I’ve Been Testing the New Sonos Play for Weeks. It’s My New Favorite
For weeks, a new contender has been gracing my home audio setup, quietly redefining what a portable speaker can be. Dubbed simply the "Sonos Play," this device strikes an impressive balance, seamlessly blending the robust audio performance of a stationary speaker with the freedom of a truly portable unit. It’s smaller and considerably more manageable than the formidable Sonos Move, yet possesses an acoustic presence that easily surpasses the compact, pint-sized Roam. Its ingenious design allows it to reside fixed on its elegant charging cradle, effortlessly competing with the homebound Sonos Era 100 in terms of sound quality and smart home integration, or to be snatched up and carried along on any adventure. In essence, it embodies the very spirit of Sonos versatility – a device crafted to adapt to your life, not the other way around. And now, after some initial teething issues were swiftly addressed, making it function as flawlessly as intended, it has become an indispensable part of my daily routine, incredibly difficult to imagine living without.
The journey with the Sonos Play began with the unboxing, an experience that immediately communicates Sonos’s evolving design philosophy. The speaker arrives in minimalist, brown cardboard packaging, a clear nod to Scandinavian design principles and a strong commitment to sustainability that has characterized recent releases like the Arc Ultra soundbar. There’s a tangible quality to the recycled material, a muted aesthetic that speaks volumes about thoughtful design. Peeling back the outer layer reveals a white acoustic wrapping, a subtle touch that builds anticipation before revealing the device itself. Inside rests a stout, tubular speaker, its form both ergonomic and visually pleasing. A robust rubberized loop is ingeniously integrated into its design, offering a secure grip for carrying or a convenient attachment point for hanging. Measuring a compact 7.6 x 4.4 x 3 inches and weighing just under 3 pounds, the Play feels substantial yet eminently portable. It’s not so light as to feel flimsy, nor so heavy as to be a burden. Accompanying the speaker are straightforward setup instructions – a testament to Sonos’s user-friendly approach – and a sleek wireless charging stand that complements the speaker’s aesthetics. Conspicuously absent, however, is a wall adapter. Sonos states this omission is a deliberate effort to reduce electronic waste, assuming most users already possess compatible chargers. While admirable in principle, it does place the onus on the user to source a suitable adapter, requiring one that can supply at least 9 volts and 2 amps (18 watts), with a 15-volt, 3-amp (45-watt) model recommended for "optimal" charging performance. For those without, Sonos is, of course, happy to sell you a proprietary USB-C power adapter for $29, a point that might sting a little for some consumers expecting a complete package. Nonetheless, the quality of the speaker itself and its thoughtful design elements quickly overshadowed this minor inconvenience.
Once unboxed, the Sonos app becomes your gateway to the Play’s full potential. The setup process is refreshingly intuitive, a hallmark of the Sonos ecosystem. After downloading the app and following a few simple prompts, the Play quickly discovered my home network. The initial connection was followed by an obligatory firmware update, a process that, while brief, is crucial for ensuring optimal performance and access to the latest features. Within minutes, the Sonos Play was streaming audio effortlessly across my home network. The strength of the Sonos platform truly shines here, offering direct integration with over 100 streaming services, encompassing virtually every major music, podcast, and radio platform imaginable. Beyond its native support, the Play also supports popular third-party streaming protocols like Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, and Apple AirPlay, ensuring maximum flexibility regardless of your preferred audio source.
Navigating the Sonos app, the Play appears as its own "Room" on the main page, a familiar interface for anyone acquainted with the ecosystem. From here, managing the speaker is effortless. A simple swipe up allows you to group the Play with other Sonos products on your network, instantly transforming individual speakers into a synchronized multi-room audio experience. Imagine seamlessly transitioning your music from the living room Play to a kitchen Era 100 and then out to a patio Move – the ecosystem handles it all with remarkable fluidity. Delving into the settings menu reveals a host of customization options. You can tweak the EQ to fine-tune the sound profile to your personal preferences, rename the "Room" – a crucial feature if you plan on acquiring multiple Play speakers – and, perhaps most importantly, engage Sonos Trueplay. Trueplay is a proprietary Sonos technology that intelligently calibrates the speaker’s sound to the unique acoustics of your environment. Using your smartphone’s microphone, the app analyzes how sound reflects off walls, furniture, and other surfaces, then precisely adjusts the speaker’s output to deliver the most balanced and accurate audio possible. This feature is particularly impactful for a portable speaker like the Play, as it ensures consistent, high-quality sound whether it’s sitting on a bookshelf, placed on a kitchen counter, or even taken outdoors.
It was within these settings that I also encountered the "Battery Saver" toggle, which, by default, is set to shut down the speaker’s power after a period of idle inactivity. This feature, designed to maximize the impressive 24-hour battery claim, initially proved to be the source of some frustrating connection woes during my early testing. As I pushed the speaker to its limits to verify the battery life, allowing it to power down frequently, I experienced intermittent network disruptions and difficulty reconnecting. However, Sonos’s responsiveness was commendable. They quickly identified the root cause of these issues, attributing them directly to the Battery Saver feature’s interaction with network connectivity. Following a subsequent firmware update, the problem has been entirely resolved. I’ve since let the speaker power down multiple times over a week of additional, rigorous testing, and have experienced absolutely no further network disruptions. This swift resolution underscores Sonos’s commitment to product refinement and customer satisfaction, turning an initial frustration into a testament to their continuous improvement.
Now, let’s talk about the most crucial aspect of any speaker: its sound. Despite its relatively compact size, the Sonos Play delivers an audio experience that genuinely surprised and delighted me. It achieves a sound that is remarkably full-bodied and well-defined, far surpassing the often-expected limitations of a speaker in its weight class. Compared directly to the pint-sized Roam, the Play offers significantly more depth and presence. Where the Roam excels in sheer portability and convenience for quick grabs, the Play steps up the acoustic game with a more expansive soundstage and a richer, more nuanced delivery. The bass response, in particular, is impressive for its size, offering a satisfying thump without becoming boomy or overpowering. It’s tight, articulate, and provides a solid foundation for various music genres. The mid-range is where vocals and instruments truly shine, rendered with clarity and warmth. Whether it’s the intricate strumming of an acoustic guitar, the punch of a snare drum, or the nuanced inflections of a lead vocalist, the Play brings these elements to the forefront with engaging detail. The treble is crisp and extended, adding a sense of airiness to the sound without veering into harshness or sibilance, even at higher volumes. The overall tonal balance is remarkably neutral, making it suitable for a wide array of musical tastes, from classical to electronic, rock to jazz.
The impact of Trueplay cannot be overstated here. In different rooms of my house, from a carpeted living room to a tiled kitchen, Trueplay effortlessly recalibrated the sound, ensuring that the Play consistently delivered its best performance. In an acoustically challenging environment like a bathroom, where sound can often become muddy or overly resonant, Trueplay worked wonders, tightening the bass and clarifying the mid-range. When taken outdoors, the sound projection remained surprisingly robust, filling open spaces with ease without significant loss of fidelity. The speaker also boasts impressive volume capabilities for its size, capable of filling a moderately sized room with sound without exhibiting noticeable distortion, even when pushed close to its limits. This combination of powerful, balanced audio and intelligent environmental adaptation truly sets the Sonos Play apart, allowing it to serve as a primary listening device in smaller spaces or an excellent supplementary speaker in a larger multi-room setup.
The true genius of the Sonos Play lies in its dual nature. It’s perfectly at home, sitting on its wireless charging cradle, blending into the decor while providing premium, always-on audio akin to the Sonos Era 100. In this mode, it acts as a permanent fixture, ready to spring to life with a voice command or a tap in the app. Yet, its integrated rubberized loop and robust build invite you to disconnect it and take it with you. While the primary mode of operation leverages your home Wi-Fi network for the full Sonos experience, its "follow you anywhere" capability, much like its portable siblings, means it can transition to a more direct mode (often a Wi-Fi hotspot mode for devices like the Roam, or Bluetooth if included in this model, though the review focuses heavily on Wi-Fi integration) when outside the home network, ensuring your music never stops. The 24-hour battery life, now reliably achievable after the firmware fix, truly liberates the speaker from the confines of power outlets, making it an ideal companion for a day in the garden, a picnic at the park, or a weekend getaway. This seamless transition between a fixed home speaker and a truly portable device is what elevates the Sonos Play beyond a mere addition to the Sonos lineup; it makes it a compelling centerpiece for a dynamic audio lifestyle.
In conclusion, the Sonos Play is more than just another speaker; it’s a masterclass in versatility and intelligent design. It bridges the gap between Sonos’s more specialized offerings, providing a "Goldilocks" solution that’s "just right" for a vast majority of users. Its compact yet robust build, combined with surprisingly full and articulate sound, makes it suitable for virtually any environment, indoors or out. The initial connectivity hiccup was a minor speed bump on an otherwise smooth road, quickly remedied by Sonos’s diligent support, reaffirming confidence in the brand. The thoughtful omission of a wall adapter, while potentially inconvenient for some, aligns with a commendable eco-conscious philosophy. Whether you’re looking for a primary speaker for a smaller space, a flexible addition to an existing Sonos multi-room system, or a high-quality portable companion for life on the go, the Sonos Play stands out. Its seamless integration into the Sonos ecosystem, combined with its impressive audio performance and genuine portability, makes it a truly hard-to-pass-up option. For weeks, it has been my constant audio companion, and it has undeniably become my new favorite.
