Sonos has designed a number of impressive multiroom digital music systems over the past few years.
Recently, rumors about a Sonos Playbar were making the spotted making the rounds, the existence of which has now been confirmed at a rather hefty $700 price point.
The sound bar – which is obviously rather high end – will ship on March 5. Granted, there are some pretty sweet features associated with the device, including best in class audio streaming capabilities and the ability to double as a TV speaker. Plus, this is the first sound bar for TV use that Sonos has offered, which is bound to make hordes of audiophiles especially happy.
As expected, there are a number of caveats regarding the process of linking this sound bar to your home network. Just like other Sonos products, the Playbar does require a direct connection to your Ethernet network. Then again, you don’t need to have that wired Ethernet connection if you happen to have another wired Sonos device on your home network.
Those who plan to use the Playbar as the TV sound system may also have their cable modem sitting on the entertainment center in which case finding an available Ethernet connection will be an issue. Others may have to resort to powerline networking. If the latter isn’t an option, you may also want to check out the $50 Sonos Bridge that can be placed near your router or modem.
The Playbar supports two separate installation positions, including flat for TV cabinet placement or upright for wall mounting. The also device features an internal sensor that automatically optimizes sound for either install method. The Playbar uses virtual surround sound to create a faux surround sound system by bouncing sound off the walls in your room. 9 different drivers are housed inside the sleek enclosure, all of which should provide impressive audio performance.
Connectivity options on the speaker include a pair of Ethernet ports and a digital audio input. Many modern TVs have an optical audio output and many cable boxes do as well, so such as scenario shouldn’t pose much of a problem. Another important item worth noting? The Playbar isn’t packaged with a remote control, although you can use a standard TV remote for easy navigation.
