9/10
Open rating explainerInformationWIREDSimple setup and control. Versatile connectivity. Easy swapping between Wi-Fi and Bluetooth modes. Full, expressive sound. Shock- and weather-resistant design. 24-hour battery life with portable phone charging. Line-in input for an analog source (with adapter).TIREDNo surround sound linking. No charging adapter included.Sonos doesn’t make stand-alone speakers: Every Sonos speaker (or soundbar or amp) is built to connect as part of a greater ecosystem, the same way an ant or bee is part of a colony. So when a Sonos speaker’s connection to its colony breaks down, as the new Play did for me in the first week of review, it’s extremely frustrating. When it follows a massive software debacle that affected users for months, it’s akin to a recurrence of a chronic injury. “This again?!”
Sonos has worked hard to repair its software and its reputation since its 2024 app collapse, and the company quickly hopped on a fix for the Play’s tendency to fall off my network after it shut down. Now that I’ve spent a second week with the Play bug-free, I can confidently say that this isn’t just an excellent speaker, it’s arguably Sonos’ best model yet.
The Play, which borrows its name from earlier Sonos models like the Play 1 and Play:5, fills a crucial new niche in the family. As the third Sonos portable, the Play utilizes both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to stream and link with other devices, leveraging the best traits of its siblings while offering some clear advantages.
Photograph: Ryan WaniataIt’s smaller and more portable than the brutish Move, yet large enough to sound much fuller than the pint-sized Roam. It can sit fixed on its charging cradle to rival the homebound Sonos Era 100, or follow you anywhere. In other words, it’s the epitome of Sonos versatility, and now that it’s working properly, it’ll be hard to pass up.
Play On
Video: Ryan WaniataOpening 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 wrapping gives way to a stout tubular speaker with a rubberized loop attached, measuring 7.6 x 4.4 x 3 inches and weighing just under 3 pounds. You’ll also find simple setup instructions and a wireless charging stand, but no wall adapter. You’ll need one 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 omission is about reducing e-waste, but will happily sell you one for $29.
Otherwise, the Sonos app is all you need to get going. After the obligatory firmware update, my Play was streaming on my home network in minutes. Sonos hosts over 100 streaming services directly, and you can also stream over third-party services like Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, Apple AirPlay, and more. 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 the settings to tweak options like EQ, Room name (important if you have more than one Play), and Sonos Trueplay to auto-adjust the sound to your environment.
You’ll also find a Battery Saver toggle, which is set by default to shut down the power when it’s idle for too long. It’s this feature that, according to Sonos, caused my connection woes as I tested the speaker’s 24-hour battery claim. Sonos says it identified the root cause, and after the firmware update I’ve let the speaker power down multiple times, with no further network disruptions over a week of extra testing.
Photograph: Ryan WaniataWhen your phone is occupied, you can use the Play’s topside control panel for play/pause, song skip, and volume adjustment. At the back, you’ll find the power key, a Bluetooth button for pairing with your phone and swapping between Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, and a microphone mute to invite or deny Amazon Alexa and the brand’s own Sonos Voice Control service (complete with the soothing tones of actor Giancarlo Esposito). A USB-C input allows for charging your phone or connecting an analog device like a turntable, though you’ll need a separate adapter, 3.5-mm cable, and a phono preamp (depending on your model).
Beneath the Play’s shock-ready grille are two tweeters designed to provide minor stereo separation (most portable speakers offer just one), a midrange woofer, and dual passive radiators, which aren’t powered by an amplifier but utilize the acoustic space to help generate bass. It’s a strikingly similar configuration to the Era 100 smart speaker, but in a slimmed-down design.
Everywhere, All at Once
Photograph: Ryan WaniataOver two weeks of gritty testing, the Play was up to any task I asked of it. Grouping two Plays together over Wi-Fi with my in-laws in town showed its versatility, letting me use one on the patio while grilling a tri-tip and one inside for the family to merrily join my jazz playlist. I later set one near the kitchen table and the other on its cradle in the adjacent living room for some immersive dining ambience.
Two Plays worked equally well as a stand-in pair of bookshelf speakers when I connected them as a stereo pair, providing a clear center image for vocals and a generous spread of instruments throughout the room from my desk. Stereo pairing is limited to Wi-Fi, but you can link up to four Play, Move, or Roam speakers in a group over Bluetooth. Maybe most impressive, the Bluetooth button swaps the speaker off your network to pair with your phone nearly instantly, so you can take it into the woods or—in my case—a backyard picnic with my 7-month-old just out of Wi-Fi range. It takes the speaker a few seconds to reconnect to Wi-Fi when switching modes, but it's otherwise seamless.
The speaker’s IP67 dust and water resistance means it's even more weather-ready than the pricier Move 2. I got the speaker perfectly soaked while giving my car a bath, and even hucked it in a bucket of water to no ill effects. (I don't recommend that if you can avoid it, as the speaker takes a good while to dry before it sounds right.)
The 24-hour battery claim also proved nearly dead-on, lasting around 23 hours at medium volume. As with the Move, Sonos even offers a Play battery replacement kit, so you can feel confident rocking it over the long term at home or on the go.
Right Size, Right Sound
Photograph: Ryan WaniataWhile Sonos software has seen deserved scrutiny of late, the company’s acoustic engineering has never been better. The Play’s performance instantly reminded me of the Era 100, which is no big surprise given their similar size and design. In this case, parody is a good thing, as the 100 is one of the best-sounding smart speakers I’ve ever tested.
The Play’s sound is similarly impressive, mixing keen treble and midrange clarity with full-bodied punch down low for a sound signature that’s equal parts nuance and muscle. You’ll find breakthrough moments of clarity that pull you out of other activities, like the splashy horns in Snarky Puppy’s “Go” or the gleaming synths in Depeche Mode’s “World in My Eyes.” The midrange isn’t quite as smooth as the Era 100's, likely due to the Play’s smaller acoustic cabinet, but it’s still plenty full, and it seemed to improve when using the Trueplay audio adjustment feature.
Bass is full and pointed, offering rigid clarity to provide a clean foundation for other registers. It stands tall with larger Bluetooth speakers like JBL’s Charge 6, with only Fender’s booming new ELIE 6 (review to come) providing a noticeable upgrade. There’s more than enough boom here to bring the party, and the dual tweeters provide a smoother, more expansive soundstage with better instrumental separation than any similar-sized portables I’ve tested.
There’s not much the Play doesn’t do well, which is why it’s my new favorite. Like other Sonos portables, the speaker can't connect in a surround sound configuration with soundbars like the Arc or Arc Ultra, which leaves some room for the Era 100 and the new microphone-free Era 100 SL. Otherwise, it’s hard to think of a reason not to go with the Play as your everything speaker. From smart home to portable parties, this worker bee stands out.
$299 at Amazon$299 at Walmart$299 at Best Buy$299 at Sonos
