Going secondhand soundbar

Go for Ray.

Playbar is a 10-year old design, and it seems Playbase wasn’t terribly successful. Both were discontinued 3 years ago.

#ratty

Really…i thought the Playbase would be a better option. But that is leading me to the next wonder of mine: Why are those old Playbar & Playbase still so expencive to get secound hand that i could go purcase a brand new Ray for the same price. Or do people got such narrow vision that their $800 Playbar is still a goldmine to own. Or is it because of anything else i do not understand? 
 

I have not heard any of those soundbars playing so i have no clue what to expect from either of them. But back 5-7years ago those must have been good soundbars.

$800?! I just looked on a well-known online marketplace and used items seem to go for about GBP250 or less, depending on condition.

#ratty

Sorry…what i mean was they probobly cost $800 new and now as the Playbase is 6-7yo they wanna sell it and demanding $3-500 secound hand….like the Ray is $279.

So that’s why i’m still wonder how can that be? And that lead me to belive the Playbar&Playbase sounds better than a Ray. Connections to my TV will be by infrared(optical) anyway. I’m not having a superiour cinema-room here,but as much as i can get for a good value. The sub will be a Gen2/3 cause a secound hand Gen2 will be the same as a new Sub mini and a Gen3 will be +$250. 

You pays your money and you takes your choice.

If you prefer Playbar and have the space then go for it. It was (and still is) a great soundbar. A fault which can develop, and comes up here from time to time, is a high pitched whine from the switched mode power supply whenever the Playbar is powered (not just when playing).

Playbase was only sold from 2017 to 2020, so one assumes it wasn’t so popular.

#ratty

Space is no problem. What i wanted to get uplightning over if those old Sonos soundbars still ok to own and if they are $300 worth of sound.

The Beam G1 is also an alternative but it’s like $350 used and the front cloth grill are most likely to have wears’n tears on it. 
I’ll find the Playbase to go for $2-250,used Ray is $200 and the Playbar is never listed for sale under $300.
But i like the slim design on the Playbase. The Ray is more like something i would put under a screen for gaming….i don’t know.

I’d encourage you to think more about sound than appearance. All devices are ‘noticeable ’ for the first several weeks in the new location you’ve placed them , but tend to fade into the background as time goes on.

#Airgetlam

I would like to experience the sound from old-school Sonos soundbars. I know it’s not like the new Beam or Arc,but how far off are they really?

And the sound i like,might be not what you seek. We are all different. But i could use the info of what majority of the users experience when they use the Playbar&Playbase. 
The most important for me is value for money. In this case i just wanna get better sound from my TV along with my Ikea BS. So the most important is to get a soundbar. If i don’t like it,i can pass it on to the next. But what will be the best option. Just go for a Ray and never think of the Playbar/Playbase and how that option could have worked if i try. I don’t know. I thought this was easy to get a anserw…now i’ll just buy a secoundhand Ray when i come across one. 

RAY will have less bass than the others and you will be limited to 5.1. If price is your overriding consideration, wait for RAY.

I still seach to come across a good used deal for a soundbar. But i’m very very un-sure what to get. The Playbar i ruled out more or less….it’s a little bolkey and it’s too expencive.

The Beam Gen1 is allso an alternative,but it’s in the upper price-range for me. And im not a lucky man find a Beam without any damage/dirtyness(yes,i’m not looking for black version,only white).

Sound-wise the perfect choice would be the Ray cause my TV is placed sideways by a wall. Good space on one side of TV,a wall on the oposite side.

The Playbase is the one who blend in the most,and probobly will be on the cheeper side.

Playbar is never sold under $300 for a used one

Playbase is $180-$300 used

Ray is sold on Outlet for $235(used one’s are normally $180-200)

Beam Gen1 is $230-$280 used.

I’m trying to avoid get a Beam since i allready got a Beam Gen2,and i wanna try another soundbar from Sonos.