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I'm thinking of getting the new PLAYBASE, eventually with 2 x Play:1's for surround sound. But this would be the main source of sound for music in my fairly large living room. (44m2)

Will this be enough? I'm used to having two spread apart stand mounted speakers and a sub.



My reason for getting this is I want a more minimal and wireless connected set up, I wil have Play:1's or 3's in other rooms too. But will I be happy with the sound in the main room?



I guess the other option could be to add 2 x Play:3's as front speakers and use these for music instead of the PLAYBAR, but this wont help with the minimal setup, or budget...
Yes. I believe you would. You may well enhance your music with a Sub but why not try 2 x Play 1s and see how you go?
Do you mean 2 x play 1s as front speakers for stereo sound with the PLAYBASE? Is that possible for music playback?
I can't be sure from your posts: do you want sound for TV as well? If that is not the case, either a 1 pair + Sub, or a 5 pair would suit better while meeting your justified expectation of front speakers with more distance between them.
Definitely for TV as well, I may get Play 1s as surrounds too, and a sub at a later date.
I ideally want 1 system that can do it all, which is why I was asking if the PLAYBASE would be suitable.
With a Playbase, like the Playbar, you can add 2 X Play speakers (same flavour) as SURROUNDS and a SUB for the complete Dolby Digital 5.1 surround experience.

You CANNOT add 2 x Play speakers as front speakers.



When setting the Plays as surrounds there is an option in the audio settings for that room to have the sound as "Full" for music playback. This means that the surround speakers (and Sub if you have it) do most of the work for music playback (NOT music via the TV) so you will, I'm sure, be more than happy with the performance for music with a Playbase and surround speakers.
Do it all systems tend to be complex, like the full monty Home theatre set ups with 5 or more speakers, or a compromise as just a play bar/base would be. The only way to know how bad or good a compromise in terms of your needs/expectations, is by trying it out if you can get it on a returnable basis. Adding a Sub and surrounds later may do more for the TV experience than for music where for many, the first box that needs to be ticked is the kind of stereo sound that needs two widely spaced front speakers.
Excellent, I wasn't aware of this, thanks for your reply!



I guess this means though that when playing music it will be coming from behind you, rather than in front?

In any case I think this is what I will go with, thanks for your responses.
when playing music it will be coming from behind you, rather than in front?



Quite so. I can't therefore imagine that this will be to my tastes for music listening. But I haven't ever experienced a base + surrounds in full mode for music, to say that conclusively.
when playing music it will be coming from behind you, rather than in front?



Quite so. I can't therefore imagine that this will be to my tastes for music listening. But I haven't ever experienced a base + surrounds in full mode for music, to say that conclusively.



I'm more than happy with listening to music using my Play 1 surrounds and Sub and even though I do have a swivel chair have never felt the need to rotate myself 180 degrees! Our ears are only slightly forward facing so I can't imagine there will be a significant reduction in listening "quality" by having the speakers behind, rather than in-front, of the listener.
it is just that one listens to live music from an orchestra or gig on the stage in front and is used to music at home in the same manner, which can replicate a live sound stage quite effectively with a good recording. As I said, not having listened to music any other way, it may just be a matter of getting used to the other way of listening. For parties, it doesn't matter at all of course.
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