The Playbase is an extension of your TV that adds dynamic, pulse-pounding sound to your viewing experience. The Playbase also streams music when the TV is off. The Playbase is unlike typical soundbars which are meant to be wall-mounted directly beneath your television. In most cases, TVs are placed on stands and furniture so the typical soundbars do not work as well.
Unboxing
The first thing you’ll notice about the Sonos PLAYBASE is its size. The speaker unit is a huge square box with a small Sonos logo on the side and three touch sensitive controls on the front and back. The PLAYBASE also has a small LED light that flashes different colors to indicate various statuses. The speaker unit also comes with a comprehensive manual and power cable.
The Playbase features solid frequency response and is good at pulling off stereo effects. It also has an excellent sound stage and wide sound field. Even though it’s small, it provides a very good sound experience. And it’s a very good value for the price, too. If you’re looking for a great TV speaker for under $300, the Playbase is a smart option.
Another benefit of the Playbase is that it has a one-year warranty. And with so many different Sonos products, you can combine them for a unified home theatre system. This allows you to listen to music and movies in a whole new way. A single Playbase can be expanded to two Sonos PLAY 1 speakers, adding rear left and right audio. This is great if you have a large room.
Sonos took a risk when they decided to keep the PlayBase so simple. Obviously, there are alternatives to this product, but the company had its target market in mind. Despite its shortcomings, it’s a great upgrade over the speakers on your TV. If you’re tired of having to pay for speakers with different connections, it’s worth checking out.
Features
The Sonos Playbase is a wireless audio receiver with an elegant black and white design. The Playbase includes the same audio-processing features as the Playbar, including Dialogue Enhancement for improved vocal clarity. It also features a Night Sound mode to reduce the volume of loud sound during movie scenes and television shows. Both of these features can be activated by tapping the Playbase logo above the volume control.
The Sonos Playbase features six mid-range drivers, three tweeters and a subwoofer. It uses 10 Class-D digital amplifiers and is powered by an Ethernet connection. While there’s no HDMI port, the Playbase is compatible with most modern televisions. The Playbase also supports music streaming over Wi-Fi.
In addition to the Playbase’s audio-processing capabilities, users can adjust the bass level independently. The Playbase also includes touch-sensitive buttons that let you control volume, track-forward/back, and pause music. It also supports multiroom audio through other Sonos speakers, and music stored on local devices.
The Sonos Playbase is almost identical to the Sonos Soundbar, but has a more compact design and is 14 inches deep. It can accommodate up to a 74-pound television. It is available in black and white, and is equipped with a six-midrange driver array, three tweeters, and a subwoofer. It also has an Ethernet socket and an optical input, but it doesn’t support HDMI.
Sonos Playbase is a simple wireless speaker with excellent sound quality. Users can set it up using the Sonos app or a standard remote. To begin, you must first turn off the built-in speakers of your television and then program the regular remote to control the volume on the Playbase. Then, select the room where you want the Playbase to be located. The Playbase also supports the iPhone’s Trueplay feature, which uses the microphone to improve the output.
Price
The Sonos Playbase is an all-in-one audio system that syncs with additional Sonos speakers. The Playbase can sync with two Play:1 speakers or one Play:3 speaker. However, there are limitations, such as the Playbase’s lack of DTS support. However, Sonos claims that this lack of DTS support won’t affect most listeners.
Although the Playbase is similar to the Sonos Soundbar, it is smaller and flatter, measuring 14 inches deep. It can support most televisions up to 60 inches in size and 77 pounds in weight. Bigger televisions with legs can be placed over it, and it can also be used with wall-mounted televisions.
The PLAYBASE is an excellent choice for people who want great sound from their television, but don’t want to buy multiple speakers. It does not support surround sound, though; you will need a separate Sonos speaker for that. It also doesn’t support the latest audio technologies. However, it is a great upgrade from your old TV speakers.
While the PLAYBASE is small in size, it is heavy and has buttons for volume, play and pause. It is available in black, and can be wall-mounted or placed on top of furniture. The Playbase is more expensive than the Playbar, but it is made from quality materials and is very sturdy.
Sound quality
The Sonos Playbase shares many features with the Playbar, but the difference lies in its internal sound system. It has the same internal components, but a proprietary S-shaped subwoofer. Reviews of the Playbase have been mixed, and some consumers have complained about the bass and treble. However, this device is packed with features and can be set up to produce 5.1 surround sound and extend audio to a dining room.
A basic EQ panel is available on the Playbase, and there are preset sound modes to customize your listening experience. For example, Night Mode keeps dialogue at normal volume and reduces loud noises, such as very low bass. This makes it possible to watch TV late at night without disturbing your neighbors. Another sound mode, Speech Enhancement, raises frequencies associated with the human voice, so you can hear the sound in your voice.
The Sonos Playbase and Sonos Playbar both offer surround sound power and a higher sound output capacity. Both are reliable and high-quality units. Both Playbase and Playbar have easy-to-use controls and are built to fit a television on top. They offer impressive bass and stereo staging and a number of convenient features.
Alexa support
Amazon’s Alexa has integrated with the Sonos Playbase so that users can control their music through voice commands. Sonos announced this in August. With the integration, millions of Sonos owners will be able to control their music with a simple voice command. Alexa is already able to control many services offered by Amazon and currently has over 10,000 skills.
To start using Alexa, you need to have an Amazon account. Then, install the Alexa app on your phone and enable the Sonos and Amazon services. Once this is done, you can set up your Sonos and Echo devices and start using them with your voice command. You must also make sure that your devices are updated to the latest software version.
In addition to the PLAYBASE, you can also use Alexa with the Sonos PLAYBAR. You’ll need an Amazon Echo or Google Assistant device to use the Sonos Playbase with Alexa. This will allow you to control compatible smart-home devices and even order Uber. To use this feature, you need to have the Alexa skill enabled.
In addition to using Alexa to control your Sonos Playbase, Alexa also supports several streaming music services. First, you have to add the services to your Amazon Music account and set up the Sonos App. Depending on the streaming music service, you may have to do a few additional steps to get started. You can also use your voice to control music services with Alexa by asking the voice assistant to play the track and volume.
Alexa integration with Sonos One is another great feature. The Sonos One offers voice control via Amazon Alexa and works with Google Home. However, the Sonos One lacks some of the functionality that the Echo does, but it’s still an excellent smart speaker. Sonos says that this feature will be added later this year.