Play:1 as a bedside speaker

  • 15 October 2014
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Does anyone have comment on using a Play:1 as a bedside speaker?

I've had a few clock radios with screens that are too bright or volume that can't be adjusted to a level suitable for nodding off. The Play:1 would seem to fit the bill, with the sleep and alarm functions. I have seen some previous posts about the challenge of adjusting volume at low levels.

I already enjoy my two Play:5s and a Playbar... and am wondering if a Play:1 would work well next to my bed.

Thank in advance,
Dave

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14 replies

Userlevel 2
Im using a PLAY:1 as a bedside speaker. Its awesome! Don't underestimate them. This is one versatile piece of kit. If anything its capabilities are wasted just using it as an alarm, but why not!!! I would defo recommend it.

Obviously it doesn't have a screen with a time display if that is what you are after, but mobile phones do that admirably. If you don't like the power light, it can be turned off.

One warning though (and i speak from experience), test the alarm volume before relying on it to wake you up. It will wake you no problem at all, but being a bit frugle with the settings could see you waking to the sensation of your fillings being rattled out!!!!! You don't need that slider bar to be too high! :D:D

Seriously though, its a cool bit of kit. I still can't believe how good it sounds for its size. Well worth the investment.
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Oh, by the way, at low level its really great. We sometimes have that relaxing Spa music on, fantastic. And then when you are getting ready for a night out you can crank it up. As i said before, versatility is its key strength.
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Two of them, grouped as a stereo pair, sound even better. We have one on each side of our bed. Can't beat the sound when we're listening to music in the bedroom. And of course, they work great as an alarm too.
I tried this but it did not work for me. No snooze button was the primary deal breaker. Have you ever owned an alarm clock without snooze? Me either. Further, periodically we would have the back up alarm go off and once the alarm failed all together- wife was not happy. No clock. Lack of hardware buttons was super inconvenient for ex. when you remember you need to set a new time or change something and don't have a controler in the room.

I still wanted something that would play music from my library as well as internet radio so I bought a different product that has snooze, hardware buttons, preset buttons, auto dim display etc. This isn't perfect either but for an alarm clock it was closer than the S5.
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My wife and I each have a Play 3 at our respective bedsides but sure Play 1 would be just as good. They arent configured as stereo pair since I like nod off at night listening to talk radio whilst she doesnt but we can group them for music when needed.
They work great as alarms and no glaring screen at night. The low level volume is fine for me with enough adjustment. Only issue is the lack of snooze so I just set several alarms 5 mins apart and then turn them all off once I get up. I keep my phone by my bed at night as a controller to set the sleep timer and then to turn all the 'yet to go off' alarms off in the morning. Its never failed me yet but if I had something really pressing like a flight to catch Ill set a 2nd alarm on the phone also just in case. This would be true for any alarm - powered or battery - thats just me !

Having multiple alarms with choice of chime or radio or music for each side of the bed gives far more flexibility than a regular clock radio. You can also set alarms for weekdays, weekends etc as needed and just flick on or off any others you want for any exceptions.

I can also have fun with it getting my wife out of bed, to a song of my choice, when I feel its time her weekend lie-in came to an end and Im already downstairs with the kids 🙂
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I have two Play:5's in my living room, one Play:1 in my master bedroom, and one Play:1 in my guest bedroom. The Play:1's that I use in my bedrooms were a great investment and they sound excellent - much better than I thought they would, being that they are so small. They provide a good punchy bass sound. They will not be deafening, but in an average to larger sized bedroom, one Play:1 will provide ample volume. I use it as a bedside speaker in a fairly large bedroom (not a huge master suite) and it is just perfect!
My wife and I have a pair of Play 1s next to our bed. I don't feel a need for a Snooze function (I have small kids - I should be so lucky). They would be perfect if the goods gradation of volume at the bottom end was more subtle. I find it's either too loud or its mute. That said, you can always point them away...

T
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We have a pair of ceiling mounted speakers connected to a ZP120 (Connect:AMP) that we use in our bedroom. We use it as an alarm (plays music) but we also set alarms on our phones as "snooze" reminders. Note that when it can't connect to the music source it plays a chime (rather than nothing at all)

We generally don't have music at night but we have a Play:1 in our eldest daughters room and often put on relaxing music (rainforest/classical etc) for her bedtime. This morning for her birthday we started playing Happy Birthday through it to her to wake her up!
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I bought a 3 as a bedside speaker, and frankly, it's overkill for that purpose! :)

The 1:s are really capable on their own, they can quite capably fill a room, when they're sitting next to your bed you wouldn't want to play nearly as loud... So yes, it will work very well, heh.
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Thanks everyone for the insights. Seems the Play:1 will work well for me. I'm actually not a snooze button user, so won't miss that.... although agree that some people couldn't live without one!

Dave
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Like other people in this forum have stated, "who has ever bought an alarm clock without a SNOOZE?". 🙂 I don't have kids (so i need one, lol) and i would LOVE to replace my bedroom stereo with Bose speakers with a couple of Play 1's. Won't do it though, until a SNOOZE option is added to the Alarms. It would be pretty easy to implement and VERY useful/handy!
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Like other people in this forum have stated, "who has ever bought an alarm clock without a SNOOZE?". 🙂 I don't have kids (so i need one, lol) and i would LOVE to replace my bedroom stereo with Bose speakers with a couple of Play 1's. Won't do it though, until a SNOOZE option is added to the Alarms. It would be pretty easy to implement and VERY useful/handy!

so it looks like you will have to replace your bedroom stereo Bose speakers with a couple of Play 1's as I have created an app that lets you snooze your Sonos alarms.

You can find it here: https://appsto.re/be/Xul7db.i
Screenshots can be found on the website: http://www.quicksonos.be/snooze/

Let me know what you think of it
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Installed on my iPhone but crashes immediately on loading !
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I received a crashreport, Will fix it asap