Sonos Play:1 Review: Gorgeous Sonos Play:1 Hits the Sweet Spot
The Sonos Play:1 is a compact, versatile, and stylish speaker that delivers exceptional audio quality, making it a popular choice for music lovers seeking a seamless integration with their home entertainment systems. We've put the Sonos Play:1 through its paces to assess its strengths and weaknesses and provide a comprehensive overview of what it has to offer.
Design and Aesthetics
The Sonos Play:1 stands out with its sleek and minimalist design, featuring a compact footprint that blends seamlessly into any home décor. Its rounded edges and smooth matte finish give it a sophisticated touch, while the iconic Sonos logo adorns the top panel. The Play:1 comes in a variety of color options, allowing you to choose the perfect complement to your existing furnishings.
Its compact size makes it incredibly versatile, perfect for placement on bookshelves, desktops, or kitchen countertops. The lack of an external display adds to its understated elegance, avoiding distractions from the pure audio experience. This minimalist design philosophy resonates with modern sensibilities and positions the Play:1 as a stylish statement piece in any environment.
Sound Performance
Don't let the Play:1's compact size fool you; this speaker punches well above its weight when it comes to sound performance. Despite its small stature, the Play:1 delivers rich and detailed audio, with clear highs, well-defined mids, and surprisingly punchy bass.
The Play:1's acoustic architecture utilizes two custom-designed drivers, strategically positioned to create a surprisingly wide soundstage. This innovative approach allows for a well-balanced audio experience, ensuring that vocals, instruments, and sound effects are all heard with impressive clarity.
While the Play:1 lacks the deep, booming bass that larger Sonos models offer, its bass response is surprisingly robust for its size. The Play:1 excels at reproducing mid-range frequencies, making it ideal for vocals and acoustic music.
For those who desire a more robust bass response, the Play:1 can be paired with a Sonos Sub, adding a new dimension of depth and power to the overall listening experience. This pairing creates a dynamic and immersive surround sound system that is perfect for movie nights or listening to your favorite dance tracks.
Connectivity and Control
The Sonos Play:1 offers exceptional connectivity options, making it easy to integrate with your existing home entertainment system. It supports both wired and wireless connections, allowing you to stream music from a variety of sources, including:
- Wi-Fi: The Play:1 seamlessly connects to your home Wi-Fi network, allowing you to stream music from your smartphone, tablet, computer, or any other device on your network.
- Ethernet: For a more stable and reliable connection, the Play:1 can also be connected directly to your router via Ethernet cable.
- Bluetooth: Although not a primary feature, the Play:1 also supports Bluetooth connectivity, allowing you to stream music directly from your smartphone or tablet.
- Line-in: The Play:1 features a line-in jack, allowing you to connect external audio sources like a CD player or turntable.
Beyond its connectivity capabilities, the Play:1 shines in its user-friendly controls. The Sonos app is renowned for its intuitive design and vast feature set, allowing you to easily control multiple Sonos devices, access a plethora of streaming services, and personalize your listening experience. The app also features a built-in equalizer, allowing you to fine-tune the sound to your liking.
Features and Functionality
The Sonos Play:1 offers a plethora of features and functionalities that enhance the overall listening experience:
- Multi-room Audio: The Play:1 is designed to be part of a multi-room audio system. You can easily group multiple Play:1 speakers together to create a seamless listening experience throughout your home.
- AirPlay 2: The Play:1 supports Apple's AirPlay 2 technology, allowing you to seamlessly stream music from your iPhone, iPad, or Mac.
- Voice Control: With Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant integration, the Play:1 can be controlled with your voice, enabling hands-free music playback, volume control, and more.
- Trueplay Tuning: Sonos' innovative Trueplay technology allows you to optimize the sound of your Play:1 for the specific acoustics of your room, ensuring the best possible sound quality.
- Automatic Updates: The Play:1 receives regular software updates, ensuring that you always have access to the latest features and functionality.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Compact and stylish design: Its small size and sleek aesthetic make it a perfect fit for any room in your home.
- Excellent sound quality: Despite its size, the Play:1 delivers rich, detailed audio with impressive clarity.
- Versatile connectivity options: Supports Wi-Fi, Ethernet, Bluetooth, and line-in connections, offering flexibility in how you listen to music.
- Easy to use: The Sonos app offers a user-friendly interface for controlling multiple Sonos devices and accessing a wide range of streaming services.
- Multi-room audio capabilities: Allows you to create a seamless listening experience throughout your home.
Cons:
- Limited bass response: The Play:1 lacks the deep, booming bass of larger Sonos models.
- Price point: The Play:1 is on the higher end of the price spectrum for compact speakers.
- No built-in battery: Requires a constant power source, limiting its portability.
Alternatives
For those considering the Sonos Play:1, there are several alternatives worth exploring:
- Sonos One: The Sonos One is a slightly larger and more powerful speaker that also offers voice control and a slightly better bass response.
- Amazon Echo Dot (4th Generation): The Echo Dot is a budget-friendly option with voice control and a surprising amount of sound quality for its price.
- Bose SoundLink Mini II: The SoundLink Mini II is a portable speaker with excellent sound quality and a rugged design.
Who Is It For?
The Sonos Play:1 is an ideal choice for music lovers seeking a compact, stylish, and easy-to-use speaker that delivers exceptional audio quality. It's perfect for small to medium-sized rooms and those who prioritize ease of use and sound quality over sheer volume. The Play:1 also excels as a part of a multi-room audio system, allowing you to create a seamless listening experience throughout your home.
FAQ
Q: What is the difference between the Sonos Play:1 and the Sonos One?
A: The Sonos One is a slightly larger and more powerful speaker than the Play:1. It also offers voice control with Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant built in, whereas the Play:1 requires a separate voice assistant device to enable voice control.
Q: Can I use the Sonos Play:1 outdoors?
A: The Sonos Play:1 is not designed for outdoor use. It's not waterproof or weather-resistant, and exposing it to the elements could damage the speaker.
Q: How do I connect the Sonos Play:1 to my TV?
A: You can connect the Play:1 to your TV via its optical input. However, you won't be able to control the volume of the Play:1 using your TV remote.
Q: What streaming services are compatible with the Sonos Play:1?
A: The Sonos Play:1 supports a wide range of streaming services, including Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Pandora, Deezer, Tidal, and more.
Q: Can I use the Sonos Play:1 as a surround sound speaker?
A: Yes, the Play:1 can be used as a surround sound speaker when paired with a Sonos Soundbar.
Conclusion
The Sonos Play:1 is a remarkable speaker that hits the sweet spot of size, style, and audio quality. Its compact design, exceptional sound performance, and user-friendly controls make it a compelling choice for music lovers seeking a seamless and engaging listening experience. While the Play:1 may not be the most powerful or bass-heavy speaker on the market, its ability to deliver rich, detailed audio in a stylish and convenient package makes it a strong contender in the competitive world of compact speakers. Whether you're looking for a standalone speaker for your desk or a component of a multi-room audio system, the Sonos Play:1 is a worthy investment that will surely elevate your listening experience.