T3 - UK (2022-01)

JANUARY 2022 T 3 57

Wi-Fi speakers

f necessity is themother of invention, then it

should come as no surprise that the latest

version of the Sonos Five looks and sounds

remarkably like the model it’s meantto

replace.Its forerunner, the Sonos Play:5 Gen 2, has been

wildly successfulsince its release in 2015, offering a

simple, curvy monochrome design, precise, robust and

adaptable sound and well-integrated streaming smarts.

But despite outward appearances, there have been

changes made internally, including increased memory

and a more powerful quad-core 1.4GHz CPU processor.

is indicates that Sonos is future-proofing this model for

potential firmware upgrades that could include the

long-rumoured addition of hi-res music support.

Whileyou candirectly stream music and radiofrom

the S2 app,Spotify Connect or Apple Airplay 2, there’s no

Bluetoothstreaming onboard. is mayput some users

off, but asthis is designed for use on a wireless network,

it’snot a great loss. However,a more significant omission

is thefact it doesn’t contain any in-built microphones for

voice control, although it will work with Alexa and

Google Home ifyou alreadyhavea controldevice.

Priced at £499 for a single unit,the Play Fiveis pricey

compared to newer competitorsin the multi-room

wireless speaker market. But Sonos’ excellent app and

ease ofuse as part of the company’s wider ecosystem

mean that for those looking to build a reliable multi-room

set-up, it’s still an attractive choice.

e SonosFive reallydelivers inbeing a single speaker

that can fill a room. Used alone inits horizontal position,

its dispersion is extensive and consistently detailed,

making it a great listen even in awkward spaces like

kitchens and bathrooms.

Considering the compact size ofthe cabinet,the Sonos

Five’slow end ispunchy and distinct, particularly at

higher volumes, and there’s excellent sonic separation

across the board. It’sthe warmthof the mid-range and

treble,though, that is the most striking feature of this

compact system. Occasionally wefound it lacking a touch

of top-end sparkle, but the voicing thatSonos has chosen

managesto retain transparency without verging on

harshness across a range of volumes and musical styles.

e Five isa classy speaker thatcan deliver audio ina

mannerthat is both well-pervading for background

music and sonically sophisticated enoughfor more

concentrated listening.For users alreadyinvestedin the

Sonos ecosystem orthoselooking for a future-proofed

streaming solution, it’s a greatoption.

The Sonos Five’s low end is punchy and distinct, particularly at higher
volumes, and there’s excellent sonic separation across the board

I

SONOS FIVE

PRODUCT 03 :

At first glance, this seems similar to the

Play:5. But it merits a deeper look

Its dispersion isextensive

and consistentlydetailed,

making it a great listen

SONOS FIVE