Sonos In-Ceiling Speaker Review: Still Worth It in 2025?

Find out why Sonos In-Ceiling speakers are a hit for would-be installers looking to build Sonos into their homes.

FAQS & Tutorials - Updated 31st July 2025

Sonos In-Ceiling Speaker Review: Still Worth It in 2025?

Written By

Emily Phillips

Sonos Ceiling Speakers: Do They Still Deliver?

Thinking about upgrading your home audio with discreet, built-in speakers? Sonos In-Ceiling Speakers, developed in collaboration with renowned Canadian audio brand Sonance, have long been a favourite for homeowners who want seamless integration of high-quality sound into their living spaces.

Sonos In-Ceiling Speaker Review: SHS 60-Second Summary

Price: £699 (6-inch) | £999 (8-inch) – per pair
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The Sonos In-Ceiling Speakers, remain one of the best ways to get big, detailed sound without cluttering your room in 2025. They slot flush into your ceiling, look super sleek, and once paired with the Sonos Amp, you’ll unlock their full potential with Trueplay tuning and effortless smart control. They’re not the cheapest option, but the payoff is premium, discreet audio that feels like it’s built into your home.

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Pros:
✓ Discreet, flush-fit design
✓ Clear, room-filling sound with Trueplay
✓ Can pair up to 6 speakers on the Sonos Amp
✓ Built to last with Sonance engineering

Cons:
✖ Needs a Sonos Amp for full features
✖ Higher cost than some rivals

Since their launch, Sonos’ Architectural range, which includes in-ceiling, in-wall, and outdoor speakers, has been meticulously engineered to deliver optimal performance in each environment. The original 6-inch models set the standard for discreet home audio, and the introduction of the larger 8-inch version now caters to listeners craving even more powerful sound.

But with wireless speakers evolving rapidly and more brands entering the architectural audio market, many are asking the big question: are Sonos In-Ceiling Speakers still worth it in 2025?

In this review, we’ll share our hands-on experience, explore how these speakers have aged to help you decide if they’re the right choice for your setup.

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Sonos In-Ceiling Speaker Review: Price & Availability

The 6" model starts at £699 RRP per pair, but you can often find these on sale for a more affordable price. Being a newer release, the 8" version carries a price tag of £999 per pair. This positions them firmly in the high-end category. However, the price reflects the seamless Sonos integration, renowned sound quality, and the aesthetic benefit of a discreet in-ceiling design.

All Sonos products* bought with Smart Home Sounds come complete with a FREE 6 year extended warranty, FREE delivery and with 0% finance available. (*T&Cs apply)

Sonos In-Ceiling Speaker Review: Design & Build Quality

Sonos doesn’t mess about when it comes to design, and their in-ceiling speakers are another example of it. These sit completely flush with your ceiling, finished with a paintable grille that blends seamlessly into any room.

Featuring a 1” tweeter and pivotable 6” bass driver, the 6-inch Sonos In-Ceiling Speakers have been developed with Sonance to deliver premium Kevlar components and a rich, dynamic sound profile. They’re discreet but pack a serious punch, especially when paired with a Sonos Soundbar and Subwoofer. We see them as great all-rounders, particularly when used in pairs to fill open-plan living spaces like kitchen-diners or living rooms.

For those who need more power, the 8-inch version ups the ante with a larger bass driver that delivers the same refined sound with more depth and a wider soundstage. This makes them ideal for bigger rooms or anyone who craves a bold, detailed audio experience no matter the occasion.

Sure, there are other contenders out there like Monitor Audio, Bowers & Wilkins, KEF which all offer fantastic options at similar price points. But Sonos holds its ground not only with sound quality, but also with the intuitive features and seamless integration that make these speakers a joy to live with.

Sonos In-Ceiling Speaker Review: Sound Performance

Sonos offers their in-ceiling speakers in two sizes: 6-inch and 8-inch. Both share the same discreet look and Sonance engineering, but the difference in driver size changes how they sound. This gives you the flexibility to choose the right model for your room size and how you like to listen.

Sonos 6-Inch Ceiling Speaker Sound Performance

We’ve used the 6-inch Sonos In-Ceiling Speakers in countless setups, and they continue to impress. With their pivotable 6.5-inch woofer and 1-inch tweeter, they produce a well-balanced, detailed sound across a 90-degree coverage angle. In smaller to medium rooms, they sound lively without ever feeling overbearing.

Paired with a Sonos Amp, they really open up. Trueplay tuning makes a noticeable difference, especially in tricky spaces, giving you clear vocals and a smooth overall balance. When used as rear surrounds with a Sonos soundbar and Sub, they slot in beautifully, adding immersion without calling attention to themselves.

For most homes, we find the 6-inch model hits the sweet spot. They’re the go-to for bedrooms, bathrooms, and kitchen-diners where you want great sound without overpowering the space.

Sonos 8-Inch Ceiling Speaker Sound Performance

The 8-inch version takes everything we like about the 6-inch and scales it up. The larger 8-inch woofer and 1.2-inch tweeter give it a wider 100-degree coverage and bass that reaches deeper, down to 29Hz. In our tests, the difference isn’t just about extra volume. The 8-inch sounds more effortless, with extra headroom that keeps things clean and relaxed even when the volume gets cranked up.

In larger or open-plan rooms, this extra power and dispersion really come into play. Music feels fuller, the low-end has more weight, and the sound spreads more evenly. It’s the model we recommend for entertaining spaces or for anyone who loves to listen at higher volumes without distortion creeping in.

For a more detailed breakdown of the differences between the two options, read our Sonos 6-inch vs. 8-inch ceiling speaker comparison blog.

Sonos In-Ceiling Speaker Review: Intuitive Features

As a smart audio specialist, Sonos has designed the In-Ceiling Speakers from the ground up to work seamlessly within their home ecosystem. Built in collaboration with Sonance, a brand with decades of expertise in architectural speakers, these models are fine-tuned to deliver premium sound while staying out of sight.

Perfect Match for Sonos Amp

The speakers are precisely impedance-matched to the Sonos Amp., which means you can power up to three pairs from a single unit without compromising sound quality. In larger spaces, this combination makes planning multi-speaker layouts far simpler – we’ve used this setup in open-plan kitchens and living areas where it performs flawlessly.

Trueplay Room Tuning

Pairing with the Sonos Amp also unlocks Trueplay tuning. During setup, Trueplay analyses your room and adjusts the output to suit its shape and surfaces. From our testing, it helps tame awkward acoustics in rooms with high ceilings, alcoves or lots of reflective surfaces.

Tailored for Sonos Ecosystem

These speakers have been built to slot effortlessly into the wider Sonos system. Whether you’re linking them to a Sonos soundbar for rear surround duties or grouping them with other Sonos speakers for multi-room music, the experience is smooth, reliable and very Sonos.

Sonos In-Ceiling Speaker Review: Installation & Compatibility

Installing Sonos In-Ceiling Speakers is straightforward if you plan ahead. We’ve seen them fitted in everything from new builds to retrofits, and they’re clearly designed with convenience in mind.

Easy Fit Design

Both the 6-inch and 8-inch models slot neatly into the ceiling without the need for extra mounting apparatus. The dog-foot clamping system keeps them secure, while spring-loaded terminals make connecting your speaker cable quick and fuss-free. Once your cables are in place and the cut-outs are made, the speakers can be installed in just a few minutes.

The magnetic speaker grilles snap on effortlessly and are paintable, so you can colour-match them to your ceiling for a truly seamless finish. With their slim bezel design, they disappear into the room without encroaching on your décor.

Size Considerations

The 6-inch version requires an 8.25-inch cutout with a 4.73-inch mounting depth, while the 8-inch needs a 10.12-inch cutout and 5.32-inch depth. Always double-check ceiling cavities and joist positions before cutting – we’ve seen this mistake too many times. For added safety (and to meet building regs), we recommend using fire hoods which you can also get from our website.

Optimised for Sonos Amp

These speakers are tailored to work perfectly with the Sonos Amp. You can power up to three pairs (six speakers) from a single unit, making it ideal for larger rooms or multi-speaker layouts.

Once installed, setup is a breeze through the Sonos app. They integrate seamlessly with the wider Sonos ecosystem, so you can stream music, group rooms, or even use them as surrounds with a Sonos soundbar and Sub. Everything just works, which is why we rate them so highly for both performance and usability.

Sonos In-Ceiling Speaker Review: How They Compare in 2025

Even with new speakers hitting the market, the Sonos In-Ceiling Speakers remain a standout choice this year. We’ve tried them against a range of alternatives, and they continue to impress.

Within the Sonos ecosystem, nothing else offers the same built-in look or room-wide coverage. Wireless options like the Sonos Era 100 and Sonos Era 300 are brilliant in their own right, but they can’t compete with the clean aesthetic or the immersion you get when these speakers are fitted flush into the ceiling.

When we compare them with rivals from Monitor Audio, Bowers & Wilkins and KEF, the differences are more about flavour than outright quality. KEF’s Uni-Q drivers, for example, create a wide sweet spot, while B&W offers a slightly warmer sound. Yet Sonos consistently wins for its combination of sound performance and ease of use. Trueplay tuning makes a bigger difference than many expect, and having everything controlled in the Sonos app is a huge advantage. In real homes, that convenience counts just as much as raw performance.

The introduction of the 8-inch version in the lineup only strengthens the range. We’ve found the smaller 6-inch model still hits the mark for most rooms, delivering clean, balanced sound without overpowering smaller spaces. The 8-inch, on the other hand, is ideal for bigger, open-plan layouts where its extra bass depth, headroom and wider coverage really shine.

Overall, while competitors might edge them on certain areas, the Sonos In-Ceiling Speakers remain one of the most complete and user-friendly architectural speaker options you can buy in 2025.

Our Verdict: Are Sonos In-Ceiling Speakers Worth It?

Five years on from their launch, the Sonos In-Ceiling Speakers continue to hold their ground. They’re not just a safe choice; they’re a smart one if you value great sound without compromising your interior design.

What stood out to us during testing is how adaptable they are. The 6-inch version comfortably handles everyday listening in bedrooms, studies and smaller living spaces, while the 8-inch really comes alive in bigger, open-plan areas where you want sound that feels effortless and immersive. Both models deliver the kind of quality you’d expect from Sonos and Sonance.

Of course, they’re not the cheapest option on the market, and you’ll need to pair them with a Sonos Amp to unlock their full potential. But what you get in return is well worth it in our opinion and perfect for almost any home.

In short: if you’re looking for architectural speakers that sound fantastic, look near-invisible and integrate seamlessly into your wider home ecosystem, the Sonos In-Ceiling Speakers are absolutely still worth it!

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Sonos Architectural Range

Sonos didn’t stop at ceiling speakers. Back in 2019, they launched a full Architectural Range in partnership with Sonance, which also includes In-Wall and Outdoor options. All three speaker types are supplied in pairs and are perfectly impedance-matched for use with the Sonos Amp. This means you can even mix and match different models on the same Amp if your project calls for it.

The In-Wall Speakers are ideal for a sleek home cinema setup where you want front or surround channels built directly into the walls. The Outdoor Speakers are weatherproof, designed to deliver powerful audio to patios, gardens and terraces without compromising on sound quality.

If you’re planning a system using these loudspeakers, check out our Sonos Amp and In-Ceiling Speaker bundle, or browse our bundles for the In-Wall and Outdoor models if they suit your space better. Like every Sonos product we sell, the Architectural range comes with our exclusive 6-Year Extended Warranty, giving you extra peace of mind on your investment.

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If you have any questions about the Architectural range or ceiling speakers more generally, please contact our customer service team via Live Chat on the website, info@smarthomesounds.co.uk or over the phone on 0800677 1100. Our customer service team is available between 9 am-5 pm Monday to Saturday.

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