Question

Using play 5's as surrounds and music speakers ? Possible ?

  • 27 July 2017
  • 7 replies
  • 8093 views

I am trying to setup a fairly large room that is family room & Kitchen. About 24 feet by 24 feet.

I want to put a playbar on the TV, and have surround speakers.

I also want to be able to fill the room with music when not watching TV.

My question is, if I went with a playbar, sub and 2 play 5's for surrounds, when playing music, will the play 5's and sub act together and be stereo ?

I think the right terminology is: If I bond the playbar, sub and two play 5's as surrounds, can the play 5's act as a pair when playing music and use the sub.

To throw one more loop into the mix, I would be willing to put play 5's in each corner of the room. So would the config then be

Rear play 5's are bonded to the playbar as surrounds. Sub is bonded to playbar. Front play 5's are for music only, so they are paired to be stereo, but will all 4 play 5's act as music speakers then ?

The other option is I just put up play 5's and a sub for music, and a playbar, some play-3's or 1's for surrounds and a sub. But I am trying to do away with duplicating speakers.

Thanks all.

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7 replies

From all you propose you will get room filling music of good sound quality, but it won't quite be stereo in terms of the sound stage illusion that only a pair of speakers placed in front can provide.

If you must have that, the way to do this would be a 5 pair properly placed in front used for music, and play 1 speakers as surrounds, placed to the rear of the listeners - because they will do that job just as well as the 5 units in that application. For your listening to music in full and accurate stereo in the listening sweet spot, only the 5 pair would be used.

For parties where you just want music presence everywhere in the large room, the TV set up in full mode, grouped with the 5 pair will also work very well.
So you would go with the 5's in the front corners as stereo speakers, and 1's as the rear surrounds.

Does the sub pair or bond both with the playbar and the stereo 5's ?


and by your answer, are you saying that if I bonded the 5's as surounds, that when playing music they won't act as anything but surrounds ?
At one time the Sub bonds with either of the two. Switching over often can get pesky, although this involves interacting just with the controller app. But the new 5 units have a very good bass capability on their own.

I would put them in front, not all the way into the corners, placed by the rules/guidelines that help achieving the best stereo effect for the designated listening area. By its nature, the illusion is limited to a small part of the room, so one places the speakers to ensure that this is the listening area most often used to listen to stereo music.

When you select Full mode on the play bar, all speakers will play like full music speakers. But the stereo effect in the listening sweet spot will be on account of the just the front pair, and using all speakers, 5 or 1 and play bar, will dilute that effect although it will fill the entire space more effectively.

If you have the budget for it, you can put in four 5 units, but it may be an overkill.
When playing music in full mode, does the playbar also play music, or just the play 5's.

And I have considered putting in 5's in each corner. I am not as concerned about the stereo effect as I am about filling the room with deep amazing sound.
If you just want deep amazing sound, I am pretty sure you will get it with 4 play 1 units. These, as well as play bar and Sub will play music and fill the room. Go the 5 route if budget is no constraint.
Thanks Kumar.

When playing music in full mode, does the playbar also play music, or just the play 5's.
In full mode, all units play all the music content - except the Sub of course which does just bass duty.