Skip to main content

I found a topic from approx 1 year ago, asking whether Sonos Fives are still a good buy, given they were launched in 2020.

​@GuitarSuperstar said:

It is most definitely still worth buying. The Five is Sonos' best-sounding speaker for music in stereo. If you have it in your budget, consider getting two to create a stereo pair.

I'm guessing this is still the case, but wanted to check.

In terms of my set up, I have two Ones on stands at the front of my lounge set up as a stereo pair within a 'room 1'. Also in my lounge I have a Beam, a Sub Mini and two Ones at the back of the room as surrounds, all set up as another 'room 2'.

I'm not a great fan of Atmos/ Spatial, but I love playing music to both 'rooms' simultaneously (so no Atmos) with surrounds on Full. I play Room 1 louder, usually about +10 and I lower the rear surrounds to -2 for 'music level'. Some would say this muddies the stereo image, but I really like it. The focus is fairly traditionally front firing, which I like, and although not surround, you do seem to get some 4 channel separation, or so it seems anyway (eg different instruments from different speakers) and Bass from the Sub Mini.

My intention is to move my Room 1 Ones upstairs and replace them with Fives in 'Room 1'. I'm hoping they, too, will sound great (even better) when played simultaneously with Room 2. And of course the option, to just play them on their own.

Does it sound as though this is a good option for me 1) musically and 2) given the speakers are 4 years old and may be updated?

Thanks very much for any input.

 

Sonos’ opinion is that the Fives have the edge for pure stereo; that was the view when the Eras first came out. But the Era 300’s are impressive music players and, as you say, are a newer design.
I’m very satisfied with my 300 pair for stereo duty. 

I’d give the edge in Stereo to the Fives, my Play 5 gen 2 is pretty close to them in sound and it is very good.

My problem is that I do like Atmos and sitting here listening to a pair of Era-300s and an older Sub I find it really aggravating when Amazon feeds me an UHD stereo track instead of an Atmos one. The Sub wasn’t really necessary but it was available.

The setup you describe would quickly drive me to turning it off but as always it is your ears that have to be happy with your setup.

I’d give the edge in Stereo to the Fives, my Play 5 gen 2 is pretty close to them in sound and it is very good.

My problem is that I do like Atmos and sitting here listening to a pair of Era-300s and an older Sub I find it really aggravating when Amazon feeds me an UHD stereo track instead of an Atmos one. The Sub wasn’t really necessary but it was available.

The setup you describe would quickly drive me to turning it off but as always it is your ears that have to be happy with your setup.

Agree.  Why the heck does Amazon have albums where some of the tracks in an Atmos advertised album are not Atmos?  Same album in Apple is 100% Atmos!!

Sonos’ opinion is that the Fives have the edge for pure stereo; that was the view when the Eras first came out. But the Era 300’s are impressive music players and, as you say, are a newer design.
I’m very satisfied with my 300 pair for stereo duty. 

Thanks, I think I will go for Fives, but 300s doing well for stereo is something to consider. Glad you are enjoying them.

I’d give the edge in Stereo to the Fives, my Play 5 gen 2 is pretty close to them in sound and it is very good.

My problem is that I do like Atmos and sitting here listening to a pair of Era-300s and an older Sub I find it really aggravating when Amazon feeds me an UHD stereo track instead of an Atmos one. The Sub wasn’t really necessary but it was available.

The setup you describe would quickly drive me to turning it off but as always it is your ears that have to be happy with your setup.

Thanks. I know it sounds a bit weird on paper, but it does sound very good in the room acoustics. I think I will get a lot of use out of just Fives playing on their own, though. The sub mini is reserved for home theatre, so since Fives don’t really need a sub from what I’ve read (as with the 300s, although you have used a Sub due to it being available), I can see myself listening in pure stereo a lot of the time.

Reply


Terms & ConditionsCookie settings