Enthusiast I

One play 5 plus Sub vs two plays

35 replies
16408 views

I’ve seen the threads talking about two play ones and a sub, and I love my play ones. But I bought a play 5 and I love that too, but not as much as the ones bang for the buck.
Now, I’m debating on either buying a sub or another play 5.
I’ve read only good things about the sub, but another play 5 would be cheaper , I know it’s good and I could use it in stereo.
So, what do you think? Buy a sub to use with a single play 5 or buy another play 5?
Which would you recommend?

Sonos Play:5

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Tom526

Prominent Collaborator I

My apologies if I came off harsh implying you didn't know what stereo is. Friends? :)

I don't have a Play:5, but I have a Play:3 and they claim it has stereo sound, but I don't get any impression of stereo from it at all. The drivers are just way too close together. Curious to know if the Play:5 is any better.

B

BxVelocityAuthor

Enthusiast I

Tom, no offence taken, none at all!
Definitely friends!

K

Kumar

In a well recorded/mixed stereo performance, the left channel will contain music from the left of the stage and some from the centre. And the other way for the right. Because both speakers put forth music from the centre of the stage, when the stereo illusion snaps into place, the music - usually voices - from the centre of the stage appears to come from between the two speakers although there is no speaker there, with the orchestra or other music players placed to the left or right of centre.

In my desktop set up in the picture attached as an example, poorly recorded stereo results in the trumpet heard from the left and the sax from the right, with a hole in the centre of the image. But with well recorded stereo, music floats forth from behind the laptop as well, even though there is no speaker there. With the rest of the stereo stage on either side of centre, from one speaker to the other.

If I wanted the same effect to be heard 10 feet away from the speakers, the speakers would have to be kept 10 feet apart as well. Otherwise placed as they are, the more I move away from them, the more the sound from the two will appear to come from one source/speaker - and therefore sound mono.

Not having heard the 5 units with the source you are feeding it, I don't know what is happening. I do know that bass below 80hz cannot be traced by human ears to where it is coming from, so I would not expect bass of such frequencies to sound as if it is coming from the centre - it should be appear as from " somewhere in the room".

K

Kumar

I have a Play:3 and they claim it has stereo sound, but I don't get any impression of stereo from it at all. The drivers are just way too close together. Curious to know if the Play:5 is any better.

To get the stereo effect from the 3 you would have to hold it close to your face, about as close as the width of the unit. Useless in practice.

The 5 has a larger enclosure, and angled tweeters, so the illusion should be present some distance away - 6 feet or so, I guess. But much more than that and it too would collapse to a mono image even with the angled tweeters which may give an expansive effect though not exactly the stereo illusion obtained at closer distances. I only played with one for a few hours, so there is that caveat.

Tom526

Prominent Collaborator I

I kinda also really wonder how you can get actual stereo sound with only 1 tweeter, which the Play:3 has.

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