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Question

Play Bar - How much difference does the Sub make for music?

Forum|Forum|8 years ago
October 31, 2017
18 replies
9178 views

HI, new Sonos owner here, just bought a PlayBar (for a 40:30:30 split use between streaming music, watching music and playing games respectively) and although I really like it, it does sound a little "hollow" (almost a bit muddy in the overall sound) particularly with some music (use Google Play Music). There is bass there but it just doesn't cut it for me. I have used Trueplay to tune the room, which did make an audible positive difference!

Question is, how much difference will adding a Sub really make, particularly with music? I can see from posts that people love them for adding the depth to explosions and action in movies, but how about adding subtlety to music? As that's where I feel the playbar is slightly disappointing to me.

Can't justify buying one right now, especially until I'm sure it's the right system for me, but for the coming months it'd be good to know what difference it really makes in this instance? Unless anyone has any 20% discount codes that work? 😉 Haha.

Would be good to know, as with the playbar on its own right now, I'm just not 100% sure it's good enough to keep 😞

Thanks.

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SteveTheLlamaAuthor

Trending Lyricist I

I felt like the system was lacking something serious until I bought the sub-woofer and finally found the right settings for it. Now I wouldn't recommend buying Sonos unless you include the sub.

Interesting to hear, and guess that's how I feel, that something is just lacking :(

Well, I suppose the only thing is to give it a try. Think i'll try and get a demo in a local shop, or at least hope that Sonos do some kind of Black Friday thing or another 20% sale, as would love to buy direct and use the 100day trial thing rather than buy from a retailer (even though it's cheaper). Do want to try and get it trialed before my return window closes for the Playbar, as right now I'm bot 100% sold on it .

Thanks again.

txagt39

Lyricist I

I buy stuff at Best Buy all the time so I used all my reward points to help choke down the cost. I bought my speakers during a pre-Christmas sale last year, hopefully Best Buy and Target will do that again this year I'd like to get a Play 5. I bought my system one piece at a time. Check Best Buy occasionally for open box special pricing. They don't have Sonos pieces all the time but pretty frequently.

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SteveTheLlamaAuthor

Trending Lyricist I

I buy stuff at Best Buy all the time so I used all my reward points to help choke down the cost. I bought my speakers during a pre-Christmas sale last year, hopefully Best Buy and Target will do that again this year I'd like to get a Play 5. I bought my system one piece at a time. Check Best Buy occasionally for open box special pricing. They don't have Sonos pieces all the time but pretty frequently.

Thanks. I'm in the UK though, so no BestBuy here. Come on Sonos, start your Black Friday sales early... I need to test this badboy out 😉

UKMedia

I find if you call Richersounds in the UK, they are the best on price.

Remember: Sometimes Red Wine helps :)

nifoxke

Prodigy I

You're correct about the system reconfiguring. The sub has been measure and it goes nowhere near 25Hz. 36Hz is the lowest frequency before it starts to roll off. By around 32Hz it's game over.

Sonos doesn't publish the frequency range specification for Playbar or any of its active speaker products. So until someone measures it accurately then it's not possible to say what the bass extension of the Playbar is like with and without the sub. For most people it's "plenty enough", and that's probably all that matters.

I agree with nifoxke, it is limited by its design. Having said that, there are active and passive soundbars that better it sonically, but they have their own limitations.

The B&W speakers would be a hard act to follow. A big rich sound with good integration at the crossover point and plenty of bass too. Last time I played with a pair it was the original 601s I think. I had to move them in to free space and bung the bass port to tame some of the in-room bass response.

Playbar can't shift air in the same way and the cabinet volume is far more restricted to its going to sound very different.

Thanks for this.

Beginning to worry now if I'll achieve the same kind of sound as my existing, albeit cumbersome AV receiver & Speakers. Guess it's apples vs oranges. I really like the convenience of the playbar, plus the simplicity of being able to stream, plus my wife can't stand the big speakers any more.

Guess I'm going to have to try and get a demo of a Sub and see if that ticks all the boxes before I decide to return the Playbar. Maybe my expectations were maybe a little high? You read all the tech and audio site reviews and the feedback from purchasers and it all sounds like perfection. Just can't help wondering how much of an improvement the sub really is.... Hmmm.

Thanks again.

When I set up my Sonos 5.1 system, I noticed a small difference in sound. It didn't sound quite as rich as my 3.1 setup with a conventional A/V receiver. However, with the smaller footprint of the Sonos (no center channel in front of the screen, no left and right speakers on stands that the critters try to knock over), the added ability for whole home audio, and not needing to run speaker wire to the rear for surrounds (combined with finding small enough surrounds that the wife approved of) I was able to live with the minor difference. I haven't looked back.

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SteveTheLlamaAuthor

Trending Lyricist I

When I set up my Sonos 5.1 system, I noticed a small difference in sound. It didn't sound quite as rich as my 3.1 setup with a conventional A/V receiver. However, with the smaller footprint of the Sonos (no center channel in front of the screen, no left and right speakers on stands that the critters try to knock over), the added ability for whole home audio, and not needing to run speaker wire to the rear for surrounds (combined with finding small enough surrounds that the wife approved of) I was able to live with the minor difference. I haven't looked back.

Yes my wife certainly appreciates the no wires bit, and I may consider doing the whole 5.1 thing eventually, but good to know, thanks. Going to see what Black Friday brings in terms of Sub discounts here in the UK... fingers crossed.

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SteveTheLlamaAuthor

Trending Lyricist I

I know I'm replying to my own thread, but....

Well, very.co.uk sent me a 20% voucher code so I splurged it on a Sub.

It arrived a couple of days ago and the very simple answer to my original question is... Wow!

Chalk and cheese.
Black and white.
Night and day.
Sub, no sub.

Amazing difference truly brings the sound alive. So glad I tried it.

Next step, a couple of Play One's to go full 5.1 next, God damn this system is addictive.

So, for anyone on the fence, just get a sub.

For Sonos, well done. Great piece of kit.

Now, can you do a BOGOF Play One deal for Black Friday please ??

nifoxke

Prodigy I

The full 5.1 setup is nice. Our dog kept waking up out of a sleep thinking someone was in our house last night, due to the surrounds playing off to the side.

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