Playbar with 2 Play 1s for TV and music?

Not without the Playbar also playing the music, unless you go through the effort every time to go through the bonding and unbonding process. However, if you go in to the settings for the surrounds, you can set them to "full" for music playback and you'll get full stereo out of them, in addition to the Playbar playing.

Thanks for the reply. I'm just curious whether the Plays will act as true L and R stereo speakers and carry most of the musical load. In other words when I play music will it be like a stereo or will it be like surround sound with the Playbar making most of the sound?

Also, if I want to use the Plays for music, aren't I better off with Play 5s, since the Play 1s are more for surround sound?

The music playback will be full stereo in the surrounds (Be they Play 1 or Play 5s) with the volume through the Player much lower.

The Play 5s would certainly be "better" for music but the Play 1s are more than adequate for TV/Film watching - with the Play 5s being overkill for that purpose. So it does rather depend on how much Music Vs TV watching you plan to do.
Personally I'd advise getting the 2 x Play 1s and a Sub. That also makes for excellent music playback and enhances significantly TV and film watching.

Technically, the setup you're suggesting is 5.0, not 3.0. The soundbar is the equivalent of front left, front right, and center channel. The your PLAYs are the surrounds. It's a minor detail, but I think it helps in understanding that the PLAYBAR is going to give you more than a center channel alone would.

As far as playing in music playback mode, you will definitely get more than surround out of the back. At least with my experience you're still going to hear a heavier concentration of sound from the PLAYBAR. I have PLAY:3s so perhaps that changes with other models or have a different setting. Either way, I like the way it sounds.

I have that setup with Playbar and to Play 1's. Works really well for me. I keep the Play 1' and Playbar grouped separately and group the groups for TV. For some reason stereo audio just sounds better through Play 1's alone

Gosh melvimbe you're right! I was imaging putting the Plays in front, but the setup guide advises putting them in the rear. In my room, however, I must put them in front, else it would make for awkward listening. That shouldn't create any odd sound effects either for TV or music listening, should it?

Not for music, but it might make the TV sound a bit odd, if surround information was coming from in front of you.

Hmm, maybe the thing to do would be to use the Playbar exclusively for TV and the Plays exclusively for music.

Not a horrible option. Fair warning, you'll end up getting a pair of Play:1s and a SUB at some point, just for the 5.1 surround sound option 🙂