Sound quality: Sonos's Play:1 speaker had very good sound quality when used as a single mono unit; the sound is still in the very good range but is improved when two Play:1 speakers are used in a stereo pair configuration. When used as a single speaker, bass has good impact and definition, but it doesn't go deep. Midrange is even but a bit dry, grainy and has a slightly hard edge, and treble is extended but a bit dry and lean. This speaker does a so-so job of recovering room ambience--a sense of the acoustic space in which the recording was made--and a bit of fine detail and complexity we hear with better speakers is lacking. Compared to the larger, and pricier, Play:3 speaker (also in our Ratings), this model's sound is a bit sharper and more neutral. When used as a stereo pair, the bass--while no deeper--is a bit fuller sounding, the treble also fills out, and the room ambience recovery improves to decent. Overall, the sound is more detailed, complex, and open. The Play:1 can provide decent volume levels in a small to medium-sized room as either a single unit or a stereo pair.
Ease of use: We found the system's ease of use to be very good overall. Connecting to a WiFi network was fairly easy: You download the free Sonos program on your computer, or the free Sonos app on your Apple or Android mobile device, and follow the step-by-step directions. The speaker's volume and play/pause controls are well marked and easy to use; the Sonos software program provides a full-featured, easy-to-use control panel on your computer. The free Sonos app lets your Apple or Android portable device function as a full-featured remote control that we found easy to use.
