Sonos Play Five – Do not take either of them. Buy Sonos Five, because Play:5 has been out of production for a long time!
If you can’t or don’t want to hit five for whatever reason, definitely play 5 (Gen2). FYI, I sold my two Play 5 (Gen1) in favor of twoPlay 5 (Gen2) as soon as the latter was released.
Sonos Play Five
Play:5 was Sonos’ first integrated console. After several years and software updates, Sonos decided to deactivate Play:5 by releasing a new improved version called Play:5 (Gen2) that was introduced in 2015.
Set Up Your Sonos Play:5 (gen 1)
In short, it’s a no-brainer game…definitely Play 5 (Gen2). FYI, I sold my Play 5s (Gen1) in favor of my Play 5s (Gen2) as soon as the latter was released.
At the time of this writing, Play: 5 (Gen1) is no longer available as a new product. However, Play:5 (Gen2) can be found online through retailers, mostly as a used or refurbished product, although it is
In rare cases, it is possible to find old stock that some select sellers may still have, such as New-In-Box (NIB).
There are those who still have the Sonos Play 5 (Gen1) speakerphone (or speakers) and continue to enjoy it as the only Sonos product; Or in combination with other Sonos units for complete home entertainment.
Sonos Five Review: Sounds Sublime But Impractical
If you are thinking of buying a Sonos Play 5, the question might be… “Which one to buy – Play 5 (Gen1) or Play 5 (Gen2)?”
In short, it’s a no-brainer game…definitely Play 5 (Gen2). FYI, I sold my Play 5s (Gen1) in favor of my Play 5s (Gen2) as soon as the latter was released.
This article is not intended to force the purchase of Play 5 (Gen2) on Play 5 (Gen1). It is intended to provide you with information that will enable you to make an informed decision.
The effect of combining these two things is so strong that in most cases it doesn’t make sense to say a word about sound quality without talking about it.
Flexson Floor Stand For Sonos Play:5 (gen.2)
Side note: This tool can and will return inaccurate results for small and portable Bluetooth speakers such as JBL’s Go Series. However, it will provide more powerful and richer Bluetooth speakers like this one.
I’ve seen the Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-450C drop from $649 to $399 here (nearly 40% off). I’m not sure if this kind of cool cut is always the case, but it’s definitely worth a try.
ASAP Science has produced a video of the world’s loudest and quietest rooms. A stunning example of the importance of acoustics (time-adjusted video).
Also other criteria such as age/material of the building, furniture, carpet installed, etc. It can have an effect on the acoustics of the room. But much less.
A Review Of The Sonos Play:5 — Tools And Toys
Crutchfield recently created an instrument that virtually mimics the sounds of many different speakers; Like those of SVS, Klipsch, KEF and B&W. Nothing will, of course, beat hearing the speakers in reality. But I still advise you to try.
First, let’s take a look at the table below that shows the differences between the first and second generation Play 5.
Below are comparison images of Sonos Play 5 (Gen1) and Play 5 (Gen2). Since I no longer own the Play 5 (Gen1), all the images are in the public domain on the web.
As you can see, the Play 5 (Gen2) on the right has a nicer speaker array compared to the Play 5 (Gen1) on the left. owning a Play 5 (Gen1); IMO the Play 5 (Gen2) outperforms the Play 5 (Gen 1) in all respects.
Sonos Five Replaces Play:5 And New 3rd Gen Sub Revealed
Two Play 5 (Gen2) can be used as surround speakers in Sonos Home Theater (HT); While Play 5 (Gen1) cannot. This is because the latter does not support the 5GHz frequency required to receive separate audio for surround effects sent from Playbar, Playbase, Beam or Sonos Amp.
IMO the Play 5 (Gen2) makes an even more impressive visual statement. The Sonos logo is also perforated to allow for maximum audio performance.
Some would argue that Game 5 (Gen1)’s backdoor made it easier to navigate between locations. In fact, it is a fair assessment. However, I didn’t lose it because my Play 5s (Gen2s) is paired with a stereo and not moved from room to room.
You will also notice that the 3.5mm headphone jack and second Ethernet port on the Play 5 (Gen1) are missing from the Play 5 (Gen2).
Sonos Five Premium Smart Speaker (not Sonos Play Five) New Model
Personally, I don’t need an extra Ethernet port to extend my network and so I didn’t miss to omit it in the Play 5 (Gen2). The 3.5mm headphone jack was redundant from IMO and is discussed in the footnotes.
There is a 3.5mm line input port (not circled) on the Play 5 (Gen1) and Play 5 (Gen2). Allows connection to an external audio source such as a turntable with a preamp or other audio output capable device.
The Play 5 (Gen2) has an added button to the right of the 3.5mm line port. It is a call button used during setup for ease of use. It is identified by the infinity symbol ∞.
Although it is not a wired connection unlike the Play 5 (Gen2), the Play 5 (Gen1) does not support Apple Airplay 2.
Sonos Five Wireless Speaker
Here you can see the flexible routing options for Play 5 (Gen2) versus the single option for Play 5 (Gen1).
In this image (right) you see the advanced touch-sensitive Play 5 (Gen2) controls versus the physical Play 5 (Gen1) button controls on the left. I think you’ll agree that the Play 5 (Gen2) with touch-sensitive controls exudes a more refined and futuristic look with clean, uninterrupted lines.
I hope this article provided you with useful information about the differences and similarities between Sonos Play 5 (Gen1) and Play 5 (Gen2).
The Play 5 (Gen1) has been a great speaker since its first release in 2009. Great sound, wireless connectivity, and a welcome addition to the Sonos ecosystem for enjoying audio throughout the home.
The New Sonos Five Looks And Sounds Identical To The Play:5 It’s Replacing
In today’s world, technology does not stand still for anyone. The introduction of Play 5 (Gen2) was inevitable.
Unlike many second generation products from some manufacturers, Sonos’ release of the Play 5 (Gen2) in 2015 was an improvement over the first (at least IMO).
However, with any amplifier, regardless of its stated specifications and features, you can only determine if one is superior to the other (or simply equal). For my money, the Sonos Play 5 (Gen2) outperformed its predecessor.
**** As of May 2020, Play 5 (Gen1) will no longer work with Sonos S2 and will no longer receive updates or further improvements. Sonos technical support will still be available.
Sonos Play 5 Multiroom Music
Click the link to read the official Sonos announcement regarding support for Sonos S2 products and products deemed incompatible https://support.sonos.com/s/article/4786?
I hope this post was useful for you to learn more about the speakers in your mind. Feel free to ask questions or provide feedback and I’ll be happy to answer in the comments section below. MP3, iTunes Plus, WMA (including purchased Windows Media downloads), AAC (MPEG4), AAC+, Ogg Vorbis, Audible (format 4), Apple Lossless, Flac, WAV, AIFF
Late to the Sonos wireless speaker party, but after spending a week with my new Play:5, I’m almost ready to empty my wallet straight into my Sonos bank account to outfit my entire apartment with these things:
Good. Not only is the Play:5 the best all-in-one speaker I’ve ever heard (yes, better than the legendary Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin), it’s one of the best audio systems I’ve ever heard. Sure, you can go crazy with tube woofers, floor-mounted woofers, and custom DACs as you’ve done in the past, but for something elegantly designed and easy to use, the Play:5 is unparalleled.
Sonos Play:3 Vs Sonos Play:5 Review
In fact, there are few technologies I’ve come across, outside of Apple stuff, that are as easy to set up as the Sonos Play:5. Within two minutes of unpacking the Play:5 was up and running, streaming music from the internet via Spotify. There were no complicated wireless settings, sync issues, or complicated software to hack – I just downloaded the Sonos app on the Google Play Store, hit the sync button on the back of the speaker, and did the rest. When you can describe the entire setup process in one sentence, it is special.
However, while there are some excellent free options like SoundCloud and TuneInRadio, to get the most out of Play:5 you need to subscribe to at least one music streaming service or have a lot of music stored locally on a PC or NAS. My favorite music service is Spotify, but Play:5 works with Amazon Prime Music, Google Play Music, and Tidal to name a few. Entering your details to access your chosen streaming service is the only complicated thing you need to do during the initial setup, other than deciding where to place the actual device in the room.
Sonos has reduced the play design: 5 compared to before
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