At a look
Knowledgeable’s Score
Professionals
- Compact, transportable design
- Robust sound, with agency bass
- Wi-fi charging dock included
- Helps Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and AirPlay 2
Cons
- No mains adaptor included
- Wired enter requires non-compulsory adaptor
- Weighs 1.3kg
Our Verdict
There are cheaper Bluetooth audio system out there, however using Wi-Fi and AirPlay makes the Sonos Play a fantastic selection for Apple customers, frequent travellers, and those that need Wi-Fi music at residence. Few transportable audio system sound this good, combining energy, element and a powerful bass sound, whereas nonetheless having the ability to match right into a backpack.
Value When Reviewed
This worth will present the geolocated pricing textual content for product undefined
Finest Pricing Right now
Value When Reviewed
$299
Finest Costs Right now: Sonos Play
$299
- Who’s the Sonos Play for? Apple customers who care about sound high quality and need the pliability of AirPlay at residence, whereas nonetheless having the ability to stream from different units and apps. It’s additionally a superb match if you would like a single speaker that works each indoors and outdoor. Nonetheless, it comes at a premium worth.
We actually favored the compact Sonos Roam speaker – and its Roam 2 replace final 12 months – which offers spectacular sound high quality for a extremely compact speaker that may simply be carried round in a backpack or travelling bag. Sonos additionally makes a bigger battery-powered speaker referred to as the Transfer 2, however that’s too large and heavy to hold round in a backpack and is extra more likely to keep at residence more often than not. Nonetheless, the corporate has now launched a 3rd transportable speaker, referred to as the Sonos Play, which sits proper between the Roam and Transfer.
Priced at $299/£299 and out there in black or white, the brand new Sonos Play goals to supply the perfect of each worlds, combining the extra highly effective sound and longer battery lifetime of the Transfer 2 with a transportable design that’s nonetheless small and light-weight sufficient to hold round once you’re travelling.
Sonos followers may even discover that it revives the title of the unique Play vary of audio system, which gave the corporate its large breakthrough 15 years in the past. That’s clearly an try to put its current issues behind it and get the corporate again on observe following the extensively criticised replace to the Sonos app again in 2024.
The Play is twice the scale of the Sonos Roam, however offers extra energy, deeper bass and longer battery life.
How transportable is the Sonos Play?
The design of the brand new Play is pretty innocuous, merely consisting of an upright slab of plastic and metallic, however it will get all of the fundamentals proper. It’s about twice the scale of the Roam, standing 192mm excessive, 112mm broad and 77mm deep, however you’ll be able to nonetheless slip it right into a bag once you’re out and about. It’s somewhat heavier than it seems, weighing in at 1.3kg – barely heavier than the brand new MacBook Neo at 1.23kg – so that you’ll discover the load once you’re carrying it round.
What’s contained in the Sonos Play?
It packs loads into that compact design, although, with a big central woofer to deal with the mid-range and bass, and two high-frequency tweeters which are angled out to the perimeters to create a higher sense of house.
There are additionally two bass radiators on the perimeters of the speaker that assist to boost the bass, and a bigger battery that lasts for twenty-four hours on a full cost, in comparison with 10 hours for the smaller Roam. The battery is replaceable too, with a battery package costing $69/£49.
There’s additionally a built-in microphone for utilizing the Sonos Voice assistant – though you’ll be able to flip off the mic utilizing a change on the again of the speaker for those who favor.
There’s loads packed into the compact Play speaker, together with a woofer, two tweeters, and two radiators to spice up the bass sound.
How transportable and sturdy is the Sonos Play?
The Play boasts a rugged IP67 ranking for water and dust-resistance, so it’ll have the ability to survive a seaside vacation or a muddy music competition, and there’s a small strap on the again of the speaker in an effort to simply seize it and go everytime you need.
We had been happy to seek out that the Play features a wi-fi charging dock within the field, whereas the charging dock for the Roam is an non-compulsory additional that prices $49/£49. Nonetheless, the charging dock solely comes with a USB-C cable, with no mains adaptor included, so that you’ll want to provide that your self or purchase the official Sonos energy adaptor for $29/£29.
I used to be ready to make use of the Play’s charging dock with the mains adaptor that got here with my HomePod Mini, though the mains adaptor for my Sonos Roam didn’t appear to be highly effective sufficient for the Play.
How does the Sonos Play join?
Like most Sonos audio system, the Play turns its again on wired connections, though it’s doable to purchase an non-compulsory 3.5mm adaptor for $19/£19. Nonetheless, the Play does nicely with its wi-fi audio options, supporting each Bluetooth (5.3) and dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4GHz and 5.0GHz) with help for AirPlay 2 for Apple units. For extra AirPlay audio system see: Finest AirPlay audio system for iPhones and Apple Music.
Is the Sonos app nonetheless an issue?
The AirPlay help implies that Apple customers weren’t too badly affected by the botched replace to the Sonos app, since AirPlay permits Apple units to straight management Sonos audio system with out actually needing to make use of the app fairly often.
The app nonetheless appears somewhat awkward although – it appeared to get confused once I had each the Play and my very own Roam speaker related to the app, and it was truly simpler to modify between the 2 audio system, and even to make use of them collectively for multi-room music, through the use of the AirPlay controls on my iPad.
There’s a carrying strap on the again of the Play, together with a USB-C charging port and a Mute change for the interior microphone.
What’s the sound high quality like?
The app nonetheless wants somewhat work then, however I can’t criticise the sound high quality of the brand new Play.
Compact transportable audio system usually endure from weak bass, however the very first thing I discover as I fireplace up Unhealthy Man by Billlie Eilish on Apple Music is the bouncing digital bass that will get you dancing right away.
The Sonos Play has a deeper, extra full-bodied bass sound than the smaller Sonos Roam, and it’s fairly a bit louder too, so it’ll be a superb choice for listening to bop music once you’re on vacation or at a music competition with pals.
There’s additionally a pleasant rumbling sound to the slinky bass guitar riff on Leonard Cohen’s You Need It Darker, and the Sonos Play actually captures the gritty, gravelly sound of Cohen’s personal voice as nicely.
The bass isn’t overwhelming although, and the Play can select lighter particulars, such because the sharp faucet on the snare and the graceful, multi-layered harmonies on the refrain.
Switching to one thing extra delicate, the Play works splendidly nicely with the strings on Max Richter’s On The Nature Of Daylight (test it out on the finish of The Final Of Us, episode 3, however seize some tissues first). It captures the bittersweet tone of the violins and violas as they weave round one another, whereas nonetheless discovering room for the deeper tone of the melancholy cello that underpins the piece.
Do you have to purchase the Sonos Play?
For those who simply need a transportable Bluetooth speaker for out of doors use then it’s possible you’ll not want the extra Wi-Fi and AirPlay options offered by the Sonos Play. Nonetheless, AirPlay is an actual bonus for Apple customers once you’re at residence, and the wonderful sound high quality and durable IP67 ranking make the brand new Sonos Play a fantastic choice for listening to music each indoors and outdoor.
