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Sonos PLAY:5 / ZonePlayer S5 (1st Gen)
1952 reviews
Apr, 2025
alaTest has collected and analyzed 1952 reviews of Sonos PLAY:5 / ZonePlayer S5 (1st Gen). The average rating for this product is 4.5/5, compared to an average rating of 4.3/5 for other products in the same category for all reviews. Reviewers really like the reliability and sound. The design and size are also appreciated, whereas there are some mixed comments about the price.
usability, size, design, sound, reliability
We analyzed user and expert ratings, product age and more factors. Compared to other products in the same category the Sonos PLAY:5 / ZonePlayer S5 (1st Gen) is awarded an overall alaScore™ of 93/100 = Excellent quality.
Review analysis
(Based on 1952 reviews)Disclaimer:
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Consumer review (amazon.co.uk)
Amazon.co.uk review summary for Sonos PLAY:5 / ZonePlayer S5 (1st Gen)
alaTest has collected and analyzed 234 user reviews of Sonos PLAY:5 / ZonePlayer S5 (1st Gen) from Amazon.co.uk. The average user rating for this product is 4.4/5, compared to an average user rating of 4.4/5 for other products in the same category on Amazon.co.uk. People are impressed by the design. The size also gets good feedback, whereas there are some negative comments about the price. Reviews are divided on the reliability.
usability, size, design
price
89% of the reviews on Amazon.co.uk give this product a positive rating.
Apr, 2025
Consumer review (amazon.com)
Amazon.com review summary for Sonos PLAY:5 / ZonePlayer S5 (1st Gen)
alaTest has collected and analyzed 45 user reviews of Sonos PLAY:5 / ZonePlayer S5 (1st Gen) from Amazon.com. The average user rating for this product is 3.8/5, compared to an average user rating of 4.2/5 for other products in the same category on Amazon.com. People really like the design and price, but opinions are divided on the size.
usability, price, design
76% of the reviews on Amazon.com give this product a positive rating.
Apr, 2025
Expert review by (engadget.com)
Sonos Play:5 review (2015): A generational leap forward
The Play:5 is the best speaker Sonos has ever made. Its reliance on a single app for controlling all your audio services means the software experience isn't quite as slick as it could be, but it's easy to set up and sounds as good as its $499 price tag...
Simple setup and tuning ; Easy to turn into multi-room system with other, cheaper Sonos speakers ; Audio quality is excellent ; Long list of supported services ; Line-in adds limitless music options
Searching for music in app is cumbersome ; No dedicated remote ; Priced even higher than previous generation
The company's API for scoring toxicity in online discussions already behaves like a racist hand dryer.
Oct, 2015
Expert review by (engadget.com)
Sonos S5 ears-on review: a premium iPod speaker dock without the dock
We had the opportunity to hear a preview of the $399 Sonos S5 all-in-one speaker ahead of its 27 October US launch (November 10th in Europe). For comparison, w...
Oct, 2009
Expert review by : Tim Gideon, Will Greenwald (pcmag.com)
Sonos Play:5
The Sonos Play:5 speaker justifies its very high price by delivering excellent wireless audio in a seamless, simple design that's expandable to serve every room of your house.
Powerful audio performance with seriously deep bass and accurate highs. Easy setup. Expandable to multiple rooms. Can be used as part of a stereo pair.
Pricey. No Bluetooth.
For $500, the Play:5 isn't cheap, but it doesn't sound, look, or behave like a cheap system. Sonically, the Play:5 is a winner, and from a multi-room home audio standpoint, Sonos still leads the pack. That makes it our Editors' Choice.
Nov, 2015
Partner Source
Expert review by (cnet.com)
Sonos Play: 5 2015, Black
It comes in two colors -- white and black -- and can be placed either horizontally or vertically in three different orientations. I personally liked the look of it standing vertically, and while the Play:5 works well as a single speaker with a wider...
The second-generation Sonos Play:5 is a sleek, well-designed Wi-Fi speaker that delivers rich sound for its size and strong bass. It offers the full Sonos wireless experience, controllable from iPhone, iPad and Android apps, with compatibility with...
Fairly pricey, especially if you want to buy a second one for stereo sound.
While fairly pricey the second-gen Play:5 is the best-sounding Sonos speaker yet.
Oct, 2015
Expert review by : David Carnoy (cnet.com)
Sonos Play:5 is the company's best-sounding wireless speaker yet
Sonos has a brand-new flagship multiroom audio speaker, and it's a major improvement over its predecessor in every way -- though it costs more, too.
The second-generation Sonos Play:5 is a sleek, well-designed Wi-Fi speaker that delivers rich sound for its size and strong bass. It offers the full Sonos wireless experience, controllable from iPhone, iPad and Android apps, with compatibility with...
Rather expensive, especially if you want to buy a second one for stereo sound.
While fairly pricey, the second-gen Play:5 is the best-sounding Sonos speaker yet.
Oct, 2015
Expert review by : David Carnoy (cnet.com)
Sonos ZonePlayer S5 review: Sonos ZonePlayer S5
Sonos ZonePlayer S5
Single-speaker streaming audio system; controlled from any iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, or Android smartphone using a free app; impressive sound from a compact, single housing; elegant design; cuts down on cord clutter; streams Internet-based radio and...
While the Play:5 can wirelessly interact with other Sonos products, you'll need a hard-wired connection or the $49 wireless bridge accessory if it's your only Sonos component; somewhat expensive; not much stereo separation.
The Sonos Play:5 shrinks the Sonos streaming music experience down to a compact single-speaker system with great sound, which you can control from any iOS device or Android smartphone.
Jun, 2010
Expert review by : Mark McClusky (wired.com)
Review: Sonos ZonePlayer S5
If you want awesome sound sans wires, the S5 is the system to get. You'll just need deep pockets for such deep audio.
Dead simple setup has you streaming in minutes. Slick iPhone app for controller. Five speakers give good sound, and decent stereo separation. Geolocation shows you local radio stations when you look
At 0 each, it’s a stretch; at 0 a room, Sonos would rule the world
Dec, 2009
Expert review by : Tim Gideon (pcmag.com)
Sonos ZonePlayer S5
The $400 Sonos Zone player S5 wirelessly streams your PC's audio through its built-in speakers—and it can be controlled by an iPhone or an iPod touch.
Full access to Sonos wireless music streaming—for far less than any Sonos starter bundle. Fills a large room easily with no distortion. Clarity throughout entire frequency range. Controlled by free app for iPhone and iPod touch, as well as any Sonos...
Needs to be connected via Ethernet (unless you have another Sonos ZonePlayer). No charging dock for iPod. No power switch.
More media hub reviews: Nvidia Shield TV (2017) DirecTV Now Google Chromecast Ultra Amazon Fire TV Stick With Alexa Voice Remote Roku Ultra more
Nov, 2009
Partner Source
Expert review by : Review Crew (reviewboard.com)
Sonos ZonePlayer S5 Review
I've made no secret of my love for the Sonos Multi-room Music System, a system designed to let you listen to your music all over your house. It's the musical ...
Nov, 2010
Partner Source
Expert review by : Michael Brown (maximumpc.com)
Sonos ZonePlayer S5
The Sonos ZonePlayer S5 is a fabulous addition to the multi-room Sonos Digital Music System, even if the company's engineers did make some sonic compromises in the name of delivering an all-in-one model at a friendlier price point.
All-in-one design; wireless; powerful amp; outstanding price/performance ratio
Audio quality not as high as the rest of the Sonos lineup; available only in white
Several hours of critical listening left our ears feeling a bit fatigued—an issue we didn’t encounter with B&W’s Zeppelin (not entirely an apples-to-oranges comparison, since the Zeppelin is a non-networked iPod dock), but the S5 was a huge hit when we...
Apr, 2010
Partner Source
Price comparison for Sonos PLAY:5 / ZonePlayer S5 (1st Gen)
No prices for this product
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