Sonos Play 1 Review: A Small, Powerful Streaming Speaker

2023-01-10 | Yvonne

Tip: We tested the Sonos Play:1, a small, powerful streaming speaker that can be placed just about anywhere there’s an AC outlet.

Sonos Play 1 Review: Small and Powerful Streaming Speaker. We tested the Sonos Play 1.

Sonos Play:1 Compact Wireless Smart Speaker

We like this

Amazing, room filling sound
Small size
Understated, classy design
Simple controls
An expanding ecosystem
Ethernet and Wi-Fi connectivity
For wall mounting, threaded hole

The Things We Hate

There is no battery.
Bluetooth is not supported
No 5GHz wireless support
There are no 3.5mm audio inputs or any other physical audio inputs
Setup requires the free Sonos app

Sonos Play:1 can be used almost anywhere. It is small and powerful, but it's easy to place. This speaker is a great addition to any home if you are comfortable being tied to an AC outlet.

This article explains

Design
Installation
Sound Quality
Prices
Concurrence
Final Verdict
Specifications

Sonos Play:1 was purchased by us so that our expert reviewer could fully test it and evaluate it. Continue reading to see our complete product review.

A compact wireless speaker will usually have to make a tradeoff between audio quality and portability. There's only so much modern technology can accomplish with limited power and space. Sonos attempts at defying some of these expectations with its Play:1 speaker. It is a small, room-filling speaker that produces a great sound. The only limitations are the inability to connect to Bluetooth and the inability to use a power source.

To find out if the Sonos Play:1 can really deliver high-quality, loud-speaker sound, in a small package and if its performances surpass its limitations of portability and absence of Bluetooth, we tested it.

Design: Simple and elegant

The 4 lb Sonos Play:1 speaker is compact at 6.5 inches high and 4.5 inches deep. The sleek design of the Sonos Play:1 allows it to fit into any contemporary decor. It also has a subtle quality that is very different from some competitors.

The Play:1 can be set up anywhere there is a power socket, but you will need to keep it out of the bathrooms and kitchen. The speaker can withstand humidity but is not waterproof or water-resistant.

Installation: There is not much you need, however an app will be required.

Setup is easy because there's very little complexity in the speaker itself. The Quickstart Guide will ask you to install and download the Sonos app.

We created an account and paired up, and then downloaded a firmware upgrade. The Play:1 requested that we tune the speaker with Trueplay. This used our iPhone Xs Max's microphone and asked us to be as silent as possible while we were moving about the room. The tuning process was completed after we moved around the room waving our phones and making loud, pinging noises, which are similar to the way home theatre surround sound system calibrate themselves.

The app works well and setup is easy. There's also no Bluetooth connection. It is only an app-based speaker. This is one of the most disappointing flaws of the Play. Although you can play the last Play:1 on your device by pressing the Play/Pause key, it is not an alternative to Bluetooth connectivity.

The speaker is very simple to set up because it has so little complexity.

The Play:1 can connect to devices that don't have the Sonos app. It is also compatible with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa-based devices. These voice assistant integrations, while a nice and welcomed feature, also highlight the absence of Bluetooth to enhance the Play:1’s feature-set.

Even though we had only one speaker to test, the Play:1 or Sonos speakers offer a great advantage: you can add more units at any moment. You can actually add 32 speakers. However, if you want more speakers than 4, you will need to connect to Ethernet instead of Wi Fi to reduce the bandwidth required by a wireless system. Even adding a second Play.1 to your stereo speakers pair will make it a great one.

One thing to keep in mind when talking about connectivity is the Play:1 does not support wireless networks with 2.4GHz 802.11b/g/n. You will need an Ethernet connection if your wireless network supports only 5 GHz, and you cannot switch to 2.4 GHz. By creating a Sonos-specific wireless network, the Bridge or the more powerful Boost can increase and amplify the Wi-Fi's performance.

Sound Quality - You'll be astonished

Many compact speakers sacrifice quality in order to be portable, as we have already mentioned. This is not true here. Sonos managed to squeeze rich sound and excellent bass from this small cylinder. This speaker is a remarkable feat of engineering. It can fill large rooms with sound, and it also produces this kind of clarity.

This speaker is a remarkable feat of engineering. It can fill large rooms with sound, and it also produces this kind of clarity.

We measured the sound level of the speaker from a distance of 10 feet and played Very High Streaming Quality music via Spotify. The dBA peak was consistent at 100 percent volume. It's the equivalent to a snowblower close to you and something that would not be recommended for long periods of time. However, it is telling how much power the Play:1 can generate with such high fidelity. We registered dBA levels in the middle-60s at a lower 50% volume. This is still enough to fill a large space.

We were also impressed by the audio quality when testing content with spoken voices like audiobooks from Audible. The Play:1 is a great speaker for music. However, we were also impressed by the fact that it doesn't have a bias towards this type of sound, which makes it an outstanding overall speaker, regardless of content.

Worth it for the sound

The Play:1 costs $149 and is a great value for money. Although there are many portable battery-powered speakers that can be purchased for less money, the Play:1's sound quality suffers greatly. The Play:1 is undoubtedly superior in sound quality but you miss Bluetooth connectivity. It is a great device for consumers who know exactly what they want, and may have other Sonos devices that can be used to create an ecosystem.

Competitor: This is the best option if Bluetooth is not required

Sonos Two (Gen 2): For $100 less than the Play-1, get the same great sound quality, but with Alexa and Google Assistant integration.

Bose Home Speaker 300 The Bose Home Speaker 300 is a fantastic value for money with the Alexa and Google Assistant features built in, however, it has a lower sound quality.

The compact and high-quality Play:1 by Sonos is unquestionably the best in sound quality. The Play:1 is a fantastic investment if you don't have concerns about Bluetooth connectivity or battery life.

Specifications

Product name:1 Compact Wireless Smart speaker
Sonos Product Brand
UPC 878269000327
Prices from $149.00
Weighing 4.08 lbs.
Product dimensions 636 x 6.69 x 4.69in
Audio 2 Class-D Digital Amplifiers: One Tweeter and One Mid-Wofer
WiFi yes, 802.11b/g/n and 2.4GHz (not supported by only 802.11n networks).
Ethernet Yes (1). 10/100 Mpbs Ethernet port
Threaded Mount ¼ inch 20-threaded socket
Auto-switching Power Supply 100-240 Volt, 50-60Hz AC Universal Input
1-year warranty

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