Sonos Playbar TV Soundbar/ Wireless Streaming TV and Music Speaker. Works with Alexa

First, let's address the elephant in the room: the price tag on this thing is a whopper! I'm still feeling super guilty about spending the money. Add to this, don't even think about getting the Bar without the Sub, which means doubling your cost. Pile on the guilt-factor! So, does that make it worth the price? I'm still not 100% convinced of that, but this thing (with the Sub) is simply fantastic.If you are buying just the bar, it's fine. It has better sound alone than a bar/sub combo I bought (and returned) from Samsung. Audio is crystal clear and it gives the TV the much needed audio boost most flat screens need these days. Set up is super-easy. As soon as I installed the app, it picked up my wifi and started the set up. [A note here: if you are going to add any additional Sonos speakers to your system, at least one should be connected via ethernet. I have a bridge in my TV console, so this was easy for me. It isn't necessary to have the bar hard-wired, however, as you could add another speaker connected to ethernet later on.]The Sonos app is the only way to set up the bar. Once the app is up and running, you play your music via the app. This is different, but works great. I don't like to have anything on the screen when listening to music (like you have to with TV music channels) so this is perfect and WAY better than bluetooth! Gone are the days of switching sources on my sound bar. I can access my iTunes library (Apple Music is in beta now) and Sirius from the app and instantly start playing either. When I'm ready to watch TV, it picks up the TV sound right away. So easy! Like many things should, this just works.Where this bar really shines, though, is with the addition of the sub. Without it, the bass on the bar alone simply falls short. In this facet, I would say it is definitely NOT worth the price. But, if house shaking, chest-thumping, bass isn't what you want/need, the bar is certainly great by itself. Add the sub, however, and you get some of the best bass I've heard in a sound bar set-up. When the volume is down, it provides just enough bass boost to enhance any TV, music, or games. Crank up the volume, though, and hold on! This things thumps! Explosions are huge, music is better, and games are propelled to the next level.The bar is supposed to simulate surround sound, but don't expect much. I've heard a little bit of 'movement' from left to right (or right to left) in the sound, but not much. My understanding is that this improves with the addition of more speakers. However, the slight 'movement' you do get, adds more depth then you would get from your TV alone, or other sound bars I've had/heard.So, the bottom line is this: It's expensive, and even more so with the addition of the Sub, or more speakers. But, it's one of the best sounding bars out there, alone, and simply superb with the Sub. If you are looking for a sound bar set-up, and the price isn't a deterrent, this is definitely the way to go.

I wrote a review for the new HEOS sound bar and realized that I had not yet written one for the Sonos. I thought the HEOS review explained enough of both to be included here.This review will be in the form of a Head to Head comparison of the HEOS Soundbar and Sub vs. the Sonos Playbar and optional Sub as Denon is entering the growing Wireless Speaker Category that Sonos has led the evolution in for the past several years. Clearly the entire product range is matching the Sonos lineup. Play:1 - HEOS 1, Play:3 - HEOS 3, Play:5 - HEOS 5, Connect - HEOS Link, Playbar - HEOS Soundbar. Denon is also taking it up a notch by adding a few more products like the HEOS 7 and HEOS 1 GO Pack that are not in the Sonos lineup. I have been using Denon since my time in the professional music industry in the early 2000's where we sold a lot of Denon Pro Audio Equipment to Recording Studios. I have been using and installing a lot of Sonos gear for over 3 years now during remodeling of a lot of my clients homes. Here's my take from a Professional point of view....Sound Quality:Denon equipment sounds great. They have a long pedigree and know this area well. They have made their name based on this. You can tell right out of the box that this soundbar and sub combo have been matched and tuned to work together seamlessly. The factory settings are very good. You will probably keep the EQ settings for Treble and Bass center line. You may want to change the sub's level depending on how much Bass you prefer and where you place the sub. Every surface plane that you place the sub against will increase its perceived volume level. Floor = 1, Against a Wall = 2, In a Corner = 3. So placing your sub in a corner will make your bass sound the strongest. I was surprised by how well the system sounds compared to the Sonos because the weight of the soundbar and sub are lighter and smaller than the Sonos Playbar and Sub.Sonos gear sounds great also. They splashed onto the scene with great sound meets easy tech interface and app all wireless done. They also paired up amps and speakers 1:1 so everything is crisp and clean sounding and runs as efficiently as possible. Sonos speakers have a deep and rich sound with plenty of presence. The Playbar sounds wonderful and full range on its own. If you add the Sub then it really shines with a large sonic range. I usually adjust the EQ a little out of the box dialing the Treble and Bass up or down a notch as well as the Sub level if one is going to be in the room. The Sub is a separate purchase and doubles the price of the system compared to the HEOS. I often install Playbars without the sub in bedrooms for example or condo and townhouse units where neighbors are close. I do install Subs in main entertainment rooms that are medium to large in size and especially if a 5.1 system is desired.During initial setup of the system the HEOS app doesn’t ask for any level settings and goes straight to factory defaults. The Sonos has a 2 part calibration section that first asks you if A or B is louder, then a second that asks you if the sub level needs to go up or down. The first part I believe is setting the phase of the sub, the second is setting the level. It plays a really cool sounding repeating test pattern as you perform these steps, and my clients are always impressed by this and often walk into the room to see what that sound is. Overall the Sonos system has great Sound Pressure Levels and packs a greater punch. The Denon is like a 250 HP sports car and the Sonos a 400 HP production muscle car. I will leave the Exotic cars reference to the Audiophile gear that is in a league of its own.Speaker Design:The HEOS soundbar and sub are lighter in weight and smaller than the Sonos. Of course price must be considered. To be fair the HEOS is $799 and the Sonos are $699 each ($1398 for playbar and sub). That is a huge difference and I believe Denon feels they can attract a larger market segment by offering a different pricing strategy on these components. The rest of the HEOS lineup matches the Sonos lineup in price. (HEOS 1 $199 - Play:1 $199, etc…) I am not sure if making the HEOS Soundbar and Sub a lesser priced component was the best idea as it quality wise puts it at a disadvantage, but in affordability it makes it reachable to a larger purchasing base. They must be hoping that they can pull it off with good enough sound quality. Which they may have. However when handling the Soundbar and Sub and Handling the Playbar and Sub, you can tell immediately the difference in design quality that the extra money goes into. The Sonos Sub is a work of art. The Denon Sub is nicely designed but I wouldn’t want to display it. The HEOS has many more connectors in the back. Power, Ethernet, Optical, Coax are the same, but it also has 1/8” mini jack, HDMI ARC in and out, USB and an IR emitter as well. The instruction booklet is minimal and doesn’t fully explain the functions of everything. Perhaps Denon is planning on being able to control TV’s via the IR Emitter thru the App, but currently their is no reference to its function. The USB can be used to play preloaded sound files and maybe more?, the line in jack allows hookup of a device, but being on the back of a soundbar is not an ideal location, but it is there none the less. All of their speakers have the line in which is great. Only the Play:5 has one. This allows you to say for example hook your laptop to the system and let it play Youtube video music thru out your new wireless home audio system. Great usable feature. The HDMI inputs are a big deal to me. The Sonos limits you to Optical cable to hookup to TV. Not all TV’s will transfer HDMI 5.1 coding to Optical coding, so some of your connected to TV via HDMI devices will not be in 5.1 surround when it reaches the Sonos Playbar. This is not true for all TV’s but for the majority it is. The Indicator light on the front of the Soundbar is a bit old school, too big and not that cool really. You can dim it to off for the bedroom or dim it almost to off, which I have done. It changes colors to indicate situations and Blue is the working normal color that it will be most of the time.Installation:Sonos sells an optional wall mount ($49, and they may want to start including it free with the playbar). It is very well made, has a built-in level vial, and makes wall mounting the Playbar a breeze. It leaves room for cables to run behind the Playbar. The HEOS Soundbar has two large keyhole slots on the back and includes a cardboard template to help you place the screws. (level and screws not included). Running the app to setup the Soundbar and Playbar is required. The Sonos creates a temporary wireless network that you join during the setup process, the HEOS requires you to hookup an included 1/8” mini cable between your device and the AUX 1/8” mini input on the back of the Soundbar. (take the soudbar off the wall 1st time). The Sonos enters setup mode as soon as you join its wifi network. The HEOS requires you to press the Connect button on the back when the front panel light turns a certain color (take if off wall 2nd time, try to look at front light while pressing back button with power, HDMI and ethernet cords dangling). After setup is complete your device will drop the Sonos wifi and return to your home’s wifi and now the Sonos will be on your home’s wifi too and/or also using the hardwire ethernet connection too (recommended). After setup is complete your HEOS will be on your home’s wifi and now you can unplug the mini cable (take off wall 3rd time). Sonos installation went so much more smoothly.App Control:The Sonos app has been out longer and is so much more intuitive, pretty, and functional. The HEOS app is clunky, unrefined and still under development by comparison. I’m sure it will become more more than it is over time and probably resemble the Sonos app in many ways. The ease of use and delight is really a big part of the Sonos equation. I know that I can leave an installation and know that the new owners can learn and run the system fine without me. That is a huge part of the benefit for me. The HEOS app is still in its infancy and I would be much more reluctant to recommend and demo it.Overall Impressions:This is a review I wrote for the Denon HEOS Soundbar and Sub and I have posted it here under the Sonos Playbar because I realized that I have not yet written a review for it and this review has a lot of pertinent information.This review will be in the form of a Head to Head comparison of the HEOS Soundbar and Sub vs. the Sonos Playbar and optional Sub as Denon is entering the growing Wireless Speaker Category that Sonos has led the evolution in for the past several years. Clearly the entire product range is matching the Sonos lineup. Play:1 - HEOS 1, Play:3 - HEOS 3, Play:5 - HEOS 5, Connect - HEOS Link, Playbar - HEOS Soundbar. Denon is also taking it up a notch by adding a few more products like the HEOS 7 and HEOS 1 GO Pack that are not in the Sonos lineup. I have been using Denon since my time in the professional music industry in the early 2000's where we sold a lot of Denon Pro Audio Equipment to Recording Studios. I have been using and installing a lot of Sonos gear for over 3 years now during remodeling of a lot of my clients homes. Here's my take from a Professional point of view....Sound Quality:Denon equipment sounds great. They have a long pedigree and know this area well. They have made their name based on this. You can tell right out of the box that this soundbar and sub combo have been matched and tuned to work together seamlessly. The factory settings are very good. You will probably keep the EQ settings for Treble and Bass center line. You may want to change the sub's level depending on how much Bass you prefer and where you place the sub. Every surface plane that you place the sub against will increase its perceived volume level. Floor = 1, Against a Wall = 2, In a Corner = 3. So placing your sub in a corner will make your bass sound the strongest. I was surprised by how well the system sounds compared to the Sonos because the weight of the soundbar and sub are lighter and smaller than the Sonos Playbar and Sub.Sonos gear sounds great also. They splashed onto the scene with great sound meets easy tech interface and app all wireless done. They also paired up amps and speakers 1:1 so everything is crisp and clean sounding and runs as efficiently as possible. Sonos speakers have a deep and rich sound with plenty of presence. The Playbar sounds wonderful and full range on its own. If you add the Sub then it really shines with a large sonic range. I usually adjust the EQ a little out of the box dialing the Treble and Bass up or down a notch as well as the Sub level if one is going to be in the room. The Sub is a separate purchase and doubles the price of the system compared to the HEOS. I often install Playbars without the sub in bedrooms for example or condo and townhouse units where neighbors are close. I do install Subs in main entertainment rooms that are medium to large in size and especially if a 5.1 system is desired.During initial setup of the system the HEOS app doesn’t ask for any level settings and goes straight to factory defaults. The Sonos has a 2 part calibration section that first asks you if A or B is louder, then a second that asks you if the sub level needs to go up or down. The first part I believe is setting the phase of the sub, the second is setting the level. It plays a really cool sounding repeating test pattern as you perform these steps, and my clients are always impressed by this and often walk into the room to see what that sound is. Overall the Sonos system has great Sound Pressure Levels and packs a greater punch. The Denon is like a 250 HP sports car and the Sonos a 400 HP production muscle car. I will leave the Exotic cars reference to the Audiophile gear that is in a league of its own.Speaker Design:The HEOS soundbar and sub are lighter in weight and smaller than the Sonos. Of course price must be considered. To be fair the HEOS is $799 and the Sonos are $699 each ($1398 for playbar and sub). That is a huge difference and I believe Denon feels they can attract a larger market segment by offering a different pricing strategy on these components. The rest of the HEOS lineup matches the Sonos lineup in price. (HEOS 1 $199 - Play:1 $199, etc…) I am not sure if making the HEOS Soundbar and Sub a lesser priced component was the best idea as it quality wise puts it at a disadvantage, but in affordability it makes it reachable to a larger purchasing base. They must be hoping that they can pull it off with good enough sound quality. Which they may have. However when handling the Soundbar and Sub and Handling the Playbar and Sub, you can tell immediately the difference in design quality that the extra money goes into. The Sonos Sub is a work of art. The Denon Sub is nicely designed but I wouldn’t want to display it. The HEOS has many more connectors in the back. Power, Ethernet, Optical, Coax are the same, but it also has 1/8” mini jack, HDMI ARC in and out, USB and an IR emitter as well. The instruction booklet is minimal and doesn’t fully explain the functions of everything. Perhaps Denon is planning on being able to control TV’s via the IR Emitter thru the App, but currently their is no reference to its function. The USB can be used to play preloaded sound files and maybe more?, the line in jack allows hookup of a device, but being on the back of a soundbar is not an ideal location, but it is there none the less. All of their speakers have the line in which is great. Only the Play:5 has one. This allows you to say for example hook your laptop to the system and let it play Youtube video music thru out your new wireless home audio system. Great usable feature. The HDMI inputs are a big deal to me. The Sonos limits you to Optical cable to hookup to TV. Not all TV’s will transfer HDMI 5.1 coding to Optical coding, so some of your connected to TV via HDMI devices will not be in 5.1 surround when it reaches the Sonos Playbar. This is not true for all TV’s but for the majority it is. The Indicator light on the front of the Soundbar is a bit old school, too big and not that cool really. You can dim it to off for the bedroom or dim it almost to off, which I have done. It changes colors to indicate situations and Blue is the working normal color that it will be most of the time.Installation:Sonos sells an optional wall mount ($49, and they may want to start including it free with the playbar). It is very well made, has a built-in level vial, and makes wall mounting the Playbar a breeze. It leaves room for cables to run behind the Playbar. The HEOS Soundbar has two large keyhole slots on the back and includes a cardboard template to help you place the screws. (level and screws not included). Running the app to setup the Soundbar and Playbar is required. The Sonos creates a temporary wireless network that you join during the setup process, the HEOS requires you to hookup an included 1/8” mini cable between your device and the AUX 1/8” mini input on the back of the Soundbar. (take the soudbar off the wall 1st time). The Sonos enters setup mode as soon as you join its wifi network. The HEOS requires you to press the Connect button on the back when the front panel light turns a certain color (take if off wall 2nd time, try to look at front light while pressing back button with power, HDMI and ethernet cords dangling). After setup is complete your device will drop the Sonos wifi and return to your home’s wifi and now the Sonos will be on your home’s wifi too and/or also using the hardwire ethernet connection too (recommended). After setup is complete your HEOS will be on your home’s wifi and now you can unplug the mini cable (take off wall 3rd time). Sonos installation went so much more smoothly. During first time setup both the HEOS and Sonos will likely need to update their internal firmware. The Sonos update takes about 2 minutes and the HEOS took almost 15! Just keep that in mind if you need to install within a certain amount of time.App Control:The Sonos app has been out longer and is so much more intuitive, pretty, and functional. The HEOS app is clunky, unrefined and still under development by comparison. I’m sure it will become more more than it is over time and probably resemble the Sonos app in many ways. The ease of use and delight is really a big part of the Sonos equation. I know that I can leave an installation and know that the new owners can learn and run the system fine without me. That is a huge part of the benefit for me. The HEOS app is still in its infancy and I would be much more reluctant to recommend and demo it.Overall Impressions:Denon is a little late to the party but hey, at least they are creating competition in the marketplace and that helps keep it in balance, creates innovation and provides more choices. I like that. I like the new components they are adding like the HEOS 1 Mobile Pack which turns a HEOS 1 speaker into a battery powered and bluetooth capable speaker. I have always been frustrated with Sonos for not having Bluetooth capability. I bought a separate bluetooth speaker to take to work with me on jobs to listen to music with streaming from my smartphone. I always thought that I should just be able to take my Play:1 with me. But it requires wifi. I had to purchase a different companies product that their own could have served. Maybe Sonos will counter with their own Play:1 Go Pack. That would be great. I like that all the HEOS speakers have a Line In Input, Sonos makes you get the Play:5 to have that feature. The features and expandability of the HEOS line is large. It does add some complexity to the system which may cause the user interface and ease of the system to be negatively affected, maybe so or maybe not, but that will depend on the evolution of the HEOS app and how well they can integrate everything. I really have to say that the Sonos reminds me of Apple products which take complex amazing hardware functional designs and put them under the hood of a simple, intuitive and beautiful design interface. The HEOS reminds me of Windows and Android which breaks free of Proprietary and Control Limitations to allow more user customized experience. Both are great approaches and needed in my opinion. I look forward to the continued refinements in the HEOS world. I hope this review via comparison has left you with enough information to make an informed decision and not too much so that you can’t. Anyway you choose you are committing to one platform or another. So take your time. Who knows maybe cross platform technology will emerge that will allow you mix the systems and control via one App! Now that would be really great!