I’ve got a big birthday coming up soon, and Mrs thep, who is a woman of great empathy as well as taste, has hinted that she’s thinking of buying me another Sonos Play:5 so that we’ll have a stereo pair. (She loves the one we’ve already got so much that I suspect this embarrassingly generous gesture is not entirely disinterested, but never mind.)
Has anybody got experience of what happens when you put two Sonoses (Sonoi?) together? Is it aural heaven, or is the difference not particularly obvious? The one we’ve got sounds so impressive that I find it hard to believe that it isn’t already pumping it out in stereo, and they cost an awful lot…
But in anticipation of all this hifi goodness I’ve been fooling around with a month’s free trial of Tidal’s hifi streaming, which claims to be CD quality, but costs twice as much as Spotify. Certainly the remastered Sgt Pepper sounds very impressive, with Sir Thumbsaloft’s bass positively leaping out, but then I thought it sounded pretty good on Spotify too. If you try direct track-for-track comparison Tidal often sounds subjectively ‘better’, but not always, and I was always perfectly happy when I listened to Spotify all the time anyway. I tried a few YouTube comparisons, but YT audio is already compressed so not much help, and the people who make these vids are all really annoying. As is the fact that Jay-Z thinks I want nothing more than to listen to him whenever I log on to Tidal.
So, people with platinum ears, any thoughts?
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Well you know you will get nothing useful from me on this topic. But what do you mean another set so we will have a stereo pair. 2 discrete sets or 2 sets when combined result in stereo.
I think I will contact mrs Thep and tell her that, over a drink, you confided that you really want a new wheelbarrow to help in the vegie patch.
2 combined = stereo. Now idea how.
What’s it worth to keep your mouth shut?
It makes all the difference in the world, Mike: go for it. I too didn’t believe it would make that much difference to already pristine sound, but it does. I have mine in 2 different downstairs rooms, my cave and the “dining room”, both adjacent to the room we sit in most of the time. Doors open and aural heave.
Tidal? No idea.
Not a Sonos user but I can answer the Tidal question.
Tidal Premium is 320kbps mp3 (lossy).
Tidal HiFi is 1411kbps (lossless) i.e. CD quality.
If you think paying 2x as much for 4.5x the bit rate is something only you can decide.
There is an alternative to Tidal, the French service Qobuz which allows you lossless streaming plus cheap downloads for a yearly fee. I don’t know how well it knits in to Sonos.
Not at all, sadly, Sonos don’t offer it.
Not according to Qobuz:
https://sonos.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1793/~/qobuz-and-sonos
I’ve just updated my Sonos software and it’s on the list.
Not in Oz, according to the country list at that link.
I paired up a couple of Sonos 3. A distinct improvement on a single. What really blew my mind was the addition of a subwoofer – amazing. $700 but wow.
You will love your GLW even more for this present, if that were even possible. I have two Play5s positioned as a “normal” pair of speakers and it’s amazing (and so it should be of course, given the price). No matter how good a single Play5 is, this will be better
Do you have the old Play 5 or the new one released a year or so ago?
You cant mix the two as a pair apparently.
I have a pair of the older generation play 5’s together and they work really well for stereo. I wish I had the new ones, as from what I’ve heard in demos they are a real step up in quality.
I find that they sound great at high (ish) volume, but not so good at the softer level.
I can testify to the improvement as well – moved up from the original 5’s to the new ones.
If you do have the older model its worth looking at selling it to upgrade – Sonos stuff holds it’s value fantastically. Just check Ebay for prices – 2nd hand stuff is a ridiculously high percentage of the new prices
We have the new one, so all good 😊
Thanks to all for the reassurance!
O yes you can!! First I have heard of that, and the 3 year old and the 6 monther are streaming Bedouine at me as I type. Beautifully.
I have 2 x Play 1s as a stereo pair in the kitchen. Sooo much better than just one.
Well, the big one came and went, and soixante-neuf is but a distant memory (and thank to Faceworders for good vibes).
The second Play:5 duly materialised, and it’s sensational. Hard to put your finger on why exactly – the sound seems fuller, and deeper, and other vague words like that. Piano music is particularly impressive, whether it’s Beethoven or Allen Toussaint. And the remastered Sgt Pepper – wow! Just leaps out of the speakers at you. Particularly Macca’s bass, so much going on I’d never heard before. I’m a happy old (even older) fart.