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Sonos is a leading American audio technology company that is best known for pioneering wireless multiroom audio systems, which make it easy for listeners to stream music and other content throughout their homes. The company continues to innovate, creating wireless speakers, home theater systems, headphones, architectural components, and integrated home audio solutions that revolutionize how people listen and connect to sound.

If you’re considering in-ceiling speakers, two things are probably true: You want high-quality audio, and you don’t want to sacrifice the aesthetics of your home to get it.

In-ceiling speakers offer an elegant architectural alternative to traditional floor or bookshelf speakers. Pair them with a home theater setup for a more immersive sound experience, or use them on their own to create an ambient vibe that’s perfect for entertaining.

While in-ceiling speakers offer impressive advantages, they aren’t for everyone. In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about in-ceiling speakers and help you decide whether to add them to your home audio system.

The question of whether to install in-ceiling speakers boils down to three key considerations: sound, aesthetics, and budget.

If your budget allows, in-ceiling speakers offer an attractive combination of sound quality and discreet installation. Let’s break down these considerations to help you determine whether it’s a worthwhile investment.

In-ceiling speakers distribute high-quality audio throughout your home

For sound that fills the rooms throughout your home, in-ceiling speakers can be a great choice. They blend in seamlessly with the physical contours of your space while offering natural, high-quality audio for an impressive range of applications.

When you use Sonos In-Ceiling speakers with Sonos Amp, you can activate the “Detect Sonos Architectural” function in the Sonos app to create a custom sound experience. This enables two features that take advantage of your space’s unique acoustics:

 optimizes the EQ to provide a more robust sound.

 measures how sound reflects off walls, furnishings, and other objects or surfaces in a room, then fine tunes your in-ceiling speakers to account for these physical surroundings.

For the most immersive experience, consider pairing in-ceiling speakers with in-wall speakers or another set of ear-level speakers. But even if you use in-ceiling speakers on their own, they can be great standalone speakers for playing music. 

 offer natural, room-filling sound throughout your home to help you achieve a premium ambient sound experience.

In-ceiling speakers blend in with your home’s design and decor

It’s a quandary many people face when building a home sound system: How do I achieve great sound without cluttering my home with speaker hardware? While Sonos 

 were designed to look great on counters or credenzas, our in-ceiling speakers are meant to seamlessly blend in with your home — because, sometimes, “nothing” is exactly what your home decor needs.

So, if discreet installation is what you’re after, in-ceiling speakers are likely your best bet. You can even pair them with other architectural speakers — such as 

 — for a sound system that blends seamlessly into your space and allows your decor to take center stage.

In-ceiling speakers require special installation

Architectural speakers often require a professional installer. It can be worth it to 

find someone with design and installation expertise

, as different space configurations and ceiling materials may require a different approach.

It’s also worth thinking about what your situation and needs might look like a few years down the road, as in-ceiling speakers can be a relatively inflexible solution. Once installed, they’re not easy to move to a different room or a new home. If you decide to take them with you, you’ll need to factor in the cost of a professional installer (again) as well as any repair costs associated with the removal.

On the plus side, if you own your home, installing in-ceiling speakers is a one-time event and can be well worth the investment. You won’t need to think about it again once it’s done, and you’ll enjoy your in-ceiling speakers for years to come. Even if you do decide to move or sell your home down the line, architectural speakers can be an attractive selling point that adds value for potential buyers.

Installer on a ladder installing Sonos in-ceiling speaker

You will almost certainly need to power your in-ceiling speakers with an 

This is because most architectural speakers are 

. In other words, they lack a built-in amplifier that provides power. This is in contrast to wireless speakers such as 

, which are actively powered by a built-in amp.

Why no built-in amp? Passive speakers tend to be larger in size, which translates to better performance but also requires a larger and more powerful amp. Integrating such an amp into the speaker itself would dramatically increase the speaker’s size and weight, creating installation difficulties. This is why in-ceiling speakers (and other architectural speakers) are typically passive.

The good news is that you can easily power Sonos Architectural speakers with 

. Amp provides more than enough juice to reliably power up to three pairs of Sonos Architectural speakers (six total) when wired in parallel. Amp also gives you access to the entire Sonos ecosystem, including the Sonos app and its “Detect Architectural Speaker” function that helps your speakers truly shine.

The exact number of in-ceiling speakers you need depends on a few things, starting with the size and layout of your room. You can adequately cover most small rooms (up to 150 square feet) with only a pair of speakers. For larger rooms (up to 500 square feet), you may need six or more speakers.

But it isn’t just square footage that matters.

Speakers project sound outward in a V shape, which means that the further away they are, the more space they cover. So, in-ceiling speakers can cover more area in a space with 14-foot ceilings than they would in a space with 8-foot ceilings, because the sound waves have more room to travel outward before they reach the height of the listener’s ears.

Other considerations may factor in, too. For example, if you only want in-ceiling speakers to cover the section of a room in which your home theater is installed, you can likely get away with only a pair of in-ceiling speakers installed on either side of your seated location. And if you want a 

, consulting a professional is probably your best bet. They’ll be able to advise on the type, number, and size of speakers that would be optimal for your space.

Where should I place my in-ceiling speakers?

In a typical two-channel system, the left and right in-ceiling speakers should be placed anywhere from six to 10 feet (1.8m to 3m) apart.

For a balanced sound experience, the main listening position should be as close to midway between the speakers as possible. Think about where you listen to music the most — your sofa, for example — and make sure that this location is centered between your speakers.

In a home theater setup, the in-ceiling speakers should also be positioned two to six feet (0.6m to 1.8m) behind your main listening position. This maximizes the soundstage and contributes to a more immersive sound experience. You can find a diagram of this configuration in the 

Sonos In-Ceiling By Sonance installation manual

Sonos in-ceiling speakers diagram for surround speaker placement

Remember that ceiling height is an important factor here, too. In the 

, you’ll find detailed instructions on how to space your in-ceiling speakers based on the height of your ceilings and the position of the listener.

Another factor that determines how many speakers you need? The size of the speakers themselves. Most ceiling speakers come in a 6” or 8” size, with the larger size usually offering a wider coverage angle, deeper bass, and a louder maximum volume.

It’s also possible to mix speaker sizes within the same configuration. Sonos In-Ceiling speakers come in pairs, but a single Amp can reliably power up to three pairs of speakers when wired in parallel. Just note that, in order to activate DSP and Trueplay, all of the speakers connected to Amp must be exactly the same size (e.g. all 6” or all 8” speakers). So if you are mixing speaker sizes and still want the best possible performance, you’ll need to dedicate one Amp for each speaker size.

Blending in is one of the major benefits of in-ceiling speakers. And painting your speaker grilles the same color as your ceiling can help them blend in even more.

Sonos by Sonance In-Ceiling Speakers include bezel-less grilles that completely cover the exposed speaker frame, so only the grilles themselves require painting. We recommend using only water-based latex paint on the grilles, and waiting until the paint is thoroughly dry before mounting the grille back on the speaker.

You find detailed grille painting instructions in the 

If your speakers are connected to Amp, you can control your Sonos In-Ceiling speakers directly via the 

Of course, you might prefer to use a home controller that isn’t on your smartphone or that also controls other features in your home, such as lighting. In this case, you still have plenty of options. Simply look for the 

 to ensure that any third-party controller or hardware components you buy will seamlessly connect with your Sonos home sound system.

 are in some ways similar to in-ceiling speakers, though they’re installed at head-level and are thus in a better position to be directly picked up by your ears.

Generally speaking, in-wall speakers are more of a specialized option than in-ceiling speakers. They’re often used in literal home theater setups, offering the kind of focused and immersive listening experience you’d expect from a trip to the cinema. There’s a good reason for this. Because they project sound at ear-level, in-wall speakers are well-suited to deliver crisp, clear dialogue — a must for movie watching.

In-ceiling speakers actually tend to be much more popular than in-wall speakers. Why? For one, people are generally more hesitant to drill holes in their walls than in their ceilings. And in-ceiling speakers can be more practical to install, as most homes have an attic or crawl space that lends itself to easier installation.

This isn’t to say it’s an “either-or” proposition. For a truly immersive sound experience, in-wall speakers can be a great complement to in-ceiling speakers.

Bring ceiling speakers into your home with a Sonos installer

While not the easiest option, in-ceiling speakers are worth considering if you want premium sound that seamlessly blends in with your home.

, including in-wall speakers and our weatherproof outdoor speakers. Combine all of them to create a whole-home audio system that amplifies every experience, from watching movies on the couch to hosting guests in the dining room and back patio.

For help installing and designing your Sonos architectural system, 

Kitchen with Sonos In-Ceiling speakers installed

The Beginner’s Guide to In-Ceiling Speakers

If you’re looking to upgrade your TV sound, there’s no denying the simple appeal of a soundbar. This all-in-one solution will instantly sound better than your TV’s speakers, and it doesn’t require much space. Most soundbars can fit snugly beneath your TV. And despite their front-facing position, many premium soundbars are engineered to fire sound in all directions around the room, giving you an affordable alternative to a multi-speaker setup.

But speakers have their place, too. Though soundbars like 

 are more than capable of incredible surround sound, a multi-speaker system benefits from the simple fact that there are more speakers placed around the listener. This lends itself to a more powerful and tailored solution, especially for larger rooms or 

Before we wade further into the speakers vs. soundbars debate, we’ll let you in on a little secret: You don’t have to choose. In fact, you’ll get the best home-theater experience by combining both. But you have to start somewhere, so let’s explore which of the two sound solutions is the best fit for your current needs.

Speakers vs. soundbars: General differences

 may look like a single elongated speaker, it actually houses multiple speaker drivers that work together to create an immersive sound experience.

In some cases, the sheer amount of speakers that can fit inside a single soundbar is truly impressive. Arc Ultra, for example, features 

 to cover every frequency on the sonic spectrum.

This differs from a typical surround-sound speaker system, which includes multiple speaker components placed at different spots around the room. Some of these speakers may be more specialized than others. A premium smart speaker like 

 can faithfully reproduce low to high frequencies, while a standalone subwoofer like 

 is specifically engineered to generate deep, dynamic low end.

So, when we’re comparing soundbars with speakers, we’re really comparing a single do-it-all device with a multi-component system. Thinking of things this way, the relative advantages of each become more clear:

 is a better choice if you want a single device that can combine the benefits of multiple speakers. If you’re interested in an easy upgrade to your home theater or TV sound, it’s likely the best way to go.

 are a more flexible solution, as you can mix and match different speakers to create a system that’s precisely tailored to your space and listening needs. And if you listen to music throughout your home, a multiroom speaker setup makes more sense than a single soundbar.

Now, let’s compare the two options based on factors like size, ease of installation, and sound quality.

Soundbars typically require less space than a multi-speaker setup. Most soundbars have a low-profile design that fits squarely beneath your TV. If you don’t like the look of speakers, you may prefer the relatively unobtrusive design of a soundbar.

(Of course, this isn’t necessarily a deal-breaker when it comes to speakers. Though they require more time, energy, and forethought to install, in-ceiling or in-wall 

 are another discreet option to consider.)

Speakers are generally placed throughout the listening space, with different speakers designated as the front, rear, surround, or height channels. This is in contrast to a premium soundbar like Arc Ultra, which actually does the work of nine ear-level speakers, one subwoofer, and four overhead speakers.

So, if you’re looking for the most efficient solution, a great soundbar will almost always win out. This is especially true if you’re mostly interested in watching TV and only have the budget for front-channel speakers.

But if you’re craving the most powerful and precise 

, you may consider investing in a multi-speaker setup.

Between soundbars and speakers, the ease of installation comes down to simple math. It’s usually faster to set up a single soundbar than it is to set up multiple speakers — especially if you need to think about where to position the speakers around the room.

With that said, setting up a multi-speaker system doesn’t have to be labor-intensive. Many of the 

 from Sonos can be fully installed within minutes of opening the box, and detailed product guides can help with placement decisions.

When comparing a single soundbar to a single speaker, the soundbar will typically have a more impressive all-around output.

Remember, soundbars are really multiple speakers in one. The acoustic architecture of Arc Ultra contains seven precisely angled tweeters to create crisp high frequencies and clear dialogue, six moodwoofers to handle mid-range frequencies, and a dual-membrane woofer to deliver exceptional bass. Such a wide range of specialized drivers would be difficult to find in any single speaker enclosure.

However, if you looked into the Era 300 speaker you’d find four tweeters ensuring faithful playback of high and mid-range frequencies and two woofers that maximize low-end output and are angled left and right to support stereo playback. So, both the Arc Ultra and speakers like Era 300 provide great quality and can support Dolby Atmos spatial audio. However, your decision depends on the circumstances you want to use them in.

Person placing a record on a turntable next to a white Era 300

Person using the touch controls on a white Arc Ultra mounted below a TV

Speakers vs. soundbars for home theater setups

A soundbar — especially one outfitted with 

 — is the best standalone option for a home theater setup.

Not only does a Dolby Atmos-equipped soundbar like Arc Ultra provide the all-important front channels; it also creates a massive soundstage with side-firing drivers and adds the dimension of height with upward-firing drivers.

Interested in an even more immersive home theater experience? Start with the soundbar to cover your front channels, then add two additional speakers to cover your rear left and rear right channels, and a subwoofer to handle the low end. (Sonos does not currently support speakers as front channels for TVs.)

So, you see, we don’t really need to put soundbars against speakers in a winner-takes-all battle. The best solution from a sound perspective is to combine them both to create the ultimate 

Because they’re such a great solution for a home theater setup, we don’t often think of soundbars as an option for listening to music. But a premium soundbar can certainly do justice to your favorite songs, given its spatial audio capabilities and the diverse range of frequencies it can reproduce.

With that said, if your only desire is to create a

 at home and you don’t have much use for a home theater setup, you’ll get better mileage by combining separate speaker components rather than relying solely on a soundbar. Take the Era 300 into consideration, which features six optimally positioned drivers all around the front, sides, and top to support Dolby Atmos Music—immersing you in every dimension of the song.

Even if you start with speakers, you can always add a soundbar to cover your front channels if you eventually decide to convert to a more cinematic setup.

A soundbar stands out as the best and simplest solution to upgrade your TV’s sound. The best soundbars combine remarkable ease of use with performance that’s truly cinema-quality, thanks to Dolby Atmos spatial audio technology.

But the choice between a soundbar and speakers isn’t as black-and-white it may appear. It’s easy to combine both options in a Sonos sound system that delivers a premium audio and home theater experience in one. And thanks to the 

, you can control every component of your system and stream your favorite music from the palm of your hand.

If you’re interested in bringing a new dimension to your sound experience, get in touch with a Sonos expert by 

Couple watching soccer on TV with a black Arc Ultra, Sub 4, and pair of Era 100 speakers

Speakers vs. Soundbars: Which Is Best for You?

At a high level, WiFi and Bluetooth speakers do the same thing — they connect to a remote device to play audio without a wired connection. But these two wireless technologies work in fundamentally different ways, and these differences can affect everything from their range and audio quality to their compatibility with other devices.

If you came here looking for a definitive “winner” between WiFi and Bluetooth technologies, you’ll find the reality is more nuanced. Each technology has its advantages (which explains why many Sonos products feature both capabilities). WiFi excels at streaming lossless audio thanks to its greater bandwidth, while Bluetooth is generally more portable.

In this guide, we’ll pinpoint what separates WiFi and Bluetooth so you can find the technology that best fits your audio experience.

How do WiFi and Bluetooth connect to wireless devices?

Both WiFi and Bluetooth speakers use radio waves to transmit audio to wireless devices. They just do it in distinct ways.

WiFi speakers connect to a wireless internet network, like the one you have in your home. One advantage of a wireless network is that it can handle a large amount of data transmitted over multiple devices at once. This allows for high-quality, 

 to your speaker even if your phone, laptop, and other devices are simultaneously using the same network.

Bluetooth speakers, on the other hand, create a direct wireless connection between the speaker and the music-playing device. Think of it as a one-to-one, short-range radio signal — no internet network or router required. Pairing your Bluetooth-enabled device with a Bluetooth speaker can usually be done with one click. This means Bluetooth is generally quicker to set up than WiFi, though this approach also limits its range and audio quality.

So, it’s clear that WiFi and Bluetooth aren’t the same. But which is better? It depends on the specific dimensions and qualities that matter most to you.

Bluetooth doesn’t require an internet connection or wireless network, so it’s generally the more portable technology. If you wear your 

 headphones on your commute or take your 

 to a cookout in the park, you’re almost certainly using Bluetooth technology to connect your devices.

Another plus in terms of portability is that Bluetooth speakers tend to have a longer battery life than WiFi speakers. This owes to the fact that a Bluetooth connection uses less power to transmit data, prioritizing energy efficiency over other areas where WiFi wins out, like speed and bandwidth.

While they can be just as compact and lightweight as Bluetooth speakers, WiFi speakers require a wireless network connection to function. This limits where you can use them. Before you bring a WiFi speaker over to a friend’s house or outside gathering, make sure there’s a reliable internet connection you can use to connect your devices.

 WiFi. So, it’s less about choosing the right speaker and more about choosing the right type of connection for each situation.

White Move 2 being placed on a picnic table

White Era 300 on a stand behind a sofa with people watching tv

WiFi's broader bandwidth allows it to transmit more audio data than Bluetooth, making it capable of streaming lossless 

 exactly as they were recorded. If you prefer to stream high-quality audio via music services like Apple Music or Amazon Music HD, a solid WiFi connection should be able to transmit lossless audio data that retains every aspect of the original recording.

Bluetooth technology has less bandwidth to work with. This means that audio data is often compressed so that it can travel over a Bluetooth connection more efficiently. The compression process can strip away some subtle details that may affect the quality of your listening experience.

With that said, recent advancements in Bluetooth technology have led to some speakers and earbuds that actually do support lossless audio. Sonos Ace is among a small group of headphones that, with some specific device configurations, can achieve lossless audio with a Bluetooth connection. For other speakers, like 

, Bluetooth can still deliver clear and detailed sound on the go, though you’ll want to connect to WiFi for the best audio experience.

WiFi usually offers a more stable connection, as long as you’re within a comfortable range of the network router. As you may know from your experience with your home WiFi network, you can typically achieve a good connection even through walls and over relatively long distances, such as from one end of your house to the other.

But the stability of your WiFi connection may suffer from local internet outages, issues with your router, or too many devices sucking up bandwidth at once. So, even though a WiFi signal is impressively durable and consistent within the network range, the stability of your connection may depend on environmental factors out of your control.

Bluetooth signals may have more trouble passing through certain types of physical barriers. Dense materials, like concrete, and materials with high electrical conductivity, like glass and metal, pose particular problems for connection stability. If you’re listening to music on your phone via a Bluetooth connection, incoming phone calls and notifications can also interrupt your streaming connection.

Bluetooth devices operate in the 2.4 GHz frequency band — the same band used by other wireless devices including cordless phones and microwaves. When the 2.4 GHz band gets crowded, your Bluetooth speaker may experience some limitations or interruptions. WiFi speakers also operate in the 2.4 GHz band, but they can often hop over to the less crowded 5 GHz band at times of high traffic, so interruptions are less common.

Of course, recent evolutions in Bluetooth technology have led to better channel classification, so frequency impedances are essentially becoming a non-issue in newer products like Sonos Ace.

Stability and range issues are closely related, though range specifically refers to drop offs caused by the physical distance of a wireless connection.

WiFi speakers generally have a wider range than Bluetooth speakers. A typical WiFi network covers a range of 100 to 200 feet (30 to 60 meters), though that can extend even further in outdoor conditions without walls or other barriers to interfere. So if you’re planning on installing 

 in your backyard, you should still be able to connect those speakers to your home WiFi network.

Traditional Bluetooth technology was designed for relatively short-range connections, and many Bluetooth speakers top out at a range of around 30 feet (10 meters). This doesn’t pose a serious issue for most of the ways you’d use a Bluetooth speaker. If you’re bringing a portable speaker to the park or strapping one on your hip for a hike, it’s likely to stay on or near your body and thus well within 

So, WiFi generally wins in measures of range, though Bluetooth technology is catching up fast. Devices equipped with Bluetooth version 5.0 and higher can maintain a connection over an impressive range of up to 800 feet under ideal conditions.

Couple watching soccer on TV with a black Arc Ultra and Sub 4

, you’re often dealing with the issue of connecting multiple different components — a soundbar, wireless speakers, and maybe a 

 like this, WiFi is the best and only option.

Remember: Bluetooth technology is designed to facilitate a 

 connection between devices. When it comes to connecting a multi-component system, that is its downfall. Which isn’t to say that Bluetooth speakers can’t be part of a home sound system. Because many Sonos wireless speakers allow for both WiFi and Bluetooth connections, you can connect them to your system over WiFi and still take them on the go with a Bluetooth connection.

There’s no better or worse option between WiFi and Bluetooth — each has its time and place. When you’re listening to music at home, a WiFi speaker offers the best combination of audio quality and connection stability, not to mention the option to stream over multiple devices at once. And when you’re on the go, nothing really beats the simplicity and portability of a Bluetooth speaker.

Sonos makes it easy to listen to high-quality audio wherever you are. Create a multi-room audio system with our 

, and keep the music going wherever you roam with our 

Olive Move 2 and Roam 2 on the kitchen counter

WiFi vs. Bluetooth Speakers: Key Differences Explained

Rich, immersive audio is often associated with indoor sound systems, but a premium listening experience doesn’t have to be confined by the walls of your home. Thanks to outdoor speakers, you can expand the footprint of your sound system to cover your back garden, patio, or poolside hangout. These speakers are designed to withstand the elements and fill your outdoor spaces with music from morning to night, all year round.

If the phrase “outdoor speakers” sounds a bit broad and imprecise, well, it is. There are various subcategories of outdoor speakers, which distinguish between different capabilities and scenarios. 

, for example, are designed to be installed directly onto an external surface, such as a wood beam or stone wall bordering your backyard or patio. Other types of outdoor speakers include landscape speakers, which blend into your yard’s natural scenery, and 

, which you can take to the farthest reaches of your garden or to places far beyond.

In this guide, we’ll focus on surface-mount 

The Beginner’s Guide to In-Ceiling Speakers

Speakers vs. Soundbars: Which Is Best for You?

WiFi vs. Bluetooth Speakers: Key Differences Explained

The Beginner’s Guide to Outdoor Speakers

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