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Using Sonos speakers in older buildings with high humidity

  • September 14, 2026
  • 4 replies
  • 42 views

Damprot
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We have a couple of Sonos speakers set up in our workspace which is inside an older stone-walled building. The environment gets quite humid, particularly during autumn and winter when the temperature drops and moisture levels in the walls increase. There is no active damp but the general humidity sits noticeably higher than a modern insulated building.

So far the speakers have been performing fine, but we are slightly concerned about the long-term effects of sustained humidity on the electronics and drivers. We listen to music and podcasts throughout the working day so the speakers are running for eight or nine hours at a stretch in these conditions.

A couple of things we would like to know from the community:

Has anyone used Sonos products long term in a humid or poorly ventilated space, and did you notice any degradation in sound quality or reliability over time?

Is there any guidance from Sonos on acceptable humidity ranges for their indoor speakers?

We are considering adding a Move 2 or a Roam for portability between rooms but wondering whether the sealed design on those would actually handle the humidity better than the standard home speakers.

Would appreciate hearing from anyone in a similar setup.

4 replies

jgatie
  • September 14, 2026

I’ve had a Roam 1 since first released (April 2021) in a bathroom that gets steam and humidity from daily showers.  Still going strong.


AjTrek1
  • September 14, 2026

Other than Sonos portable speakers (that have a higher rating) all are humidity resistant with the exception of soundbars. However I would not place them in areas where the humidity is extremely high 24/7. Of course “extremely high” is subjective to individual thinking.

The best option IMO is the recently launched Sonos Play portable that is water proof. Better sound than a Roam 2.

The other option for bigger sound is the Move 2 which is water resistant. The difference between water “proof” and “resistant” is that the former (in Sonos Speak) means the speaker can be submerged in water due to a drop for a short period of time and not sustain damage.

I can attest that a stereo pair of Sonos Play’s outperforms a single Move 2 (IMO 😊). 


Airgetlam
  • September 14, 2026

I’ve used a PLAY:3 and a PLAY:1, and now a Sonos One for many years in a bathroom, which, as @jgatie suggests, tends to get ‘moist’ at times. Never had an issue, but of course it isn’t the prolonged exposure you’re speaking of. Sonos publishes (and may be on the plate on each device?) the resistance to humidity as IP ratings. You may want to investigate that rating. 
 

None of the Sonos designed speakers, to my knowledge, are designed to run under water. 


AjTrek1
  • September 14, 2026

 Below is the official Sonos statement regarding the Sonos Play “resistance” to water. My term (although a matter of descriptive semantics) of water “proof” was probably too over the top. However, it addresses my comment about being submerged in water for a short period of time ( but not actively running under water 😊)