Selecting a location for your Sonos speakers

In this article, you’ll find general guidelines for placing your Sonos all-in-one speaker so it can achieve its best sound and wireless connection. More specific placement tips can be found in each speaker’s product guide. You can also find additional information in our article on mounting Sonos products to the wall.


Audio guidelines

  • If your all-in-one speaker is placed next to a wall or on a shelf, make sure there’s enough space behind the speaker and that it’s not placed right up against the wall. There should be at least 1” of space behind smaller speakers (One, One SL) and 2” of space behind larger speakers (Five, Play:5).
  • Regardless of where your speakers are placed, you can perform Trueplay tuning to adapt the speaker to the acoustic qualities of your room.


Wireless connection guidelines

  • Certain surfaces can affect the quality of the WiFi signal. Avoid placing Sonos products on metal, concrete, brick, or marble surfaces.
  • Do not place Sonos products on top of, or directly next to, other wireless devices such as a WiFi router, cordless phone, or baby monitor.

For more information, see our article on reducing wireless interference.


Speaker orientation guidelines

You can place a Sonos Five, Play:5 (gen2) or Play:3 in either a horizontal or vertical orientation.

  • A horizontal speaker will output stereo audio over a wide soundstage while a vertical speaker will output mono audio. When placing a single speaker, we recommend using a horizontal orientation.
  • When either horizontal or vertical, make sure all four rubber feet are sitting completely on the flat surface.


Humidity resistance and bathroom placement

Some Sonos products have sealed architectures, making them humidity-resistant and allowing you to safely use them in the bathroom. Sonos speakers that are not waterproof may be damaged if exposed directly to water or left outside for extended periods.

The following products are humidity resistant:

  • Era 100
  • Era 300
  • Five
  • Move
  • Move 2
  • One (Gen 1)
  • One (Gen 2)
  • One SL
  • Play:1
  • Play:5 (Gen 2)
  • Roam
  • Roam 2
  • Roam SL

Still need help?

Our technicians can help over the phone or with a live chat. You can also ask questions and find answers with other Sonos owners in our Sonos Community.