Question

1x Play:5 or 2x Play:1 of temporary outdoor use

  • 25 July 2017
  • 3 replies
  • 613 views

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We've a roof terrace, completely open to the elements we occasionally use for entertaining/BBQs etc... however, as we have no music up there, find ourselves migrating to a smaller downstairs balcony. The upstairs terrace is big but it's only a 4.5mx4.5m area I'm looking to bring music to.
I'm debating whether to get a single Play:5 or a couple of Play:1s to take up and use when needed.

My concern is the space and how the sound will project. As I say, its an open roof terrace with a glass guardrail - so no corners to stick a unit in and project from there.

Does anyone have any thoughts as to how well a Play:5 or stereo Play:1s would fill an empty space?

Obviously, a Play:5 is more convenient as its one speaker to shift around but is one sound source sufficient - or would 2 lesser powered Play:1s do a better job as these can be separated to increase the soundstage?

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3 replies

Hi The Chef

Purely in my opinion, if it was me, I would probably go with the two play:1's as you say you have greater scope for creating a larger sound stage and it would me more cost effective, If low end and bass is important, then the Play:5 will give you more low end extension. If the cost isn't so important, then the other scenario would be to get a play:5 and then you always have the option of adding another at a later stage, then you can have the larger sound stage benefit of two speakers in addition of the low end. What some people do, is to use a Connect:amp and passive outdoor speakers, so you could keep the Connect:amp in the house and run the speaker wires up to the roof and into the passive outdoor speakers, then you don't have to move anything when you are up there.

Make sure you have decent wifi up on the roof and/or you have other Sonos components near by and are running in a Boost setup.

Hope this helps
What some people do, is to use a Connect:amp and passive outdoor speakers, so you could keep the Connect:amp in the house and run the speaker wires up to the roof and into the passive outdoor speakers, then you don't have to move anything when you are up there.

Make sure you have decent wifi up on the roof

That is what I would do, to do justice to the space and make more use of it. And with the Connect Amp located closer to the WiFi router the last bit above is also a non issue.

Make sure to use speaker wires of adequate core thickness for the length needed, to get the best from the speakers.
To maximise the return/use of the Connect Amp, I would also install speakers in the other balcony at the same time. Speakers like those from Dayton Audio are about USD 100 a pair. Install a switch in the wiring such that you can select either of the two speaker pairs depending on where you want it to play at the time.