It is smaller and more portable than the beast Movebut it’s loud enough to sound louder than a pint size Roaming. It can sit still on its charging cradle to compete with the person returning home Sonos Era 100or follow you anywhere. In other words, it’s the epitome of Sonos versatility, and now that it’s working properly, it’ll be hard to put it down.
Play on
Opening the Play’s brown cardboard packaging feels equal parts Scandi sophistication and sustainability, in line with recent releases such as Arc Ultra sound bar. Inside, a white acoustic cloth gives way to a sturdy tubular speaker with a rubber loop attached, measuring 7.6 x 4.4 x 3 inches and weighing less than 3 pounds. You’ll also find easy setup instructions and a wireless charging stand, but no wall adapter. You’ll need one that can output at least 9 volts and 2 amps (18 watts), but a 15-volt, 3-amp (45-watt) model is recommended for “absolute” charging. Sonos says the omission of the adapter is about reducing electronic waste, but for fun sell you one for $29.
Otherwise, the Sonos app is all you need to get going. After the necessary firmware update, my Play was streaming on my home network within minutes. Sonos hosts more than 100 live streaming services, and you can also stream over third-party services like Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, Apple AirPlay, and more. You’ll find the speaker as its “Room” on the app’s main page, where you can swipe to pair it with other Sonos products on your network, or go into settings to adjust options like EQ, Room Name (important if you have more than one Play), and Sonos Trueplay to automatically adjust the sound to your environment.
You’ll also find a Battery Saver toggle, which is set by default to turn off the power when it’s been in use for too long. It’s this feature that, according to Sonos, caused me connection problems when I tested the speaker’s 24-hour battery claim. Sonos says it identified the root cause, and after updating the firmware I’ve let the speaker turn off multiple times, with no further network interruptions for a week of additional testing.
Photo: Ryan Waniata
