Sonos or Control4: Which Is a Better Whole-Home Audio System?
Any serious music fan should consider a whole-home audio system. What’s better than being able to quickly select your favorite songs from a streaming service or your own media collection and enjoy them seamlessly throughout the house—sans earbuds?
A big name in whole-home audio is Sonos, known for their hi-fi wireless speakers, proprietary speaker synchronization, and intuitive user interface available for Android and iOS devices.
For some homeowners in Redmond, WA, Sonos may be the preferable choice for whole-home audio. But before you pull the trigger on Sonos, you may want to take a gander at another big name in whole-home audio: Control4. What does Control4 offer that Sonos doesn’t? Read below to learn the differences between Sonos and Control4 and decide which may be a better solution for you.
SEE ALSO: What You Should Know Before Installing a Home Audio System
Sonos: A Standalone Music System
When it comes to standalone home audio systems, Sonos is hard to beat. Sonos offers an array of compact high-fidelity speakers that wirelessly connect throughout your home to create an immersive whole-home audio experience. Their mobile app is simple to use and includes 50+ streaming services at your fingertips. Using the Sonos app, you can listen to different songs in different rooms simultaneously or enjoy the same music in every room at the same time.
Sonos works with your wired speakers, too. Using the Sonos Amp, you can connect everything from your turntable and stereo to your existing wired speakers to enjoy CDs, vinyl, streaming, and your stored audio files. Want to power your existing outdoor speakers, too? It’s possible with the Sonos Amp.
A major drawback of Sonos used to be the inability to support high-resolution audio. Now, the recent Sonos S2 OS update allows most Sonos products to support high-resolution audio, such as higher-than-CD quality streams available on Tidal and Qobuz. However, support for MQA (Master Quality Authenticated) high-resolution tracks has yet to be seen—which may matter to you audiophiles.
Control4: More Than a Music System
Control4 is a full-fledged home automation system that also features a native whole-home audio solution. While you can seamlessly access and share music to connected speakers in one or all rooms of your home using the Control4 app, you also have quick access to other smart home functions within the app, such as home lighting control, TV control, door locks, thermostats, and more.
The Control4 app comes with several streaming services as well, like Spotify and Tidal, and supports high-resolution audio files—including MQA tracks! Of course, you can access your private audio files and bring your analog music collection into the mix, too. Control4 also integrates with hundreds of third-party solutions (including Sonos), so you can easily command all the devices in your home through one intuitive application rather than juggling folders of apps on your phone.
Another advantage of Control4 is its various control options. While Sonos is limited to app and voice control, Control4 goes beyond app and voice control to offer whole-home control via wall keypads, the Neeo handheld remote, and dedicated touchscreens.
It’s also important to note that the scalability of Control4 is more cost-effective compared to the Sonos Amp should you decide you want a whole-home audio system that covers four or more rooms.
The Verdict?
If you’re just starting out with multiroom audio and only want to stream music to a couple of rooms, Sonos may be the right choice for you. But if you’re interested in a home automation platform that includes a comprehensive whole-home audio solution, Control4 is the clear winner.
As a certified Control4 dealer, Wipliance can design and install a custom whole-home audio system that meets your needs now and in the future. To learn more about our whole-home audio services, reach out to our team here or send us a chat below! We’d love to work with you.
