New Play 5 with Sub. Recommendations

Two will basically double the volume. I'd definitely go that way not the Sub. You may find it best to put them at opposite ends of the space and group them rather than stereo pair them, but you can try out the possibilities for yourself.

The problem with large spaces is that music has to be too loud close to the speakers to be heard well in distant parts of the space. The only solution to this is to put in more speakers to allow for a more uniform sound level across the space, and placing two speakers in a manner which also gives the stereo effect is very rarely possible - perhaps never so.

Another option here would a couple of play 1 units and locate three speakers for best coverage across the entire space. It may also be possible to meet both objectives by pairing the 1 units as a stereo pair on one side of the space and the 5 unit on the other, and grouping the two zones whenever needed.

Thanks for all the info guys. Can anyone with 2 x Play 5 2nd Gen + Sub, confirm that you can subjectively play louder with the sub involved ?. Does it also bring out the high/midrange more ?.

Here's the deciding question:

Will a Play 1 pair+ sub sound different than a Play 5(gen2) pair+ sub if both are played at the same volume?

I realize the Play 5s will obviously play louder but does it produce a higher fidelity, richer sound than Play 1's at comparative volume levels?

Thanks in advance!

Will a Play 1 pair+ sub sound different than a Play 5(gen2) pair+ sub if both are played at the same volume?


Excellent question, to which I doubt you will get a good answer because such an answer would have to be based on first ensuring the following things:
1. Instrument based matching of volume levels that are needed for the answer to be valid - even a difference as little as 0.2dB leads to the "louder sounding better" result
2. Blind testing to rule out bias
3. Placing the two sets in the exact same location in the room where the test is being done
4. Instant switch over back and forth between the two systems to prevent being misled by tricks played by audio memories that are very short term in all humans.

It is close to impossible at home to ensure compliance with these conditions, that are needed to obtain an objective answer, so you won't get any.

My gut feeling: it will be very hard to pick out the difference under these conditions. Even more difficult to predict is that even where the differences are objectively heard, which sound will be the subjectively preferred one.

Having many 1’s and a pair of 5’s (gen 2) I can say if you can swing the cost you won’t be disappointed with a pair of 5’s with the Sub. I thought having a pair of 5s was totally suficneitn until I added the sub (whoops). After adding the sub, as good as the pairs of 5s sound they are nothing compared to with the sub. They become flat on their own.

I’d go for two 5s over one 5+sub, but obviously a pair and a sub is top of the class as far as Sonos is concerned.

Ik heb 2x Play 5 Gen 2 in stereo paar staan, en heb een Sub toegevoegd omdat bij hoge volume met alleen 2 Play 5 Gen 2 het laag minder vond worden en dat miste. En nu ik de Sub erbij heb toegevoegd is het geluid bij vraag aan hoge volume mooi vol en strak. Merkbaar is dat de Play 5 Gen 2 veel beter klinken omdat deze speakers nu zich nu beter op het mid en hoog kunnen concentreren. En ook bij heerlijke lounge muziek klink deze set perfect ...

Hi all,
sorry if I re-open this old topic, i actually have a Play:5 2nd gen, if i bought a new Play:5 2nd gen and a new beam soundbar, can I made a 2.1 home theatre for my TV? thanks.

No, although I'm not sure what you mean by 2.1. If you were to purchase a second PLAY:5 gen 2, you could make a 5.1 setup, not 2.1. The BEAM would be Right, Center and Left, the SUB would of course be the .1, and the two PLAY:5s would be the rear surrounds.

My personal opinion is that a PLAY:5 is overkill for a surround speaker, but sounds great as a regular (or stereo) speaker. I've got a couple of pairs of PLAY:1s that function quite well as surround speakers. But that's entirely a personal preference, and should not be taken as gospel, there are a lot of people who use PLAY:5s as surround speakers, and are quite happy.