Sonos Play:3 and Spotify – Unboxing and Hands-On

By on July 25, 2011 in Hardware, Music, Videos

The rumors were true: Sonos has added a smaller, lower cost member to their family of wireless music systems. The Play:3 is a $299 unit with three drivers, three amps, and integrated wireless/Ethernet networking that streams music from your local collection or various online services and can be controlled with dedicated Sonos hardware (sold separately) or via an Android or iOS app. The folks at the company were kind enough to send me one to check it out, so we get it out of the box, onto my network, and set up to stream from Spotify.

Play:3 is smaller, less expensive, and less powerful than its big brother Play:5 (formerly S5). For an extra hundred bucks, S:5 steps up to five separate drivers powered by five digital amps and the addition of line-in and headphone-0ut jacks. But if you have a smaller space, want to build or expand your Sonos network at a lower price, or are looking to pick up two units to use as a stereo pair, the new S:3 is a compelling option. At least on paper. Let’s see – and hear – what it looks like in the flesh, shall we?

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About The Author

Noah Kravitz mourned the day that Star Castle was replaced in the pizza parlour he frequented as a kid. The sadness ended when he saw an older kid make it to the Ninth Key level on the Pac Man that took his place. Years later he’s become a fixture of consumer tech reporting on the InterWebs and TV, and Galaga vies with Zoo Keeper as his all-time favorite arcade games. His loves of music, games, TV, video editing and yapping endlessly at anyone who’ll listen have all been channeled into an Internet addiction that spans screens big and small and devices portable, pocketable, and best left on his desk. Noah has been reporting on gadgets and media for a decade and a half now, including writing, podcasts and videos for PhoneDog, MacDirectory, Maximum PC, PowerBook Central, and a few other publications. He’s also written about the arts, education, and sports for some magazines you’ve likely never heard of, and has invaded your television talking about consumer electronics on CNBC, Fox Business Network, and a host of local TV stations.

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