TL;DR: Connecting to a Sonos speaker is simpler than most people expect. You download the Sonos app, plug the speaker in, follow the on-screen steps, and you are listening within a few minutes. The app then becomes your control centre for every Sonos speaker in your home, across every room, all from your phone.
One of the most common questions we get at Expressive Audio from people considering Sonos for the first time is a simple one: how do I actually connect to it? The good news is that Sonos is genuinely one of the easiest audio systems to get up and running. Here is a straightforward walkthrough, and a look at the Sonos products we stock to help you decide where to start.
How Sonos Connection Works
Every Sonos speaker connects to your home Wi-Fi network rather than directly to a single device. This is the key thing that makes Sonos different from a standard Bluetooth speaker. Once a speaker is on your network, any phone, tablet, or computer connected to the same network can control it through the Sonos app. There is no pairing, no Bluetooth range limit, and no need to reconnect every time you switch devices.
Setting Up a Sonos Speaker: Step by Step
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Download the Sonos app on your iOS or Android device. It is free and available from the App Store or Google Play.
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Plug your Sonos speaker in and wait for the status light to flash.
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Open the app and tap "Set up a new system" or "Add a product" if you already have Sonos at home.
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Follow the on-screen instructions. The app will ask you to hold your phone near the speaker, then walk you through connecting it to your Wi-Fi network.
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Choose your streaming service. Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, Amazon Music, and many others connect directly via the app.
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Start listening. That is genuinely it.
The Sonos app also handles Trueplay, a room calibration feature that uses your phone's microphone to measure the acoustics of your space and adjusts the speaker's EQ automatically for the best possible sound in that room.
Which Sonos Speaker Should You Start With?
Sonos Era 100
The most popular starting point and the one we recommend most often. The Era 100 is a compact stereo smart speaker with two Class D amplifiers, two tweeters, and a mid-woofer, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and a line-in adapter support for connecting analogue sources. It replaced the much-loved Sonos One and improves on it in every area.
Good for: A bedroom, kitchen, or office. An excellent first Sonos speaker that leaves plenty of room to expand later.
Sonos Era 300
A spatial audio speaker with six drivers and six Class D amplifiers, designed to produce Dolby Atmos music in a single cabinet. It is the most technically ambitious Sonos speaker currently available and produces a noticeably wider, more three-dimensional soundstage than any other speaker in the range.
Good for: A living room or dedicated listening space where spatial audio from Apple Music or Tidal is part of your regular listening.
Sonos Five
The premium home speaker in the Sonos range, built for serious music listening. Three Class D amplifiers, three tweeters, three woofers, a 3.5mm line-in jack for turntables or CD players, and the highest audio quality Sonos currently offer in a single speaker.
Good for: Anyone who wants high-fidelity music streaming in a single box, or who wants to connect a vinyl or CD source to the Sonos system.
Sonos Roam 2
The portable member of the Sonos family. IP67 waterproof, up to 10 hours battery life, and it connects via Wi-Fi at home and Bluetooth when you are out. Sound Swap lets you throw audio from any Sonos speaker at home to the Roam 2 and back again with a single button press.
Good for: Garden listening, travel, or anywhere you want to take Sonos sound away from the house.
Sonos Arc Ultra Smart Soundbar
Sonos's flagship soundbar, featuring Sound Motion technology for a more expansive soundstage alongside full Dolby Atmos support. Connects to your TV via HDMI eARC, integrates with the Sonos app alongside all your other speakers, and can be paired with a Sonos Sub and Era 300 rear speakers for a complete Dolby Atmos surround system.
Good for: Anyone who wants to significantly upgrade their TV audio while keeping everything controlled from a single app.
Sonos Amp
The Sonos Amp is for listeners who already have a pair of passive speakers they love and want to bring them into the Sonos ecosystem. At 125 watts per channel into 8 ohms, it drives most bookshelf and floorstanding speakers confidently, with HDMI ARC for TV connection and a line-in for analogue sources including a turntable.
Good for: Anyone who wants to add Sonos streaming to an existing pair of speakers, including in-wall, in-ceiling, or outdoor speaker installations.
Can You Use Sonos in Multiple Rooms?
Yes, and this is where Sonos really earns its reputation. Once you have one speaker set up, adding more to different rooms takes a couple of minutes per speaker. You can then group rooms together to play the same music everywhere, or play different music in each room independently, all from the same app on your phone. There is no limit to how many rooms you add over time, and every speaker you buy from Expressive Audio slots straight into the same system.
If you would like a demonstration of how a Sonos system works in practice, we can arrange that with any combination of Sonos products at our Lincolnshire showroom at Manor Farm Yard, Highgate Lane, Moorby Boston, PE22 7PN. Call us on 01507 499047 or browse the full Sonos range at Expressive Audio.