The first new Sonos hardware product in over a year is the Sonos Amp Multi, a professional-grade multi-channel streaming amplifier designed specifically for large-scale residential audio installations, the company said Tuesday.
“Sonos Amp is the most widely used two-channel streaming amplifier in residential installation because it’s powerful, dependable, and intuitive,” said Tom Conrad, CEO of Sonos. “Amp Multi takes that same philosophy and applies it to larger systems. It makes ambitious designs more efficient to build and install, and easier to live with.”
The announcement marks a significant expansion of Sonos’ product lineup into the custom integration market, targeting professional installers rather than typical consumers. And it’s the first hardware to come out in a while following shakeups at the company.
Sonos Amp Multi drives big home sound systems
The new Sonos Amp Multi represents the company’s response to evolving home designs and the growing complexity of residential audio systems, it said in a press release. As open floor plans and mixed-use spaces become more common, the company recognized that installers need equipment capable of adapting to changing layouts without adding installation complexity. That would include Apple smart home installations.
It’s the first new Sonos hardware since 2024, when an app update went horribly awry for the company. Other criticisms pointed to overheating speakers. In March 2025, the company scrapped plans to release an Apple TV rival and CEO Patrick Spence stepped down. It’s no wonder the company has kept a fairly low profile since.
What makes Amp Multi different
Photo: Sonos
Amp Multi features eight amplified outputs, each delivering 125 watts at 8 ohms, and supports up to four configurable zones. This flexibility allows professionals to design audio systems tailored to specific homes and lifestyles. Each output can drive up to three Sonos Architectural speakers, enabling installations that can serve up to 24 speakers from a single unit.
The device combines Sonos’ familiar streaming platform and user-friendly controls with an architecture built specifically for professional workflows. Any output can be assigned to any zone, and systems can scale by adding additional units as needed. This approach gives installers the ability to modify configurations as projects evolve without requiring complete rewiring.
Advanced technology for better sound
At the hardware level, Amp Multi employs gallium nitride (GaN) power architecture paired with Class-D post-filter feedback technology. This combination delivers clean, controlled sound while improving thermal efficiency across all zones. The design allows the system to operate silently without fans and maintain stability during extended use.
For professional installers, Amp Multi introduces ProTune, a new manual sound optimization tool providing granular control over each output. Features include a 10-band parametric equalizer, gain adjustment, width control and delay offset. These tools enable fine-tuning for challenging speaker placements and unusual room geometries.
The amplifier also includes Optimize Sonos Speakers, which delivers detailed digital signal processing profiles specifically for Sonos Architectural speakers. This feature helps ensure consistent performance across different installation scenarios.
Installation advantages
Photo: Sonos
Sonos designed the Amp Multi with installation efficiency in mind. The 1.5U chassis works with a dedicated 2U rack mount (sold separately) that creates built-in ventilation space above and below each unit, eliminating the need for additional vent panels while maintaining clean cable management.
The flat-back design and recessed connectors allow the unit to stand upright while the rack mount slides into place. Each installation requires only eight screws, streamlining the setup process for integrators managing multiple units.
Sonos also simplified setup through the Sonos app. Each Amp Multi unit emits a unique audible chirp triggered from the app, removing the need for manual PIN entry and reducing time spent identifying hardware in equipment racks. The app also enables efficient management of zones, sources and outputs.
Amp Multi will be available globally through Sonos installation partners in the coming months, with pricing to be announced. For Apple users with HomeKit-enabled Sonos systems, the new amplifier will integrate with existing Sonos ecosystems while maintaining compatibility with third-party control systems commonly used in professional installations.
David Snow, an expert on Apple hardware and software, writes on a variety of technological and cultural topics for Cult of Mac. They include Apple news, technology buying guides, and features about computer setups and Apple TV shows and movies.
With 30 years of experience covering technology and other subjects, he has written and edited for numerous print and online publications, including CMP Media, TechTV.com, CNET, Wired News, Red Herring magazine, Law.com, The National Law Journal and Law Technology News magazine. Among other roles, he served as executive editor of the Law.com network of websites and editorial director, technology, for ALM Media.
Snow graduated with a B.A. from Syracuse University with majors in magazine journalism and psychology. While there, he worked as a reporter for The Daily Orange newspaper and associate editor of Equal Time magazine.
Founder of the blog At the Waterline, he can be reached on X (formerly Twitter) via @atthewaterline and on Mastodon via @dsnow.
