Amazon Echo Studio vs Sonos One: Alexa, what should I buy?

While Google and Amazon have pushed further into the speaker game, premium speaker stalwart Sonos has done its best to hold its own. Can the popular miniature speaker top Amazon’s best-sounding speaker ever? Let’s dive into Amazon Echo Studio vs Sonos One.

With the Amazon 2020 hardware event closing in, we’re looking back to compare its strongest speaker yet with the popular Sonos One. We’re not sure we’ll be getting a new Echo Studio at the upcoming showcase, instead expecting a focus on new devices like the Echo Show 3rd Gen, Amazon Echo Dot 4th Gen and Amazon Echo 4th Gen.

At first glance, you might think that these devices don’t have a whole lot in common but the audio features, smart assistant support and value for money make them fierce rivals.

The speakers are set apart in some areas too though, from the added flexibility of the Sonos and its more friendly lower weight to the enhanced Dolby Atmos 3D support and integration with Alexa ecosystem of the Echo Studio. There’s plenty to compare and contrast with Echo Studio and Sonos One, let’s see who comes out on top.

Related: Best smart speakers

Amazon Echo Studio vs Sonos One – Price

Starting with the price, these devices offer similar value. The Echo Studio is priced at £189.99 while the Sonos One comes in at £199.

Both companies are known to bundle their products with other devices in their ecosystems so be on the lookout for deals – from picking up two Sono Ones at a discount to pairing the Echo Studio with smaller Echos or Philips Hue lighting.

• Read our full Amazon Echo Dot (3rd Gen) review

Amazon Echo Studio vs Sonos One – Design

Sonos One sits neatly into the Sonos lineup, with the same no-frills premium look of the company’s other devices. You do have the choice of Black or White to better suit your home setup.

While Amazon definitely chose to go a bit more left-field with its best Echo speaker yet. The Echo Studio looks a lot less like other Echos seen in the rest of the range. Instead, the large speaker more closely resembles more traditional competitors. This distinction makes for Amazon’s best-looking speaker yet, looking like a truly premium audio device.

The Echo Studio comes in at a whopping weight of 3.5kg while the Sonos One weighs just under 1.9kg – that’s quite the difference. The same goes for dimensions with the Echo Studio sized at 206mm x 175mm and the Sonos One being 162mm x 120mm. If size and weight play a factor for you then the distinctions are pretty clear.

Related: Google Home vs Amazon Echo

Amazon Echo Studio vs Sonos One – Features

For features, Sonos One definitely offers more flexibility. In the smart assistant department, you can use Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. Handily, Sonos also you to select a different assistant for different Sonos speakers in different rooms.

There’s support for Apple Airplay 2 as well, alongside all the surround sound and room-switching benefits you get from having several Sonos speakers that link up to each other.

On the Echo Studio side, there’s obviously no support for Google Assistant as well as a gentle nudging towards Amazon services like Music HD. Nevertheless, Amazon does support much the same streaming services as the Sonos, like Spotify, Tidal, Pandora and TuneIn.

Echo Studio works seamlessly with the rest of your Alexa ecosystem, from other Echo devices in your home to Amazon Fire TV devices. You can also pair this device with an Echo Sub to create a 2.1 system for enhanced sound.

• Read our full Sonos Arc review

Amazon Echo Studio vs Sonos One – Sound

While a larger size might seem like a negative factor for the Echo Studio, this size enables some more horsepower-propelled audio features to be included.

Unlike the Sonos One, Echo Studio supports Dolby Atmos 3D – offering the illusion of sound coming from a range of directions. Dolby Atmos 3D isn’t quite the same as a premium Dolby Atmos on a soundbar but the feature is entertaining when used correctly with supported content.

The Echo Studio’s size also offers significant bass. You’ll get a strong and weighty sound that easily outshines the rest of the Echo speaker range. The Echo Studio experience seems made for parties, potentially coming up short for those who appreciate a more nuanced sound.

On the Sonos One side of things, it feels like the premium audio expert have really used their knowledge to craft a remarkable sound from such a small package. Despite its small size, the Sonos One sounds like a much larger device but that doesn’t mean it has the same heavy focus on bass that the Echo Studio does. With the One, you get a balanced quality sound across treble, midrange and bass.

The Sonos One truly shines when combined with other Sonos devices, from acting as surround speakers for a Sonos Beam or Arc to simply being paired with another One for stereo sound.

Amazon Echo Studio vs Sonos One – Verdict

Ultimately, the Echo Studio and Sonos One are quite different products despite being priced so similarly.

Audiophiles may want to opt for the more considered top-quality sound of the Sonos One and the possible integration with other devices. While those looking for a more thumping sound should opt for the Echo Studio.

These strengths do not point to weaknesses in other areas, however. Echo Studio remains Amazon’s best overall speaker yet and the Sonos One still offers loud volume despite its miniature form-factor.