Question

Playbar - with SUB or with 2xPlay 1s?

  • 25 October 2017
  • 11 replies
  • 1082 views

I'm about to get a Playbar for the TV and alongside that my budget will stretch to either a SUB or 2 Play 1s (or Ones) plus stands to use as surrounds. System will be used as much for music as for TV in a room around 15ft square.

Any ideas as to which would be the best to go for? SUB or surrounds?

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11 replies

For just TV, the Sub. It adds a lot more to the movie sound presence/effects than a play 1 pair in surround mode does.

But for music, it is not an easy call between Play bar + Sub or Play bar + play 1 pair, playing in Full mode.
My vote is sub
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SUB
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Two Play 1's cost less than half of the Sub. So it seems if you get the Sub now, you should be able to add the 1's soon.
I think you'll notice the impact of a pair of 1's more than you will the Sub because you become more surrounded by music. Not all music will activate the Sub. That said, I love my Sub, my Playbar and my 1's. It would be so difficult to give up any of them once they're all in place.
SUB - it sounds amazing, far better than rears
The present pricing of the 1 units - USD 140 - is because of the One launch and suggests a clearance sale. If so, that makes the 1 pair a better buy at this time, before Sub.
Remember though if purchasing the old Play one's they don't support voice. And at this time you cannot pair a Play with a One. If that is not important to you then save some cash. If it is then pay the extra.... or a SUB 🙂
They do support voice, but need a Dot to do so. As do all Sonos speakers other than the One. And this may even be a good thing because a Dot kept at some distance from the music delivering speaker has a better mic response. As it also does in comparison to a music playing Echo.
Can't argue with that response, never thought of that but an upgradable solution to older tech
Here is another reason to not be tied to the One: front end units such as the Dot will be replaced by advanced units like the new video equipped Spot much faster by the much larger and more resource equipped Amazon, a benefit of scale that Sonos lacks.
I started off just before Christmas with just a Playbar, I then added a pair of play 1s and I was debating with myself weather or not I needed a sub or not ...... so when I was in PC world I listened to a Playbar alone and then with a sub and instantly I needed a sub . Once I'd got it all home and set it all up correctly it sounded absolutely amazing with a sub .... given the choice that you have having had both and being able to toggle the surrounds and sub on and off I definitely couldn't do without the sub .