Landscape audio comparison
TruAudio vs Sonance MAG landscape speakers
TruAudio UltraScape is the better permanent MAG alternative: a published 5-year outdoor warranty versus 1 year in MAG manuals, a 10-inch or 12-inch burial sub versus MAG6.1’s 8-inch 150W system, and a kit you grow instead of replace. MAG still wins for Best Buy pickup and Sonos-app convenience. This page compares MAG6.1 and MAGROCKS — not Sonance professional Landscape Series.
- 5-year outdoor warranty
- 10″ / 12″ burial bass
- Works with a Sonos Amp
- IP66 UltraScape
- Ships across the USA
Name the MAG kit
MAG6.1 is a six-satellite landscape system. MAGROCKS 2.1 is two rocks plus a rock woofer. Different jobs.
Match the yard
Patio only, ~1,500 sq ft backyard, pool party, or a long 70-volt run. Coverage decides satellite count.
Open the live kit
UltraScape 10 or 12 for MAG6.1. RK-8 or a patio bundle for MAGROCKS. Price and add-to-cart sit on the product page.
Published specs
Sonance MAG vs TruAudio UltraScape
Sources: TruAudio outdoor warranty page (5-year parts and labor); MAG series manuals (1-year limited); sonance.com MAG6.1 (IP66, 150W system, ~1,500 sq ft, 8-inch DVC sub); MAGROCKS2.1 manual; live Big Irrigation kit prices.
| Spec | Sonance MAG6.1 | Sonance MAGROCKS 2.1 | TruAudio UltraScape | Shop |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Street price | About $2,700 at Best Buy (has been on sale) | About $599 sale; amp not included | Live kit price on the product page — typically the same band or higher than MAG6.1 | UltraScape 10 · $3,020.69 |
| Outdoor warranty | 1 year (MAG manuals) | 1 year (MAG series docs) | 5 years parts + labor (TruAudio outdoor policy, original purchaser) | Shop 10 · Shop 12 |
| Layout | Fixed 6 sats + 8″ DVC in-ground sub | 2 rock sats + 10″ rock woofer | 4 sats + 10″/12″ burial sub; expand to 8 sats / 2 subs | Add satellite pair |
| Power | 50W min / 150W system RMS | Sats 100W max · sub 150W max | 10″ burial ~200W · 12″ burial 300W | UltraScape 12 · $3,782.91 |
| Weather | IP66, high-heat ABS | UV / rain / pool splash; rock shells | IP66 UltraScape; marine-grade PEI tweeters, polypropylene woofers, aluminum mesh | Kit guide |
| Control | Sold as powered by Sonos (Best Buy exclusive) | Amp extra; works with Sonos / HEOS / Bluesound | Passive — Sonos Amp you already own, or VSSL / D2 in our kits | D2 amp |
Pro Sonance Landscape Series (LS4T / LS6T) is a different line with a limited lifetime speaker warranty. We are not comparing that kit here.
Shop the match
Open the live product page — that is the add-to-cart
Every card is a real SKU we stock. Prices come from WooCommerce, not a brochure.
MAG6.1 analog
UltraScape 10 landscape kit
Four 4″ satellites + 10″ burial sub. The default backyard start. Expand to 8 satellites and 2 subs.
Pool / louder
UltraScape 12 landscape kit
Four 6.5″ satellites + 12″ / 300W burial sub. More bass authority than MAG6.1’s 8-inch 150W system.
MAGROCKS analog
RK-8-GY Elements rock speaker
8-inch rock speaker for gardens and beds. A rock-for-rock answer — not a full 6.1 landscape kit.
Covered patio
Patio & deck speaker bundle
Two 6.5″ surface-mount speakers with amplification. Use this when MAGROCKS was really “two boxes on the deck.”
Warranty, power, lifestyle
Why TruAudio can win the MAG shopper
- Longevity you can print. TruAudio outdoor: 5 years parts and labor. MAG manuals: 1 year. Both rate landscape satellites IP66. We do not claim MIL-STD-810 — that is other Sonance lines.
- The yard feels like a room. Open air eats bass. A buried 10-inch or 12-inch driver is the pool-party difference versus MAG6.1’s 8-inch 150W system.
- Heard, not seen. Stake satellites in the planting, sub underground. Closer to path lights than patio boxes or granite lumps. HOA-friendly.
- Same trench as irrigation and lighting. We already bury wire. Expand a pair of satellites when the fire pit gets built — do not replace the system.
- Keep Sonos if you want it. UltraScape is passive. The Sonos Amp you own will drive it. VSSL is the kit default if you are not in that app.
Be honest
Who should still buy Sonance MAG
Buy MAG6.1 if you want Best Buy pickup this weekend, already live in the Sonos app, and want the reviewed 6.1 box with 372 customer reviews. Buy MAGROCKS if you only want two rocks and a rock woofer at an impulse price. TruAudio is the better buy when the system will still be in the ground in five years and you want a dealer who can trench lighting and speaker wire on the same visit.
TruAudio vs Sonance MAG FAQs
Is TruAudio better than Sonance MAG landscape speakers?
For a permanent yard system, TruAudio UltraScape is the stronger MAG alternative: a published 5-year outdoor warranty (parts and labor) versus 1 year in MAG manuals, a 10-inch or 12-inch burial sub versus MAG6.1’s 8-inch 150W system, and kits you can expand to eight satellites and two subs. MAG6.1 still wins if you want Best Buy pickup and Sonos-app convenience this weekend. This page compares MAG (Best Buy MAG6.1 and MAGROCKS), not Sonance’s professional Landscape Series, which uses a different warranty.
What is the Sonance MAG6.1 warranty?
MAG series manuals (including MAG06V3 and MAG6R/MAG8R documentation) state a limited one-year warranty from the original proof of purchase. TruAudio’s published outdoor policy is a limited 5-year warranty on outdoor speakers and subwoofers, including parts and repair labor for the original purchaser. Always confirm the current manufacturer page for the SKU you buy.
Does TruAudio work with a Sonos Amp?
Yes. UltraScape and AcoustiScape are passive 8-ohm landscape systems. A Sonos Amp will drive them the same way it drives MAG. Our UltraScape kits can also ship with VSSL streaming amplification if you are not already in the Sonos app. Keep the app; upgrade the yard.
What is the TruAudio alternative to Sonance MAG6.1?
Start with the UltraScape 10 kit (four 4-inch satellites plus a 10-inch 200W-class burial sub, expandable to 8/2) for a typical backyard. Choose UltraScape 12 (6.5-inch satellites plus a 12-inch 300W burial sub) for pools and louder entertaining. Shop the live kit pages for current pricing and add-to-cart.
What replaces Sonance MAGROCKS 2.1?
MAGROCKS 2.1 is a two-rock-plus-rock-woofer kit. TruAudio’s RK-8-GY is an 8-inch Elements rock speaker for gardens and beds. If you wanted two boxes on a covered patio rather than rocks, use a TruAudio patio bundle (two 6.5-inch surface-mount speakers with amplification). Those are different jobs than a full UltraScape landscape system.
How many speakers do I need for about 1,500 square feet?
MAG6.1 claims even coverage up to about 1,500 sq ft with six satellites and one 8-inch in-ground sub. A TruAudio UltraScape 10 starts at four satellites and one 10-inch burial sub for roughly 1,200 sq ft and adds satellite pairs as the lot grows. Wide L-shaped yards and pool-plus-patio layouts usually want six to eight satellites so volume stays at conversation level.
Is TruAudio cheaper than Sonance MAG6.1?
Usually not. MAG6.1 lists around $2,700 at Best Buy and has been discounted. Our UltraScape 10 kit is priced on its product page and is typically in the same band or higher. The reason to switch is warranty, burial-sub size, and expand-don’t-replace — not a price war.
Get the MAG alternative on the truck
We stock TruAudio landscape kits, patio bundles, and burial subwoofers and ship across the United States. Call (213) 600-8457 or send a yard photo. Primary kit: UltraScape 10.
Warranty and power figures are from manufacturer publications (truaudio.com/warranty, MAG series manuals, sonance.com/products/mag6-1). Application photos re-hosted in our media library. We do not sell Sonance MAG and do not link out to Best Buy.
