Sonos overhauls PLAY:5 wireless speaker, launches new tuning software
- sep
- 29
Sonos has updated its flagship wireless speaker, the PLAY:5, with a new modern design and a more immersive soundstage. The manufacturer has also launched a new Trueplay feature in its iOS app that allows you to tune the speakers based on your room configuration.
Featuring three mid-woofers, a central tweeter and two side-firing tweeters, the PLAY:5 can either be used as a standalone unit arrayed horizontally or vertically, or you can use two PLAY:5 speakers side by side in a stereo configuration. The orientation sensors automatically disable the tweets when they detect that two speakers are arranged horizontally.
The speaker comes with a capacitive control panel that allows you to use gestures to control music playback. The quality of the unit as a whole has increased dramatically, with the PLAY:5 now featuring 60,000 individually drilled holes. There are two color variations on offer with the PLAY:5, an all-black model that's designed to be unobtrusive, and a white-and-black version that stands out.
Trueplay works in conjunction with the microphone in your iPhone or iPad, serving to calibrate the soundstage of the PLAY:5. The speaker emits a special tune once Trueplay is enabled, with the microphones picking up any acoustic deficiencies in the room and adjusting the frequency of the speaker to deliver a balanced sound. Trueplay works with PLAY:1, PLAY:3 and the PLAY:5, and is exclusive to Sonos' iOS app for the time being.
The PLAY:5 will be available later this year for $499 USD, $549 CAD, $749 AUS, €579 and £429.
