Sonos Gets Architectural with Sonance Speaker Partnership

Maybe this is (partly) what Sonos was referring to when they said that only half of the music experience happens inside the home? Either way, the wireless audio company announced from ISE 2019 on Tuesday a new partnership with Sonance that includes an all-new line of product. The Sonos Architectural by Sonance collection includes a series of indoor and outdoor speakers that range from in-wall, to in-ceiling, to straight up outdoor speakers. Of course, the entire lineup is optimized for the recently launched Amp.

Sonos Architectural by Sonance indoor speakers are all available for preorder starting today with general availability beginning on February 26. The Sonos Outdoor by Sonance line will follow in April.

Continuing the narrative that we’ve been following since late last year, this is just another step forward by Sonos to get cozy with the technology integrator community. Sure, the product that the company built its name around is easy to set up DIY wireless audio. But the more recent announcements and product launches have almost exclusively been tailored to the custom installer. Perhaps the consumer wants to take the company's signature sound profile and go next level with it by creating an immersive yet discrete listening environment. Or maybe they’re interested in taking their musical experience outdoors. Now they have that option—with the help of their favorite local installer.

“Our goal was to create a solution optimized for installers, bringing the Sonos experience to architectural speakers for the first time,” CEO Patrick Spence said in a statement “Sonance was the natural partner, sharing our passion for high quality, reliable sound solutions inside and outside the home.”

When paired with the Sonos Amp, the In-Ceiling and In-Wall speaker hardware unlocks Trueplay, which takes into account the size, construction, and furnishings in a room where the speakers are installed, and they can automatically adjust the EQ settings for optimal sound performance. Up to three pairs of Sonos Architectural by Sonance speakers can be powered by a single Amp.

"We’re excited to be partnering with Sonos to bring the first architectural speakers with TruePlay to market,” Sonance CEO Ari Supran said in the statement. “Sonos represents the pinnacle in distributed audio user experiences and we are thrilled to help extend that experience to installations where hiding technology into architecture is desired.”

As for the Outdoor speaker—the company's first speaker designed to be used outside the home—the weatherproof design means the speaker can withstand a variety of environmental conditions while allowing the user to enjoy audio content outdoors.

The In-Ceiling and In-Wall speakers will ship for $599 per pair, while the Outdoor speakers will go for $799 per pair. Additionally, Sonos announced that the Amp, available for $599, is available for purchase in Australia, Canada, and Mexico now, and will begin shipping in Europe on February 12. The Amp is already available in the U.S.