Sonos PLAY: 5, we tested this wireless audio system

The Sonos Play: 5 is the new wireless audio system from Sonos . A speaker that connects to the home WiFi network and that allows us to listen to music in any room , with the songs we send from our smartphone, tablet or through the PC. In addition, we can also listen to thousands of Internet radio stations from all corners of the planet . And with top-notch audio power, thanks to six Class-D digital amplifiers . The Sonos Play: 5 uses three tweeters to cover the highs and another three speakers to cover the mids and lows. All of this makes the Sonos Play: 5in the perfect companion for parties and to enjoy an afternoon of music at home. Of course, it is not available to everyone, because its price rises to  580 euros . We have had the opportunity to test this speaker without cables in depth. We tell you our impressions.

When power and quality are not mutually exclusive

There is no doubt. The Sonos Play: 5 is a player that achieves an audio quality that lives up to what we expect from a brand like Sonos . This rig uses six Class D digital amplifiers, which are coupled with its six speakers to bring audio to every corner of the room. Inside the speakers, we have three tweeters to cover the highs and three woofers that cover the mids and lows. Among the details that we really liked when testing it is the good performance of the bass,despite not having dedicated subwoofers. But, above all, the little distortion that the audio has even when we take the speaker to maximum power. The Sonos Play: 5 is capable of covering the entire space of a large room with the power offered by six speakers.

In addition, this model has several options to combine it with other Sonos players . Thus, there is the option of configuring it together with other equipment to function as the left or right audio channels, or even create a home cinema system with two other players.

Start up

To get started with the Sonos Play: 5 player , there are a number of first steps to follow. The easiest thing is to use a mobile app directly, but we have followed the necessary steps on the PC to show you the entire route. The first thing is to connect the Play: 5 to the network. All the configuration (or almost all) is done from the PC tool. After downloading the application from the Sonos website , a wizard will automatically jump to configure the Sonos system. In this case, if it is the first time that we use a Sonos device in our network, we will have to create a new system. Here we are offered two options, use an existing WiFi network or create a new wireless network. This second option makes sense if we have another Sonos device such as the Sonos Boost or the Sonos Bridge , capable of creating its own network so there is no interference when playing the songs.

In the next step the program tracks the presence of the Sonos Play: 5 . At least in our case, the process has been practically automatic. When configuring the device, you have to enter the data of our WiFi network to link the player. The only step that requires direct interaction with the Play: 5 is to press the back button to finish pairing the equipment. Afterwards, the room in which the player will be is chosen (it can be changed at any time). One of the steps that are mandatory but that we think should be optional is to register with an email. All that remains is to update the equipment with the latest drivers.

Control from smartphone or PC

Without a doubt, one of the great virtues of the Sonos Play: 5 is the ease with which it can be controlled from any device we have at home connected to the network. Sonos has deployed an application to manage the Play: 5 from both a Windows PC and a Mac . It is even easier to download an app from our mobile device (Android, iOS). From each device we have the option of adding folders to create our music library with the songs of all the teams. It also connects to a long list of streaming music services like Spotify, Tidal, or Google Play Music. Or to Internet radios around the world with TuneIn. We have successfully tested a local Antarctic radio ... the only one on the list.

PC application

To install the application for Windows or Mac, just visit the Sonos page and click on the icon corresponding to the operating system. Once downloaded, the first thing we have to do is choose folders to add songs to the music library. By default, the “Music” folder on the computer is included, but we can also choose other folders or add songs stored on a network device. An example of this type of device is network hard drives (NAS).

The application view is divided into four well-defined blocks. First, we have the upper block with the volume, the controls to switch between songs or stop playback (in addition to the types of playback) and a search box on the right to quickly reach a song. At the bottom we have three blocks. On the left side, we have a list with the different rooms . It should be remembered that this system is very much geared towards using various Sonos equipment and establishing a la carte music throughout the house, which is divided into rooms. In the central part is the current playback next to the song queue, while in the right part we have the list with the different music sources.

The Sonos Play: 5 is compatible with more than 30 streaming music services such as Spotify or Deezer

Here we enter another of the keys to the Sonos offer . In addition to the music stored on our devices, this system can also be directly connected to different online music services. Thus, for example, we can connect to very popular platforms such as Spotify, Deezer or Tidal , and also other lesser known names such as Murfie or SoundCloud . Currently, more than thirty different music services are available.

On the other hand, we also find the direct access to the radio with TuneIn very interesting . From here you can listen to the content of stations throughout the planet. One of the options to find the stations is to enter a postal code or a city. In places like Madrid or Barcelona, ​​we have a list with dozens of different stations. But also, another of the points that give us a lot of play is to find stations that specialize in different content, such as a type of music (we have even found stations specialized in Bollywood music). Or, stations that focus on sports, news or trends.

In short, it is quite easy to get hold of the options in this application.

Android App

It is even easier to control the music through the Android app. Access to all the options for managing music is found in the drop-down menu that opens with the icon of the three horizontal stripes in the upper left. From here we have quick access to our favorites and the lists that we have created. We can also manage the complete music library or focus on the songs that we have stored on the mobile. Nor could there be a lack of access to the different music services that we have already discussed in the PC application, such as Spotify, Google Play Music, network stations ...

One of the curiosities of this app is the ability to set an alarm to sound directly on the Sonos Play: 5. In short, a very useful tool that has an intuitive operation to start listening to music in a few taps.

Elegant and sober design

Sonos is always a brand that has been characterized by very elegant and sober designs. A feature that also carries over to the Sonos Play: 5 . This device has a trapezoidal shape, with the grill for the speakers that occupies the entire front part (except for a thin band in which we find the brand's logo). In its design, black has been used throughout the body, except for the logo itself and the buttons on the upper part in white. Precisely, we have three touch buttons, one to start and stop playback and two to raise and lower the volume. On the back we have a button to link and the ports to introduce the power cable and to use the Ethernet cable.

Keep in mind that the Sonos Play: 5 is not a particularly light speaker. In fact, the ideal would be to find its space in a specific room and leave it there. Its complete measurements are  203 364 154 millimeters, with a weight of 6.36 kilos.

Price and reviews

The Sonos Play: 5 is a top of the line HiFi music player that allows us to enjoy the Sonos experience at its best. Both the quality and the audio power have met at a very good level, thanks to the inclusion of six speakers with their class D digital amplifiers . In addition, one of the details that we liked the most is the little distortion that the equipment suffers when we take the sound to the maximum.

However, beyond the quality of the audio itself, the company's great bet lies in the ease with which it is possible to deploy several of the firm's equipment and create an on-demand music system at home . And all this with the option of controlling this platform from any connected device that we have at hand, be it the computer, a smartphone or a tablet . In fact, once the songs from a device are added to its music library, we can access those titles from any other computer that is part of the same network. And with the advantage of choosing streaming services such as Spotify, Deezer or Google Play Music as music sources . Of course, not everyone will be able to get hold of this player, since it has a price of580 euros in the Sonos store.

Sonos Play: 5

Design 

characteristics 

Connectivity 

Applications

+ info

Price: 580 euros