Sonos has introduced its brand new speaker, the Playbase. It's the company's latest advancement in the wireless home sound system.
The manufacturing of the Playbase was due to the company's perception that these days around 70 percent of TVs are perched on top of furniture instead of mounting it on the wall.
The Playbase is designed in a way which allows TVs to be set on it eliminating the need for furniture as well as provide quality audio.
"What we realized is that PLAYBAR only met the need of the small percentage of homes where people mount their televisions on the wall," said Patrick Spence, Sonos CEO.
What Does It Look Like?
The body of the Playbase is 58mm in height and it packs 10 drivers to facilitate the quality of the sound. However, it boasts a much thinner body. The surface on the top of the speaker is flat 43,000 drilled holes which enable audio transparency and clarity.
The speaker has been designed through a complex molding process, where the exterior of the device shows the glass-filled polycarbonate. This enables the minimal vibration and allows it to withstand the weight of the TV.
From the aspect of physical design, a subwoofer is inserted in the thin space available in the Playbase, where it is mounted horizontally.
However, to increase the surface area inside the speaker, it houses a curved, S-shaped port. Moreover, the meticulously patterned holes have gradually been designed of a larger size.
Unique Application: Pair It Up With Your TV
The Playbase can be easily be connected to the TVs using an optical cord and a power cord. It also provides access to around 80 music services.
The speaker provides flexible control experiences with Trueplay and can be controlled with the Sonos app, which provides two features, namely Night Mode and Dialogue Enhancement. With these features, the bass can be tuned down providing enhanced vocal clarity.
With such a wide structure, the Playbase can support most TVs, weighing up to 75 pounds and sizes up to 60 inches.
Disadvantages Of The Playbase?
Several technical issues pertaining to the Playbase can disappoint the home theater enthusiasts. Firstly, the speaker does not support DTS multichannel audio, instead it comes with Dolby Digital.
Secondly, optical connectivity is the only choice with the Playbase, as it does not support HDMI ARC functionality.
The brand new product will be shipped without built-in microphones. This suggests that the users will have to rely on Google Home or perhaps Echo for relaying the commands to the device.
Release And Price
This speaker is up for preorders exclusively for the Sonos owners. The product holds a price tag of $699 for U.S. buyers. It is expected to hit the markets on April 4.
