Sonos vs Heos - Who will win the battle?

Sonos Playbar on top of cabinet

Sonos Beam, Sonos Playbar and Sonos SUB wireless subwoofer

UPDATE #2 as of 10/09/2021: We have added some information since we last published this article. See our video review at the link below. Please LIKE and SUBSCRIBE if you find it helpful!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyZoVUXBUno&t=103s

Who owns the Home Wireless Music Streaming Industry?

Sonos, by far, owns this market – hands down.  After all, they are the pioneers of the wireless home sound system.  They were established back in 2002 and have been solely focused on this market for almost 20 years. For a while there, they were the only company making systems of this kind. Since then many other companies have jumped in and are giving this market a try.  One of the more reputable companies is Denon with their Heos Wireless Speaker Devices and Heos-enables devices.

Does Heos give Sonos a run for its money?

The answer to this question is a big YES IT DOES.  Heos brings some great products and features to the table that could definitely sway a person to use Denon’s Heos as an excellent alternative to Sonos.  They both are controlled and setup using a free downloadable App on your phone or tablet.  They both have devices that can create a whole house wireless music system.  They both can stream most of the popular music streaming services available.  They both offer varying sizes of wireless speakers with pretty comparable prices ranging from $150 to $900, and so on.

SONOS                                                           HEOS

Play 1              $149                                        Heos 1             $199.99

Sonos One SL  $179                                       Heos 3             $299.99

Sonos One       $199                                       Heos 5             $399.99

Play 5              $499                                        Heos 7             $599.99

Playbar           $699                                        Heos Bar         $899.99

Any major differences between Sonos and Heos?

- Ease of use and setup:  

Sonos takes Heos on this one.  The Sonos App is incredibly easy to use, works consistently and the setup process is quick and straightforward.  Heos’ App is a bit more clunky to navigate around in and the setup process isn’t always as smooth as Sonos’.

- Features:

Heos takes Sonos on this front.  Unlike Sonos, Heos devices are Bluetooth capable and are dual-band WiFi ready, so they can connect to either the 2.4Ghz or 5Ghz band of your router.  Only the brand new Sonos Move has Bluetooth capability and all Sonos devices are single-band WiFi, 2.4Ghz capable. All Heos speaker devices have an audio line-in jack, a USB port, and a couple of the speakers even have a headphone jack. Heos supports Hi-Res audio, 96 KHz/24 bit, where the highest Sonos supports is CD quality, 44.1 KHz/16 bit. Heos also is built-into many Denon and Marantz receivers and this saves you money over buying a separate streamer (which you have to do with Sonos as it isn't built into any receivers today).

- Functionality:

Sonos wins this battle. Sonos plays with more partners and companies than any other streaming product.

So which one do I choose? If you like the idea of something that is easy to use and that plays with all kinds of different apps, Sonos may be for you. If you want something that you can take with you where you may not have WiFi OR you want the best streaming quality possible, Heos should be your choice.

All opinions are ours and are just opinion. Need more information? Give us a call and let San Diego Sonos AND Heos experts give you the scoop.

P.S. This video is not sponsored. Please consider purchasing Denon, Marantz, Sonos or Heos through the links below if you aren't in the Southern California area. We make a small commission via this medium and this helps support our video channel AND will let us take our guys out to lunch. THANKS!

✅ Denon Home 150 portable speaker: https://amzn.to/3ZhrHWD

✅ Denon Home 250 BETTER portable speaker: https://amzn.to/3ZlzRxg

✅ Denon Home 350 BEST portable speaker: https://amzn.to/3nnjEKV

✅ Denon Home Sound Bar 550: https://amzn.to/40wpnNb

✅ Denon Home Subwoofer: https://amzn.to/3KaxdGt

Please consider purchasing Sonos through the Crutchfield links below if you aren't in the Southern California area.

✅ Sonos AMP 125 watts X 2: https://www.gopjn.com/t/1-9448-301982-9448?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.crutchfield.com%2FI-rppjc15UE%2Fp_616AMP%2FSonos-Amp.html

✅ Sonos ARC soundbar in BLACK: https://www.pntra.com/t/1-9448-301982-9448?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.crutchfield.com%2FI-rppjc1A1R%2Fp_616ARCBK%2FSonos-Arc-Black.html

✅ Sonos ARC soundbar in WHITE: https://www.pjtra.com/t/1-9448-301982-9448?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.crutchfield.com%2FI-rppjc1A1Q%2Fp_616ARCWH%2FSonos-Arc-White.html

✅ Sonos BEAM soundbar in BLACK: https://www.pntrac.com/t/1-9448-301982-9448?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.crutchfield.com%2FI-rppjc1D94%2Fp_616BEAM2BK%2FSonos-Beam-Gen-2-Black.html

✅ Sonos BEAM soundbar in WHITE: https://www.pntrac.com/t/1-9448-301982-9448?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.crutchfield.com%2FI-rppjc1D93%2Fp_616BEAM2WH%2FSonos-Beam-Gen-2-White.html

✅ Sonos PORT streaming pre-amp: https://www.pntrac.com/t/1-9448-301982-9448?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.crutchfield.com%2FI-rppjc18DH%2Fp_616PORT1BK%2FSonos-Port.html

✅ Sonos MOVE portable speaker in BLACK: https://www.pntrs.com/t/1-9448-301982-9448?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.crutchfield.com%2FI-rppjc18DI%2Fp_616MOVEBK%2FSonos-Move-Black.html

✅ Sonos MOVE portable speaker in WHITE: https://www.pntrs.com/t/1-9448-301982-9448?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.crutchfield.com%2FI-rppjc1A8S%2Fp_616MOVEWH%2FSonos-Move-Lunar-White.html

✅ Sonos ROAM portable speaker in BLACK: https://www.pntrac.com/t/1-9448-301982-9448?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.crutchfield.com%2FI-rppjc1BWN%2Fp_616ROAMBK%2FSonos-Roam-Black.html

✅ Sonos FIVE best streaming speaker in BLACK: https://www.gopjn.com/t/1-9448-301982-9448?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.crutchfield.com%2FI-rppjc1A1S%2Fp_616SONOS5B%2FSonos-Five-Black.html

✅ Sonos FIVE best streaming speaker in WHITE: https://www.gopjn.com/t/1-9448-301982-9448?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.crutchfield.com%2FI-rppjc1A1V%2Fp_616SONOS5W%2FSonos-Five-White.html

UPDATE: Sonos has just added their Sonos ARC soundbar and Sonos PORT streaming pieces. These improved soundbars/streamers further cement the choice in our opinion that Sonos vs. Heos is a knock-out by...Sonos!

Yamaha AVENTAGE receiver acts as the heart of your whole-house entertainment and surround sound system

It's probably been a while since you've bought a new audio/video receiver or maybe I'm being assumptive and this is your first foray into surround sound. No worries...we'd be happy to help. Your audio/video receiver is the heart of your surround sound and whole-house entertainment system. Making the right choice here assures sonic excellence and also provides you the flexibility to hook up future components. However, dealing with the big-box stores or attempting to figure out what to buy on the Internet can be painful (aside from this article, of course). Here's a quick guide to picking the right audio/video receiver. This goes over some of the new 2019 Yamaha models.

What is it: Your receiver acts as the hub of your audio/video system. All of your components like cable boxes, video games, Blu-ray players, streaming devices, etc. hook into the receiver and it provides the sound for your speakers. Pick your receiver based on:

1) How many devices you will be hooking up to it?

2) Will you be connecting other areas/rooms of speakers?

3) How important is it to get the best surround sound experience you can?

Brand to Buy: Yamaha. Why? In a nutshell, they rarely break, provide great sound and have plenty of inputs. You can Google different brands, models, histories and other facets but we've already done that. We've also performed thousands of installations and sold receivers for over 20 years. We know what is the best TODAY. NOTE: If this ever changes, we'll let you know and we'll change our mind. However, for the time being, Yamaha is our choice for the best receiver at the price point.

GOOD: Yamaha RXV385. 4 HDMI inputs, 70 watts X 5 channels @ $279.99. Buy this if you are on a budget, will be hooking up four components or less and aren't hooking up speakers in any other areas of the house. NOTE: Plan on how many components you will be hooking up not just now, but in the future as well. 4K compatible.

BETTER: Yamaha AVENTAGE RXA780. 5 HDMI inputs, 90 watts X 7 channels, video upconversion, multi-source/multi-zone, Dolby Atmos @ $649.99. This is part of Yamaha’s AVENTAGE step-up line. Buy this if you will be hooking up 5 components or less or if you will be hooking up speakers in other areas (ex: Outside, other bedrooms, etc.). This is also a good choice if you have older components as it plays nicely with legacy video formats (Wii game systems, VCRs and certain cameras come to mind). 4K compatible.

BEST: Yamaha AVENTAGE RXA3080. 7 HDMI inputs, 150 watts X 9 channels (11 channel processing), improved audio processing, Dolby Atmos @ $1999.99. Buy this if you are hooking up 7 components or less and if you want the BEST in today's surround sound formats and processing. Our earlier article about Dolby Atmos goes into depth about the latest surround sound mode. This receiver also sounds noticeably better than step-down models due to its particular high-end construction. Got a man cave that has multiple TVs? This receiver can provide picture and sound to all of them.

http://www.airetheaterdesigns.com/blog/item/125-atmos-in-san-diego

Now you're dangerous...you've got some good information. Stop by or call one of our product experts and let us simplify your decision to purchase a surround sound receiver. Aire Theater Designs, San Diego Yamaha AVENTAGE and surround sound installers.

P.S. For you DIY surround sound people, when you purchase a Yamaha AVENTAGE receiver through us, you receive a guide that shows EXACTLY how to hook it up (which the manual doesn't) as well as lifetime phone/e-mail tech support!

Yamaha receiver experts are here! We've been selling Yamaha audio for over 20 years! Aire Theater Designs proudly serves all of San Diego County which includes Del Cerro, Talmadge, Kensington, Hillcrest, Mission Valley, Fashion Valley, El Cajon, Blossom Valley, La Mesa, Lake Murray, Friars, North Park, Balboa Park, Clairemont, Kearny Mesa, Mission Bay, Mission Beach, Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach, Point Loma and Downtown San Diego. We also gladly serve those in North San Diego County which includes Carlsbad, San Marcos, Vista, Elfin Forest, Oceanside, Escondido, Encinitas, Cardiff CA, Solana Beach, Del Mar, Cielo, The Bridges, The Crosby, The Lakes, Torrey Pines, Alta Del Mar, Carmel Mountain, Carmel Valley, Coronado, Fairbanks Ranch, Rancho Santa Fe, 4S Ranch, Santaluz, La Jolla, Poway, and Rancho Bernardo. Need help in Murrieta, Wildomar, Temecula, Fallbrook or Bonsall...we're there too. House by Pardee, Shea, Lennar or other builders? We can help! 

Samsung QLED TV differences - Q900 through Q60

We’ve had a TON of questions about the new Samsung QLED TVs. Many of the questions are along the lines of “Why is one of the sets $2399 and another is $7000?” Here are some basic facts and features that hopefully make your decision easier about which QLED to buy.

Direct Full Array: This feature positions LED lights that are directly behind the screen instead of behind the bezel at the edges of the screen. This provides better contrast and more even colors/lighting. The higher the number for the Direct Full Array (ex: Direct Full Array 16X vs. Direct Full Array 4X), the more zones that are back-lit and the better the picture.

Quantum HDR: This feature provides HDR, which is the newer video standard that provides amazing color and depth. In the industry, we feel that HDR is MUCH more important than 4K for providing the ultimate picture.

8K Quantum Processor: This is available only on Samsung’s reference 8K TV. This allows today’s content to be upconverted to the absolute best picture quality, whether the content is as high as 8K or as low as cable quality.

Here are some line steps and feature differences:

Samsung QN82Q900: Samsung’s BEST 8K TV, with 8K Quantum processor, 8K Direct Full Array ambient art mode and more. Available in 65”, 75”, 82” 98”.

Samsung QN82Q90: Samsung’s BEST 4K TV with Direct Full Array 16X, Quantum HDR 16X and Ultra Viewing angle. Available in 65”, 75”, 82”.

Samsung QN82Q80: Samsung BETTER 4K TV with Direct Full Array 16X, Quantum HDR 12X and Ultra Viewing angle. Available in 65”, 75”, 82”.

Samsung QN82Q70: Samsung’s BEST 4K TV with Direct Full Array and Q HDR1000. Available in many sizes.

Samsung QN82Q60: Samsung GOOD 4K TV with Q HDR. Available in many sizes.

There are BIG sales going on now through 9/29/19 on many of the sizes. Interested in getting a fantastic TV for football season and beyond? Call ATD, your home for Samsung 4K and Samsung 8K TVs!

Samsung 8K TV is here! Aire Theater Designs proudly serves all of San Diego County which includes Del Cerro, Talmadge, Kensington, Hillcrest, Mission Valley, Fashion Valley, El Cajon, Blossom Valley, La Mesa, Lake Murray, Friars, North Park, Balboa Park, Clairemont, Kearny Mesa, Mission Bay, Mission Beach, Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach, Point Loma and Downtown San Diego. We also gladly serve those in North San Diego County which includes Carlsbad, San Marcos, Vista, Elfin Forest, Oceanside, Escondido, Encinitas, Cardiff CA, Solana Beach, Del Mar, Cielo, The Bridges, The Crosby, The Lakes, Torrey Pines, Alta Del Mar, Carmel Mountain, Carmel Valley, Coronado, Fairbanks Ranch, Rancho Santa Fe, 4S Ranch, Santaluz, La Jolla, Poway, and Rancho Bernardo. Need help in Murrieta, Wildomar, Temecula, Fallbrook or Bonsall...we're there too. House by Pardee, Shea, Lennar or other builders? We can help! 

Home Theater w/Acoustic Panels and Dolby Atmos

"Best Home Theater in San Diego"...That's a lofty title, isn't it? We want to bring up a point about today's home theaters and smart homes. In most cases, the best home theater doesn't necessarily have as much to do with the quality of the components as much as it does the actual set-up, calibration and then the reliability. We're going to focus on the reliability and follow-up aspect here. When you add a home theater or smart home solution to your house these days, we feel that it is VERY important to go with a company that will be around in the future and that has methods to help you remotely. Here's a couple quick points about us that address this.

"Are you going out of business" - Our recommendation for a home theater company would be one that has been around locally for a long time AND that has some form of brick & mortar presence or established showroom. Without either of these factors, it is very likely that these businesses won't be around for the long haul. We have seen dozens of these home theater companies go out of business over the last decade. If you opted to go with one of these audio/video "businesses", you may now be lacking crucial support or warranty options.

With us...no such issues. We've been around since 2006 and have a by-appointment showroom here in San Diego.

Home Theater Showroom with Def Tech, Monitor Audio, Martin Logan, Episode, Origin Acoustics and more!

"My XYZ stopped working" - Today's systems and devices are amazing in what they provide but unfortunately aren't anywhere as near as reliable as they were in the past. There are two components to this. First, most devices today rely on your wired or WiFi network. For this reason, insufficient network strength, WiFi drop-outs or provider issues can make it where your audio/video/home automation equipment just won't function. For this reason, we only install WiFi systems that let us see remotely what is going on with your system. Netflix won't work...we know why. Remote control stopped functioning...no problem. iPad won't connect...here's the solution. This eliminates all of the guesswork and normally lets us address isssues in minutes...not hours or days.

We also have the ability to either power-cycle components automatically or we provide a simple way for you to reset the power simply to all of your components. The biggest issue we see from day-to-day is certain components locking up due to power issues. This includes cable boxes, satellite boxes, DVD players, remote control processors, Smart TVs, etc. Without knowing what cable to pull out, this can turn into a total nightmare. Our automatic or self-managed solutions make this a breeze! See link below.

https://www.airetheaterdesigns.com/blog/item/236-audio-video-troubleshooting-and-help-with-netflix

There are a BUNCH of other reasons that we call ourselves the best home theater company in San Diego. Interested in finding out how we can help you? Give us a call!

The best home theater company in San Diego is here. Aire Theater Designs proudly serves all of San Diego County which includes Del Cerro, Talmadge, Kensington, Hillcrest, Mission Valley, Fashion Valley, El Cajon, Blossom Valley, La Mesa, Lake Murray, Friars, North Park, Balboa Park, Clairemont, Kearny Mesa, Mission Bay, Mission Beach, Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach, Point Loma and Downtown San Diego. We also gladly serve those in North San Diego County which includes Carlsbad, San Marcos, Vista, Elfin Forest, Oceanside, Escondido, Encinitas, Cardiff CA, Solana Beach, Del Mar, Cielo, The Bridges, The Crosby, The Lakes, Torrey Pines, Alta Del Mar, Carmel Mountain, Carmel Valley, Coronado, Fairbanks Ranch, Rancho Santa Fe, 4S Ranch, Santaluz, La Jolla, Poway, and Rancho Bernardo. Need help in Murrieta, Wildomar, Temecula, Fallbrook or Bonsall...we're there too. House by Pardee, Shea, Lennar or other builders? We can help! 

Martin Logan Motion 60XT tower speakers and Motion 50XT center channel

It has been scientifically proven that when Martin Logan takes 15% off the price of their Motion series speaker line, your life gets 15% better. This summer, Martin Logan and Aire Theater Designs want to enhance your quality of life by 15%. Until August 3rd, save 15% on:

MOTION 2I bookshelf speaker pair

MOTION 4I bookshelf speaker pair

MOTION 6I bookshelf speaker pair

MOTION 8I bookshelf speaker pair

MOTION 15 bookshelf speaker pair

MOTION 40 tower speaker pair

MOTION 30 center channel speaker

MOTION 50XT speaker pair

MOTION 60XT speaker pair

MOTION FX speaker pair

These models REALLY sound incredible. Some people think that they are the best speakers you can buy for the price. You know that speakers sound great when the guy that owns the speaker store (me) has the same line in his home. Want to hear music and movies in a new and better way? Step up to Martin Logan for your 2 channel audio and surround sound AND save some bucks!

P.S. LIKE and SUBSCRIBE to our Youtube page HERE for Martin Logan reviews, tips and tricks.

San Diego Martin Logan experts are here! Aire Theater Designs proudly serves and displays Martin Logan to all of San Diego County, CA including Del Cerro, Allied Gardens, Talmadge, Kensington, Hillcrest, Mission Valley, Fashion Valley, La Mesa, El Cajon, Blossom Valley, Lake Murray, Friars, North Park, Balboa Park, Clairemont, Kearny Mesa, Mission Bay, Mission Beach, Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach, Imperial Beach, Pt Loma and Downtown San Diego. We also gladly serve those in North San Diego County which includes Carlsbad, San Marcos, Vista, Elfin Forest, Oceanside, Escondido, Encinitas, Cardiff by the Sea, Solana Beach, Alta Del Mar, Del Mar, Olivenhain, Rancho Santa Fe, 4S Ranch, Santaluz, La Jolla, Poway, and Rancho Bernardo. Blossom Valley, Alpine, La Mesa and El Cajon...we're here too.

TELEVISIONS

Big savings on MANY of our Sony TVs until 05/05/2019. Some samples are:

Sony 55” OLED TV: Now $200.00 off!

Sony 65” OLED TV: Now $500.00 off!

Sony 75” 900 series TV: Now $200.00 off!

Sony 85” TV: Now $1000 off! NOTE: This ends 04/12/2019

Savings on Samsung TVs all month long. Some of these prices are so good, we can't list model numbers!  Ask salesperson for details. NOTE: TV sales are akin to "Catch of the day" as pricing from the manufacturer varies week-to-week. For best pricing and information, check with us on Mondays.

Check out the new Frame TVs from Samsung. Stylish, artistic TVs that now offer Samsung QLED technology for high contrast and vibrant colors.

https://www.samsung.com/us/televisions-home-theater/tvs/the-frame

WISEBUYS AND CLOSE-OUTS!

Fortress demo theater seating: 60% off! 2 chairs left! Regular: $1500.00 each.

Martin Logan outdoor speaker special. The more you buy, the more you save. Save 10%-20% on orders from $1000 on up.

CLEARANCE DEMO: Niles BEST in-ceiling speaker pair...75% off until gone. Reg. $800.00/pair. Now: $199.98/pair. 

Velodyne in-wall subwoofer: 50% off!

Sunbrite 43” weatherproof TV. Reg $1499.99. Now $799!

Parasoung 225 watt X 2 stereo amplifier. Reg $1199.99. Now: $799!

Definitive Technology BP8060 Supertower demo speakers...45% off! SOLD OUT!

Martin Logan ESL electrostatic speaker pair…45% off. SOLD OUT. Congratulations to John for getting a heck of a deal.

NOTE: Discounts cannot be combined. See salesperson for details. All products carry a full manufacturers' warranty. Some manufacturers don't allow us to show the model numbers due to CRAZY pricing...call ATD to find out more. TV pricing is day-to-day and can change at any time. Thanks for checking with San Diego's home of TV, surround sound and outdoor speaker specials.

Looking for Sony TV sales or audio sales! Aire Theater Designs proudly serves all of San Diego County which includes Del Cerro, Talmadge, Kensington, Hillcrest, Mission Valley, Fashion Valley, El Cajon, Blossom Valley, La Mesa, Lake Murray, Friars, North Park, Balboa Park, Clairemont, Kearny Mesa, Mission Bay, Mission Beach, Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach, Point Loma and Downtown San Diego. We also gladly serve those in North San Diego County which includes Carlsbad, San Marcos, Vista, Elfin Forest, Oceanside, Escondido, Encinitas, Cardiff CA, Solana Beach, Del Mar, Cielo, The Bridges, The Crosby, The Lakes, Torrey Pines, Alta Del Mar, Carmel Mountain, Carmel Valley, Coronado, Fairbanks Ranch, Rancho Santa Fe, 4S Ranch, Santaluz, La Jolla, Poway, and Rancho Bernardo. Need help in Murrieta, Wildomar, Temecula, Fallbrook or Bonsall...we're there too. House by Pardee, Shea, Lennar or other builders? We can help!