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The Sonos hardware lineup has been largely stagnant since the company released its Arc Ultra soundbar in late 2024, focusing on fixing its app and improving device support. Stepping back into the limelight, it announced the Sonos Play, a portable speaker that sits between the ultra-portable Roam 2 and the larger Move 2.
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The Play speaker performs better at home than the Roam 2, but it's better suited for adventures beyond your front door than the Move 2, and with a $300 price tag, it's Sonos' most bang-for-your-buck speaker in the current lineup.
I had two major questions while testing this speaker: "Does the Play's versatility make it a jack of all trades, yet a master of none?" and "How palatable will this speaker be to those both familiar and unfamiliar with the Sonos ecosystem?"
That's a lot of bass
Jada Jones/ZDNET
The Play speaker features two tweeters for higher frequencies, such as a snare, one midwoofer for midrange frequencies, where vocals typically live. There are also two force-canceling passive radiators for pronouncing lower frequencies. The passive radiators are the star of the Play speaker's show, as they help the speaker produce bigger bass, and their mirrored placement helps minimize vibrations.
Naturally, I had to max out the Play's volume, and its sound is impressively loud for its size. The passive radiators get to hard work at loud volumes, and if you hold your hand to the speaker grille, you can feel the air moving in the speaker to reproduce those deep frequencies. Vibrations are minimal, making the Play a great tabletop speaker for indoor countertops and outdoor tables, ensuring its big bass response doesn't shake a cup into spilling over.
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