Review : Sonos Play : 5

Review : Sonos Play : 5

Tech November 13, 2015 18:15

- Six years ago, Sonos released his first speaker to the ZonePlayer S5 (now known as the Play: 5) on the market. According to the manufacturer, the designers were also eager to be able to renew the speaker. But is the Play: 5 also significantly improved?

design

The appearance of the speaker has been good progress. The design is sleek with a slight bulge at the front. From a distance it looks like the front a whole, but up close you can see that there are thousands of holes. In size varies the Play: 5 is not much from the previous model. Measuring 20.3 cm wide, 36.4 cm high and 15.4 cm deep the speaker is slightly lower and thinner. However, the device has more than two kilos heavier. The speaker is available in black or white to complement any interior.

installation

Sonos is known for its simple installation. You put the power of the Play : 5 in the socket. Then you open the Sonos Controller software on your computer, Android or iOS device and adds the new product. It is a matter of the steps for start. A child can do the laundry. I myself was ready within five minutes. Windows Phone incidentally still lacking an app.

Previously you had to attach a bridge to the router to create a special Sonos network, but that is no longer needed. Only when the WiFi connection is not stable, Sonos recommends the boost (the powerful brother of the Bridge) in. It costs € 119.

Play True

Besides a new speaker Sonos Play True also has added to the iOS app. This new option allows users with a simple instruction able to tune their existing Sonos speaker for better sound quality. The system analyzes- using a tone emitted by the speaker and the microphone of the iPhone or iPad- how the sound in any room rebounding from walls, furniture, glass and other surfaces. Sonos then adjusts the speaker so that the music sounds best for that particular area. Play True will appear at a later time for Android.

Use

You can choose to place the speaker horizontally or vertically. This was already possible with the Play: 3, but for the Play : 5 is new. If you choose horizontal sound is much broader area. There is no real sweet spot, so you have good sound at various places in the room. The speaker vertically to put down, tune more precisely the music a certain direction. As with other Sonos products, you can create a stereo setup.

New to the Play: 5, the touch buttons on the top. You have only one physical button, which is to start and pause. In the place of the volume buttons sit sensors. If you tap with your finger here, the sound is going up or down. The speaker will beep when you change the volume so that you blindly can adjust the sound without you having to worry whether you have found the volume knob. By swiping left and right on the touch buttons you go to the next or previous track.

Sonos app supports numerous music services such as Spotify, Google Play Music, TuneIn Radio, Deezer and Tidal. In the future also Apple Music with it. The app takes time to master, because there are so many options. But that's just a matter of practice. You can also connect an audio cable to the back of the Play: 5 so that your music with other MP3 players or a PC can stream to all speakers in the house. Sonos does not support bluetooth.

Sound

Sonos Play : 5 equipped with three tweeters (one central and two facing sides), three mid- woofers and six digital amplifiers. The result is a bright and warm room filling sound. The speaker can easily alone in the living room. Whether it was right or just sitting on the side, you can fine the different voices and instruments apart. The bass is powerful but not too exaggerated and at high volume deforms the music is not.

Price and similar products

The Play: 5 is with € 579 higher than its predecessor, which cost after the price increase late July € 459. Thus, the speaker has had a hefty price tag. Through other websites you would still have the old Play: 5 can buy. Then you cheaper, but sound wise leaving you. For other multiroom experiences of similar quality you can go to Denon for Heos 7 (€ 599) and the SoundTouch 30 III (€ 600) from Bose.

Have a good speaker in the house, but no streaming capabilities. Then you could buy the Chrome Audio for € 39. It connects you to send a audio cable to the speaker and then your music from your smartphone or tablet. With the device of Google do only one available wireless device.

conclusion

The Play: 5 can not be called cheap at € 579, but for that you get a good device that gives a beautiful and warm sound. It is a pleasure to listen to and clearly better than the other Sonos products. Looking for something more powerful than your current speakers, then the Play: 5 is definitely recommended.

Personally, I find it difficult to choose. I have, besides a Play : one in the kitchen, in the living room TV lineup with two Play : 3s and the Playbar. Of course, the sound would be much better with this new speaker from Sonos. Only I would in that case two times the Play: 5 must be purchased for a total price of € 1,158 and that's just a lot of money. Audiophiles might run straight to the store, but I'm satisfied with my preliminary Play: 3.

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