Sonos PLAY:5 review: old vs new
A side-by-side comparison of the original and the redesigned PLAY:5 wireless speaker
Heads up!
Welcome to this article from the Crutchfield archives. Have fun reading it, but be aware that the information may be outdated and links may be broken.
Sonos doesn’t often introduce new hardware into their successful lineup of multi-room speakers. So when they do, it’s a big deal — especially considering how much our customers (and LOTS of our employees) love their wireless powered speakers and components.
The new PLAY:5 was designed to replace the original flagship speaker in the Sonos lineup. Naturally, we wondered about the differences between the two. So I volunteered to take them both home for a side-by-side comparison.
Improved looks
The redesigned PLAY:5 has a more modern look that’s streamlined and curved. I’m no design expert, but the new one definitely looks more elegant. Like the original, it’s available in black and white, though the grille is black in both versions.
Simpler control
The functionality of the redesigned PLAY:5 is the same as the original — using the free Sonos app, you can play music wirelessly through the speaker using your smartphone, tablet, or computer from a variety of music services as well as locally stored music files. But the onboard controls of the new PLAY:5 are slightly different.

The original PLAY:5's control buttons (left) have been replaced by a smart touch interface.
While the original had control buttons on the top panel, the new version features touch sensors. Tap on the play/pause strip at the top to start or stop the music. Swipe your finger left-to-right across the top to skip tracks, or right-to-left to skip back. Volume controls are as simple as tapping on the sensors on the right or left side. The big benefit is that once you use them a few times, you never have to look at them again. You just tap and swipe rather than having to make sure you’re pressing the right button.
More drivers, more amplification
The new PLAY:5 adds a sixth driver and amplifier to the five found in the original. That should mean better sound and more power. It’s also worth noting that the new version weighs almost five pounds more than the original.

The redesigned PLAY:5 has six built-in drivers powered by discrete amplifiers.
Sound Quality
Listening to both speakers side by side, there’s no doubt: the redesigned PLAY:5 is a significant step up from the original.
The first thing I noticed was bass that went much deeper with more punch. I demoed Missy Elliot’s “Get Ur Freak On” to see just how much lower the new version goes. I was shocked — this speaker has the power to be an instant party machine. If you think a single-box speaker system can’t deliver the low-frequency goods, you need to hear the new PLAY:5.
Compared to the original, the redesigned version creates a soundstage with more width and depth. The old PLAY:5 sounds more like it’s projecting a flat plane of sound, while the new one is much more spacious. It offers better instrument separation so you can hear more detail in the music. It’s definitely closer to the experience of stereo speakers.
The ability to make vocals stand out in the mix was a consistent strength of the redesigned speaker. I sampled “Hope She’ll Be Happier” by Bill Withers from his Live at Carnegie Hall album. When his vocals kicked in, they startled me with how immediate and up-front they were.
Tonally, the new PLAY:5 is smoother than the original. High frequencies were never grating like they can sometimes be at loud volumes with wireless speakers. I also noticed how the redesigned version seems to have a lower noise floor. When I sampled quieter tracks, like some acoustic blues, the new version did a better job of placing the sparse instrumentation on a quiet background. Think of it as the audio equivalent of a TV that offers deep blacks for more picture contrast.
The new version will play a little louder than the original. But it’s really more about how much better it sounds as you push the volume higher and higher. The new PLAY:5 maintains its smoothness, while the original starts to get a bit harsh as you approach the upper limit of its output.

The new version of the PLAY:5 offers extended bass response and a deeper, wider soundstage.
Stereo pairing makes a killer one-two punch
In a demo here at Crutchfield HQ, we got to hear two of the new PLAY:5 speakers paired for stereo playback. More than a few jaws dropped at just how much clear, dynamic sound they produced. This setup rivaled some truly fine stereo-speaker-and-amp combinations we’ve heard in the same room.
When you're setting up a stereo pair, you can rest the new PLAY:5 speakers on their end for vertical orientation. The speaker will automatically detect this setup and adjust the sound accordingly. That allows you to get the best stereo image while also fitting these speakers into narrow spaces on a shelf or stand.
The bottom line
With the redesigned PLAY:5, Sonos has taken a big leap forward with their flagship speaker. Its looks are cleaner and more modern, the onboard controls are easier to use, and the sound quality is as good as I’ve heard from any single-box wireless speaker. When you combine that with the excellent app experience and simple setup that Sonos offers, you’ve got as strong a foundation for a multi-room music system as you can find.
Reader comments (27 responses)
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David Brown from Crutchfield
Posted on 1/24/2018
Gafmaster, the only physical connection is a 3.5mm minijack input. You can see photos on our product web page.
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gafmaster from Vegas
Posted on 1/23/2018
what type of input output by way of 3.5mm or other does the play 5 have? Any pics?
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David Brown from Crutchfield
Posted on 1/16/2018
Doug, I don't think adding the SUB is necessary. But if you're REALLY into bass, you could always add it later on.
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Doug from Minneapolis from Minneapolis
Posted on 1/16/2018
Is the subwoofer still necessary with the improved bass?
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David Brown from Crutchfield
Posted on 10/5/2017
Jon, that's an interesting question. You could put a new PLAY:5 in between your old PLAY:5s. But there's no way to sync all three of them together. You can only pair two speakers for stereo as a single zone. However, you could conceivably set them up as you described, which would consist of two separate zones. Then you could group both zones together to play the same song through all three. But I'm not sure that would be a great solution.
My advice would be to give the Gen 2 PLAY:5 a try. It really does sound a bit different than the original. You may decide that it is to your liking and might even be a better option for your than your two Gen 1 PLAY:5s. And I can tell you that two of the Gen 2 PLAY:5s paired together is a truly awesome setup!
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Jon from Middle East
Posted on 10/5/2017
Hi. I have two PLAY5 generation 1s working in stereo but I find I have to really mess with the EQ even after TruPlay. Can you ask Sonos if it's possible to put a generation 2 in between the two g1s and do they think the three speakers would work and significantly improve the overall sound experience?
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John from Chicago
Posted on 6/20/2017
I have the original play 5. I have a new wifi provider and since can not get my speaker to work. When I hook the bridge to my modem it crashes everything. Frustrating. Tips for the tech challenged?
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David Brown from Crutchfield
Posted on 4/24/2017
Curtis, the PLAY:5 does output stereo sound. Pairing two of them will give you a larger soundstage and a stereo image more like what you'd get from traditional stereo speakers. I haven't heard two PLAY:1s paired, but I can attest to the awesome sound quality of a single PLAY:5. Plus the PLAY:5 will deliver a lot more bass than than two PLAY:1s ever could.
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Curtis Hatcher from Kansas City
Posted on 4/23/2017
I've been having trouble finding the answer to a pretty simple question and thought maybe you could help. Does the Sonos Play 5, a single unit, output sound in 2-channel/stereo? My impression is that this is a single channel speaker because Sonos pushes dual Play 5 units to create a stereo pair. I own a couple of Play 1s along with their sound bar and sub for home theater use. The 5 is a great speaker, I'm sure, and I would like to use it in my bedroom. But if it's not a 2-channel stereo speaker, I might as well purchase 2 Play 1 speakers and make them a stereo pair (and save some money). What do you think?
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Timothy Keating from Oakton
Posted on 3/14/2017
But you can use the headphone-out mini-cable to the 5 input to get all your tv sound, including Apple TV and Hulu.
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David Brown from Crutchfield
Posted on 1/3/2017
Davide, you aren't able to use the Apple TV with the PLAY:5 in this manner. However, you can do it with the Sonos PLAYBAR. Follow this link to see how it works.
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Davide from Indian Trail
Posted on 1/3/2017
Can you connect the Gen1 Sonos 5 to the Apple TV via Wifi to stream sound through the Sonos rather than the TV speakers?
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Reed from Easton
Posted on 11/28/2016
Andy, I spoke to Sonos directly. Cannot get true stereo from a Gen 1 and Gen 2 Play 5. I was disappointed, but that is the fact. You can play them together, but not make a stereo pair.
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Andy Laster from Charlotte, NC
Posted on 11/25/2016
can you pair a generation 1 Play 5 with a generation 2 Play 5 for stereo?
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TED!!!! from Pace Fl
Posted on 11/2/2016
Jo Really if you want headphones Why would the speaker have them??? Plug your headphones in the source, not the speaker..
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JO
Posted on 10/29/2016
Big disappointment as no headphone socket on new play5. Poor spec from a company as good as sonos to have no headphone socket available on all currentrange - time to shop for alternatives unfortunately.
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Larry from Jerusalem
Posted on 4/21/2016
Hi David. As an Ithaca college Alumni I am very disappointed that you listen to Missy Elliot.
Bastiaan from Amsterdam
Posted on 5/7/2020
I agree that its weird to have a site like this not mention a date for the article...
Tate from Portland
Posted on 4/24/2020
Could a mention be made to the date of this article and the dates when the "New" play5 was introduced? Thanks!
Braxton Lindhorst from Lincoln
Posted on 1/24/2020
Hi David, I have an opportunity to buy a gen 1 Sonos play 5 right now for $175 , but with the new news of it not being able to get software updates starting in May, I'm questioning if this is a good purchase or not. I could also do the 30% trade in option.. What are your thoughts? Side question: will the old play 5 still play with my non legacy products? Or will it be cut off completely and I can only use it separately?
Guillermo from Connecticut, USA
Posted on 1/24/2020
I need to buy two Play:5 for stereo use with my turntable. I was planning on buying one first, the second speaker maybe in a month or two. There has been a lot of noise online about a 3rd generation Play:5 coming down the pipe, with included mic for Alexa pairing, and probably even bluetooth. The Play:5 is currently on "backorder" in their website, and I'm wondering if it's wiser to wait for a 3rd generation to come out (I mean.... their flagship speaker on back order?... kinda makes me think there's a new one coming up). Has anyone heard anything about a possible release date?
Mike from London
Posted on 12/21/2019
Sonos say if vertical then speakers only play mono. Is this correct?
Claude from Longueuil
Posted on 11/1/2019
Hi David, I'm a Sonos fan since and purchased over the years 3x Sonos 1, 1x Sonos 3. Yesterday I purchased a Sonos 5 (gen 1) for $300 Cdn and hoping I made a fair transaction. I have not picked it up yet. I value your opinion and interest earring what you think
David Brown from Crutchfield
on 11/1/2019
clifford hoopiiaina from cottonwood heghts
Posted on 6/30/2019
Looking to purchase a new Sonos Play 5 and a Sonos One that has the advantage of Alexa built in. Can I sync/group those two together?
David Brown from Crutchfield
on 7/2/2019
R. Stoanes from Memphis
Posted on 11/28/2018
"The Bottom Line"... For all you people who paid us big $$ to get the original PLAY:1's, please throw those pieces of crap away and give us more big $$ to replace them. I am have Play:1's throughout my home and still love them, no thanks.
Andy from Thousand Oaks
Posted on 4/24/2018
I have the original Play five and also have the amplifier and have enjoyed the original Sonos products. The good; I think Sonos is the leader in wifi music, their electronics are the best by far. I wanted to purchase another play 5 or two for a cabin we just purchased but after listening to the new Play 5 I was very disappointed. While David is right the bass is much deeper they lost something on the mid-range and highs. I was listening to it at a Best Buy location and listen to the Bose wifi system and found that to be a better sounding speaker. I am a big sonos fan and while the Apple Home Pod doesn't compare to the Play 5, I ended up purchasing that for it's portability and felt it sounds better then the Sonos Play 5. What happened? I was hoping that it was an improvement but it didn't have my vote on the new Play 5.
Al from New York
Posted on 4/5/2018
In some reviews, it's been mentioned that these speakers only show their true sound qualities at higher volumes. How does the sound compare to the other Sonos models at lower volume?