Sonos vs Audio Pro – Which Brand Is Better?

Last Updated on June 22, 2023 by Norvan Martin

Sonos andAudio Pro are two renowned and well respected brands in the audio industry that produces high quality speakers, headphones, soundbars, and subwoofers.

In this article, we will cover a general overview of both brands, looking specifically at sound quality, durability, price and so on. Of course, each brand has different devices at different price points, however we will compare them as closely as we can.

Sonos is a well-known brand in the home theater and audio industry, known for its high-quality wireless home audio systems, while Audio Pro is a well-regarded brand in the home theater and audio industry known for its high-quality home theater systems and audio equipment.

Pros and Cons of Sonos:

• Pros: Sonos is known for producing high-quality, easy-to-use wireless audio systems that can be easily integrated into a home network. Many of their products have good sound quality and are easy to set up.
• Cons: Over the years, many users have complained about Sonos as it relates to connectivity and in some cases, even reliability. In addition, their products can be relatively expensive.

Pros and Cons of Audio Pro:

• Pros: Offers a range of high-quality home audio products, including speakers, soundbars, and portable Bluetooth speakers. Known for producing products with good sound quality and build quality.
• Cons: Does not have as strong of a reputation as some other brands in the audio industry.

Quick History

Sonos Quick History

Sonos, Inc. is an American company that specializes in the development and manufacture of audio devices. They are best known for their quality multi-room audio products. The company was co-founded in 2002 by John MacFarlane, Craig Shelburne, Tom Cullen, and Trung Mai.

The company displayed its first prototype at an industry event in 2004 and started shipping in early 2005. The company is always expanding its services internationally, for example to the UK in 2005 and Japan in 2018.

In January 2015, Sonos was rebranded by Bruce Mau Design, with a new visual identity and improved logotype.

Audio Pro Quick History

Audio Pro has a long history in the early HiFi market. Since 1978, the Swedish company has created, developed, and produced speakers and other audio products sold in more than 55 nations worldwide.

In the 1970s, Audio Pro introduced a line of active speakers with cutting-edge technology and excellent sound, which went on to become historical turning points in the speaker industry. The company was founded by engineer Karl-Erik Ståhls and is headquartered in Helsingborg, Skane County.

Sound Quality

Sonos Sound Quality

One of the most distinctive features of all Sonos speakers is their superb audio quality. The sound output is rich and clean, with deep bass and clear mid-tones.

Sonos has a team of seasoned musicians such as Grammy-winning music producer Giles Martin that assist in fine-tuning their speakers to ensure a natural and superior sound. Each Sonos speaker sounds really great on its own but you can connect two or more speakers together for a really immersive experience.

Audio Pro Sound Quality

Devices made by Audio Pro are known to sound fantastic. The speakers perform well at both high and low volumes, sounding dramatic and punchy when the track requires it, and the bass is deep but not excessive.

Some of their devices have a weakness which is a lack of treble brightness, particularly at higher sound levels, as well as an unclear timbre in the midrange frequencies.

Features

Sonos Features

Sonos is very popular for the suite of features that are incorporated into their products to ensure that you get the best out of your gadget. Most of the features ensure versatility in the speakers, which allows you to use them throughout the house, or outside.

Here are some features you can expect from your Sonos device:

Sonos App: The Sonos app is available for both iOS and Android to bring additional functionality to all your Sonos devices. Apart from functioning as a remote control for your speakers, it has a lot of other features such as the Calm app that plays relaxing music if you’re going to sleep, or you can set your alarm so that you wake up to your favorite music. It also has a sound equalizer feature to tweak the sound of your speaker to your taste.

Sonos Trueplay: To produce the best sound effect wherever you are, Sonos has a tuning feature known as Trueplay. Trueplay optimizes the sound of the speaker based on the acoustics of the room they are placed in.

Support For Multiple Music Platforms: Sonos has partnered with over 100 music service companies around the world such as Spotify, Pandora, Tidal, and Amazon Music to ensure that you can listen to your favorite music, podcasts, or TV shows regardless of the platform you use.

Surround Sound: Sonos speakers can be connected to each other for a truly immersive stereo or surround sound experience.

• Support for Bluetooth, WiFi, Airplay 2 streaming
• Voice control support for Amazon’s Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple Siri, and in-house Snips SAS
• Multiple input and output ports such as HDMI and optical audio input for TVs and type C to charge the battery-powered

Audio Pro Features

Audio Pro has a lot of beneficial features that can make users choose them over some other audio brands. Some of these features include:

• Multi-room functionality and grouping
• Simple network connection and compatibility.
• Multiple connectivity options (Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, auxiliary, Apple AirPlay).
• A range of supported audio formats-MP3, WMA, AAC, FLAC, etc.
• Rechargeable battery with level indicator
• Support for a remote smartphone.

Build Quality

Sonos Build Quality

Sonos uses sturdy materials like polycarbonate for the grille and a mixture of ABS and 10% glass fiber for the chassis to ensure a solid build, though this makes their speakers bulky. But if you prefer durability to portability, Sonos is the way to go.

Some of their speakers have IP ratings, which means they are water-resistant and dust-resistant, therefore allowing for outdoor use.

Audio Pro Build Quality

Audio Pro devices have a distinctive retro, yet chic and homely look. Their devices are constricted using solid materials and have simple finishes, but they are built to last.

The simplicity of their designs makes them suitable for most decors and spaces. 

Ease of Use

Sonos Ease Of Use

Sonos products have a minimalistic design and a clean look without a clutter of buttons, which makes the products easy to operate.

Older Sonos speakers have a pause/play button that can mute if you press and hold or skip a track if you double click. Newer speakers have a touch-sensitive button that skips to the next or previous track if you slide from left-to-right or right-to-left, respectively.

Multiple speaker connectivity is easy to set up across different rooms using WiFi, Bluetooth, or connection to a single router.

Audio Pro Ease Of Use

The setup and use of Audio Pro products are quite easy. Every user has easy access to use and customize any settings to their preferred taste thanks to their mobile app that can be downloaded from both the Google Play Store and the Apple Store.

Audio Pro also offers a guide booklet that users can refer to if they run into any problems setting anything up.

Cost

Sonos Cost

Sonos products are quite expensive, but they are known to always deliver quality regardless of their price tag.

Sonos products are known for always delivering excellent performance, build quality, and strong connections compared to other brands in the same price range. In short, Sonos makes products that give great value for money.

Here is a price range for some Sonos products:

Soundbars: $150 – $850

Smart speakers: $150 – $500

Premium speakers: $200 – $900

Amplifier: From $600

Subwoofer: From $700

Audio Pro Cost

Below is the price range for different products by Audio Pro:

• Speakers: $200 – $1200
• Headphones: $50 – $300
• Subwoofers: $200 – $1000

Space Requirements

Sonos Space Requirements

Sonos speakers tend to be bulky, so they require ample space to use. Though this doesn’t mean that it cannot be used on your desk or placed on a bookshelf.

Some Sonos speakers, like the Sonos Roam and Sonos Move, focus on portability. Therefore, they produce the excellent audio output that Sonos is well-known for at a reduced weight and size.

Audio Pro Space Requirements

Audio pro devices do not consume so much space, although they equally produce devices that are specifically large due to the function they perform.

The Audio Pro C10 has a dimension of HxWxD: 166 x 320 x 180 mm, and yet the sounds are outstanding just like the bigger ones. An example of a bigger Audio pro device is the audio pro drumfire speaker, of dimensions HxWxD: 500 x 365 x 190 mm.

Remote Controls

Sonos Remote Controls

There are several universal remote controls supported by Sonos products. There are some custom-made Sonos remote controls for easy operation of your devices. Sonos devices can also be remotely controlled with the Sonos app which allows you to control each device connected to the network individually.

Sonos gadgets also have Snips SAS, Sono’s custom AI technology for connected devices with the purpose of bringing a music-specific voice assistant to all its devices.

Audio Pro Remote Controls

Audio Pro company produces remote controls which can also work for different kinds of brands. They work well within a minimum distance of 7 meters apart. Though the Audio Pro app can also be used as a remote control for the devices.

Connectivity Options

Sonos Connectivity Options

Multiple Sonos gadgets in a single household can be connected to each other wirelessly, through a wired Ethernet network, or a mixture of both. Wireless connectivity includes Bluetooth, WiFi, and LAN network for Internet connectivity.

Wired connections include HDMI for connecting to TVs and Ethernet connection to connect to multiple devices. Sonos devices can also be connected using Alexa, Siri, Google Assistant, or Snips SAS.

Sonos gadgets can be connected to any device with Bluetooth or WiFi connection such as your smartphones, digital TVs, and other Sonos devices over the same network.

Audio Pro Connectivity Options

Here are the main connectivity options compatible with most KEF speakers:

• Bluetooth
• Wi-Fi
• RCA
• HDMI

Power Range

Sonos Power Range

Sonos devices have different power ranges depending on the device’s performance. An average Sonos speaker consumes from 55 Watts to 125 Watts per channel.

Most Sonos devices do not have power buttons but have an idle/standby mode, consuming from 4-8 Watts in this standby mode.

All the information on the power range of a device is included in the product manual, so you can get information on the power range for your particular device.

Audio Pro Power Range

The power range of Audio Pro devices ranges between 500 W to 2000 W on average. An example is the Audio Pro CV-152B with a power range of 500W (RMS) to 1000W (peak) and Audio Pro CV-3B of 2000W (RMS).

Frequency Response

Sonos Frequency Response

Sonos speakers have pleasing frequency ranges to suit the various types of usage scenarios. The Sonos five, for example, has a -3 dB bass response frequency of 88 hertz, which is excellent for a speaker of its size.

Audio Pro Frequency Response

The frequency response of Audio Pro devices varies from device to device. An example is the Audio Pro drum fire speaker with a frequency range of 45 Hz–22 KHz and the Audio Pro A36 floor standing speaker with a 32 Hz–25 KHz frequency response.

However, the average frequency response for most Audio Pro devices ranges from 50Hz–22KHz.

Conclusion

Sonos is a company that’s dedicated to manufacturing products with premium quality for a decent price. Their products have a wide range of features to suit each person’s needs. As said above, Sonos is a company that produces devices that give good value for money. 

Do not forget that Audio Pro has definitely put into consideration the price, sound, and everything else required to get the best out of an audio device. Audio Pro has an incredible range of wireless, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth devices that offer amazing performance.

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