Sonos announced the Sonos One smart speaker in 2017, followed by the Sonos One SL in 2019. They remained the main entry-level speakers for Sonos up until 2023 when the multi-room speaker company revealed the Era 100. That’s not to say the Sonos One and Sonos One SL are redundant however. It’s still possible to buy both in some places, though they are much harder to find these days.
If you do find them however, you’ll find they are both cheaper than the Era 100 too. The main difference between the Sonos One and Sonos One SL is that One is a smart speaker (quite literally) and the One SL isn’t.
If you’re not quite sure what that means, or you’re trying to work out if the Sonos One or the Sonos One SL is the right speaker for your Sonos setup rather than the Sonos Era 100, then read on as we explain exactly how they compare to one another.
Sonos One vs One SL: Design and build
The Sonos One was Sonos’ first smart speaker, with the One SL following a couple of years later, keeping every aspect of the One’s looks, with its all-over grille and squat shape.
Measuring in at 6.36 x 4.69 x 4.69 inches (161.45 x 119.7 x 119.7mm) and weighing 1.78kg, the One and the One SL are small speakers – not HomePod Mini small – more on a par with the likes of the latest Echo and Nest Audio.
They are pretty much identical, save for the panel on the top which differs very slightly. There’s no microphone array or mic icon with the One SL.
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You’ll still get capacitative buttons on the top, to control volume, track skipping, play and pause, in case you don’t want to use your phone and the Sonos app.
Like the Sonos One, the SL comes in either black or white.
Sonos One vs One SL: Price
In the US, the smart assistant boasting Sonos One cost $219 when it initially launched, whereas the SL was $20 cheaper at $199. The price has reduced slightly now however following the launch of the Era 100, but as mentioned, they are harder to get hold of as they are being phased out with the arrival of the Era 100.
In the UK the difference was £20 at launch; it was £199 for the One and £179 for the One SL.
Sonos One versus Sonos One SL: Smart assistants
The original One, which was the natural successor to the now-discontinued Play:1 and the predecessor to the Era 100, featured Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant built right in. Google’s Assistant was also added to the mix soon after launch – something the Era 100 lacks with it offering Alexa but not Google Assistant.
The Sonos One boasts a six microphone array to enable users to control their Sonos system. Just like on an Amazon Echo or a Google Home speaker, sound levels will dip on hearing the “Alexa” or “Hey Google” command, enabling you to bark commands to the on-board assistant.
Be aware that you have to choose one voice assistant to live on your Sonos One – you can’t have Alexa and the Google Assistant being stablemates, though you can have Sonos Voice Control working alongside either Alexa or Google Assistant.
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In the most basic of classifications and, as mentioned up top, the One SL isn’t technically a smart speaker as it doesn’t have a voice assistant baked in. Let’s be honest, that’s the whole point of its existence. It’s a Sonos One for people that don’t want Big Tech eavesdropping in their homes.
But that’s not to say it’s a dumb speaker either. Obviously both speakers sync up seamlessly within a Sonos multi-room system but they also both boast AirPlay 2 and Spotify Connect as well.
Sonos One or Sonos One SL: Sound quality
In terms of sound quality and audio performance, again, you are getting an identical story with whichever One you choose.
For a speaker of its size the One range sounds truly fantastic. Clear at every frequency, wonderfully balanced. Punchy bass that doesnât dominate and so, so loud. Its design also enables it to deliver sound evenly across 360 degrees and it can truly fill a room.
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Obviously, as a bookshelf speaker, both versions of the One also lend themselves perfectly to being hooked up as a stereo pair – and yes, you can mix and match One and One SL speakers as stereo pairs.
Sonos One v One SL: Which is best?
The original One may have been the first nail in the Play:1’s coffin but it was the Sonos One SL that essentially replaced the Play:1 as the core speaker in the Sonos ecosystem. Of course, the Era 100 has since been the first nail in the Sonos One coffin, but the One SL still has a place by removing the smart assistant feature not everyone may want.
If you already have a Sonos One, for example, you might not need another microphone-enabled speaker, in which case the One SL will be a logical choice.
If you’re looking to get Alexa or the Google Assistant involved in your Sonos system then the One is the speaker for you, of course – or the Era 100 if you’re happy with just Alexa.
Whether the Sonos One or Sonos One SL is in your sights though – and if you can still get hold of one – you’ll be getting Sonos’ entry-level-but-still-great audio performance at a decent price point.
