play
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 casing replaces a sturdy tubular speaker with a rubberized loop, measuring 7.6 x 4.4 x 3 inches and weighing just under 3 pounds. You’ll also get simple setup instructions and a wireless charging stand, but no wall adapter. You’ll need a model 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’s omission is about reducing e-waste, but it’ll happily sell you one for $29.
Otherwise, the Sonos app is all you need. After the mandatory firmware update, my play was streaming over my home network within minutes. Sonos hosts over 100 streaming services directly, and you can also stream to third-party services like Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, Apple AirPlay, and others. 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 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 power off if you’re idle for too long. According to Sonos, when I tested the speaker’s claimed 24-hour battery, it was this feature that caused issues with my connection. Sonos says it has identified the root cause, and after a firmware update I turned the speaker off and off several times, with no network disruption after a week of additional testing.
Photograph: Ryan Vaniata
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