Entry-level audiophiles targeted with Sonos Play:3

One box system for under £260

20 July 2011 8:00 GMT / By Rik Henderson

Sonos has now officially announced the latest entry to its music streaming system, the Play:3, so it matters little that the news was leaked by an Amazon.com posting earlier in the week.

Boasting three Class-D digital amplifiers, three drivers (one tweeter, two 3-inch mid-range and one passive) and a rear-firing bass radiator, the Play:3 is the first device to adopt the company's new branding, and is aimed at being an introduction component to those wanting to install a Sonos system, but without having to cough up the big bucks.

Admittedly, £259 may still seem like a lot of money to some, but there are plenty who have experienced Sonos technologies at work in the past that will tell you that it's worth every penny. And that once you add one speaker or streamer to your home, you're likely to want to add more.

This specific speaker unit is the smallest in the company's range, weighing in at 2.6kg and measuring 132 x 268 x 160mm, so would be ideal for a kitchen or bathroom. It can also stand horizontally or vertically, with an in-built accelerometer adjusting the soundfield accordingly, and be twinned with another to create a stereo pair. Colourwise, there's a choice between black or white.

To suit with its new branding, the company's larger S5 speaker system has now been renamed Play:5.

You can read an in-depth hands-on with the Play:3 here.

Full tags

Sonos, Audio, Sonos Play 3, Music streaming, Spotify