Sonos speakers and soundbars are on sale for up to $100
It’s far too easy to overlook a key component of a great Super Bowl watch party experience: quality audio. Although we’ve already covered some of the best TV deals taking place ahead of the big game, it’s also advisable to not assemble a room full of football fans when all you have for sound is the tinny built-in speakers on your TV. Thankfully, Sonos is running a sale until February 12th on a few of its speakers and soundbars, which can help you level up your system when it comes to watching sports and listening to music.
First off, the midrange Sonos Beam is on sale for $399 at Best Buy, Target, Amazon, and direct from Sonos. That’s $50 off the latest version of the Beam, which supports Dolby Atmos for virtual surround sound and has a fairly small footprint, allowing it to fit nicely into most home TV setups. I own the previous-gen Beam, and while it has served me well for years, it has some faint audio latency that’s most apparent when playing games. The second-gen model fixes that issue thanks to its support for eARC and HDMI 2.1, however, and produces better sound overall. If you’ve got a compatible TV and want an affordable-ish soundbar that’s available in black or white and works easily with multiroom streaming, the Beam is a worthwhile option. Read our review.
Now, if you want a premium soundbar experience — with a premium price to go with it — the Sonos Arc is on sale for around $799 ($100 off) at Target, Best Buy, and direct from Sonos. The Arc is Sonos’ flagship soundbar and features 11 drivers, helping it put out some big boomy sound. Two of those drivers are upward facing to provide a more surround sound-like envelope, but it also delivers excellent audio overall, which helps you hear all the details of sound effects and soundtracks without losing the dialogue in the mix. It pairs best with a TV that supports Dolby Atmos, however, so check to see if your set has an HDMI port with eARC compatibility. And if you already have a Sonos speaker system for listening to music, the Arc is great for pulling double duty for music listening as well. Read our review.
For those of you already invested in the Sonos ecosystem and looking to add some more throaty rumble to your home, the latest Sonos Sub is selling for around $649 ($100 off) at Best Buy, Target, and direct from Sonos. Unlike most subwoofers out there, Sonos’ Sub isn’t a total eyesore in your living room. It has a sleek design and comes in black or white to match or blend in with your space, and it pairs wirelessly with other Sonos speakers and soundbars (so you just have a power cable to worry about). You can even position it on its side and squeeze it under your couch if you want it completely out of sight. That said, don’t be surprised if you feel every big hit during the Super Bowl — or when your downstairs neighbors come knocking.
Last, though certainly not least, is the Sonos One, which is on sale for around $179 ($40 off) at Best Buy, Target, Amazon (low stock), and Sonos. This is Sonos’ most diminutive Wi-Fi-connected speaker, and it’s the best fit for most people. If your priority is listening to music in one or more parts of your home, the One is hard to beat (unless you’re on a much tighter budget — because the more stripped-down Ikea Symfonisk also exists). The smart speaker produces terrific sound for its size, and it can be paired with a second One for stereo playback if you want to use them to listen to music or act as a pair of rear surrounds for a Sonos soundbar.
The Sonos One also supports both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant voice assistants via an array of six built-in mics, but they don’t perform quite as well here as on those brands’ dedicated smart speakers. The One is really geared toward those who care first and foremost about ease of use while streaming music, which makes it perfect for the casual listener. Read our original review.