Wherever you look, when it comes to music in the home or sound in general, SONOS is almost always mentioned as one of the options. Quite logical when you consider that SONOS offers a large number of different products. SONOS PLAY:1 is perhaps the most accessible entry-level model when it comes to filling your home with atmosphere in the form of sound. But is it also worth paying 230 euros for a speaker no larger than 16 cm by 12 cm? I've been able to work with 2 SONOS PLAY:1 models for a while and now I've got a nice picture with which I hope to be able to answer that question. We are going to look at the speaker(s) in terms of Design, Functionality, Convenience and of course Sound.
design
As mentioned, the SONOS PLAY:1 is not very large, yet there are enough materials in it that can make the speaker function more than well. This way you get 2 Class D digital amplifiers, these are switching amplifiers that should ensure that no power is lost, 1 tweeter for a clear response at high frequencies and 1 midwoofer for the mid frequencies, which is important for playing voices and instruments. . The midwoofer also provides a deep and rich bass.
SONOS has chosen to give the speaker a kind of 360-degree model, so that the sound comes from all directions. A small preview of the 'Sound' section, but the 360 degree effect can definitely be heard. At the top are three buttons, two to regulate the volume and 1 to pause or resume, and a light to indicate the status of the speaker. The buttons are also used in combination with each other, so that extra functions are added. Examples of these kinds of functions are synchronizing the speaker with the application or connecting two SONOS PLAY:1 speakers as a stereo pair. Finally, connecting the plug at the bottom is nicely processed and all in all, a beautiful, very solid-feeling speaker is created.
Functionality
The SONOS PLAY:1 is made to play music. You have access to multiple music services via a WiFi connection and the SONOS application itself. Please note, everything that is played through the speakers is controlled with the application. If a music service is not offered by SONOS, as far as is known, it is also not possible to play music via that music service. An important reason for this is that the SONOS PLAY:1 only works via the internet (WiFi and Ethernet). So Bluetooth is not a possibility. This may mean the loss of an important source of music for many, namely YouTube. There is an application from a third party member that makes it possible to play videos on the speakers for a small fee, but nothing from SONOS itself. Still, there are more than enough other music services that can make up for a whole lot.
Another limitation is the absence of an AUX connection. This means that the speakers cannot be used for your PC or TV. There are other SONOS products that can do this and can also connect to the SONOS PLAY:1. This way you can indirectly use the speakers for your PC or TV. Instead, there will be a possibility to connect your SONOS PLAY:1 speakers to a holder via a screw thread. This makes it possible to nicely distribute the sound from the speakers across the room as desired. Another nice touch is the option to have the two speakers function as a stereo pair. This makes it possible to let the sound fill the room even better. In addition, SONOS first "scans" the room using the device on which the application is installed. By letting sound come out of the speakers and have it picked up by the microphone of your phone or tablet, SONOS can determine the way in which sound waves are broken down and thus ensure the optimal setting. Small disadvantage of playing in stereo, if you are close to one of the two speakers, you will soon lose the stereo effect or it will be clearly less present. However, this can be solved by correct positioning of the speakers.
Ease
A SONOS PLAY:1 speaker can therefore do a lot and also has a lot to offer. But it would be a shame if all these functionalities are lost because it is difficult to understand how to activate or use it all. Fortunately, this is a point on which SONOS scores very positively in my opinion. Everything is very neatly and clearly indicated and most processes are clearly explained in the application itself. This way you go step by step towards the goal you want to achieve without having to take too big steps. Often it is no more than pressing 1 or two buttons and you have already achieved what you wanted to achieve. Synchronizing the speaker with the application for the first time also only takes a few minutes. It's actually all so simple that there isn't much more to say about it. And we don't see that often.
Sound
But yes, everything described above will all be fun and good. If the sound is not to your liking, it is of no use. To test this, I let the speaker play different types of music styles. Think of pop, rock, dance, classical or purely vocal. To get a better look at it all, I did a blind test with a comparable speaker in the same price range. This test showed that the preference for almost all music styles went to the SONOS PLAY:1. With classical only, in most cases the other speaker was declared the winner. The answer for this result is quite simple to explain. The sound that comes out of the speaker has been slightly adjusted compared to the original. Think of the big speakers at concerts. The sound often sounds a bit heavier and warmer, Slightly less natural I would almost say. That's why classic was not chosen as a favorite with the SONOS PLAY:1. You want classic as clear and natural as possible. You would want to hear almost every string. However, this often results in all other music styles sounding a bit chilly. SONOS opts for warmth here, for room-filling sound. And yes, SONOS does that well. Very well in fact.
Another important part for me is good bass. Does SONOS PLAY:1 have good bass?
Well, I can reassure all other fans because yes, SONOS PLAY:1 has some good bass. Not too exaggerated, but clearly present. Sometimes I even had to choose to make the bass sound a little softer with some songs so as not to have the neighbors at the door. The volume that the speaker can achieve is also fine. You can safely use it for a party, provided that your neighbors approve of it of course.
Now let's pay attention to the stereo sound. This is in fact very well worked out and certainly a reason to purchase a second speaker. The speakers together have a nice harmony and you can clearly hear that you are listening to stereo. It comes very close to the stereo sound you can hear through good headphones. Also, the use of stereo makes it seem even more like the sound is coming from everywhere. Delicious.
So… what's the final verdict?
SONOS seems to know what they want with the PLAY:1. They go for convenience, beautiful design and ensure that the sound is not negatively affected in any way. Of course there are some minor comments here and there, because I think the option of Bluetooth would give the speaker just that little bit extra for many. However, the use of WiFi/Ethernet ensures that the connection is always maintained and the speakers can be controlled from all over the house. The sound is warm and well cared for and as said the bass is certainly not forgotten. And don't forget the application which is user-friendly and works fast. Oh, and did I mention that the speaker sounds great. Ah, sure. Just to be sure.
I started by asking if it's worth the 230 and I think after reading all this it's clear. Still, to stay in the footsteps of SONOS and go for convenience, my answer: Yes, it is more than worth the 230 euros.
