushell

Renowned Enthusiast II

Crutchfield allows sorting by "best sellers" in a filtered products list. Pretty obvious who sells by far the most multiroom audio systems.

https://www.crutchfield.com/g_385750/Wireless-Multi-room-Audio-Systems.html?tp=61788&o=v&pg=1#&nvpair=FFType|Adapter/Streamer&nvpair=FFType|Amplified%20Music%20Player&nvpair=FFType|Powered%20Speaker&nvpair=FFType|Sound%20Bar

Sonos is the best selling among multiroom audio systems pre HomePod - I don't really consider Echo and Google Home as necessarily operating in the exact space though their success has blunted Sonos' growth potential. Now that Apple has added multiroom with its 11.4 update it may be a bigger competitive threat for Sonos. Poor sales for Apple may still be more that Sonos just by virtue of the power of their brand. Ppl worry about Sonos longevity with Amazon, Google and Apple now operating in similar spaces but if Sonos prospects is challenging what then of Denon, Bose, BlueSound etc. Their multiform businesses must be on life support.

I have to say I think Sonos has enough going for it and with some clever product updates they can remain a viable company for the foreseeable company.

(1) Play 1, (1) Play 3, (2) Play 5s Gen 1, (1) Play 5 Gen 2, (1) Connect Amp powering a pair of Wharfedale Diamond 10.1, (2) Echo Dots.

Chris

Lead Maestro

I like Sonos embracing all of the competitors at this point - making their speakers compatible with Amazon, Google, and Apple. Making Sonos the more universal choice - which has always been its specialty (ie in past not beholden to one music service either). Sonos remains the most flexible alternative where your not locked in an echo-system - - very big advantage.

Respect the Queue (2)Move (3)Beam (1) Era100 (2)ARC (1)SonosOne (1)Playbar (4)Play5 (4)Play1 (3)Play3 (1)Port (2)Connect (1) Roam (2) Ace (1)Connect:Amp (4)Sonos Amp (1)Sub + (9) Echo + Smartthings; (2)Play)

melvimbe

Have there been any sales estimates for the Homepod? And I'm not quite sure how Google and Amazon are considered to be a different space than Sonos, but Apple is? Perhaps because Apple is comparing their speaker to Sonos while Google and Amazon are not?

From what I've seen, all of the players have struggled a bit in figuring out exactly what customer want from a voice assistant speaker and being able to deliver functionality on time and bug free. And that's understandable since it's a brand new space. I agree with Chris in that trying to be voice assistant neutral can give Sonos an edge. I add that they're ability to go HT theatre as part of your whole home audio also sets them apart.

Danny

B

BurtBushell

Renowned Enthusiast II

Have there been any sales estimates for the Homepod? And I'm not quite sure how Google and Amazon are considered to be a different space than Sonos, but Apple is? Perhaps because Apple is comparing their speaker to Sonos while Google and Amazon are not?

Well one simple way to look at it is as follows - I am a 6 room Sonos household. Can Amazon replace my system? I wouldn't consider going in that direction mainly because of Sound Quality and the number of supported services etc. Sonos seems a more hard core choice for pure music lovers. The Echos are not in that space at really - for suited to casual music lovers and people who love tech and the range of conveniences that voice brings. OK with Google Home Max I may consider it an option but again Google does not have the range of multiform audio options that Sonos have.

For me Apple can only be considered if I am pleased to be barricaded into Apple's jungle. I am an big Apple user but no thanks.

(1) Play 1, (1) Play 3, (2) Play 5s Gen 1, (1) Play 5 Gen 2, (1) Connect Amp powering a pair of Wharfedale Diamond 10.1, (2) Echo Dots.

melvimbe

Although I agree that speaker quality of Sonos is better than Amazon and Google overall, Amazon (and I think Google too) have had multiroom functionality for a while now. In fact, people often come here to complain that Sonos and Echos can't do multiroom together. And sound quality isn't everything to all customers.

As far as Apple goes, they just came out with multiroom functionality with the release of airplay2. Some people say they're speakers are better than Sonos, but it's debatable. I'm not even convinced they can do a true stereo pair. Still, they are going to compete with Sonos for customers, may be more than Google and Amazon since there is yet no real integration plan for Sonos and Homepod to coexist in a home.

So I suppose we basically agree...semantics.

Danny

Chris

Lead Maestro

I don't consider Amazon multiroom very functional - it will work but it isn't the multiroom experience I believe most look for.

Respect the Queue (2)Move (3)Beam (1) Era100 (2)ARC (1)SonosOne (1)Playbar (4)Play5 (4)Play1 (3)Play3 (1)Port (2)Connect (1) Roam (2) Ace (1)Connect:Amp (4)Sonos Amp (1)Sub + (9) Echo + Smartthings; (2)Play)

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