They are compatible but, depending on how long “a while” is there could be issues with the Bridge firmware version. Also, Bridge power supplies can fail with age.

Is the Play:1 your only Sonos unit? If so I suggest you:

• unplug the Bridge entirely
• wire the Play:1 to your router temporarily in its place
• go to Settings/System/Network/Wireless Setup and enter your router’s WiFi details
• remove the Ethernet cable from the Play:1 and wait a couple of minutes

You should then see the Play:1 in your S1 controller. Before long (a day or two maybe) you should be invited to update to S2, which your Bridge has been preventing from happening. 

Oh, and kindly dispose of the Bridge responsibly as e-waste.

Thanks for the quick response

The Play 1 is my only Sonos speaker, bought this around 6 years. Not been used for well over a year, I’ve got it plugged in & also into the router nearby

Could you advise regarding the Settings setup, is this the S1 app or my IOS Settings? If it’s the app, I can’t get past the start up pages to find a speaker. Sorry for the questions, I’m not great with IT, thanks

It’s in the Sonos S1 app. 

Assuming the Play:1 is now wired to the router your app should be able to see it. If the app is asking you whether to (1) set up a new system or (2) connect to an existing one you should choose (2).