It took me a long, long time to become a Sonos user. Mostly because the financial pill was a bitter one to swallow, at around $1000 for a Sonos unit with an amplifier, another without an amp, and a bridge unit that made it easier to stream music through my home. Also, the concept of multiroom audio seemed a bit decadent in cramped San Francisco living conditions.
Then two things happened: I found myself with more space, and the price of getting started in the Sonos universe dropped to magazine-editor levels. For $299, I picked up a Play:3 speaker with a free Bridge. (Sonos sometimes bundles the Bridge with other components). And then I kicked myself for waiting so damn long.
Image: Jonathan SeffThe Play:1 fits nicely in smaller spaces, like next to the bed.
The Bridge is the most common way of linking the proprietary Sonos mesh network to your own Wi-Fi network. You hardwire it to your router, and it provides the system with Internet access and allows you to control the system with your smartphone, tablet, or Mac/Windows PC. The alternative is to string an ethernet cable between one Sonos component and your router—which might be hidden in a closet or some other place you probably don't care about playing music.
With the Play:1, Sonos has added a smaller, less expensive speaker that lowers the barrier of entry even further, makes a multiroom system a bit easier on the wallet, and fits in more places thanks to its much smaller footprint. Oh, and it sounds pretty sweet too.
Image: Jonathan Seff
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