What are people's thoughts on the Flexson floor stand for the Play:5 Gen 2?

  • 25 September 2016
  • 23 replies
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Just ordered a pair of Play:5's and am going to need a floor stand. Looks like the Flexon is the only one that fits the new Play:5? It will only allow landscape orientation though, which is kind of a bummer. Are there any other floor stand options available that will fit this speaker?

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23 replies

I don't like the Flexson stands. Sonos haven't helped by not providing a screw hole for secure attachment. So speaker has to be sort of jammed in. Don't have an alternative though, sorry.
Userlevel 7
Which speaker are you referring to?
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The most recent Play 5 speaker.
Userlevel 7
Sorry for my first question. I missed your original post. Duh!

There is an alternative to the vertical Flexson or Vebos stands. They are Desktop Stands by Sonos that can be placed on a garden pedestal stand designed for flowers. However they will not resolve your vertical orientation issue unless you forego the stands and just use the pedestal ..click the link

https://en.community.sonos.com/components-228996/flexson-play-5-gen2-desktop-stand-6739133

Positioning the Play 5 (gen2) vertically may not be your best orientation. Only you can decide. Click the link for the pros and cons of horizontal and vertical orientation for the Play 5's -Gen2. Also know that in vertical position the Play 5 gen2 becomes a Mono speaker so you must have two for stereo (stereo pair)

https://sonos.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1077/related/1/session/L2F2LzEvdGltZS8xNDc0ODM5MjA5L3NpZC9CanFIM3lfbQ%3D%3D
People coming from legacy hifi kit have an acquired preference for vertically placed speaker pairs on stands. Pity that Sonos did not take that into consideration for a speaker that is a more than adequate replacement for a last millennium 2 channel hifi set up.
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Sorry for my first question. I missed your original post. Duh!

There is an alternative to the vertical Flexson or Vebos stands. They are Desktop Stands by Sonos that can be placed on a garden pedestal stand designed for flowers. However they will not resolve your vertical orientation issue unless you forego the stands and just use the pedestal ..click the link

https://en.community.sonos.com/components-228996/flexson-play-5-gen2-desktop-stand-6739133

Positioning the Play 5 (gen2) vertically may not be your best orientation. Only you can decide. Click the link for the pros and cons of horizontal and vertical orientation for the Play 5's -Gen2. Also know that in vertical position the Play 5 gen2 becomes a Mono speaker so you must have two for stereo (stereo pair)

https://sonos.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1077/related/1/session/L2F2LzEvdGltZS8xNDc0ODM5MjA5L3NpZC9CanFIM3lfbQ%3D%3D


What would be the point of buying a desktop stand if you can just set the speaker on a desktop? I mean, beyond the fact that the desktop stand allows you to angle the speaker upward slightly? Seems like an expensive gimmick at first glance.
Userlevel 7
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Sorry for my first question. I missed your original post. Duh!

There is an alternative to the vertical Flexson or Vebos stands. They are Desktop Stands by Sonos that can be placed on a garden pedestal stand designed for flowers. However they will not resolve your vertical orientation issue unless you forego the stands and just use the pedestal ..click the link

https://en.community.sonos.com/components-228996/flexson-play-5-gen2-desktop-stand-6739133

Positioning the Play 5 (gen2) vertically may not be your best orientation. Only you can decide. Click the link for the pros and cons of horizontal and vertical orientation for the Play 5's -Gen2. Also know that in vertical position the Play 5 gen2 becomes a Mono speaker so you must have two for stereo (stereo pair)

https://sonos.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1077/related/1/session/L2F2LzEvdGltZS8xNDc0ODM5MjA5L3NpZC9CanFIM3lfbQ%3D%3D


What would be the point of buying a desktop stand if you can just set the speaker on a desktop? I mean, beyond the fact that the desktop stand allows you to angle the speaker upward slightly? Seems like an expensive gimmick at first glance.


Firstly they aren't by Sonos - Sonos don't do any stands as far as I know (It is Flexson according to the thread linked to).
Secondly I guess there may be 2 "points" - 1) The OPs suggestion was to put them on a garden pedestal. I suppose one might want to do that if one didn't have the desk space and 2) You can angle the speakers so they aim directly at your ears (probably not going to make much difference mind!
Aiming the speaker in the general direction of the ears almost always boosts sound quality, particularly of the higher frequencies. If the stands are needed to achieve this objective, they may make a noticeable difference.
Userlevel 7
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There are hundreds of companies out there making very good speaker stands. The Play:5 size is similar to a Bookshelf type speaker and should work fine with the thousands of options out there.

Example: about perfect for Play:5 https://www.amazon.com/Sanus-Systems-Natural-Speaker-Black/dp/B00005USAY/ref=pd_sim_23_4?ie=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00005USAY&pd_rd_r=WGTWA0G9N4E475B2N69C&pd_rd_w=FZRSU&pd_rd_wg=YHvuT&psc=1&refRID=WGTWA0G9N4E475B2N69C
There are hundreds of companies out there making very good speaker stands. The Play:5 size is similar to a Bookshelf type speaker and should work fine with the thousands of options out there.


No, if you believe the quoted from another thread here, by another member:
"What does that mean for the would-be Sonos Play: 5 2nd Generation speakers? It means that there is no stand out there that has been custom built for portrait mode. And if you think you and just use another high-end stand, think again. Unlike classic bookshelf speakers, the Play:5 2nd Gen speakers are tall and thin: they have a relatively small small footprint for their height and they have a relatively high centre of gravity. What that means is that if you put that on other stands, they will be extremely unstable and they look weird on ordinary stands -- so it would be an expensive and unsatisfactory fix. Trust me, I have tried."
Userlevel 7
What would be the point of buying a desktop stand if you can just set the speaker on a desktop? I mean, beyond the fact that the desktop stand allows you to angle the speaker upward slightly? Seems like an expensive gimmick at first glance.

My mistake for referring to the stands as made by Sonos...I meant Flexson. The Flexson Desktop stands are primarily intended to angle the speakers up to ear level if sitting on a low countertop or angle them down if above ear level on a shelf. Obviously, I altered the intended use to suit my needs. I'll explain my use of the stands to give you a clearer understanding.

My main listening and viewing room are one in the same. I actually use a Sonos Surround setup (PlayBar / Sub / Play 3 x2 surrounds) and Sonos Music setup (Horizontal - Play 5 Gen2 x 2 /Sub) in the same room. My seating position is front center of the TV and Sonos Music setup.

As I mentioned in my link Flexson had not yet introduced the vertical stands when I purchased the Play 5 Gen2 speakers. I required stands for the Play 5's to flank left/right of the TV that would not occupy any more space than a comparable Flexson vertical stand. I happened upon the garden pedestals I described in the Link. Problem solved for stands for the Play 5's.

I later came across the Flexson Desktop stands and thought they might improve the sound stage with a slight angle. Without going into a lot of detail I conducted listening tests using a Db meter (set for speakers) on my iPaD with and without the stands after TruePlay tuning The measured results were better with the Flexson Desktop stands. Results will vary depending upon room dimensions and makeup (i.e. hard or soft).

As you didn't like the Flexson vertical stands I therefore mentioned the Flexson Desktops and how they might be used in a situation where space was a consideration had one used a garden pedestal as I. Correctly, the Flexson Desktop Stands are of no value if Play 5's are used in a vertical position. I hope this provides clarification and proves that I'm not some gullible "nut job". LOL
Userlevel 7
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[/quote]
No, if you believe the quoted from another thread here, by another member:
"What does that mean for the would-be Sonos Play: 5 2nd Generation speakers? It means that there is no stand out there that has been custom built for portrait mode. And if you think you and just use another high-end stand, think again. Unlike classic bookshelf speakers, the Play:5 2nd Gen speakers are tall and thin: they have a relatively small small footprint for their height and they have a relatively high centre of gravity. What that means is that if you put that on other stands, they will be extremely unstable and they look weird on ordinary stands -- so it would be an expensive and unsatisfactory fix. Trust me, I have tried."[/quote]

A couple command strip adhesives on the bottom can always be some good security measure.
I am very happy with my Flexon stands for Play:5 Gen 2. They take minutes to assemble, and match my black Play 5's perfectly. That are well made and look great. It IS too bad they can't be set vertically, because it is fun to listen to the same music from both prospectives, although I think the vast majority of listens prefer the horizontal setting anyway.
Userlevel 2
Has anybody tried these stands from Alphason? http://www.alphasondesigns.com/all-sonos-brackets/alphason-sonos-play-5-gen-2-floor-stand-mount---black.htm

Pictures and description suggest they can be used both vertically and horizontaly.
The vertical placement permitted does seem to make these more useful than the Flexson stands, which only allow horizontal placement. Given the inherent instability of the unit in vertical placement, there probably needs to be a way to secure it in some way to the stand, and the stand needs to be bottom heavy for stability, although the base looks wide enough. I am not sure that these things are apparent from the link.
Userlevel 7
I agree with Kumar...I would not trust Play 5's in a vertical mount on the Alphason stand. It just doesn't look to be secure given the Play 5's design and weight. Otherwise in horizontal mount they appear to be OK.

Just curious...Why do you want to mount your Play 5's vertically? Is it due to available space or just aesthetics? Hopefully you realize that positioning the Play 5's vertically makes their output mono. That's fine if you are going to make them a stereo pair (for a more focused sweet spot) or use as surrounds. As a single speaker you would have degraded sound.
That's fine if you are going to make them a stereo pair (for a more focused sweet spot) or
Or perhaps in a smaller room - in any place where the room with speaker interaction delivers better sound via vertical placement, which is a recommended alternative only when used as a stereo pair.

Only because I am used to hifi kit, I prefer the vertical look and I must say that the picture of the speaker vertically placed on the stand makes it also look like the serious hifi speaker that it is - and as such, obviously to be used as a pair. Subject to stability/safety concerns being met of course.
Userlevel 3
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I can't recommend the Flexson stands, because if you raise them too high, then the screw gets loose where you can't adjust them anymore. I now have to keep the stands at its lowest, unfortunately. Flexson needs a new type of adjustable stand that works better. The only thing that I like is that they are very attractive, but not practical.
Interesting. Neither of the pair I have are adjustable.

I didn't realize, or forgot, that they have adjustable versions.
Userlevel 3
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Yes, they do have an adjustable version, but you can't raise them too high. They can break very easily.
Userlevel 5
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Just set up a pair of flexon play 5 stands. First play 5 stand I have . I’ve already got a pair of play 1s and play 3 on the ‘basic’ Flexson stands.

Overall very impressed. Sturdy, well designed and place the speaker at a good height for general listening wither roaming around the toom or seated.

These are fixed heigh stands not the adjustable ones.Though maybe not ideal if the speakers are placed close to the seating positions, a tad too high. Unless you’re well over 1.9m! Fine for rear surrounds though. But placed a few meters in front of the seating position, then the height is just right.

For the Play 5s I went with the white stands with Oak trim. I must say they are very nice indeed. Really set off the white speakers and even the Mrs commwntwd how nice they looked!

They are a bit pricey, but I think worth it if you need a stand wiich looks good as well as being. design and intend to have the speakers set up permanently in the same place. They come with adapers for both portrait or landscape orientation. There speakers rest in a specially designed soft clamp which provides more support than a simple pedestal. You need to nudge the speaker/stand quite a bit to make it topple or unseat the speaker. So more secure than a stand with no grip. As there are no mount bolt holes then this is a satisfactory comromise in my mind.

Finally there is a cable tidy at the back so the cable is hidden from view and the stand has either spokes or soft plastic peg/feet to enablemolacement on wither carpet or hard flooring.

Other than the price, which I think is high, but probably fair given the high quality, my only complaint is that Flexson don’t as far as I can tell swll swperate adapters to allow you to modify the stand. Say if you wanted to use them at a later date to support a newer speaker of Play 3s.

Admittedly there are dedicated stands for such use cases, but having the flexibility to reuse the stand would be nice given the investment in a pair. Maybe I am wrong on this point (would be delighted if that is the case) may change if Sonos release new form factors!

Overall thiugh highly recommended. Now to save up for a 2nd pair 🆒
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Interesting. Neither of the pair I have are adjustable.

I didn't realize, or forgot, that they have adjustable versions.


Only adjustable for the p1s as far as I know. Fixed for current Gen 5 and 3s. Adjustable would be handy but given the design probably make the stand rediculously expensive. The 5 stands weigh quite a bit!
Does anyone know the specific height of the Flexsons? From their website it looks like the fixed (vertical or horizontal) stands are 68.5 cm and the premium one is 80 cm but neither are this exact model: https://www.sonos.com/en-us/shop/flexson-floor-stand-for-play5-black.html

Anyone know the exact height of the model Sonos sells on their website?