Sonos Five Smart Speaker Review

[ehabheikal]

Thanks. Probably a few grand but flexible. Just a secondary system for background music and end of day work out but want bit more HiFi than lifestyle sound quality. I’m sure you are right that a mini system would give better sound quality price performance. But i have a main HiFi system I’m gradually replacing so just want a quick plug and play active wifi book shelf speakers i can stream directly Apple Play, Tidal Connect and Roon directly from phone. Like sub woofer comment as was next question. Sonos is fine for background but I find them unpleasant for active listening. Would KEF LS50 sound more like HiFi or something

Thanks. Probably a few grand but flexible. Just a secondary system for background music and end of day work out but want bit more HiFi than lifestyle sound quality. I’m sure you are right that a mini system would give better sound quality price performance. But i have a main HiFi system I’m gradually replacing so just want a quick plug and play active wifi book shelf speakers i can stream directly Apple Play, Tidal Connect and Roon directly from phone. Like sub woofer comment as was next question. Sonos is fine for background but I find them unpleasant for active listening. Would KEF LS50 sound more like HiFi or something else.

An active speaker without streaming like kh80 dsp with a great streamer like wiim pro plus could be a great option especially wiim does room correction.

 

[Ellebob]

I think the advantage of the LS50 is dispersion. It has much more uniform dispersion compared to the Sonos Five and since we hear a combination of reflected and direct sound that can make a difference. I think the highs will be more pronounced on the LS50 making it sound more detailed. Bass is probably a little better on the Sonos Fives. Plus Sonos uses DSP to boost the bass at lower volumes when we are less sensitive to bass. The LS50 might have the more refined sound you are looking for but I think you give up some dynamics.

My personal opinion. We carry Kef where I work and I like a lot of their models. The LS50 meta, LS50 wireless II, LSX II and LT, Q1 and Q3 never really impress me much. They lack dynamics. They have a nice sound but no oomph. It is not that I prefer boosted bass or highs. Just the opposite but when I hear these compared to other neutral speakers they just lack dynamics. I would defnitely recommend a sub with any of these models I mentioned.

I think they are trying to go too low with these small coaxial drivers. I think the models that have a seperate woofer are much better like the R3 Meta. If you can step up to the R3 and use a streaming amp like the WiiM Amp that would be a MUCH better combo. I would also try a streaming amp with some of the Revel or the new Ascilab. If you go active many of the studio monitors I think would give you the performance you desire. Neuman, Kali, Genelec, Adam, etc with a WiiM Pro plus. Most of the studio monitors do not win any awards for aesthetics though.

I really don't know too many other active speakers with Roon, Tidal or Qobuz connect and Airplay built in to the speaker. The only other one I can think of is the B&W formation Duo. Probably at the higher end of your range. I would try to listen first. B&W is not known for accurate speakers but if you like their sound that is all that matters. In general it is a good ideal to listen to speakers you are considering when possible. Take them and try them if the dealer allows. I know that is tough in many areas. I would also get the speakers from a place that has a good return policy. Things can sound different in your room.

 

[TTT15]

Many thanks. That really seems like sound and helpful advice. I strongly suspect that an Eversolo or WiiM based system would give me a better sound price performance. The main system I’m putting together is more measurement, science and component based. But for secondary system I want something after intense work day I can just click on Apple/Tidal/Roon and have some decent sounding work out music on a system that also looks good. So I like the look and functionality of KEF but clear that would need sub woofer and need to try it.

The objective is to have a good looking and sounding system that is quick and easy to use for works outs rather than a HiFi system for active listening per se as I’m putting that together separately. At the moment Sonos 5 is more of a work out distraction as I’m thinking that really doesn’t sound good.

 

[jonmichael]

Set up my stereo pair of Fives yesterday. So far, streaming from Roon, Apple Music and Sirius/XM are playing fine. I know it isn't reference quality (I have that in my dedicated room downstairs), but they are plenty good enough for casual listening in the TV room. WAF is solid since they are mounted on too of bookshelves, out of the way. I will be tweaking the EQ through Roon this week, but so far, I am happy with this addition to my system. Holiday music will be much more enjoyable this year. Not quite excellent, but very good!

 

[Siggy]

I do most of my listening using my PC as the source. I downloaded Equalizer APO the other day. Wow. Sounds great, very musical eq. The most impressive thing about it is the clean sub bass it adds to my Sonos 5 and my headphones.

If you are wishing the Sonos 5 had a better "Loudness" button, this is the way to go.

 

[jonmichael]

I am not familiar with equalizer apo. And I don’t see it in the App Store for my iPad which controls my Sonos speakers. I currently rely on the EQ in Roon which helps but does nothing for the overall Sonos sound. So far I am really happy with the paired Fives. Solid bass, good mids and highs. Would use a separate EQ protocol if I knew what to try. Thanks!

 

[Siggy]

I am not familiar with equalizer apo. And I don’t see it in the App Store for my iPad which controls my Sonos speakers. I currently rely on the EQ in Roon which helps but does nothing for the overall Sonos sound. So far I am really happy with the paired Fives. Solid bass, good mids and highs. Would use a separate EQ protocol if I knew what to try. Thanks!

Unfortunately APO will not work with iOS, Windows only. But I chatgpt did come up with these options for ios....

Summary of iOS EQ options​

Solution	System-Wide?	Ease of Use	Quality
Boom: Bass Booster & EQ	No (in-app)	Easy	Great
Equalizer Pro+	No (player)	Moderate	High
Parametric AUv3 (EQ560 etc.)	Only in host apps	Advanced	Professional
Music apps w/EQ (Evermusic/VOX)	No	Moderate	Good
Jailbreak EQ tweaks (EQE)	Yes	Jailbreak needed	APO-like

 

[jonmichael]

Unfortunately APO will not work with iOS, Windows only. But I chatgpt did come up with these options for ios....

Summary of iOS EQ options​

Solution	System-Wide?	Ease of Use	Quality
Boom: Bass Booster & EQ	No (in-app)	Easy	Great
Equalizer Pro+	No (player)	Moderate	High
Parametric AUv3 (EQ560 etc.)	Only in host apps	Advanced	Professional
Music apps w/EQ (Evermusic/VOX)	No	Moderate	Good
Jailbreak EQ tweaks (EQE)	Yes	Jailbreak needed	APO-like

So, as I see it, only the option for system wide tweaking requires a jailbreak. For now I think I will live with the Roon EQ for my Sonos endpoint. I am very happy with my Fives as is. Thanks for your research, Siggy!

 

[cEbNVDyfMy]

I have a pair of these Sonos fives with the Sonos best sub in my kitchen, they work great for this purpose, very pleasing sound enjoyable for all in the kitchen during entertainment. They are durable and resistant to kitchen messes. I had the KEF LS50 and their top subwoofer as well in the kitchen, also sounded nice, but looked odd in the kitchen and the exposed drivers concerned me.

 

[Miguelón]

I had tried a Sonos Era 300 for ambient music in a small room, 5 x 4 meters.

Was quite pleasant, but I missed some mids.

This one looks more on the regular monitor sound, but I’m worried about being too much bass-oriented.

With the inbuilt equalizer one can low down the bass response enough to not exciting too many room modes?

I will try a unit, but I would know if is possible. Having a PEQ would be nice, but is what it is.

 

[Miguelón]

Finally I got the speaker, is surprisingly good.

Specially connected to my WiiM Ultra, the Trueplay function tries to compensate a big room mode (the deep) surrounding my listening area and it exhaust the amplifier, the mid treble is muffed.

The 20 to 300 Hz room analysis of the WiiM system (Umik 1 mic) only shows the bump around 200 Hz shown at Amir’s measurement, getting down 3-4 dB with the EQ is quite good.

Only caveat is WiiM Ultra + Sonos Five on the table, as I wrote before is sad to don’t have a PEQ onboard.

 

[TommyTwoTone]

@amirm talks about horizontal vs vertical directivity...is this the same as evaluating it in a horizontal vs vertically mounted orientation? If there is a superior orientation noted in his review, I'm having trouble deciphering what it is.

I ask because this speaker sounds very good mounted horizontally, but vertical installation would be more aesthetically appealing. If just using this for stereo music only, would I be compromising anything by mounting this vertically? Just width of soundstage perhaps?