Sonos Play Review: Performance Meets Convenience | WIRED

TriangleUpBuy Now

Multiple Buying Options Available

$299 at Amazon

$299 at Walmart

$299 at Best Buy

$299 at Sonos

CommentLoader-

Save StorySave this story

CommentLoader-

Save StorySave this story

Rating:9/10

Open rating explainerInformation

WIRED

Simple setup and control. Versatile connectivity. Easy swapping between Wi-Fi and Bluetooth modes. Full, expressive sound. Shock- and weather-resistant design. 24-hour battery life with portable phone charging. Line-in input for an analog source (with adapter).

TIRED

No surround sound linking. No charging adapter included.

Sonos doesn’t make stand-alone speakers: Every Sonos speaker (or soundbar or amp) is built to connect as part of a greater ecosystem, the same way an ant or bee is part of a colony. So when a Sonos speaker’s connection to its colony breaks down, as the new Play did for me in the first week of review, it’s extremely frustrating. When it follows a massive software debacle that affected users for months, it’s akin to a recurrence of a chronic injury. “This again?!”

Sonos has worked hard to repair its software and its reputation since its 2024 app collapse, and the company quickly hopped on a fix for the Play’s tendency to fall off my network after it shut down. Now that I’ve spent a second week with the Play bug-free, I can confidently say that this isn’t just an excellent speaker, it’s arguably Sonos’ best model yet.

The Play, which borrows its name from earlier Sonos models like the Play 1 and Play:5, fills a crucial new niche in the family. As the third Sonos portable, the Play utilizes both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to stream and link with other devices, leveraging the best traits of its siblings while offering some clear advantages.

Photograph: Ryan Waniata

It’s smaller and more portable than the brutish Move, yet large enough to sound much fuller than the pint-sized Roam. It can sit fixed on its charging cradle to rival the homebound Sonos Era 100, or 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 pass up.

Play On

Video: Ryan Waniata

Opening the Play’s brown cardboard packaging feels equal parts Scandi minimalism and sustainability, in line with recent releases like the Arc Ultra soundbar. Inside, a white acoustic wrapping gives way to a stout tubular speaker with a rubberized loop attached, measuring 7.6 x 4.4 x 3 inches and weighing just under 3 pounds. You’ll also find simple setup instructions and a wireless charging stand, but no wall adapter. You’ll need one that can supply at least 9 volts and 2 amps (18 watts), but a 15-volt, 3-amp (45-watt) model is recommended for “optimal” charging. Sonos says the adapter omission is about reducing e-waste, but will happily sell you one for $29.

Otherwise, the Sonos app is all you need to get going. After the obligatory firmware update, my Play was streaming on my home network in minutes. Sonos hosts over 100 streaming services directly, 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 own “Room” on the app’s main page, where you can swipe up to group it with other Sonos products on your network, or go into the settings to tweak options like EQ, Room name (important if you have more than one Play), and Sonos Trueplay to auto-adjust the sound to your environment.

You’ll also find a Battery Saver toggle, which is set by default to shut down the power when it’s idle for too long. It’s this feature that, according to Sonos, caused my connection woes as I tested the speaker’s 24-hour battery claim. Sonos says it identified the root cause, and after the firmware update I’ve let the speaker power down multiple times, with no further network disruptions over a week of extra testing.

Photograph: Ryan Waniata

When your phone is occupied, you can use the Play’s topside control panel for play/pause, song skip, and volume adjustment. At the back, you’ll find the power key, a Bluetooth button for pairing with your phone and swapping between Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, and a microphone mute to invite or deny Amazon Alexa and the brand’s own Sonos Voice Control service (complete with the soothing tones of actor Giancarlo Esposito). A USB-C input allows for charging your phone or connecting an analog device like a turntable, though you’ll need a separate adapter, 3.5-mm cable, and a phono preamp (depending on your model).

Beneath the Play’s shock-ready grille are two tweeters designed to provide minor stereo separation (most portable speakers offer just one), a midrange woofer, and dual passive radiators, which aren’t powered by an amplifier but utilize the acoustic space to help generate bass. It’s a strikingly similar configuration to the Era 100 smart speaker, but in a slimmed-down design.

Everywhere, All at Once

Photograph: Ryan Waniata

Over two weeks of gritty testing, the Play was up to any task I asked of it. Grouping