Question

PLAY:3 or Two PLAY:1's?

  • 15 April 2016
  • 29 replies
  • 16972 views

Looking for thoughts on what to buy for my first Sonos purchase. Narrowed it down to either a PLAY:3, or doubling up some PLAY:1's. Here's some facts about the room I want to setup in, as well as my listening habits:

-Master Bedroom, roughly 12 x 14 feet.
-I mostly listen to rock from the last several decades (60's all the way up to current stuff). I also do enjoy some Sinatra style music from time to time.

With that said, what would YOU recommend I purchase for my first setup? I'm open to and welcome any opinions here 🙂

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29 replies

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I'd say 2 play 1's. Absolutely for the stereo separation.
My first sonos experience was my brother-in-law's Play:5. Sounded great, but it annoyed me coming from 1 area of the room. No separation, despite Sonos claims.
I've always had a thing about separation ever since my old turntable in my bedroom. We have 2 ears. Producers and artists mix in stereo, USE your ears! (unless it's just the one Play:1 in the bedroom (ahem) But in a room I spend a long time in, I want separation. So I agree with the others here. You want at least 10ft between them if you can.
I've got 2 Play:3s.
They rock the kitchen. From D&B, hip-hop, through to folk, ambient, rock and classical.
I probably should have trialed them alongside the 1s(I could have saved myself some money perhaps). I hear good things. Just about every restaurant has them, and they sound WAY better than their size. But by the time I'd messed about, set them up, read the reviews, I was sold.
Bass, mids and detail are great. Hard to do in a kitchen with lots of hard surfaces. They're mounted fairly high on the walls (10ft up) facing down. I'm a happy bass lover.
Initially I was disappointed. But in time, I think they stand up alongside my NAD amp and Mission speakers, which is annoying!

The tricky thing is, music is like food. Very personal, and very subjective. Only YOUR ears (or tongue) can tell you what YOU like at the end of the day.
What I feel the Play 3's have slightly more base and I mean slightly but I feel the Play 1's have a better quality sound. A more expensive sound.

I just purchased a new Play 1 today and it turned the Single Play 1 from black and white to vibrant color.
I think the single unit comparisons are more a matter of personal preference, but few would say that even a single 5, leave alone a 3, sounds better than a 1 pair.
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2 Play:1s and it's not even close.so agree. Play 3 do not have the sound quality of play 1's
Userlevel 7
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no two Play:1s will always beat a single play:3

My order
Single Play:1
Single Play:3
Double Play:1
Single Play:5
Double Play:3
Double Play:5
Double Play:1 with Sub
Double Play:3 with Sub
Double Play:5 with Sub