Sonos, perhaps the most established and recognizable name in wireless home audio, has unveiled its first soundbar speaker -and it's a solid performer. The Sonos Playbar ($699 direct) delivers powerful digital surround sound with its included optical cable, and "wirelessly streams all the music on...

Smooth overall sound quality; Surprisingly effective low-end response given the lack of a subwoofer; Flexible wireless streaming; Doesn't distort on deep bass at high volumes

Requires wired Ethernet unless you already have a Sonos Bridge; No hardware remote control; Highly processed sound isn't for purists

If you don't need the extra inputs, and streaming music quality, ease of use, and class-leading design are high priorities, the Sonos Playbar earns a solidly enthusiastic recommendation.

Large; expansive sound field effectively wraps sound around you; Awesome loudness capability; yet low on distortion; Warm; easy-on-the-ears sound makes long-term listening a breeze; Best aesthetic design we've seen yet for a soundbar

Pricier than the competition – even pricier with a subwoofer; Single input woefully limits flexibility

We got our hands on Sonos' take on decent sound for your flat panel TV in the shape of the recently launched Playbar, which - as the name suggests - is a soundbar. Playbar is Sonos' first dedicated attempt to mix their well-known wireless music system with the world of television, and compared to...

Easy setup; IR-repeater; The Sonos-universe is included; Good sound quality for TV and movies; Wireless streaming; Possibility for "surround; Price

Only SPDIF input; No DTS support; Sound is lacking a bit for music listening; Cannot connect additional front speakers

I recently had the opportunity to see - and then take home and test, for a bit, the new soundbar from SONOS appropriately entitled the SONOS PLAYBAR. Sonos has, heretofore, been known as the wireless music company, and rightly so.

Music sounds like music: natural and full, but still with plenty of space; Ease of use and setup is unparalleled, as expected from Sonos.

In large  rooms (18 ft distance from TV to viewer) the stereo field felt a bit narrow; making us wish for a "wide mode" option

Judging the PlayBar is a bit tricky. As a pure sound bar, it's a nice sounding simple solution that can plug and play with your existing TV and remote. But again, as a pure sound bar, it's a bit pricey and doesn't offer the low bass extension of many less expensive soundbar/subwoofer combos.

Very good sound overall; considering size; Simple connection and set-up; Nice looking and nice personality; Flexible installation; SONOS app puts the world of music at your fingertips

Needs mo bass; Gets a bit congested at high volumes; Could use a second fiberoptic input and DTS support; Limited by TV's ability to pass through 5.1 surround; A little pricey

Sonos' Playbar makes an excellent addition to your living room, but only well-heeled music lovers can afford one.

Simple set up; Great; room-filling sound for a soundbar; Top-notch build quality

Expensive; Mobile app needs a better UI

The Sonos Playbar delivers impressive volume levels and its companion mobile app is very well designed, but this slick soundbar comes with some compromises.

Sonos Playbar Soundbar Performance Features Ergonomics Value Sonos SUB Subwoofer Performance Features Ergonomics Value Price : $699 At A Glance : Excellent sound quality for music and movies • Powerful optional subwoofer • Mixed surround-sound performance Since its launch in 2005, the Sonos wireless

The Sonos multi-room audio system had been limited to audio until now. You could play music from your NAS, computer, radio and online streaming services. The user-friendly nature and the good sound quality have made Sonos a popular brand, and with the introduction of the Playbar Sonos is now...

Put simply, the Sonos Playbar is the best soundbar we've ever tested. Deep, rich sound combined with incredibly well thought out design and Sonos' flawless multi-room audio system put this box on another level to all of its rivals. It's just a shame it costs so much. Better start saving.