SONOS PLAY:1 Smart Wireless Speaker, Black

Product Information

In terms of counting features, the Sonos Five has got plenty going for it (AirPlay 2, Sonos' class-leading multi-room platform, plenty of scope for adding to it at a later date, a friendly and rock-solid app) but there are a few holes on the spec sheet too; Google Cast, voice assistance, Bluetooth, we're looking at you. The front grille is made out of plastic rather than metal – a process that extended the production by a year. A sealed architecture creates resistance to the most humid conditions in the home, even steam from a running shower. One way to reduce this interference is to switch the wireless channel that your Sonos system is using. Under the hood, the speaker array remains exactly the same as its Play:5 predecessor –and Sonos actually makes no bones about this.

While this will excite little more than a shrug if you don't like talking to your speakers anyway, the lack of Bluetooth streaming support may be more of an issue –although this is nothing new for Sonos.

PLAY:1 is a smart speaker that features hardware and software designed by Sonos to ensure the best possible performance for the size. The minimalist design of PLAY:1 features a new button on top of the cabinet that allows you to play and pause your music with a single push of a button.

There are controls for play/pause and volume up/down, as well as the ability to swipe left and right to change track. The narrow channel of sound that you’re probably used to is transformed by the Playbase into something airy and spacious, with it’s 3. For more information about Sonos or to locate an authorized Sonos dealer in your area, please visit www. It was so successful that Sonos remains first and foremost a wireless speaker company today, spawning a host of rivals and competitors trying to emulate the Sonos model.

There are no HDMI ports nor Dolby Atmos or Bluetooth support, but it still offers all the features and functionality of the Sonos wireless family. However, bass level and EQ can be adjusted independently in the Sonos app, where it can also be optimised to the acoustics of your space using Sonos’s Trueplay tuning technology. The first is for power (in case it needs to be mentioned, the Sonos Five must be plugged in to function at all times, so it isn't a great candidate for outdoor listening despite its 'humidity resistant' rating), then Ethernet, and lastly a 3.

Atmos aside, it sounds incredible, reaching deeper than the Beam Gen 1 with more refinement, a warmer treble, and wider dynamic range. A wireless multiroom speaker system is the easiest way to listen to music, podcasts, and other audio entertainment in more than one room at a time, and we think Sonos is the best option. If you’re still having trouble with your speaker, it might be worth checking the status of the streaming service you use to see if its down for anyone else. Voicing is fairly neutral, but the depth and scale of the bass the speaker is able to produce is very impressive. The only significant gap in the Sonos arsenal is high-res music, which the company resolutely doesn’t support.

Though it was never going to rival a 'proper' speaker, it delivers a bold, focused, entertaining sound.