can i use a play 5 and a pair of play 1's?

  • 17 December 2014
  • 8 replies
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I'm looking to buy a Sonos sound system for under $1000.  I have one large room and want to fill it with rich sound.  I'm thinking a pair of play 1's and one play 5 but can you do that?

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8 replies

Userlevel 2
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a pair of play3's and a sub would be the best. I have a pair of 5's and they sound good but no where near a pair of 3's and a sub
Userlevel 4
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Just thought I'd mention that if you require line-in, so you can use Sonos as a computer speaker (or for your phone/tablet or speaker for other devices) then you'll need either a PLAY:5, CONNECT or CONNECT:AMP. So, if you're watching something on YouTube and you want the sound to come out of your Sonos speaker the only AIO player capable of this is the PLAY:5.
a pair of play3's and a sub would be the best. I have a pair of 5's and they sound good but no where near a pair of 3's and a sub
This option goes quite a way beyond the $1000 budget. A pair of Play1s + Sub is closer to the target and a pair of Play5s comes in under.
Care to chime in Mohammed, what would you recommend for a large room - a pair of play 5's or a sub with a pair of 1's?
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Care to chime in Mohammed, what would you recommend for a large room - a pair of play 5's or a sub with a pair of 1's?

With respect to sound quality I can only say that I prefer the sound of two PLAY:3's but that's only a matter of personal taste. I recommend going to the nearest store and have a listen and compare for yourself.

The speakers all have their advantages. If you intend to build a home theater out of this in the future go for two PLAY:1 or PLAY:3 (not possible with PLAY:5).
If you ever want one of them in the bathroom, PLAY:1 is the only option (humidity resistant).
PLAY:3 is designed to sit and stand. If you do test them, have a listen when it's standing and when it's sitting. Do you perceive any difference in sound?
If you're not planning on building a home theater but line-in functionality is an absolute must then PLAY:5 is the obvious choice.

All three models can be stereo-paired if you have two of the same kind.
If you've any more questions feel free to ask. Certainly let us know what you went for.
Care to chime in Mohammed, what would you recommend for a large room - a pair of play 5's or a sub with a pair of 1's?

I appreciate your patience Mohammed.  I have a few more questions.

I see that I can plug into our TV with a stereo mini to RCA Y audio cable to connect the play:5.  True?  This would be an improvement in sound quality over what I have now which is just the TV (no TV speakers).  

Also, if i'm on my laptop connected WIFI and I'm playing a song on YouTube, what Sonos products do I need to play that song?  
Userlevel 4
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Care to chime in Mohammed, what would you recommend for a large room - a pair of play 5's or a sub with a pair of 1's?

True collin, the PLAY:5 can be used as a television speaker for most TV's as it has line-in. If you're watching a video on e.g. YouTube on your phone/tablet/laptop simply plug the audio cable into the PLAY:5's line-in jack and the device's/controller's headphone jack, select line-in source in the app and the sound should come out of the PLAY:5 (and any other wireless Sonos speakers/components you choose to group it with using the app). Having two PLAY:5 will give you really big sound, in my opinion you wouldn't even need a SUB in that case.