Two play 5s vs connect amp and speakers

Well.... this is just opinion (as everything on this board will be... but you asked 🙂 ) ... a lot depends on what you want to spend with regards to speakers you are connecting the connect:amp to.

In my opinion, if you do not already have quality speakers you want to leverage by using a connect:amp... or have a desire to bury ceiling speakers in your home and use a connect:amp... then go with pair of play 5s.

They are awesome and deliver exceptional sound. Feel free to purchase somewhere that provides you a 14 day or more return policy and see what they sound like in your environment. I'd be very surprised if you were not extremely happy with the sound (recognizing that some of this may depend a *bit* on your musical preferences, etc... but still...). I know if you purchase directly from Sonos via their website they have a very reasonable return policy (I believe it is like 45 days or something!)

if you do not already have quality speakers you want to leverage by using a connect:amp... then go with pair of play 5s.


Expanding on the quoted without arguing with it:
1. Or if you have access to quality used passive speakers that are easy loads, whose sound you prefer - because this is such a subjective thing, the preference, and used passive speakers can be very good value at the price point you are looking at.
2. Another approach is a 1 pair + Sub - that should not be forgotten, for about the same price. You will not get the line in jack that the other two options will give you though, so if you need that, this isn't an option. But if you don't there is a lot that the Sub brings to the table.

For more on the above, see:
https://en.community.sonos.com/wireless-speakers-228992/play-5-pair-or-play-1-pair-sub-6767125/index1.html#post16094666

Thanks for the detailed response, a appreciate the link to the other thread. I am currently running 2 Play 1s and a sub in the living room. I was thinking of moving them into my TV room to go with the playbar for the 5.1 effect. So I was looking to replace the living room set up with something different. So this was helpful.

I have yet to hear the play 1 pair plus sub, but judging by the number of people on here who are converted, it is what I was aiming for in my living room next time I have a full wallet. (That may not be for a while though!!)

That's a very good solution for up to average sized of the day living rooms. Note though that both the kit potential and the investment involved demand attention to speaker placement to do both justice, letting Trueplay then do just the final tweak and not the heavy lifting.

Yep - in my case the play 1's would be on wall mount brackets, the sub would be hidden in a corner, most likely under the right hand speaker. (I have a play 3 at the moment which is going to be redundant, so there is a chance it will be a play 3 pair rather than play 1.)
Unfortunately I am not an Apple fan boy, so I don't have true play available to me.

Yep - in my case the play 1's would be on wall mount brackets, the sub would be hidden in a corner, most likely under the right hand speaker. (I have a play 3 at the moment which is going to be redundant, so there is a chance it will be a play 3 pair rather than play 1.)
Unfortunately I am not an Apple fan boy, so I don't have true play available to me.
A corner is perhaps the worst place for a Sub; and Trueplay as a consequence has a huge impact. You need the Apple device, perhaps one that is borrowed, just once for tuning the set up. Once that is done, toggling it on/off can be done via any device.

It is a living room with furniture or doors preventing better sub positioning. The purchase is a while off anyway but I am sure we can find a friend willing to share an Apple device at some point.

furniture or doors preventing better sub positioning.
That suggests a 5 pair, if that speaker pair is easier to place.

Anything will be a compromise - in my case I have a fireplace with an alcove each side. There is furniture in each alcove, but the heights of the furniture is different. The only sensible place for the speakers is in the alcoves and the only real option is to wall mount slightly higher than you would ideally choose. I would need to listen to a play 5 pair compared to a play 1 pair plus sub to be sure I would be happy with the play 5 pair, as there would be a compromise in having the larger play 5 wall mounted from a room aesthetics point of view. My wife is more worried about the aesthetics than the sound quality so I would need to convince her. To stand any chance of that I need to convince myself!