Sonos PLAY 3

186 reviews

May, 2013

General overview
Price comparison
Product Specifications

We have collected and analyzed 47 expert reviews and 139 user reviews from international sources. Experts rate this product 83/100 and users rate it 87/100. The average review date is Jan 15, 2012. We have compared these reviews to 40361 reviews from other Audio Systems. The alaScore™ for this product is 97/100 = Excellent. Last update: May 23, 2013.

Review analysis

(Based on 186 reviews)

Expert Reviews

User Reviews

Showing 1 - 10 of 116 Show Reviews: in English | in other languages (86)

Expert review by: Thomas Ricker (theverge.com)

Sonos Play:3 review

The Sonos Play:3 might be small for a speaker but it's a critical part of the company's strategy to increase its visibility. As such, the entry-level all-in-one "Wireless Hi-Fi" had better perform -- capable of impressing current...

Small powerful speaker ; Wireless convenience ; Really can stream “any song on Earth

Sonos’ cheapest all-in-one speaker at $299 is still pricey ; 49 Bridge or no $49 Bridge, that’s the question ; No line-in or headphone jacks like the bigger Play:5

Two Play:3s combined in a stereo pair easily bested the Play:5 while still costing a buck less than the $599 Zeppelin Air

Oct, 2011

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Expert review by: David Carnoy (cnet.com)

Sonos Play:3 (white)

Following the success of its Play:5 networked speaker--formerly known as the S5--Sonos has added a smaller, less expensive speaker to its lineup, the Play:3. At $299, it's the most affordable Sonos streaming-audio component to date.

You can control the Sonos Play:3 single-speaker streaming-audio system from any iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, or Android smartphone using a free app. It offers good sound, its compact, elegant design cuts down on cord clutter, and it can stream...

The Play:3 has almost no stereo separation and doesn't offer the detail and clarity of the step-up Play:5. Also, while it can wirelessly interact with other Sonos products, you'll need a hard-wired connection or the $49 wireless Sonos Bridge accessory...

While it doesn't sound quite as good as the larger Play:5, the Sonos Play:3 delivers a superior streaming-audio experience that you can control from any iOS device or Android smartphone.

Aug, 2011

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Expert review by: Terrence O'Brien (engadget.com)

Sonos Play:3

Sonos may not inspire the sort of high-end audio lust that a company like Polk can, but it doesn't draw the ire of serious audiophiles the way Bose does either. It straddles a fine line between respectability and gimmicky, and rightfully so -- Sonos...

Painless to set up ; Good sound quality ; Plenty of content sources

Frustrating software controls ; Slightly pricey ; Muddy bass at top volumes

Aug, 2011

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Expert review by: Brian Kahn (hometheaterreview.com)

Sonos Play:3 Wireless HiFi System

If you want multi-room audio but don't want the expense or complications of a custom install, the Sonos Play:3 wireless HiFi system offers an easy-to-use alternative. But are you trading convenience for quality?

The Sonos system is easy to recommend to anyone looking for an easy to use multi-room system. What sets the Sonos apart is its ease of use. There are other systems that have similar or even better specifications, but fail to provide the intuitive, ease...

Sep, 2012

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Expert review by: Follows us on Facebook (gadgetreview.com)

Sonos Play:3 Review

There aren't a whole lot of speaker systems that have me grinning from ear to ear. But that's anything but the case with Sonos. Earlier this year, summer time to be more exact, the company introduced [...]

Ultra easy to setup and use – iPhone app is intuitive ; Easily add music to any room without the wires ; Great sound quality for their size

Don’t deliver room shaking bass ; 300 a speaker ; Still need to buy a box to connect them to your home’s wireless network

Oct, 2011

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Expert review by: Dan Cohen (geardiary.com)

Sonos PLAY:3 Review

We have had a fair bit of coverage of the Sonos Wireless Hi-Fi System over the past few weeks. As I noted in my initial review of the system, I only had the review units in my home for 23 hours before I went and ordered my own. I was impressed by the...

Jul, 2011

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Expert review by: Noah Kravitz (technobuffalo.com)

Sonos Play:3 Review

As rumored, reported, and otherwise wished-upon-a-star for, Sonos recently debuted their smallest, lowest-cost receiver to date, the Play:3. Part of a brand makeover, Play:3 slots in alongside the Play:5 (formerly S5) as the company's two...

Jul, 2011

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Expert review by: Helena Stone (chipchick.com)

Sonos PLAY:3 Review

When it comes to making Wireless HiFi Systems, Sonos has been leading the pack for years. Their latest system, the Sono PLAY:3 offers the same great Sonos package users have come to expect, in a more compact and affordable form-factor than its bigger...

Amazing sound at this price point, polished apps, easy to set-up and use, great size for apartment dwellers, combination of 2 speakers adds another dimension – but single system alone is very powerful

Now Sonos is more affordable than ever, but you still need to shell out money for the $49 Bridge. Would be nice if there was an easy way to integrate it into pre-existing stereo setup

The new Sonos PLAY:3 system might be the most affordable speaker system from Sonos yet, but it doesn’t lack in punch. The sonics coming from this system are phenomenal, and they sound like something that you would expect from a more expensive speaker...

Jul, 2011

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Consumer review by: mattliptak (cnet.com)

"Paired two of these with the new Playbar and its unreal"

Just purchased the new Sonos Playbar for my home theater and ditched my 3D Sony Playbar with wireless sub. I am new to Sonos but the Best Buy Magnolia sales associate turned me on to this system and I am hooked! I ended up buying two of these to pair...

Easy set up and wireless! Sounds better than any home theater system I have ever purchased! Use two of these for surround with the new Playbar and it is awesome!

Very pricey. If you ended up buying the sub, this system could cost as much as a Bose system. Well worth it though.

Mar, 2013

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Consumer review by: HeathrowTerminal2 (cnet.com)

"Works OK, but proprietary software is a downer."

The Sonos software is crap - I'd be bold and say that anyone wanting to duplicate the functionality of, say, Spotify, is always going to be one step behind. Now imagine trying to keep up building software that mimics countless music services and you...

Play music in all rooms. You can use two speakers for real stereo image.

Proprietary software mimics your own music apps. This is a disaster. Only one account per system - in a household with more people, this is a terrible problem.

Aug, 2012

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