play 3 vs one sl when with a sub and playbar

  • 25 May 2023
  • 4 replies
  • 261 views

Do I go with a pair of Play:3 or pair of one sl? Looking for some advice or opinions on which is best when paired with a playbar and sub . Thanks in advance ! 😎


4 replies

Userlevel 7

The Play:3 is a larger speaker so they will perform better than the One SLs when used as surrounds.

Userlevel 7
Badge +17

The Play 3 is also quite long in the tooth now, being discontinued in 2018. They could be more prone to failure than newer One SL’s. But if you can get them on the cheap or already own them, the Play 3 is the better speaker.

Userlevel 7
Badge +22

I kept my stereo pair of Play 3s for a larger but rarely used room and put One SLs in as surrounds and where the spouse thought they looked better.

From my perspective, unless you’re using the surround speakers for music, there isn’t enough activity in the surround channel to make the PLAY:3s a better choice. I use my PLAY:3s as a stereo pair for music purposes, and stick with Sonos Ones (or PLAY:1s) as surrounds.

Of course, there’s not a huge difference between the two, so your mileage may vary, and it may just boil down to the cost of purchase. 

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