When is a soundbar more than just a soundbar?

Since its launch in 2005, the Sonos wireless music system has won accolades and an extensive fan base thanks to an early focus on tapping into the digital music libraries that consumers built after the iPod's launch in 2001, and an evolving graphic interface that, in today's version, brings the...

(4.5 out of 5) Performance (4 out of 5) Value The number of soundbars entering the market has been growing at an astounding rate, so I was not terribly surprised to hear that Sonos was entering the fray.

Big Sonus fan for years, finally decided to buy the playbar, but after installing it, it sounded awful. It was a big investment compared to other playbars, but I doubted Sonus would have a mediocre product. Turned out the fiber optic cable that came with the speaker was bad.

The Playbar does a lovely job, but you could get something that sounds just as good with more features for less money. That said, Sonos is a luxurious, simple, and satisfying way to listen to music. If you can afford it in the first place, you won't disappointed.

If you don't mind its high price tag, reviewers say the Sonos Playbar is the best sound bar you can buy. Although it doesn't include a subwoofer, bass is generally described as satisfying, and it's easy to add an optional Sonos subwoofer if you demand more powerful low-frequency performance.

Rich; detailed sound; Clear dialogue; Very easy setup

Limited connectivity; Optional subwoofer costs extra; Expensive

At $699, the Sonos PLAYBAR is a very good, somewhat expensive, sound bar. If the price was lower, it would certainly be a very easy recommendation ("no brainer" would comer to mind). But since it's not, I would urge you to look at your actual needs.

Movie and TV audio for music lovers: that's how Sonos describes its new PLAYBAR, the first product from the whole-home audio company to tackle sound that comes with moving pictures, rather than audio for its own sake.

The Sonos Playbar is truly a gorgeous piece of equipment with exceptional audio quality when compared to other soundbars on the market. But its lack of alternate inputs and high price tag means that you'll need to really think carefully before investing in it.