Sonos Play Bar

JEN22

Has anyone got this?


Does it double up as a good speaker for streaming music too?


is it worth the high price?

RumRat

I don't have the play bar, but, I recently bought the Sonos Beam and I have to say it's excellent for music. When making the decision I sampled the playbar at a local HiFi specialist (Not Currys ) and have to admit, music sounded great on that as well.
That said, for my set up, I couldn't justify the price of the Play bar and haven't regretted the Beam.
You can buy a couple of Sonos ones/play and a Sub if you feel you need to add to it, but this makes it really expensive. I'm buying a pair of ones to make it surround, but £700 for the Sub is a step too far and in my opinion, isn't really needed.
The Sonos app is excellent and makes streaming music really easy.

fred246

The Sonos is famous for being a poor surround sound system especially lacking DTS support. You can buy a proper home cinema for much less.

RumRat

fred246 wrote: »

The Sonos is famous for being a poor surround sound system especially lacking DTS support. You can buy a proper home cinema for much less.

Not using BluRay or DVD for viewing means that DTS decoding is irrelevant. They are not catering for that audience and it doesn't make it a 'poor surround sound system'.

Agreed, not the choice if you still use DVD's, but, that market is dwindling.
(Sits back and waits for all those clinging on....;))


You could also change your player to one that will decode DTS to DD5.1.

fred246

I've just had another look at the Sonos 'surround' system. There aren't even any front speakers. Just a sound bar! The two front speakers are the most important! Three tiny speakers stuck in one little box. You could do MUCH better home cinema for the money.

RumRat

fred246 wrote: »

I've just had another look at the Sonos 'surround' system. There aren't even any front speakers. Just a sound bar! The two front speakers are the most important! Three tiny speakers stuck in one little box. You could do MUCH better home cinema for the money.

Better to hear them than read about them....;)

CardinalWolsey

It all depends upon what your requirements are, including - importantly - where / how the set up will be. I personally would be looking at a proper 5.1 (or more, but 5.1 minimum) setup. If music streaming is important, add a Google Chromecast Audio to the setup (£30). These now support multiple speaker groups, so your cinema speakers could be part of "Lounge Speakers" and also "Downstairs Speakers" (e.g. add a kitchen speaker to that group, and you have multi-room out of the box). I get great results from mine, and would personally recommend it over a friend's Sonos setup.

RumRat

I agree that a quality 5.1 surround system will beat a soundbar. I have a set of KEF Q350's in the room we use for films/games etc.
However in the lounge the Sonos more than fills the bill and as you point out, it will depend on the OP's circumstances.
They may not have the space for a full 5.1 system, or, as in my case a partner who said 'No way!' to the extra speakers in the lounge...;)

JEN22

Thanks I not really into technology but just want tv to sound better - its a 4o inch Samsung and also something to play amazon music through

RumRat

JEN22 wrote: »

Thanks I not really into technology but just want tv to sound better - its a 4o inch Samsung and also something to play amazon music through

The beam would be the better choice than the playbar in your case as it's cheaper and it plays Amazon music via the app. As long as your TV supports ARC.

Of course, any soundbar will give you better sound that the TV speakers. You could save money and buy any bar with an aux in and stick a Chromecast into it to stream your music. Or get a Bluetooth enabled one and connect it to your phone/tablet.

JEN22

Whats ARC please?