The Sonos Playbar is cleverly designed and does great fake surround, but it's better suited to current Sonos customers than newcomers.

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  The Sonos Playbar integrates the company's best-in-class digital music software into a thoughtfully designed sound bar. It's dead simple to set up and works seamlessly with other Sonos products, and can even be expanded to a true wireless 5.1 system by adding the Sonos Sub and two Play:3 speakers.

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  The Playbar's heavily processed sound won't please purists. It's also expensive and there are considerably better-sounding alternatives in its price range. Many buyers would be fine with cheaper AirPlay or Bluetooth alternatives.

If you don't mind its high price tag, reviewers say the Sonos Playbar is the best sound bar you can buy. Although it doesn't include a subwoofer, bass is generally described as satisfying, and it's easy to add an optional Sonos subwoofer if you demand more powerful low-frequency performance.

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  Rich, detailed sound, Clear dialogue, Very easy setup

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  Limited connectivity, Optional subwoofer costs extra, Expensive

The Sonos Playbar delivers impressive volume levels and its companion mobile app is very well designed, but this slick soundbar comes with some compromises.

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  Smooth overall sound quality. Surprisingly effective low-end response given the lack of a subwoofer. Flexible wireless streaming. Doesn't distort on deep bass at high volumes.

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  Requires wired Ethernet unless you already have a Sonos Bridge. No hardware remote control. Highly processed sound isn't for purists.

The Sonos Playbar’s impressive movie sound, good looks, ease of use, and smooth, fatigue-free musicality is, in our experience, an uncommonly rare mix of attributes among sound bars.

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  Large, expansive sound field effectively wraps sound around you, Awesome loudness capability, yet low on distortion, Warm, easy-on-the-ears sound makes long-term listening a breeze, Best aesthetic design we’ve seen yet for a soundbar

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  Pricier than the competition – even pricier with a subwoofer, Single input woefully limits flexibility

Soundbars are hotter than ever due to the thin flat panel TVs we drag home. And the market for soundbars is more exciting now than it has ever been as the makers of soundbars are coming from very different parts of the electronics industry - with very different features as a result.

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  Easy setup, IR-repeater, The Sonos-universe is included, Good sound quality for TV and movies, Wireless streaming, Possibility for “surround”, Price

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  Only SPDIF input, No DTS support, Sound is lacking a bit for music listening, Cannot connect additional front speakers

The Playbar lives up to the expectations of a Sonos speaker. It excels at audio for both movies and music. For a system with many content options, it’s very easy to set up and use. However, Sonos locks you into its app for streaming sources because it can't accept a Bluetooth connection.

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  Full sound without a subwoofer, Excellent for music, Support for most streaming music services

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  Expensive, No Bluetooth connectivity

All speakers included (Sub, 2x Play:3s and the Playbar) the total price is $1996…before tax. So the argument quickly becomes convenience versus bang for buck. A boxed solution with satellite speakers could cost $1,000, add in a mid-ranged amp $400, and a Sonos connect, and you’re only truthfully...

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  Easy as pie setup, its own music server, integrates with Sonos environment, controllable via smartphone

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  Only compatible with Dolby Digital (not DTS, etc), pricey ($699), not ideal for audiophiles

Sonos has never been that easy to explain to newcomers, even as the company has tried to simplify its message. A distributed audio setup that streams to any room in your house? A wireless streaming system that plugs into everything from Pandora to iTunes on your home computer? Wireless Hi-Fi?

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  Ease of setup and use, Offers true wireless 5.1, Fantastic sound for movies and TV

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  No 3.5mm input, Apps feel clunky, Over-reliant on optical audio, Not ideal for music listening

Movie and TV audio for music lovers: that’s how Sonos describes its new PLAYBAR, the first product from the whole-home audio company to tackle sound that comes with moving pictures, rather than audio for its own sake.

At $699, the Sonos PLAYBAR is a very good, somewhat expensive, sound bar. If the price was lower, it would certainly be a very easy recommendation (“no brainer” would comer to mind). But since it’s not, I would urge you to look at your actual needs.

Simply put, you get what you pay for! Every aspect of this product is superior including the user interface. Love that I can use my iPhone, iPad & Windows desktop to both play my own music as well as Apple Music to stream the entire iTunes library.

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  Superb sound quality. WiFi a huge advantage over Bluetooth. Enhanced TV sound and superb music experience. Can't wait to expand with additional speakers. Love the fact that the Connect product will allow us to utilize our existing speakers. Installation and set up was a breeze.

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  None!

The Sonos Playbar is an awesome sound system. The ability to add and remove speakers as you go is wonderful and the sound quality is great. The system is easy to setup and operate. The only draw back is that it only uses optical input and no HDMI.

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  Attractive Design, Easy Set-Up, Easy to Mount, Good Power Outlet, Great Sound Quality

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  No HDMI

I already owned a Bridge and a Play 5. I have a Panasonic 42" plasma TV in my living room sitting a Salamander stand that has a perfect space for a soundbar. My girlfriend and I use the Play 5 all the time and I thought the Playbar would be a perfect addition.

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  SONOS app is easy and works well., I think it sounds good. If the sound is "highly processed" it still sounds very pleasant., Design and size work well in my situation.

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  Single input. Please see my summary., Play 5 has slightly better deep bass.

I had been interested in Sonos products for years before I recently went all in with purchases of the playbar, sub, and play 1's for surround. After a couple days of using that system, I added a pair of new Play 5's for my bedroom. Sound quality is very good for all units. Setup is easy.

Great sound when you get it to work properly. If looking only for music I highly recommend. If you are looking for surround sound for your TV I would look elsewhere. Too many connectivity issues. Loss of sound and issues with updates.

An untrained monkey can install the Sonos playbar and sub! I tried another brand soundbar with a sub woofer I already had and it was a disaster. Go with Sonos!

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  EASE of install, Sound Quality

Bought this to replace an old 5.1 system (the Sub and Play 1's are on the way!).The Playbar is a very well made substantial bit of kit, TV sounds excellent when it's fed with a 5.1 signal.

Its a nice speaker but way over priced. only got it for the wife if were up to me waste of money. but works as described.

A great speaker for use with the TV and as well for music through the Sonos system.

Excellent sounds, easy setup! Looking forward to adding more Sonos products in the future.

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  Everything is great!

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  Looking forward when there is Alexa integration