Sonos

Sonos Play Evaluation: Merging Efficiency and Ease

Sonos Play Evaluation: Merging Efficiency and Ease

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It’s more streamlined and mobile than the bulky Move, yet sufficiently large to provide a fuller sound in comparison to the compact Roam. It can stay put on its charging stand like the home-focused Sonos Era 100, or follow you wherever you go. Fundamentally, it represents Sonos’ versatility, and now that it’s operating smoothly, it’s hard to resist.

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The unboxing of the Play’s brown cardboard box exudes a blend of Scandinavian elegance and sustainability, mirroring recent items like the Arc Ultra soundbar. Inside, a white cloth reveals a sturdy, cylindrical speaker with a rubber loop, measuring 7.6 x 4.4 x 3 inches and weighing just under 3 pounds. It comes with simple setup instructions and a wireless charging dock, but no wall adapter. You will need an adapter that supplies at least 9 volts and 2 amps (18 watts), but a 15-volt, 3-amp (45-watt) one is optimal for “best” charging. Sonos states that omitting the adapter is to help minimize e-waste, though they’ll offer one for $29.

Other than this, the Sonos app is all that’s needed for setup. Following a mandatory firmware upgrade, my Play was connected to my home network in minutes. Sonos directly supports over 100 streaming services, and you can also stream through third-party platforms like Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, Apple AirPlay, and others. The speaker appears as a separate “Room” on the app’s main page, allowing you to swipe to pair it with other Sonos devices on your network, or access settings to modify features like EQ, Room name (crucial if you own more than one Play), and Sonos Trueplay for audio tuning to your surroundings.

A Battery Saver feature is available by default, powering down after being idle for too long. This feature, according to Sonos, caused the connection issues I faced while confirming the speaker’s 24-hour battery life claim. Sonos has pinpointed the main issue, and after the firmware update, I’ve let the speaker power down multiple times without experiencing any subsequent network problems during a week of further testing.

Sonos Over-Ear Headphones: Get $100 off

Sonos Over-Ear Headphones: Get $100 off

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If your residence is equipped with Sonos devices, you may want to consider acquiring a pair of over-ear headphones that effortlessly connect to your speakers. Sonos provides such a pair, the Ace, currently listed at $299 on Amazon, nearly matching its lowest historical price.

These headphones not only work with your Sonos configuration via Bluetooth but also perform excellently on their own. Renowned for a clear, flat sound profile, the Ace manages tracks with prominent bass lines and delivers impressive detail with dynamic audio. Weighing in at only 11 ounces, they rank among the most comfortable, offering a suitable clamping force that alleviates pressure from your head, making them perfect if comfort is essential.

The Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) rivals the top options available, effectively controlling low-frequency noises. The transparency mode provides clear conversations, eliminating the sensation of speaking through a tin can. Although they lack some convenience features, they do offer multipoint pairing, and you can adjust settings through the Sonos app.

The Sonos Ace comes in several colors, but the black version is currently priced at $300. The white variant is available for $365, slightly higher, depending on your color preference. If the Sonos Ace doesn’t catch your interest, our detailed guide to the best headphones, evaluated by audio specialists, presents additional choices.