Sonos Play 5 Review | 130 Data compared

The second-generation Sonos Play:5 (2015) is highly praised by What Hi-Fi? for its powerful, room-filling sound, sleek minimalist design, and responsive touch controls. The speaker, featuring Trueplay calibration for improved audio, is lauded for its rich bass and versatile orientation-sensitive controls. However, the review notes drawbacks including a large physical footprint and a lack of high-resolution 24-bit audio support.

The Trusted Reviews assessment of the 2015 Sonos Play:5 highlights a class-leading wireless speaker delivering fantastic sound quality with massive, distortion-free volume, six custom-engineered drivers, and effective Trueplay room calibration. While praised for its sophisticated, minimalist design and deep bass, the review notes the bass can feel less than audiophile-grade without manual adjustment, and Trueplay tuning lacks sufficient control on Android devices.

The T3 review of the Sonos Play:5 praises the speaker for its upgraded, room-filling sound driven by three mid-woofers and three tweeters, along with intuitive touch controls and a fast setup process. Despite these strengths, the review notes a higher price point, limited connectivity options without native Bluetooth or AirPlay, and a challenging design for wall-mounting.

The Tech Advisor review of the second-generation Sonos Play:5 praises the 2015 speaker for its powerful audio performance, sleek design, and responsive touch controls, alongside a capable app featuring Trueplay calibration. While the speaker offers a wide range of streaming service integration, the review notes a lack of high-res audio support as a primary drawback for users seeking ultra-high-fidelity sound.

The second-generation Sonos Play:5 is described as a sophisticated flagship speaker delivering powerful, room-filling sound with notable features including intuitive touch controls, Trueplay automatic room tuning, and seamless multi-room capabilities. While offering excellent audio performance, the review notes drawbacks such as a high price point, the lack of built-in voice assistants, and the absence of Bluetooth support, restricting usage to the Sonos Wi-Fi ecosystem.

The Gadgeteer’s review of the second-generation Sonos PLAY:5 highlights its stellar, distortion-free audio and deep bass, capable of filling large spaces, but criticizes the $500 price point and lack of Bluetooth. Weighing 14 pounds, the speaker offers premium sound fidelity at high volumes, though its functionality is restricted to the proprietary Sonos app or line-in, limiting streaming versatility.

The At Home in the Future review identifies the Sonos PLAY:5 (2nd Gen) as a premium, high-fidelity speaker offering room-filling sound, innovative Trueplay tuning, and intuitive, orientation-aware touch controls. While praised for its audio quality and seamless wireless integration, the review notes the speaker’s high cost and reliance on a robust Wi-Fi connection for optimal performance.

The At Home in the Future review praises the Sonos PLAY:5 for its elegant design, practical handle, and exceptional, high-resolution audio quality that outperforms smaller Sonos models. While offering seamless wireless integration and an intuitive app, the speaker's noted limitations include a high price point and lower volume/clarity compared to larger, wired alternatives.

The 2015 Sonos Play:5, as reviewed by Expert Reviews, is a redesigned multi-room speaker featuring six custom drivers and six Class-D amplifiers that deliver a powerful, room-filling soundstage. Pros include a heavily weighted bass, crisp mid/treble frequencies, and intuitive touch controls, while the primary cons are a lack of true stereo separation from a single unit and the omission of a 3.5mm cable.

The PCMag UK review praises the Sonos Play:5 as a premium multi-room speaker delivering powerful, distortion-free audio with deep bass and crisp highs. Key advantages include a simple app-based setup, capacitive touch controls, and an integrated 3.5mm input, though it is limited by a high $499.95 price point, the lack of Bluetooth or native AirPlay, and the omission of an auxiliary cable.

The CNET review of the Sonos ZonePlayer S5 praises the all-in-one speaker for its excellent room-filling sound, elegant design, simple setup, and versatile streaming options controlled via a user-friendly app. While delivering high-quality audio, the review notes cons including limited stereo separation from the single-unit design, a high price point, and the requirement for a wired Ethernet connection or a separate bridge.

In a 2010 review, TechRadar lauded the original Sonos Play:5 (Zoneplayer S5) as a "brilliant" multi-room wireless system featuring simple setup, robust networking, and great sound, alongside extensive free internet radio content and a capable iPhone controller app. While highly praised, the system was noted for its "back-breaking" entry cost of £343 per speaker plus a £79.99 ZoneBridge, and a lack of direct iTunes integration.

The 2015 CNET review of the second-generation Sonos Play:5 praises it as the brand's best-sounding speaker at the time, featuring a sleek, minimalist design with capacitive touch controls and deep, punchy audio from its six-driver system. Its key selling points included Trueplay room-tuning technology for optimized acoustics, though the premium $500 price point was considered high. Notable limitations included a lack of Bluetooth, AirPlay, or Google Cast connectivity, restricting streaming to Wi-Fi or the 3.5mm auxiliary input.

The TechRadar review describes the Sonos Play:5 as an excellent wireless multi-room system that simplifies music streaming, featuring effortless setup, access to numerous free radio stations, and a wide soundstage with impressive clarity. Key drawbacks highlighted include the high price, lack of support for high-res audio, and a somewhat unappealing, confusing app interface.

The second-generation Sonos Play:5 is described as an exceptional wireless speaker offering rich, room-filling sound via three mid-woofers and three tweeters, along with innovative Trueplay room-calibration software and smart-sensor touch controls. While lauded for its audio fidelity, the review notes drawbacks including the high $499 price point and the lack of native Bluetooth or AirPlay support, requiring reliance on the restrictive, app-driven Sonos ecosystem.

The Guardian's 2016 review positions the Sonos Play:5 as a top-tier wireless speaker lauded for its outstanding sound quality, simple setup, and powerful volume, as well as a convenient 3.5mm line-in port and seamless multiroom integration. While delivering a compact, high-performance experience, the speaker is noted for its premium price point, suitability for larger spaces, and lack of Bluetooth or AirPlay connectivity.

The iMore review characterizes the Sonos Play:5 as a powerful, versatile home audio system featuring a user-friendly app, humidity resistance for bathroom use, and a smart, touch-sensitive interface. Key advantages include its robust streaming service compatibility and a 3.5mm line-in for analog audio, while drawbacks are centered on its heavy, non-portable design, lack of Bluetooth, and the inability to scrub tracks via the touch controls.