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Sonos is a leading American audio technology company that is best known for pioneering wireless multiroom audio systems, which make it easy for listeners to stream music and other content throughout their homes. The company continues to innovate, creating wireless speakers, home theater systems, headphones, architectural components, and integrated home audio solutions that revolutionize how people listen and connect to sound.

There’s a lot to love about headphones. For starters, nothing is better at blocking out the bustle of a crowded office or subway car. But the right pair of headphones can do much more than that, inviting you into an immersive listening experience where the music seems to be coming from all around you.

Is it possible to love your headphones too much? We’re not here to answer that question, but we do want to shed some light on some more common questions about headphone safety. So, if you’ve ever wondered how loud is “too loud” or if you should limit your daily listening time, you’ve come to the right place.

Bluetooth headphones are widely considered to be safe for general use, and no study to date has linked Bluetooth technology to health risks.

Wireless Bluetooth devices use a type of electromagnetic radiation (EMF) known as radiofrequency radiation (RF). This is the same kind emitted by smartphones, televisions, laptop computers, and many other common consumer electronic devices.

There are two types of RF radiation: ionizing and non-ionizing. Bluetooth radiation is of the non-ionizing variety. The ionizing type — the kind found in X-rays, for example — can pose some health risks with repeated or prolonged exposure. But non-ionizing radiation is generally thought to be harmless to humans.

How long should you wear headphones at a time?

Listening to loud sounds for an extended period of time can damage your hearing. But how loud is too loud? The answer depends on several factors, including not only the 

Let’s apply this to headphones, which typically have an output ranging from 60 decibels (dB) to about 110 dB. Note that the volume bar on your phone or audio device does not directly translate to decibels, but it’s usually safe to assume that 50–60% of the volume meter puts you in the 80–85 dB range.

 from the World Health Organization, you can safely listen to sounds at 100 dB for only 15 minutes a day. Note that we said 

— not just music. So if your commute involves waiting for a screeching subway train (about 100 dB), you should shave a few minutes off your day’s headphone use, especially if you tend to listen at high volumes.

You can expand your listening time by taking a few practical steps, such as giving yourself short listening breaks and using earplugs to reduce the volume of loud environments such as concerts and sporting events.

We mentioned above that this question depends not just on loudness, but also on the duration and frequency of exposure. With that in mind, some volumes can be safely listened to for up to an hour or more, while others can cause hearing loss within a matter of minutes.

 notes that exposure to sounds of 80–85 dBs (about equal to the 50–60% mark on your device’s volume meter) can cause damage to hearing after two hours of exposure. The duration of safe-listening time goes down from there, with sounds of 95 dBs leading to possible hearing damage after 50 minutes, and sounds of 100 dBs (close to max volume) causing possible hearing loss after only 15 minutes.

Most consumer headphones max out at volumes that are quite a bit higher than the 100 dB threshold, so you need to take some care and avoid the temptation to crank it up. If there’s one song you really need to hear in all its glory, we get it — but try to offset this with listening at lower levels, or for shorter durations.

When it comes to loudness, the headphones you choose matter, too.

A good, snug fit goes a long way in blocking out excess noise, so you can clearly hear music at lower volumes. This is especially true if you typically listen to headphones in a noisy or crowded environment, such as on your commute to work. “Snug” shouldn’t mean “uncomfortable,” though. That’s why Sonos Ace headphones come with memory foam ear cushions and an extendable headband.

Headphones with Active Noise Cancellation, like Sonos Ace, also block out external sounds and make it easier to listen at lower volumes without feeling like you’re missing something.

Can headphones cause a dent in your head?

 have spread throughout the online-gaming community. This term describes an arch-shaped divot imprinted into the skull after wearing headphones for hours, days, or even weeks at a time. Here’s the good news: It is 

 that wearing headphones will cause a dent in your head.

If this happens to you, what you’re probably experiencing is simply a dent in your hair or skin caused by a prolonged period of wear. This can happen with any head accessory, and reports of similar indentations are associated with hats, headbands, and even sunglasses. In any case, it should clear up within a few minutes or hours. If you’re experiencing pain, it’s probably a sign that you should adjust the fit of your headphones or try adding some extra padding by wearing a hat or a beanie under them.

This is probably related to the age-old myth that wearing a hat can cause hair loss, and there is no concrete evidence to back it up.

The legality of driving while wearing headphones varies from state to state, and from country to country. And in many places, it’s not as simple as “yes” or “no.” Some U.S. states, for example, ban over-ear headphones but allow using a single earbud. Other states and countries may also have a law against driving with headphones that provides exceptions for those with hearing impairments.

Before getting behind the driver’s seat with headphones, check with your local authorities. The EU maintains an official website where you can review the 

. In the US and in other jurisdictions, you’ll need to contact local authorities to verify the current road rules.

But is driving with headphones a good idea — even if it’s not explicitly illegal? Keep in mind that listening to loud music while driving can impair both your hearing and your attention on the road, and make you more likely to miss important signals. In almost every case, it’s better just to not.

Listening to music at night can help to block out the constant ringing noise associated with tinnitus, while recorded meditations or ambient noise can also get the mind calm and sleep-ready.

It is generally safe to sleep with headphones on, though a few caveats apply:

 If you fall asleep with headphones in, there’s a good chance you’ll have music pumping into your ears for eight hours or more. That’s a fast track to hearing damage if you’re listening at volumes greater than 80–85 dB. As a general rule, set your headphones at the lowest possible volume before drifting off to sleep. And if you’re listening on Spotify, take advantage of the 

 that automatically turns off your music after you’ve fallen asleep. Other streaming services may offer similar features.

Don’t use noise-canceling features at night:

 Even though you’re sleeping, you want to be in a position where you’ll wake up in case of an emergency. If your noise-canceling headphones may lead you to miss an alarm, a ringing phone, or any other noises that may require your attention, be sure to switch the noise-canceling feature off before bedtime.

 Leaving in your in-ear headphones for extended periods of time can be uncomfortable. It can also trap moisture in your ear canal, creating an enclosed environment that’s ripe for infection. Better to go with over-ear headphones or even an external speaker, if possible.

If you follow the simple guidelines outlined in this post and keep the volume at a moderate level that won’t harm your inner ears, there’s nothing stopping you from wearing headphones all day. And there’s no better headphone for immersive, all-day listening than Sonos Ace.

With a custom-designed driver tuned by music-industry leaders, Sonos Ace surrounds you with hyper-realistic, three-dimensional audio wherever you go. And with up to 30 hours of battery life with Active Noise Cancellation enabled, you can sink into your own portable listening universe and stay there for as long as you please.

The Ultimate Guide to Wearing Headphones

If you’ve never given much thought to the individual components that make up your speakers, you may be confused when you hear the term “speaker driver”. And you may be even more confused when you hear that the speaker driver — not the speaker itself — is what reproduces the sound waves you hear when you listen to music. The “speaker” is the name we use as shorthand for the entire system, which includes not only speaker drivers, but also the circuits that send sounds to the right places, the box that houses everything, and so on.

So, if a speaker driver isn’t a speaker, what is it exactly?

Speaker drivers are the components that actually vibrate to create sound waves — think of them as the engine of your speaker system. Most speakers contain multiple drivers of different sizes, with the largest ones (subwoofers) handling the low bass sounds and the smallest ones (tweeters) taking care of the higher-pitched frequencies

Why do these drivers come in so many different sizes? And how many drivers are “enough” for a 

? To answer these questions, we should start with why drivers exist in the first place.

The purpose of a speaker driver is to convert the electrical signals produced by your amplifier, headphones, or other music player into physical sound waves that can reach your ear. Without speaker drivers, there would be no sound coming out of your speaker — and no purpose for your sound system to exist at all.

 can seem hopelessly complex, speaker drivers produce sound through a simple series of cause-and-effect. When an electrical signal flows from your music player into the driver, it creates a magnetic field. This magnetic field causes the speaker driver to vibrate back and forth. This back-and-forth vibration creates the sound waves that reach your ears.

In a sense, a speaker driver is a kind of sonic translator. Without it, your music would simply be a series of electrical signals that don’t 

like anything. The driver’s job is first to interpret those signals, then to reproduce them as sound waves. It has several specialized components that work together to make this reproduction possible.

It may seem overly technical, but knowing the individual components of a speaker driver can help you visualize how it works. The main parts of a speaker driver include:

, a coiled wire that receives the electrical signal from the music player.

, which creates the magnetic forces that power the driver’s movement.

, a large cone or dome that moves back and forth to create sound waves.

, which surrounds the driver and keeps the voice coil and diaphragm in the correct positions for producing sound.

Hand using touch controls on a white Era 100

Person lounging on a chair listening to Sonos Five with Sonos Sub 4

High- and low-pitched sounds are different because they are produced by sound waves of different lengths and frequencies. Unfortunately, there's no single driver that can produce the full range of sound waves without distortion, as a driver's shape and physical properties make it more or less capable of reproducing specific frequency ranges, such as low or high sounds.

Different types of speaker drivers exist to handle different sounds, with their capabilities determined mainly by their shape and size. Smaller, lighter drivers can vibrate quickly to reproduce high-frequency sounds, while larger drivers are needed for low frequencies. The names of these different driver types helpfully correspond to the types of sounds they make:

 are small, usually dome-shaped drivers that reproduce high-frequency sounds (like birds chirping) by vibrating rapidly. Their shape allows them to spread these frequencies evenly across a room, though specialized designs like directional horns can create different spatial effects.

Midrange drivers are cone-shaped speakers that bridge the gap between low and high frequencies. Though they can't handle extreme frequencies, they're considered crucial because they reproduce the sounds humans are most sensitive to, including human voices and instruments like the guitar and piano.

Woofers are the biggest speaker drivers in an audio system. If you crave 

 is your ticket to paradise. These subwoofers often come in their own, separate enclosures, which are roomy enough to properly support and enhance the (physically very long) bass sound waves that a woofer emits.

As a general rule, the more drivers in a speaker, the more capable it is of faithfully producing sounds across a wide range of frequencies. Additional drivers can also contribute to a 

, as different drivers may be positioned to fire sound in different directions, thereby filling the room with immersive sound.

 has all the drivers you need. It features two angled tweeters to create a crisp and accurate high frequency response and 

, and one midwoofer to handle playback of mid-range vocal frequencies and deep bass.

If a truly immersive spatial audio experience is what you’re after, 

 may be a better option. This premium speaker’s design leaves room for four tweeters to cover high and mid-range frequencies — including a forward-firing mid tweeter, two side-firing mid tweeters, and an upward-firing tweeter to reflect sound off the ceiling and produce a 

. It also has two angled woofers for balanced low-end output.

You can combine Era 300 with a standalone subwoofer like 

 and a soundbar that features even more drivers, all of which contribute to the overall sense of clarity and immersion. In the case of a premium soundbar like 

 — with its seven tweeters, six midwoofers, and four-motor, dual-membrane woofer — a high number of drivers firing sound in different directions enables innovative spatial audio technologies such as 

Speaker drivers come in all sizes and a number of different shapes that help - produce sounds across a wide range of frequencies.

A single speaker may house just one driver if it’s part of a multi-speaker system with various specialized components. More versatile speakers, like Era 100 and Era 300, will likely feature several drivers that work together to reproduce and blend different aspects of a song’s sonic profile.

Just remember: Drivers aren’t only responsible for the range of frequencies a speaker can produce, but also for the immersive quality of 

. If you’re interested in a speaker that brings you deeper into your music, get in touch with a Sonos expert by 

What is a Speaker Driver?

Some people look at a wall and see only a boundary, a limitation. Others look at a wall and see a vast sea of possibilities — at least as far as sound is concerned. For those in the latter group, installing in-wall speakers is perhaps the most logical way to turn their audio dreams into stunning, immersive reality.

In-wall speakers are generally installed at (or slightly above) ear level within the walls of a home. Because they share the same horizontal plane with the listener’s ear, they’re capable of delivering a level of sonic clarity that’s ideal for home theater and surround sound applications. And in-wall speakers can also blend in seamlessly with your home’s decor.

This combination of premium audio and clean aesthetics makes in-wall speakers an enticing option — either as a standalone system or as part of a larger audio setup. In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about in-wall speakers so you can decide if they make sense for you.

The question of whether in-wall speakers are “worth it” implicitly acknowledges an important fact. Yes, in-wall speakers generally require more time, energy, and forethought to install than traditional floor or wall-mounted speakers.

With that said, in-wall speakers can certainly be worth it to those who don’t want to compromise on sound or aesthetics. 

 combine a premium sound experience that perfectly blends in with your home.

In-wall speakers seamlessly integrate with your home and sound system

One advantage of in-wall speakers is that they can sound great as a standalone speaker solution for both music and home theater. Their shape, design, and positioning within the room all contribute to a focused sound with crisp high frequencies and rich mid and low ranges.

You can also integrate Sonos In-Wall speakers with other Sonos speakers to build a 

 for home theater. You have two options to use in-wall speakers as part of your home theater setup:

Sonos In-Wall speakers + a Sonos soundbar + Sonos Amp.

 In-wall speakers cover the rear and surround channels, while a Sonos soundbar covers the front channels. Sonos Amp connects to the soundbar and supplies power to the rear and surround speakers (including your in-walls).

Sonos In-Wall speakers + two Sonos Amps. 

This setup involves (at least) two pairs of Sonos In-Wall speakers. One pair serves as the front channels, while the other pair serves as the rear/surround channels. Each pair is powered by its own Amp. If you add a subwoofer, this would be a 4.1 surround sound system, as Amp produces a “phantom” center channel with the front two speakers.

In-wall speakers require special installation

Installing in-wall speakers is not as straightforward as setting up a wireless speaker that does not require installation. You’ll likely need to 

, as you’ll also need to install Sonos Amp, cut holes in your walls for the speakers, then run speaker cable from the speakers to Amp. Different wall materials and space dimensions may affect what’s possible in terms of installation, and a pro can help you design a custom configuration you’ll be happy with for years to come.

The realities of installation mean that you’ll want to consider if you’re actually ready for in-wall speakers. If you’re renting your home or plan to move out in the next couple of years, it may not make sense to invest in architectural speakers just yet. When you uninstall them and move them to a new space, you’ll likely incur additional costs for the removal, repair, and reinstallation.

There’s a flip side to this. If you do own your home, installing architectural speakers can be well worth the investment. Not only will you get high-quality sound and clean aesthetics, but you may never need to uninstall or reinstall your speakers again. This applies even if you decide to move or sell, as a great pair of installed architectural speakers can even raise the value of your home.

A professional installer installing Sonos in-wall speaker in the bathroom

 or AV receiver to power your in-wall speakers.

Like other architectural speakers, in-wall speakers are 

speakers. This means they don’t have a built-in amplifier that provides power. If you want an all-in-one speaker solution that doesn’t require an external amplifier, you may 

Why don’t architectural speakers come with built-in amplifiers? Wouldn’t that be easier?

It comes down to space and physics. Passive speakers are generally larger in size, which allows them to offer significantly better performance. Powering speakers of this size requires larger and more robust amplifiers. But integrating such an amplifier into the speaker itself would significantly increase the speaker’s weight and footprint, creating installation difficulties. Hence the reason why architectural speakers are typically passive.

The good news is that you can easily power In-Wall Speakers by Sonos and Sonance with 

. In fact, we specifically designed Amp with these speakers in mind.

Amp provides safe and reliable overdrive protection for up to three pairs of Sonos passive speakers. And if you’re using it with Sonos In-Wall or In-Ceiling speaker pairs, you can use the “Detect Sonos Architectural” function in the Sonos app to enable digital signal processing (DSP) and Trueplay. The DSP optimizes the EQ, providing a more robust sound, while Trueplay tailors the speakers to your home, resulting in a custom sound experience that takes advantage of the space’s unique acoustics.

The exact number of in-wall speakers you need depends on how you want to use them.

If you plan to use them primarily as part of a 

, a single pair of in-wall speakers should suffice. This gives you left and right surround channel speakers, which you can pair with front speakers positioned near your television to create a 

 (depending on the front speakers you use).

For distributed audio throughout the home, most installations involve two pairs of speakers (four total) for every Amp, which should be enough for a variety of use cases. You may consider adding a pair of speakers to each room in a 

, such as a bedroom or bathroom, as Amp is capable of reliably powering up to six total Sonos Architectural speakers.

If you’re unsure about how many speakers you need for your particular use case, we recommend 

. They can walk you through the different options and give an expert opinion on how to achieve your desired sound solution.

Where should I place my in-wall speakers?

If you plan to use in-wall speakers as surround channels in a home theater setup, you should generally place them on the side walls, two to six feet (0.6m to 1.8m) behind your desired listening position and five to seven feet (1.5m to 2.1m) from the floor. You can find a diagram of this position in the 

Sonos In-Wall by Sonance installation manual

Sonos in-wall home theater surround sound placement diagram

Of course, the exact dimensions and configurations of your space may play a role in determining the best placement for your speakers.

In general, you’ll want to leave at least two feet (0.6m) of space between your in-wall speaker and the wall that runs perpendicular to it. In other words, don’t mount it too close to one of the room’s corners. This ensures that the sound waves don’t bounce off the side wall before they cover the rest of the space, which could result in distortion, reverberation, or a small time-sync issue.

It’s worth consulting with a professional installer to ensure that your home’s unique acoustics also factor into the speaker placement. Wherever you place your speakers, using Sonos Amp unlocks the power of 

. This helps them adapt to the contours of your space, so your content always sounds the way it should. (Just note that Trueplay™ only works if all of the speakers connected to Amp are of the same type).

Yes! If you crave a look that truly blends in with your home, you can paint the grilles of your Sonos Architectural speakers.

This is not as difficult as it may seem. In fact, it’s quite easy. The speaker grilles are attached magnetically and completely cover the exposed speaker frame, so all you need to do is remove the grilles, paint them, and reinstall them once the paint has thoroughly dried.

You’ll need to take some steps to prepare the grilles for painting, such as removing the scrim cloth from the grille’s underside and priming the grille with a metal primer/bonder in a spray can.

You can find detailed grille painting instructions in the 

Sonos In-Wall By Sonance installation manual

If your in-wall Sonos speakers are connected to Amp, you can control them directly via the 

Don’t want to use your smartphone or tablet? While Sonos doesn’t produce hardware specifically for controlling speakers, you can choose from a range of third-party controllers. Look for the 

 to ensure that the controller of your choice can seamlessly connect with your Sonos home sound system.

Person on the phone sitting on a couch next to Sonos in-wall speaker

 fall into the same “architectural” category as in-wall speakers. But that doesn’t mean they’re exactly the same.

For starters, the obvious: in-ceiling speakers are installed in the ceiling, not the wall. This actually makes them a much more popular and widely adopted option than in-wall speakers, if only because people are often more hesitant to put holes in their walls than in their ceilings. Beyond that, in-ceiling speakers are usually easier to install, since there’s often a crawl space or attic to work with.

So, should you just go with in-ceiling speakers and call it a day? Not necessarily. If you’re looking for a more immersive experience, in-wall speakers can be a great complement to in-ceiling speakers. They’re especially great for delivering a more focused sound, as they’re positioned directly at the level of your ears.

A sound system that blends into your home

When crafting the perfect home environment, it’s not just the sound that matters. In-wall speakers deliver the best of both worlds: a premium sound solution with an aesthetic that blends in seamlessly with your walls and home furnishings.

, including in-ceiling speakers and our weatherproof outdoor speakers. Combine all of them to create a whole-home audio system that amplifies every experience, from watching movies on the couch to hosting guests in the dining room and back patio.

For help installing and designing your Sonos architectural system, 

Sonos in-wall speaker next to a person reading on a chair next to a fireplace 

The Beginner’s Guide to In-Wall Speakers

If you’re getting ready to buy your next pair of headphones, you might have questions. For example: Where to even start? Advancements in headphone technology have brought game-changing features such as Active Noise Cancellation and lossless audio streaming over Bluetooth. But they’ve also brought a dizzying marketplace of products vying for your listening attention.

Rest assured. Whether you prefer in-ear or over-ear, wired or wireless, there’s a set of headphones out there for you. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the essential features to consider before making a purchase, from sound quality to battery life to all the bells and whistles your ears just can’t be without.

The first step in choosing new headphones is narrowing it down to a specific type. There are three general types of headphones, classified by how they fit around your ears:

 are distinguished by their large cups, which form a snug seal over the entire ear. These cups typically have some kind of foam or cushioning for comfort and are connected by an adjustable headband.

 fit on top of the ear, though they don’t entirely envelop it. They tend to be more compact than over-ear headphones, though with a less immersive fit and feel.

 sit inside the ear canal, with a fitted tip that molds to the contours of the inner ear. This is the smallest and most portable style, though a good pair won’t compromise on audio quality and features like Active Noise Cancellation.

For more on how to choose the right type for you, check out our guide to 

over-ear vs. on-ear vs. in-ear headphones

Illustration of in-ear, on-ear, and over-ear

The truth is, headphones aren’t typically a one-size-fits-all. You’re likely to prefer different types of headphones for different occasions.

Maybe a pair of sweat-resistant on-ear headphones makes the most sense for your winter morning runs, and a noise-canceling over-ear pair is what you need when traveling. Don’t make the mistake of thinking a single pair can do everything. Though if you’re on a budget, you might want to prioritize a pair that can 

Consider where and how you use headphones the most, and plan accordingly. This will shape the conversation around the features you prioritize. For example, a wired pair might give you better sound quality when hooked up directly to your record player, but a wireless pair will give you more flexibility when dodging commuters on the subway.

Bluetooth and wireless listening has become a major trend in headphones, to the point where most of the headphones you’re considering are likely wireless. But is there ever a case to consider going with a wired connection?

Yes. Wired headphones still have their strong points, as well as their faithful adherents. True audiophiles who do most of their headphone listening at home may prefer a wired pair, which provides a physical connection to an audio device that may help to ensure more consistent sound quality. And wired headphones continue to be a practical solution for plane travel, as they can connect directly to the headphone jack on most in-flight entertainment systems.

Even so, it’s difficult to pass on wireless technology these days — especially when it comes to 

The Ultimate Guide to Wearing Headphones

What is a Speaker Driver?

The Beginner’s Guide to In-Wall Speakers

Things To Consider When Choosing New Headphones

Which Is Best: Over-Ear vs. On-Ear vs. In-Ear Headphones

The Beginner's Guide to Surround Sound

The Beginner's Guide to HDMI, HDMI ARC, and eARC

How Do Noise-Canceling Headphones Work?

Active vs. Passive Speakers: Which Is Best For Your Home?

How to Get 5.1 and 7.1 Surround Sound with Your Sonos System

The Beginner's Guide to Speaker Impedance and Ohms

What Is a DAC (And Do You Need It for Home Audio)?

What is Equalization (EQ) for Music and Audio?

What Is Phase on a Subwoofer (And How to Adjust It)

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