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

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

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

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.

The Sonos PlayBar is the company's latest speaker and one designed specifically to sit under your TV. But does it work, should you bother, and what's it sound like? Pocket-lint has been using one in our home, watching as much TV as is healthy, to find out. It's long, it's black, it's moody.

Easy to install; sleek; good sound; can connect to Sonos Sub and two Play:3 speakers for surround sound

No HDMI; no 7.1 support; streaming to other components require they are in the same zone

Sonos doesn't launch products too often, but when it does pull back the curtain on something new, it's almost invariably worth the wait. The PlayBar seems like a natural progression for the company, and it's clear that a lot of thought and planning went into its design.

Looks great; Works with existing TV remote; TV sound is clearer; louder & wider; Works as a Sonos ZonePlayer; Can be augmented with Sub & Play:3s

Full 5.1-channel setup is expensive

When is a soundbar more than just a soundbar?

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.

The, integrates the company's best-in-class digital music software into a thoughtfully designed sound bar; It's dead simple to set up and works seamlessly with other Sonos products, and can even be expanded to a true wireless 5.1 system by adding the Sonos Sub and two Play:3 speakers.

It's a universally acknowledged truth that TV speakers suck. It's also universally acknowledged that Sonos makes awesome wireless hi-fi gear. Light bulb! The Sonos Playbar attempts to bring that awesomeness to the home theater in the form of a sound bar - a self-contained substitute for the...

Elegant, décor-friendly design; Sounds heavenly; Plays music, too, from all your favorite sources; Optional wireless surround-sound courtesy of Sonos Play:3 speakers

Lacks a dedicated remote; Like all Sonos gear, it's priced to make you cry; Not much bass, unless you add the company's 0 subwoofer (more tears); Requires an Ethernet connection or Sonos Bridge