SONOS PLAY BLUETOOTH
While this will excite little more than a shrug if you don't like talking to your speakers anyway, the lack of Bluetooth streaming support may be more of an issue – although this is nothing new for Sonos. That is because there's no mic at all, which seems a little bizarre given Sonos' recent focus on its proprietary Sonos Voice rollout, but there we are. No Alexa, no Google Assistant, and no Sonos Voice Control. You don't get any built-in voice assistant here, unlike the Sonos Beam or Sonos Arc. The first is for power (in case it needs to be mentioned, the Sonos Five must be plugged in to function at all times, so it isn't a great candidate for outdoor listening despite its 'humidity resistant' rating), then Ethernet, and lastly a 3.5mm input to add a source, such as a turntable with a built-in phono stage – the beauty of it being that your vinyl could then be streamed across your network of connected Sonos speakers. Kicking off with connectivity, swizzle the Sonos Five around and you'll find three ports.
SONOS PLAY PLUS
Wi-Fi, AirPlay 2 plus line-in connection for music sources.(Image credit: TechRadar) Sonos Five review: Features The rear of the Sonos Five reveals its power cable, Ethernet and 3.5mm ports – so your turntable is catered for too. It's just that if you were looking to buy a second Sonos Five to create a stereo pair, the KEF LSX stereo speaker system (and brand new LSX II) is closely priced and boasts a more comprehensive connectivity spec-sheet and hi-res capabilities out the box.ĭon't get us wrong, the Sonos Five is certainly a strong product, but depending on what you're after, there may an option that better suits… One more consideration and we'll move on, we promise. However, for similar size, stature and features, the Braun LE01, Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin or Sonus Faber Omnia are considerably pricier – so depending on your priorities, the Sonos Five does still represent value.
SONOS PLAY PORTABLE
The thing is, we don't need to tell you there are plenty of cheaper options out there if you just want a portable Bluetooth speaker ( JBL Flip 6 or JBL Charge 5 are the go-to models there) and for home use, the screen-enhanced Bose Home Speaker 500 or Amazon Echo Show 15 smart speakers also undercut the Sonos Five considerably. And if you thought its relative age might mean a few discounts across well-known online retailers, think again – Sonos kit rarely sees a price cut, so expect to pay this much or thereabouts for the foreseeable. The Sonos Five is available to buy now, costing one pound less than £500 in the UK, just under $550 in the US, or as close as makes no difference to AU$800 if you're in Australia.
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Sonos Five review: Price and release date Sonos Five at Crutchfield for $549 (opens in new tab).The Sonos Five is a hefty beast with a smart, slightly curved grille on the front.