I have a Beam + Sub for TV an two Play 5s (vertically) for music listening. Sometimes I pair the Sub with the two Play 5s and everytime I think “Wow, that’s much more fullness of sound”, but the Beam needs the Sub more than my Play 5s and unfortunately with Sonos you have to make a decision unless you want to unpair, pair and use Trueplay every time you want to switch.
So my idea to get a fixed setup for TV and music: Selling the Play 5s and buy the Sonos Arc for TV (hoping it has enough Bass for enjoying TV, but I guess it has) and pairing two Play Ones with the Sub (I like the Ones and think they even look better than the two Play 5s).
To cut a long story short, my actual question is: Can you compare two Play 5s (used vertically) with Sub with two Ones with Sub in terms of Sound? I already had both setups in use but never had a chance for a direct comparison.
Given the variables you across the two setups, I’d think it’s clear that the Play:5s with Sub is going to sound a lot better than the pair of Sonos Ones with Sub. The question I think you have is whether the difference is as significant as comparing just the Play:5s with Sonos One, both without Sub?
Personally, I think the sub makes a huge difference to whatever setup it lends itself to. In your intent to get the Sonos ARC for the TV, I am also guessing that it’s going to need the SUB. Even the Play:5s benefit from having a SUB added, and the ARC is never going to go as low as the Play:5s given the driver setup as far as whatever literature I can source for tells me.
Thanx for your quick reply. I did some tests today. Interestingly I think the Play 5 Stereo pair doesn’t sound so much better than the Sonos One Stereo pair. At least no 600 $ better. Of course there is a difference, the Play 5s have more low end and more brillant highs, but in the mids I even like the Ones more! They are sounding more neutral, what I like. There is more difference when you compare the single units.
Unfortunately I have to rent an Apple device to go with trueplay (my iphone se 2020 is not supported yet 
), so adding a Sub was ending up in a mess in my room without trueplay, so maybe I will repeat my tests with Sub later this week with trueplay.
But you are right. With trueplay any sonos setup gets much better with a Sub, but my demands are higher if Iistening to music than TV.
Did some tests this evening again - trying to ignore the bad bass frequency response of my room without Trueplay - and my preliminary judgment in terms of music listening with the different setups shown in the picture below is:
Sub always wins except for - suprisingly - Beam + Sub (because I preferred the wider stereo image from the Sonos Ones, but I remember, that Trueplay gave the Beam a much more wider image in my room so I guess Sub would win again then).
Means:
Beam < Beam + Sub < One Stereo Pair < Play 5 Stereo Pair < One Stereo Pair + Sub < Play 5 Stereo Pair + Sub
I know I’m holding a monologue here 
- but I did some new tests today and now I’m so europhic that I want to report my results again:
Regarding the initial question: I’m not really sure if the statement “One Stereo Pair + Sub < Play 5 Stereo Pair + Sub” is right for me.
Did anyone have the chance to compare these two setups as well? I’m really curious about your opinions.
Because the Sub is providing the bass in both setups, the only benefit from the Play 5s are the much clearer highs. But - again - in my opinion you lose much of the mids. The Play 5s are sounding a little too soft for me, the Ones are rougher - in a positive way!
Is there anyone who can share my thoughts or am I getting crazy? Because anytime I thought “The much more expensive setup has to be the better one!”
The issue here is multiple. First off, ‘good’ is an entirely subjective opinion. It’s based on your mind, your ears, and actually your music. What is right for you doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the same thing to me. I’ve got pairs of PLAY:5s, I’ve got pairs of PLAY:1s, I’ve got pairs of Sonos Ones, I’ve got SUBs. But what sounds subjectively good to you may not be the same thing that sounds good to me. So unfortunately, I’m unwilling to play in the whole ‘this sounds better to me’ arena.
I would be much more interested in a ‘here’s a frequency response graph of both setups’, but even the scientific evidence doesn’t trump what I hear. It’s an excellent guideline, but at the end of the day, I want my speakers to sound good to me, not someone else. And good for the music I listen to, and not a test tone. I’m one of those people who uses TruePlay as a baseline, but then make modifications to suit myself.
Sorry that I can’t agree/disagree with you, it’s just that I’m different than you are. I happen to prefer stereo setups over mono, and I think the SUB taking over some of the bottom frequencies helps both speakers with the middle range. But that’s for me, and may not be the same for you.
Thank you for your input, Bruce. I was just interested in your opionions regarding these setups and of course everything is very personal and subjective when talking about sound :-)
I actually like your testing because I have a similar situation. I would like to use a beam or arc with sub but also stereo ones with sub for the music..
I don’t really like the music on the 5.1 setup with the beam..
so I’m also in doubt to keep the sub or go arc instead of beam..
Also I think the ones with sub sound amazing for music so might be very close to stereo play 5 with sub. But if u don’t hear a noticeable difference then it’s good right. Unfortunately I can’t help u with my thoughts cuz I can’t compare them.
Because anytime I thought “The much more expensive setup has to be the better one!”
This is a very common fallacy and a trap that many fall into, where home audio kit is concerned. Leaving aside the fact that selling prices are policy decisions that very often have little to directly do with costs.
Trust your ears.
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