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Sonos is a leading American audio technology company that is best known for pioneering wireless multi-room 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 theatre systems, headphones, architectural components, and integrated home audio solutions that revolutionize how people listen and connect to sound.

If you’ve never given much thought to the individual components that make up your speakers, you may be confused when you hear the term “speaker driver”. And you may be even more confused when you hear that the speaker driver—not the speaker itself—is what reproduces the sound waves you hear when you listen to music. The “speaker” is the name we use as shorthand for the entire system, which includes not only speaker drivers, but also the circuits that send sounds to the right places, the box that houses everything, and so on.

So, if a speaker driver isn’t a speaker, what is it exactly?

Speaker drivers are the components that actually vibrate to create sound waves—think of them as the engine of your speaker system. Most speakers contain multiple drivers of different sizes, with the largest ones (subwoofers) handling the low bass sounds and the smallest ones (tweeters) taking care of the higher-pitched frequencies

Why do these drivers come in so many different sizes? And how many drivers are “enough” for a 

? To answer these questions, we should start with why drivers exist in the first place.

The purpose of a speaker driver is to convert the electrical signals produced by your amplifier, headphones, or other music player into physical sound waves that can reach your ear. Without speaker drivers, there would be no sound coming out of your speaker—and no purpose for your sound system to exist at all.

 can seem hopelessly complex, speaker drivers produce sound through a simple series of cause-and-effect. When an electrical signal flows from your music player into the driver, it creates a magnetic field. This magnetic field causes the speaker driver to vibrate back and forth. This back-and-forth vibration creates the sound waves that reach your ears.

In a sense, a speaker driver is a kind of sonic translator. Without it, your music would simply be a series of electrical signals that don’t 

like anything. The driver’s job is first to interpret those signals, then to reproduce them as sound waves. It has several specialized components that work together to make this reproduction possible.

It may seem overly technical, but knowing the individual components of a speaker driver can help you visualize how it works. The main parts of a speaker driver include:

, a coiled wire that receives the electrical signal from the music player.

, which creates the magnetic forces that power the driver’s movement.

, a large cone or dome that moves back and forth to create sound waves.

, which surrounds the driver and keeps the voice coil and diaphragm in the correct positions for producing sound.

Hand using touch controls on a white Era 100

Person lounging on a chair listening to Sonos Five with Sonos Sub 4

High and low-pitched sounds are different because they are produced by sound waves of different lengths and frequencies. Unfortunately, there's no single driver that can produce the full range of sound waves without distortion, as a driver's shape and physical properties make it more or less capable of reproducing specific frequency ranges, such as low or high sounds.

Different types of speaker drivers exist to handle different sounds, with their capabilities determined mainly by their shape and size. Smaller, lighter drivers can vibrate quickly to reproduce high-frequency sounds, while larger drivers are needed for low frequencies. The names of these different driver types helpfully correspond to the types of sounds they make:

 are small, usually dome-shaped drivers that reproduce high-frequency sounds (like birds chirping) by vibrating rapidly. Their shape allows them to spread these frequencies evenly across a room, though specialized designs like directional horns can create different spatial effects.

Mid-range drivers are cone-shaped speakers that bridge the gap between low and high frequencies. Though they can't handle extreme frequencies, they're considered crucial because they reproduce the sounds humans are most sensitive to, including human voices and instruments like the guitar and piano.

Woofers are the biggest speaker drivers in an audio system. If you crave 

 is your ticket to paradise. These subwoofers often come in their own, separate enclosures, which are roomy enough to properly support and enhance the (physically very long) bass sound waves that a woofer emits.

As a general rule, the more drivers in a speaker, the more capable it is of faithfully producing sounds across a wide range of frequencies. Additional drivers can also contribute to a 

, as different drivers may be positioned to fire sound in different directions, thereby filling the room with immersive sound.

 has all the drivers you need. It features two angled tweeters to create a crisp and accurate high frequency response and 

, and one midwoofer to handle playback of mid-range vocal frequencies and deep bass.

If a truly immersive spatial audio experience is what you’re after, 

 may be a better option. This premium speaker’s design leaves room for four tweeters to cover high and mid-range frequencies—including a forward-firing mid tweeter, two side-firing mid tweeters, and an upward-firing tweeter to reflect sound off the ceiling and produce a 

. It also has two angled woofers for balanced low-end output.

You can combine Era 300 with a standalone subwoofer like 

 and a soundbar that features even more drivers, all of which contribute to the overall sense of clarity and immersion. In the case of a premium soundbar like 

—with its seven tweeters, six midwoofers, and four-motor, dual-membrane woofer—a high number of drivers firing sound in different directions enables innovative spatial audio technologies such as 

Speaker drivers come in all sizes and a number of different shapes that help produce sounds across a wide range of frequencies.

A single speaker may house just one driver if it’s part of a multi-speaker system with various specialized components. More versatile speakers, like Era 100 and Era 300, will likely feature several drivers that work together to reproduce and blend different aspects of a song’s sonic profile.

Just remember: Drivers aren’t only responsible for the range of frequencies a speaker can produce, but also for the immersive quality of 

. If you’re interested in a speaker that brings you deeper into your music, get in touch with a Sonos expert by 

What is a Speaker Driver?

When setting up a sound system, whether it’s for a home cinema, music system, or gaming rig, you might come across terms like “impedance” and “ohms”. Understanding these is important when it comes to pairing 

 and amplifiers, ensuring that all the parts of your system work together harmoniously.

Speaker impedance, measured in ohms (Ω), determines how much electrical current a speaker draws from an 

. To visualize this, let’s use a classic water analogy:

Imagine electrical current as water flowing through a garden hose, and your audio system is your garden. Think of impedance as the nozzle on the hose, which controls how much water (current) flows through.

: Just like a hose with an open nozzle lets more water pass through with ease, a speaker with low impedance draws more electrical current from the amplifier. This allows the amplifier to send more power to the speaker. However, like a hose with a fully open valve could flood your garden, a low-impedance speaker can put extra strain on an amplifier that’s not designed to handle the load.

 Just like a nozzle restricts water flow, a high-impedance speaker draws less current from the amplifier. This can reduce strain on the amp, making it easier to drive. However, like some plants in your garden need more water than others, a high-impedance speaker may require an amplifier that can provide higher voltage to reach the same volume.

Understanding impedance isn’t just a theoretical exercise—it’s key to making sure your sound system components work perfectly together.

active (sometimes called powered) and passive

. Active speakers have built-in amps and manage impedance internally, perfect for hassle-free setups. Most Sonos speakers, including 

, in the form of a standalone amp or an AV receiver (sometimes called AVR), to function. Understanding how impedance works with passive speakers is crucial in determining which amplifier is best to drive them. For Sonos users, this comes into play when integrating passive speakers like our 

How does speaker impedance relate to sound quality?

Speaker impedance isn’t a reflection of a speaker’s quality, but it plays a role in sound quality by determining how efficiently that speaker can draw current from an amplifier. Low impedance allows more current to flow, potentially delivering louder sound, but it can strain the amplifier at high volumes. Speakers with higher impedance may produce less volume at a given power setting but place less strain on the amplifier.

Person sitting on a chair listening to music on Sonos Five and Sub 4

Is higher or lower speaker impedance better?

A higher speaker impedance isn’t inherently better or worse than a lower speaker impedance, but high and low speaker impedance impact your audio system differently:



High-impedance speakers draw less current, reducing the risk of system overload. They're perfect for long-lasting, safe operation in continuous use environments. However, higher-impedance speakers need higher voltage to achieve the same power output as lower-impedance speakers. If the amplifier doesn’t provide enough voltage, the speaker may not reach its full potential volume.



Low-impedance speakers draw more current, which can allow for greater power delivery if the amplifier is capable. This makes them well-suited for immersive movie and music experiences. But because they draw more current, they could potentially strain amplifiers that aren’t designed to handle the increased current and increase the risk of overheating, especially at higher volumes.

Each type has benefits and challenges, so your choice should depend on your specific audio needs and the capabilities of your equipment.

When does speaker impedance actually matter?

Speaker impedance comes into play when you are connecting components—you don’t need to worry about having a certain speaker impedance for a particular room or for a particular type of content. Speaker impedance matters when you are matching passive speakers and amps, which is usually most relevant in setups like 

. It ensures all your audio components work together smoothly, without issues like volume differences and sound quality loss.

When setting up a home theatre, for example, making sure that all speakers have compatible impedance will help you experience more balanced surround sound. With multiple speakers in different rooms, you’ll hear uniform sound no matter where you are in the house.

With Sonos powered speakers and soundbars, you don’t have to worry about matching impedance manually. Setting up a 

 is simple—just link Sonos devices across rooms using the Sonos app to enjoy great sound, everywhere.

Matching your amplifier to speaker impedance

Think of speaker impedance as a sort of dance between your speakers and 

. When they’re perfectly in sync, your music sounds clear and powerful.

Every speaker and amplifier has an impedance rating, measured in ohms. (These ratings are displayed on the back panel and can be found in the manual; common values are 8 ohms and 4 ohms.) If a speaker’s impedance is too low for its amplifier, the system might strain. If the impedance is too high, the speaker might sound weak because the amplifier may not be able to provide enough voltage to reach full volume.

For Sonos users, pairing the right amplifier with passive speakers is straightforward when using the 

. Providing 125 watts per channel at 8 ohms, Amp effortlessly powers our passive speakers, including 

 models, which all provide a nominal impedance of 8 ohms. It’s also versatile enough to power passive speakers of all types, from floor-standing to bookshelf speakers.

Sonos Amp enhances your setup with its “Optimize Sonos Speakers” feature. This smart function detects the specific type of Sonos speakers connected and automatically adjusts sound tuning, enhancing clarity and bass response for a superior listening experience. This intelligent system not only ensures optimal audio performance but also incorporates a limiter for added protection, allowing you to safely and reliably power up to three pairs of Sonos Architectural speakers without manual adjustments.

Need some assistance getting your Sonos equipment up and running? Find an installer near you and take the first step toward designing your dream audio system.

Whether you opt for our all-in-one active speakers or passive systems, Sonos makes setup a breeze. Our

 come ready to play high-quality sound on their own, no AV receiver required. For passive setups, 

 integrate beautifully with your home’s aesthetic, both indoors and out, and are perfectly powered by the 

Understanding speaker impedance doesn’t just help you set up your system; it empowers you to get the most out of your listening by making informed choices about your audio equipment. Whether you’re outfitting a cozy den or a sprawling residence, Sonos brings all your spaces to life with sound.

The Beginner's Guide to Speaker Impedance and Ohms

The sharp crack of a wooden bat. A slap shot ricocheting off the post. The 

 of a ball finding the back of the net—and the crowd erupting half a second later. Sports would simply not be sports without these iconic sounds, which lend a dose of heart-pounding drama to the events playing out on the court or field.

But if your goal as a spectator is utter immersion, you don’t need to make the long trek to the stadium to get it. A home theatre system with surround sound can give you an even richer sports-viewing experience, complete with up-close angles, crisp broadcast commentary, and the sounds of the game coming at you from all directions. In this guide, we’ll break down how Sonos can help you achieve a sideline-quality experience from the comfort of your couch.

Can you watch sports with surround sound?

You can watch many of your favourite sports in surround sound—assuming you have a 

Most major sporting events now broadcast in 

, which uses five ear-level audio channels (left front, right front, centre, left rear, right rear) plus a 

. Broadcasters strategically position microphones throughout the venue to capture on-field sounds like player-to-player contact, ambient sounds like crowd noise, and point-of-action sounds like the clang of a basketball rim. These sound feeds are mixed to provide an audio experience that feels true to real life, with crowd noise coming in through the side and rear channels, and field-of-play sounds centred in the front.

Whether you’re watching via cable, satellite, or a streaming service, you’ll have access to the surround sound feed if it’s available. Some premium broadcasts even take advantage of 7.1 surround sound (which includes two additional side channels) or the 

 of Dolby Atmos (which adds a third dimension of sound—height).

To really hear the difference, though, you’ll need a system that supports surround sound. That means a dedicated home theatre system with speakers both in front of and behind your seating area, or a soundbar with surround capabilities, like the 

What does surround sound for sports feel like?

There have always been advantages to watching sports at home versus in-person—a clearer sight line to the action, for example, or helpful play-by-play commentary. But these advantages were traditionally counterbalanced by the sheer rush of 

, sitting in the stadium instead of watching from your couch.

Surround sound changes that equation. This technology lets you experience the game in ways a stadium seat can't—isolating and amplifying on-field sounds that would get lost in crowd noise at the venue. The overall effect is stunningly immersive, giving you a front-row audio experience from the comfort of home. Even if nothing truly beats the live experience, a well-designed 

 comes closer than you might think possible.

Enhanced commentary quality with surround sound

We mentioned above that a typical surround sound broadcast includes various feeds from microphones stationed throughout the venue. One of these feeds comes directly from the sound-controlled commentary booth, which provides an isolated audio track dedicated to the play-by-play announcer and colour commentator.

These announcers' voices are typically mixed to come through the centre channel in a surround sound setup, which is positioned directly below the TV screen. This helps to anchor the voices to the action on screen and ensures that you don’t miss a word even when crowd noise and field sounds are filling out the surrounding channels.

 feature on our Arc Ultra soundbar, which uses machine learning models to help make dialogue crystal clear.

To get 5.1 surround sound with Sonos, you’ll need the following:

 for the centre, front left, and front right channels.

 — one for the rear left channel, one for the rear right channel. We recommend two 

 speakers for a beginner-friendly setup that doesn’t sacrifice high-quality sound. For a premium spatial audio experience, consider two Dolby Atmos-enabled 

 speakers, each of which provides lateral and overhead channels to create an all-encompassing soundstage.

This setup will ensure a surround sound experience that extends from front to sides to rear.

For more options and configurations, check out our 

 to learn about possible surround sound pairings with older Sonos products.

Use Sonos audio swap for a personal sports experience

 headphones and a compatible Sonos soundbar, you can unlock an audio experience that puts you right in the middle of the action. Sonos’ 

 feature lets you instantly switch your sports broadcast audio from your main surround sound system to your headphones with the press of a button.

This connection (which requires a compatible Sonos soundbar 

) offers immersive surround sound quality with the privacy of headphones—perfect for watching late-night games in a different time zone, or anytime when you want to avoid disturbing others in your home. And with Sonos Ace, you’ll benefit from 

 that cuts through household distractions and keeps you centred in the stadium atmosphere.

If you’re looking for the best possible surround sound experience for sports, step into the winners’ circle with Sonos.

Our premium wireless speakers create a lifelike audio environment that, in its breadth of sound textures and focus on the action, comes as close as possible to catching a game in person. And with options ranging from 

, there’s an immersive option for every type of sports fan.

If you have any questions or need help selecting a Dolby Atmos-supported speaker for your next gameday party, get in touch with a Sonos expert by 

Friends watching a basketball game with a black Arc Ultra, Sub 4, and pair of Era 300 rear surrounds

The Beginner’s Guide to Surround Sound for Sports

This album is titled “It Could Be Worse”, which feels both self-aware and gently optimistic. What was happening in your life that made this phrase feel like the right emotional anchor for this project?



I think it sums up the past few years of myself and my families life, the album is putting the past 4/5 years into perspective and allows me to sum it all up into that phrase, we’ve been through a lot these past years, my mum without both of us realising helped inspire that title, her optimism through the face of the losses she experienced inspired me to look at my situations in a very different way.

You’ve decided to release the album on vinyl first, which naturally encourages slower, intentional listening. What does ‘intentional listening’ mean to you - and why does experiencing an album front-to-back still matter in a world of playlists and skipping tracks?



When we made the album we cared about the journey of the album, we intentionally made an album and wasn’t focussed on the singles, even picking the singles wasn’t an over thought out process. When you write a book you don’t write it with the intention of people seeing one chapter, you want them to have context, every song that was written, was written for full consumption not to shuffle through and then make a conclusion. I also miss the experience of having a body of work and looking at the credits and I wanted people to enjoy it that way. Experience the art in a tangible physical way.

Do you remember the first time you heard music that changed depending on the sound system? Has that influenced the way you record and mix your own work today?



I don’t remember what I listened to but I do remember working on my first album untidy soul. I would give every song a car test and it would feel completely different to how it would sound in my headphones. Since then I began to notice all the details of an actual mix and want to make sure people have the best experience when consuming what we create.

You’ve spoken before about joy being central to your creative practice. How did you protect the joy in the making of this album, especially if you were working through harder themes or personal growth?



The process of creating the album was what made it joyful, the first half was hard but then it became cathartic releasing my feelings in my art, it was a very insular process small team of people all working towards one goal and that became joyful.

Were there any specific songs or arrangements where you and your engineers said, “People really need to feel this” - knowing the warmth, the bass and live instrumentation really comes alive on good speakers?



All of the songs but mainly Closer and Sun and Moon in particular as they were finished songs but I just wanted to make sure those songs felt a certain way musically we added string arrangements to them and that added layers to the songs that we knew would only truly be experienced through good speakers.

If someone is listening to “It Could Be Worse” on Sonos for the first time - on vinyl, lights low, uninterrupted - what do you hope they take away from that first full listen?



Whatever they want to feel, satisfied like when you consume a good movie or any piece of art, I want them to feel a myriad of emotions, I just hope they feel something because a load of music these days doesn’t envoke an emotion or feeling we just numbingly consume., I just want people to take time and feel something.

Sonos talks with Samm Henshaw about his new album ’It Could Be Worse”

Even if you grew up listening to music through wired headphones, chances are you’ve since switched to a wireless pair. The number of adults who have adopted Bluetooth headphones or earbuds has essentially 

 in recent years, and it’s easy to see why. Most wireless headphones today offer a reliable connection and high-quality sound—all without the tangled, mangled cords of yesteryear.

But the technology that powers these headphones remains elusive to most. This may be a problem if you’re 

 and don’t know whether to prioritize ones that connect via WiFi, Bluetooth, or both. In this guide, we’ll outline the key differences between the two technologies to help you choose the best headphones for your listening needs.

Even with limited knowledge of electronics, understanding how 

 headphones work is straightforward enough: They transmit an electrical signal from an audio-playing device to the headphone’s speakers via a physical wire. By comparison, the technology behind wireless headphones is tougher to grasp, as there’s no physical cable and no obvious way of telling how the audio signal gets from the device to the headphone speakers.

The short answer is that wireless headphones use wireless technology to transmit audio signals. But we can’t simply leave it at that, because the specific technology isn’t always the same. Let’s look at how the two most common wireless technologies—

—work to connect your headphones to your music-playing device.

Bluetooth headphones: A one-to-one, short-range connection

The most common technology used to connect wireless headphones, like Sonos Ace, is 

, a short-range wireless protocol that’s ideal for helping devices communicate over short distances.

Bluetooth headphones create a direct short-range connection between the headphones and the audio-playing device. This connection is a “one-to-one” radio signal, which means that Bluetooth headphones must be paired to one device at a time and can’t sync up with multiple devices simultaneously. It also means that a Bluetooth connection doesn’t require an internet network or router, which helps if you want to connect to your wireless headphones on the go.

One of the truly awesome things about Bluetooth technology is its portability. You don’t need to connect to the internet to achieve a stable connection via Bluetooth, so it has a lot more out-in-the-world appeal than WiFi. In fact, many people who own WiFi-enabled headphones still connect via Bluetooth when they’re on the move.

Range is a different matter. Bluetooth is a short-range technology by definition, and most consumer 

 max out at around 30 feet (10 metres). This may change as Bluetooth technology continues to improve.

WiFi headphones: A wireless internet connection

While most wireless headphones are compatible with Bluetooth, some models can also connect over 

. This may allow for higher-quality streaming and a smooth connection to smart home devices.

WiFi headphones connect to your device via a wireless internet network, like the one you use at home or at work. This comes with some advantages. WiFi generally has broader bandwidth than Bluetooth, which means it can transmit audio data in the amounts necessary to achieve 

 and you can also connect to multiple devices on the same network.

Person wearing and pointing to white Sonos Ace headphones

Person seated outside looking at a smart phone and wearing black Sonos Ace headphones

Wireless headphones generally need to be charged. The standard charging port on most wireless headphones these days is a USB-C, so it’s usually not difficult to find chargers that are compatible in a pinch.

Of course, it’s better not to be in a pinch. That’s why we’ve outfitted Sonos Ace with up to 30 hours of battery life with 

 enabled. And if you do run low on battery, you can plug it in and get up to three hours of playback in just three minutes of charge time.

Choose wireless headphones that sound great every time

Given the increasing popularity and prominence of wireless headphones, there’s a good chance you’ll be in the market for a new pair at some point. We’ve got you sorted on that front with comprehensive guides on 

 and how to compare the different types of headphone shapes and types (

If you’ve decided on over-ear headphones, there’s no better choice than 

. These masterfully tuned headphones immerse you in a one-of-a-kind sound experience, thanks to lossless streaming and 

What is a Speaker Driver?

The Beginner's Guide to Speaker Impedance and Ohms

The Beginner’s Guide to Surround Sound for Sports

Sonos talks with Samm Henshaw about his new album ’It Could Be Worse”

How do Wireless and Bluetooth Headphones Work?

How do Wireless and Bluetooth Speakers Work?

How to Connect Headphones to Your TV

What is Equalization (EQ) for Music and Audio?

The Beginner’s Guide to In-Wall Speakers

The Beginner’s Guide to In-Ceiling Speakers

Why Buy Refurbished Sonos Products

Speakers vs. Soundbars: Which Is Best for You?

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