When shopping for Sonos speakers, getting confused about which one to choose is normal. The indecisiveness grows when you decide which speaker to choose between the Sonos one, Gen 1 vs. Gen 2.
The significant difference between these two speakers is the processor, memory, and Bluetooth technology. Specifically, Sonos gen 2 is the higher and better version. For instance, Sonos gen 2 uses Bluetooth low energy (BLE) to simplify the speaker setup. The Sonos gen 2 has better memory and processor than the Sonos 1.
But that’s not all. Keep reading; I’ll explore the differences and similarities between these two generations of the Sonos one speaker.
Contents
Sonos Play 5 Gen 1 vs. Gen 2: Spec Comparison Table
| Specifications | Sonos One Gen 1 | Sonos One Gen 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 4.8 x 4.8 x 6.4 inches | 6.36 x 4.69 x 4.69 inches |
| Weight | 4.08 pounds | 4.08 pounds |
| Control Method | Amazon Alexa | Wi-Fi |
| Speaker Type | Multi-room | Multi-room |
| Connections | Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi |
| Sound Quality | Great | Great |
What Is Sonos One Gen 1?
The Sonos One Gen 1 is a voice control speaker about 15 centimeters in height. It works with most voice control assistants like Google Assistant, Airplay, and Alexa.
This speaker offers fantastic features to their audience. For instance, you’ll enjoy optimal sound quality. It provides the multi-room feature, Wi-Fi connection, and the liberty to stream songs from various networks.
What is Sonos One Gen 2?
Sonos one gen 2 is an upgraded version of the Sonos one gen 1. It has a better processor and memory than the Sonos one gen 1. It also offers qualities that are not too different from the first generation Sonos one speaker.
The common trend with Sonos one speakers is an impeccable audio quality that even audiophiles would love. The sound quality combines the Multi-room sound with the ability to achieve surround sounds. By design, you might think you’re holding the Sonos play 1 as they aren’t too different.
Sonos One Gen 1 versus Gen 2 Comparison (Detailed)
True music lovers would appreciate the Sonos one speaker because it was wired to help them fulfill all their music desires. It is not exactly a series but a single speaker with two versions- one is an upgrade from the other.
Sonos combines the beauty of virtual assistance with its unique features to create these speakers. With a smart speaker in your hand, you can enjoy your music conveniently.
What’s the difference between Sonos one, gen 1, and gen 2? Keep reading to find out. This article explores the difference and similarities between these two speakers.
Bluetooth Low Energy
The first notable difference between the Sonos one gen 1 and gen 2 speaker is the Bluetooth low energy introduced to the gen 2 speaker. The SonosOne speaker isn’t a Bluetooth speaker. It was designed to be connected via Wi-Fi. Don’t worry; the Sonos team still maintained that feature.
However, they introduced a reasonably new Bluetooth feature into the Sonos one gen 2 speakers called the Bluetooth low energy. It was only designed to simplify the initial setup stage of the Sonos one-gen 2 speakers.
Start by connecting it to your phone or tablet via the BLE feature. Then, you can quickly finish the process. After successfully setting up the gen 2 speaker, you’ll automatically go back to audio streaming with Wi-Fi.
You can also make the necessary updates via Wi-Fi connectivity. This BLE is absent from the Sonos one gen 1 speaker. You’ll have to do the initial setup via a Wi-Fi connection.
The good thing is that you’ll find your device quickly when trying to set it up. Follow the connectivity instruction, and you won’t have any problem pulling off the initial Wi-Fi setup of the Sonos one gen 1.
New Processor
One difference is the processor in another gen 1 vs. gen 2 Sonos. The processor on the gen 2 speaker is greater than the gen 1. However, that doesn’t mean that the gen 1 processor is terrible.
When the Sonos team teased about releasing a Sonos one-gen 2 speaker that would be an upgrade from the original Sonos one speaker, they talked about introducing new features to the Sonos 2.
These supposed new features influenced the processor upgrade. In essence, Sonos upgraded the processor of the Sonos one speaker in the gen 2 to help the speaker support the supposed new features that it would have when it was released.
Nevertheless, since its release, audiophiles and music lovers worldwide have noticed that there aren’t many differing features between the gen 1 and gen 2. They also realized that there were only a few differences between the two versions.
Memory
Sonos designed the gen 2 Sonos one with higher memory power than the gen 1. Truthfully, people who have the gen 1 won’t feel like they missed out on an incredible feature with the gen 2 upgraded memory.
The reason is that the upgraded memory feature is a supposed futuristic one that equips the gen 2 for future firmware updates. If Sonos decides to release a firmware update of the SonosOne, the gen 1 won’t have enough memory capacity to handle it.
Gen 2, on the other hand, would handle it well because of its upgraded memory. It was equipped for future updates.
Audience
The target audience is another subtle difference between the gen 1 vs. the gen 2 Sonos one. Here, the memory and fast processor play a vital role. For instance, because the gen 1 has a slower processor and memory than the gen 2, it can’t take on heavy tasks like streaming music from multiple platforms simultaneously.
It would most likely stall when you attempt it. Gen 1 is ideal for Android users. If you’d also like to connect your Sonos one speaker to your PC or Macbook, you would enjoy using the gen 1 one in this context.
When you start to pursue multiple tasks like using the virtual assistant and streaming podcasts, you might have to switch to the gen 2. The processor and memory power would give you a seamless experience.
Availability
A crucial difference between the Sonos one gen 1 and 2 is their availability. To the best of my knowledge, Sonos did not intend to create the SonosOne as a series speaker. Instead, gen 2 is an upgrade from gen 1.
That’s why it’s not surprising that Sonos brought the production of the Sonos one-gen 1 to a close. They stopped producing the Sonos 1 in March of 2019. There’s no need to be sad as the gen 2 is the available Sonos one speaker around.
Microphone
When Sonos created the Sonos one gen 1, they designed it with 4 microphones for effectiveness. That’s why the Sonos one could pick any vocals from any direction. However, in the gen 2, manufacturers upgraded the microphone feature.
So, you’ll find only two microphones carved into the Sonos one-gen 2. Although they are two microphones, they are more effective than the initial 4 microphones in the Sonos one-gen 1 speaker.
Sonos had their engineers turn off two microphones on the gen 1 speaker via software to catch up with this cool microphone feature. Don’t worry; the other two existing microphones are as effective as the microphones on the Sonos one gen 2.
Size
The Sonos one gen 1 and 2 differ on another front- size. However, the size of the two sonos on the speakers is subtle. Here’s what I mean.
When you measure the Sonos one gen 1, you’ll see that it is 15 centimeters tall. However, the Sonos one gen 2 is slightly taller, at 16.2 centimeters.
Aside from that, the dimension of the gen 1 is 4.8 x 4.8 x 6.4 inches, and the gen 2 is 6.36 x 4.69 x 4.69 inches. Although the difference in size and dimension is subtle, it still exists.
These are the differences between the Sonos one gen 1 and 2. They are not many because Sonosdidn’t entirely abandon many of the features in the gen 1 to design the gen 2 differently.
So, it’s more likely that the Sonos one gen 1 and gen 2 would have more similarities than differences. Keep reading.
Sonos One Gen 1 vs. Gen 2: Common Similarities
There are some similarities between the gen 1 and gen 2 Sonosone speakers. Let’s dive into some of the similarities below.
- For starters, the design of both the Sonos One Gen 1 vs. Gen 2 is very similar.
- The sound quality of both speakers is top-notch. They produce the lows, mids, and highs impeccably.
- They are both humidity resistant.
- They are both compatible with virtual assistants.
Which one should you buy: Sonos one, gen 1 vs. gen 2?
The upgrades in Sonos one gen 2 have made it a little bit more expensive than the Sonos one gen 1. Aside from that, Sonos one gen 2 is forged to accommodate future updates.
However, if you do not intend to do heavy tasks with the speaker, you can keep using your Sonos one gen 1 speaker if you’ve had it before.
Other Related Sonos Products Review
- Sonos Play 5 Gen 1 Vs Gen 2
- Sonos arc vs Bose 700
- Sonos Play5 vs. Bose SoundTouch 30
- Sonos Play:1 Review
- Sonos Sub Gen 2 vs Gen 3
- Sonos one Gen 1 vs. Gen 2
But if you are currently planning on getting a new Sonos one speaker, you’re better off with the gen 2. Besides, the Sonos one gen 1 is no longer available.
Conclusion
Now that you’ve gone through this article to unravel the Sonos one gen 1 vs. gen 2, it should streamline your decision. Truthfully, getting a Sonos one gen 2 is the better investment- especially now that the Sonos one gen 1 has been discontinued.
However, you’re not missing out on anything if you have the Sonos one gen 1. As long as it still functions well, you’re good to go.
HI, John Andrew here. I’ve been an audiophile since I was a little kid. I’m an original member of myaudiolover . It emerged as a way for me to share my passion and knowledge for audio technology. If you’re looking for tips, techniques, and insights about audio-tech, that can enable your productions that professional edge, then MyAudioLover is the place for you!
