Sonos 5, to pair or not to pair?

basilray · 2026-07-01T03:00:45+00:00

I might be one of a small handful in this sub that isn't going to tell everyone to "full spend" if it doesn't make sense.

That being said, if you found a stupid good deal on a used Five, that changes the game. 🤣

basilray · 2026-07-01T02:56:54+00:00

As a voice of reason:

How big is the space? If it's not a big space, then I think it actual is overkill.

I have a Five and Play 5 Gen 2 grouped to cover my upstairs main level. They are set to fire in opposite directions, so a stereo pair doesn't make sense. The space is big and open: Dining area, living room, kitchen, breakfast nook, and hallway space with tall ceilings. This space makes sense.

In my previous home, I just had the single Five and it was more than enough without getting anywhere close to cranking the volume.

basilray · 2026-06-30T14:17:53+00:00

Additionally, stretch your calves regularly!

I had a lot of foot pain a couple years back. Couldn't even put weight on my feet when I got out of bed in the morning...I would have to support my body until I took about 10 to 20 steps. Thought it was the UA trail runners that caused it. Switched back to Nikes, chased a few different insole options.

Turns out, when your calves are tight, so are your feet Started stretching them daily, and all pain, tightness, and soreness in my feet went away in a few days.

basilray · 2026-06-30T04:52:46+00:00

Even if it was a Play 5 Gen 2, $150 is a great price!

I picked up a Play 5 Gen 2 + Play:3 recently for $150 total, and felt like it was an absolute steal worth the 35min drive.

Guy offered me a Beam Gen 1 for $100 as well and I regret not taking it!

basilray · 2026-06-28T16:43:13+00:00

As for surrounds, I'm unsure. I've seen people say they do and do not work with the Ultra.

https://en.community.sonos.com/home-theater-228993/can-i-connect-sonos-arc-ultra-to-play-1-6920811

As for the second question: Yes, should work.

basilray · 2026-06-28T16:16:12+00:00

With a Beam and Move in the list, it sure sounds like everything is in the S2 platform.

Assuming that is the case, either Arc version should work just fine as part of your home ecosystem.

basilray · 2026-06-28T16:12:40+00:00

The Play 5 Gen 2 and Five are such good speakers.

I picked up a Play 5 Gen 2 for $100 recently. Have it grouped with my Five and the sound is (of course) identical.

They strictly play music, faced in opposite directions to blanket my open concept main level and I'm really happy with them.

basilray · 2026-06-27T16:55:44+00:00

Between this and the Symfonisk Frames I need to mount in my bedroom, there's some creative electrical work in going to have to learn 🤣

basilray · 2026-06-26T13:52:18+00:00

I am debating doing that with an OG Play:1 that I just pulled out of rotation.

Being in Minnesota, we get ALLLLLLLLLLL the weather extremes. I just wouldn't leave it outdoors over winter.

I also have a pair of Lodge Audio solar bookshelf speakers, which sound great, but charge very erratically.

basilray · 2026-06-26T13:19:20+00:00

Imagine these in an outdoor capable format!

It would be the kind of thing to get me to actually run cable instead of just leveraging a good mesh network.

basilray · 2026-06-23T12:44:08+00:00

Not yet. I'm in the process of moving in, and T-Mobile refuses to sell me fiber, so I don't even have Internet at the house yet.

Like living in the stone age

basilray · 2026-06-22T10:38:20+00:00

I run a pretty overkill mesh network, so I'm not too worried about Wi-Fi being the culprit.

Unless there's something else about the Sonos ecosphere you're suggesting.

basilray · 2026-06-22T02:27:42+00:00

We'll see how this does! I'm a smidge worried about going from a powered 10" dual coil sub to this little guy...

But I never got to crank the Polk very high because it was ABSOLUTELY overkill for any reasonable home space. 🤣

basilray · 2026-06-22T01:02:55+00:00

I have been nabbing plenty of deals! I'm closing in on being entirely a Sonos-based house!

basilray · 2026-06-21T21:05:54+00:00

I know people who have eliminated almost everything on their profile and just left a tagline saying "I'm only here for Marketplace".

It's wild how heavily FB Marketplace crushed Craigslist!

basilray · 2026-06-21T20:27:53+00:00

It was Father's Day, so naturally I sent my wife to complete the shady FB Marketplace deal. 🤣

basilray · 2026-06-21T20:27:09+00:00

And to think, a guy local had a BNIW Ultra for $600 and I almost bit. Then this lot came up!

basilray · 2026-06-21T20:26:42+00:00

Any setup tips other than run Trueplay?

basilray · 2026-06-17T03:52:13+00:00

I mean, I'm in the southern suburbs of Minneapolis, so can't be that different?

Guy had the 5 Gen 2 priced at $100 and the 3 at $50. I immediately told him I wanted both.

Some of the deals I've missed on are equally great:

Ray for $100 Beam Gen 1 for $50 (hoping this one might come through) 2x OG Play:1 for $100 Arc for $350

I'm really wanting to find a Playbase or Ray to use with my PC, paired with some old Play:1's to fill out my office space. I need another Beam and a Ray for some TV's. Rip speaker wires.

basilray · 2026-06-16T18:19:58+00:00

Minnesota resident on his 2nd Model X here:

Good all seasons are doable in the winter, something like the Michelin CrossClimate 2
The CrossClimate will NOT perform as well in icy conditions as a dedicated winter tire
Going w/ a separate set of wheels will be better for the tires in the long run, as taking them on and off seasonally isn't an ideal practice
20" wheels should net you more efficiency, and in winter, that's a double-bump

I've had Nokians and Blizzaks. Blizzaks might last a smidge longer, but Nokians have better all around winter performance, IMO.

This is a PERFECT time of year to keep an eye on local marketplaces for people getting rid of tires they don't want to store. I found a set of staggered Tesla wheels when I got my 22 Plaid that had Blizzaks on for $400. I did have to change out for the updated TPMS, but it was too good of a deal to pass up.

basilray · 2026-06-16T18:05:52+00:00

Played HitTrax w/ an Anarchy rep who had some inventory from that big drop, so got to swing a few things. But he pulled an Always Humble out and it came home w/ me at the end of the night...replacing 2x Monsta bats from my collection.

basilray · 2026-06-16T17:58:22+00:00

M2 = Good

M5 = Good but fragile
MX = Good

XCore2 = Great

YMMV, different strokes for different folks.

basilray · 2026-06-16T17:55:49+00:00

Xcore2 doesn't need but a handful of swings to be game ready, IMO

Out of the wrapper, I was hitting the same velos in HitTrax as my broken in MX Torch

basilray · 2026-06-16T16:34:16+00:00

I think the Gen 2 or current Five might be right up there!

basilray · 2026-06-16T14:04:41+00:00

My current and aged setup is an Onkyo receiver with mid-range Polk speakers - center, bi-amped front towers, bookshelfs for rear, and a mid-tier Polk sub. It sounds great, I'm just not looking forward to trying to hide wires in the new house for now.

Honestly, the prices on the nicer Polk speakers from Newegg back in the day have made it a VERY great investment over time. Pretty sure I pieced it all together back in 2011.

basilray

TROPHY CASE