The 4 Best Reasons to Avoid a Sonos One

Smart speakers are on the rise, and different companies are releasing these products daily. The Sonos One has been the talk of the market for a while, with people coming up withreasons to buy it. However, others haven t been left behind, coming up with thebiggest complaintsabout the Sonos One speaker instead. So, before purchasing the Sonos One, we have listed the four main reasons to avoid a Sonos One.

With the hype in the market and considering that it s an expensive product, is it worth your money? This article will determine if it is worth it and also discuss some alternatives to the Sonos One. Without further ado, let s dive in.

Some Background on the Sonos One

If you love enjoying some delightful music, you must have heard about the Sonos Company speakers. Sonos was among the first companies to introduce smart speakers that use the internet to operate. The reputation that the Sonos Company has built makes customers ready to purchase over and over after every new release of speakers. However, there are still reasons to avoid the Sonos One.

The company announced the release of the Sonos One Gen 1 release onOctober 4, 2017, and officially released the product on October 24. The speaker has a six-microphone array, which enables it to usevirtual assistantslike Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. Sonos One uses a controller app for setting up and controlling the device. But this App is also used to connect other music services such asAmazon Music, Spotify, iHeartRadio, and Pandora Radio through voice interaction. It has amesh network, which allows the speakers to connect with SonosNet. Both the speaker and the App communicate through Wi-Fi.

After the Sonos One took the market by storm, the company released the Sonos One Gen 2, with advanced features. They added Bluetooth Low Energy (not for audio playback), increased the memory from Gen 1, and updated the processor.

In September 2019, Sonos released another new generation, the Sonos One SL. The Sonos SL is similar to the Gen 2, from the exterior design to its functionality, but it lacks microphones. The Sonos SL is incompatible with Google Assistant or Alexa without the microphones.

Reasons to Avoid a Sonos One

Sonos One has lived the hype since its release. Most people have purchased this device because of its quality audio, Alexa integration, and ability to work with every other music service. But, some users found the product not worth the high price it s going for. From complicated setup issues to being useless without Wi-Fi, is this product worth it? The following are some of the reasons to avoid a Sonos One.

Reason 1: The App Has Limited Functionality

One of the main reasons to avoid a Sonos One is the App s limited functionality on Android or iOS. The Sonos App doesn t work with every AirPlay device and cannot be connected with Bluetooth or Wi-Fi without the App.

Further, it limits users when using services from companies Sonos have an agreement with, like Spotify. While using Spotify on the Sonos One, it doesn t accept the free account, only the premium account. When you pause, the Sonos Audible app skips some content when you unpause back. In addition, you can t forward or replay something you are listening to for 30 seconds; you can only do it manually.

Reason 2: Not Good With Alexa

Some people have praised the Sonos One for having good integration with Alexa, but not all. Regarding Alexa, most users have had the worst disappointments. This speaker could use some improvement if you enable Alexa. Ready to purchase a speaker that s not compatible with Alexa?

When you play a song and want to ask for something, it won t pause to listen and reduce the volume, thus making it hard to hear what you are saying. You need to shout for it to get what you are saying.

Another disappointment with the Sonos One is that it only supports a few Alexa functions and doesn t support advanced functions. If you request that it play a particular song, it is a guessing game since it can t hear the keywords you want. In fact, Alexa on Sonos can only recognize individual names and not group names.

Reason 3: Complicated Setup Process

When you purchase a new smart speaker, you only need to enjoy not taking all your time setting it up. Despite having quality sound, Sonos One s setting process can make you quit before you start listening. In fact, it is one of the primary reasons to avoid a Sonos One.

After purchasing it, you will need to install the Sonos app and closely follow all the steps it gives. This will enable you to connect the speaker to your home Wi-Fi. The process will require you toshare your locationinformation with Sonos, create an account using your email, and then allow Bluetooth. But the speakers only operate over Wi-Fi. Another challenge is getting the App to accept your home Wi-Fi and make it compatible with the speaker.

Reason 4: It s Pricey

Even though intelligent speakers need you to spend a fortune to get one, the Sonos One is pricier. To get one, you need to spend a lot of cash. People purchase the product because of the company s reputation for making the best smart speakers. If you are not ready to spend that much money on a speaker, then it is one reason to avoid a Sonos One.

Even though the Sonos Company likes to release new products, please don t rush to purchase this product; it takes time before they add new features.

Alternatives to a Sonos One

Best Overall: Bose Home Speaker 500