Hi
I purchased a play 5 as a present to myself over the Christmas which I'm loving. So much so I have it in my head to buy a second to set up a stereo pair. But I'm weary as the only place I can leave them is at a height over the presses in the kitchen. My existing one is in the same place but on the other side of the same wall (see pic) but in the horizontal position and I also have it tilted down. My main worry is that the natural position of the play 5 is pointing up when vertical as is the horizontal but I feel I won't get as much of a tilt out of them when they are in the vertical position i.e they will be still pointing up. Do I have to put them in the vertical position or can I leave them horizontal as a stereo pair? And if I do put them vertical do u think I'm wasting my money putting them in that position? I know the easy solution is to find somewhere lower but there really is no where else I can leave them.
All advise appreciated
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Just to clarify new play 5 will be situated in the right of the pic
Hello PadNyl :)
Great to hear you are liking your Play 5. I love my pair as well!
It is definitely possible to have a stereo pair of Play 5's in the horizontal position. As a matter of fact after much testing, I have found myself preferring the pair in this position. It is largely a matter of preference, but as to objective statements, the vertical configuration gives you a more focused sweet spot between the speakers, while the horizontal position gives you a wider (and in my opinion deeper) sound-stage. As your speakers will be placed in your kitchen I assume you will not spend much time standing in the exact tight sweet spot, but will rather be walking around while listening. For this reason, I think you might actually prefer the horizontal configuration. You should of course test both configurations to see what you like the most.
Also, don't worry about the second speaker not being worth it in a certain configuration. If the speaker you have now sounds nice in its current position, adding a second speaker in a symmetric position should definitely add to the experience. The stereo separation really makes a huge deal.
Hope this helps. Feel free to ask me anything. I'd be glad to help.
Rune
Great to hear you are liking your Play 5. I love my pair as well!
It is definitely possible to have a stereo pair of Play 5's in the horizontal position. As a matter of fact after much testing, I have found myself preferring the pair in this position. It is largely a matter of preference, but as to objective statements, the vertical configuration gives you a more focused sweet spot between the speakers, while the horizontal position gives you a wider (and in my opinion deeper) sound-stage. As your speakers will be placed in your kitchen I assume you will not spend much time standing in the exact tight sweet spot, but will rather be walking around while listening. For this reason, I think you might actually prefer the horizontal configuration. You should of course test both configurations to see what you like the most.
Also, don't worry about the second speaker not being worth it in a certain configuration. If the speaker you have now sounds nice in its current position, adding a second speaker in a symmetric position should definitely add to the experience. The stereo separation really makes a huge deal.
Hope this helps. Feel free to ask me anything. I'd be glad to help.
Rune
Be sure to Trueplay tune the speaker(s). In that position the sound could otherwise be horribly coloured by the proximity of the ceiling/walls/cupboards.
Great to hear you are liking your Play 5. I love my pair as well!
It is definitely possible to have a stereo pair of Play 5's in the horizontal position. As a matter of fact after much testing, I have found myself preferring the pair in this position. It is largely a matter of preference, but as to objective statements, the vertical configuration gives you a more focused sweet spot between the speakers, while the horizontal position gives you a wider (and in my opinion deeper) sound-stage. As your speakers will be placed in your kitchen I assume you will not spend much time standing in the exact tight sweet spot, but will rather be walking around while listening. For this reason, I think you might actually prefer the horizontal configuration. You should of course test both configurations to see what you like the most.
Also, don't worry about the second speaker not being worth it in a certain configuration. If the speaker you have now sounds nice in its current position, adding a second speaker in a symmetric position should definitely add to the experience. The stereo separation really makes a huge deal.
Hope this helps. Feel free to ask me anything. I'd be glad to help.
Rune
Thanks for reply you have put my mind at rest. So you would highly recommend the 2nd one?
Hi thanks for reply yes I'll definitely be using trueplay and I have done with original.
I purchased a play 5 as a present to myself over the Christmas which I'm loving.
Were it not for the last part, my advice would have been to move the speaker from what is perhaps the worst of all places to keep a speaker.
But if you are loving the sound there, adding a second is going to work just as well, and add a new dimension to the sound quality.
Though the purist in me can't help but add:
First try a 1 unit on a returnable basis and see how it sounds in the same place. If around 70-80% as good, add another play 1 for the other location to stereo pair with the first. Release the 5 as a single speaker for another room/zone in the home where it can be better placed for then deserving even more love! And at a lower total cost than adding another 5 unit.
Yes PadNyl, I would absolutely recommend a second Play 5!
I agree with the others though that you should try out trueplay if you haven't. It helps a lot with clearing up the muddy midrange and boomy bass wall interactions can create.
I agree with the others though that you should try out trueplay if you haven't. It helps a lot with clearing up the muddy midrange and boomy bass wall interactions can create.
Another thing that I recommend that is easy to do - whether for a new 1 pair or for the second 5 unit, or even for just the one 5 as you have now:
Use the shelf next to the chimney hood for speaker placement for one speaker use, as close to edge of the shelf next to the chimney itself and have the speaker pointing straight ahead. And if using a couple of speakers, place each at the other edge of the same shelf, next to the shelves at either ends of the wall. And in both cases, place the unit as close to the front edge of the shelf as is safe. In stereo pair therefore, each unit would be on the shelf adjacent to the chimney, but as far away from it as possible, and as close to the front edge as is safe. And both speakers would be pointing straight ahead.
This way you will at least eliminate one problem - the corner location - and it should lead to better sound. Placing the speakers as close to the front edge will give them useful distance from the rear walls, and allow the sound to be clearer by not having it bounce off the shelf surface in front on the speaker.
Remember that if using Trueplay, the tuning needs to be done every time the speaker placement is changed. A quick way to check things is to see what placement sounds best without using Trueplay, and then do the Trueplay antics for the better sounding location. And do it again when a second speaker is added, with both paired in stereo mode.
Trueplay works best when you do all that is possible/practical to place the speakers better in the first place.
Use the shelf next to the chimney hood for speaker placement for one speaker use, as close to edge of the shelf next to the chimney itself and have the speaker pointing straight ahead. And if using a couple of speakers, place each at the other edge of the same shelf, next to the shelves at either ends of the wall. And in both cases, place the unit as close to the front edge of the shelf as is safe. In stereo pair therefore, each unit would be on the shelf adjacent to the chimney, but as far away from it as possible, and as close to the front edge as is safe. And both speakers would be pointing straight ahead.
This way you will at least eliminate one problem - the corner location - and it should lead to better sound. Placing the speakers as close to the front edge will give them useful distance from the rear walls, and allow the sound to be clearer by not having it bounce off the shelf surface in front on the speaker.
Remember that if using Trueplay, the tuning needs to be done every time the speaker placement is changed. A quick way to check things is to see what placement sounds best without using Trueplay, and then do the Trueplay antics for the better sounding location. And do it again when a second speaker is added, with both paired in stereo mode.
Trueplay works best when you do all that is possible/practical to place the speakers better in the first place.
Use the shelf next to the chimney hood for speaker placement for one speaker use, as close to edge of the shelf next to the chimney itself and have the speaker pointing straight ahead. And if using a couple of speakers, place each at the other edge of the same shelf, next to the shelves at either ends of the wall. And in both cases, place the unit as close to the front edge of the shelf as is safe. In stereo pair therefore, each unit would be on the shelf adjacent to the chimney, but as far away from it as possible, and as close to the front edge as is safe. And both speakers would be pointing straight ahead.
This way you will at least eliminate one problem - the corner location - and it should lead to better sound. Placing the speakers as close to the front edge will give them useful distance from the rear walls, and allow the sound to be clearer by not having it bounce off the shelf surface in front on the speaker.
Remember that if using Trueplay, the tuning needs to be done every time the speaker placement is changed. A quick way to check things is to see what placement sounds best without using Trueplay, and then do the Trueplay antics for the better sounding location. And do it again when a second speaker is added, with both paired in stereo mode.
Trueplay works best when you do all that is possible/practical to place the speakers better in the first place.
Thanks so much for the advise I really appreciate it. While I think I'm following your instructions would you mind if I send you a picture when I have them set up to make sure I have followed out your instructions correctly?
Sure, I will let you know if you send me another picture.
Hi
So thanks again for all the advise and I'm now the proud owner of two play 5's. Kumar I think I followed your advise but there's one thing I'm worried about seen as you mentioned walls while they are alot further away from the side walls they are about a foot closer to the back wall as those presses aren't as deep as the one the original play 5 was on. I have included close up pics to show you what I mean.
Thanks again
I see what you mean.
There is another location you can try, that is away from both corners and walls. The right front corner of the shelf next to the left wall, and vice versa, that is, the left front corner of the shelf next to the right wall. Or, saying the same thing in another way, pull both speakers diagonally forward away from the chimney hood and place them on the two adjacent to wall shelves, but on their front corners that are closest to the chimney hood. Both speakers still facing forward.
My guess is that this will give the best sound for any above shelf location, but let your ears and how the music sounds to YOU in the parts of the room where you listen most often be the final decider. Remember that the proof is finally only in the eating of the pudding: where do you get the better sound is all that matters. Though I also suspect that either placement will deliver better results than your original single placement location, had you placed the new 5 in the other corner.
And whatever proves to be the best case for the changed placements, do the Trueplay thing again at the end of the process.
Finally, relax and enjoy the music!
There is another location you can try, that is away from both corners and walls. The right front corner of the shelf next to the left wall, and vice versa, that is, the left front corner of the shelf next to the right wall. Or, saying the same thing in another way, pull both speakers diagonally forward away from the chimney hood and place them on the two adjacent to wall shelves, but on their front corners that are closest to the chimney hood. Both speakers still facing forward.
My guess is that this will give the best sound for any above shelf location, but let your ears and how the music sounds to YOU in the parts of the room where you listen most often be the final decider. Remember that the proof is finally only in the eating of the pudding: where do you get the better sound is all that matters. Though I also suspect that either placement will deliver better results than your original single placement location, had you placed the new 5 in the other corner.
And whatever proves to be the best case for the changed placements, do the Trueplay thing again at the end of the process.
Finally, relax and enjoy the music!
For me those units are too close together particularly for a room where you generally are moving around and not in one sweet listening spot. Don't think you will have the best benefit of stereo separation. But you already have it and sound satisfied so I suppose that's all that matters.
I have 2 play 5s in my kitchen, after running true play they sound awsome.
With two Play 5's, that is a lot of audio-power for that size kitchen. I'm sure it sounds great. Just for fun, set those two 5's up as a stereo pair in a larger room, like your living room, and put them in the vertical orientation. Sit in the sweet spot and listen to your favorite track. That is some kind of crazy good stereo image and sound stage. Then you can blame me if you wind up leaving the 5s there and having to buy a pair of 1s for the kitchen.
Sorry to pour cold water but IMO the positioning is the worst possible. Too close together and more importantly way too far above the optimal ear level location for ideal listening. Finally, two Play 5s in a kitchen? Play 1s or Play 3s maybe, but not powerful Play 5s.
BUT, in the end it's the buyers choice I suppose. Good luck.
BUT, in the end it's the buyers choice I suppose. Good luck.
I would cover the speakers from airborne grease just in case the range hood doesn't get it all. I have two play1 in my kitchen and I covered the one closest to the oven and cooktop. I bought a "coloryoursound" cover. Just a thought. - Kris 🙂
Just want to thank everyone for there advise finally have them positioned and I'm really happy. Kumar your advise worked a treat 
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