The Sonos Playbase is a pricey but powerful one-piece sound system. It stands well on its own, offering better bass response than single soundbars can generally produce, even if it lacks much power in the ultra-low frequencies.

Excellent overall audio performance; Large sound field with very good directional imaging for movies; Lots of streaming media options through the Sonos app; Can be expanded to a true 5.1-channel surround system

Lacks ultra-low frequency, subwoofer-like presence; Can only use other Sonos speakers for 5.1 setup; No Bluetooth

The Sonos Playbase beats most soundbars at their own game, and sounds better doing it.

High-impact bass; Wide sound field; Great stereo effects; Dead simple to use; Add Sonos speakers for 5.1 system

Limited inputs/ relies on TV audio output quality

When we heard Sonos was making a sound base, we knew the company was taking a hell of a risk. That's because many of today's TVs simply won't fit on top of them. A sound base is a flat box of a speaker designed to sit underneath a TV's stand.

The Sonos Playbase is a low-slung sound base with impeccable design and impressive sound; Its bass is even better than the Playbar's, so there's no need for a sub; Sonos' app and other speakers make it part of one of the best multiroom systems available

The wide effect needs breathing room -- unadorned walls, too, if you please; No DTS support, HDMI ports or Bluetooth; If you have a "clawfoot" TV, it may not fit on top

Sonos is the first to admit it made a mistake. The PLAYBAR, its home entertainment-focused soundbar speaker, was an audio marvel back in 2013 when it was first announced, but the ergonomics didn't live up to the sound.

Big sound in a small package; Beautiful build quality; Easy setup; Sounds just as good with music as TV audio

Expensive; especially for a surround system; Won't work with non-IR remotes; No DTS or Dolby Atmos support

Wrap up Part of the appeal here is based on what's to come. Sonos has already confirmed Amazon Alexa integration is coming. While not officially available in Canada yet, that is probably going to change sooner than later.

Produces great sound; Handles different audio sources well; Easy to setup

No HDMI port; Set automatically to accept audio via optical; Expensive at $899 CAD

This is yet another great effort from Sonos, but the Playbase isn't the right home theater speaker for everyone.

Sounds fantastic with music; Extremely low profile; yet it can support up to a 75-pound TV; Can be expanded to a bona fide 5.1-channel surround-sound...

You'll need to add the $699 subwoofer to get chest-thumping bass in movie soundtracks; Supports Dolby Digital only; not DTS or any of the...

Just like the Playbar, it's an easy-but-expensive recommendation for people who want better sound than what their TV can do on its own. Just like the Playbar, the Playbase can instantly become part of your existing Sonos multi-room music setup.

Easy setup; Excellent; balanced sound; Makes a great music speaker; too

Expensive; Lacks DTS and HDMI connectivity; No mics for our voice assistant future

For people with some extra cash who want to improve their TV experience with only one product, the PLAYBASE is great. And you have the option of hooking it up to a Sonos system eventually. Just don't expect it to get amazingly loud or even provide you with surround sound on its own.

Great sound; Easy to use app; Sleek design

Expensive; No DTS

The Sonos Playbase impresses with its big bass, clear vocals and room-filling power. It's easy to set up and use, and sounds great whether you're playing movies, TV shows or music. In other words, it hits all the things you want out of a soundbase.

Big-time bass; Clear vocals; Room-filling sound; Easy to set up and use

No HDMI; Expensive

As with most everything Sonos does, the Playbase is both excellent and expensive. But the combination of top-notch sound quality, versatility and simple setup makes it an extremely compelling speaker for the living room.

Clear; powerful audio regardless of whether you're watching a movie or listening to music; Music streaming is a unique feature in the home theater speaker market; Simple setup; Excellent industrial design; Easy to convert to a wireless 5.1 surround sound setup by buying extra speakers

Expensive; particularly if you're building a 5.1 setup; The lovely white finish scratches and scuffs easily; Stereo separation isn't as good as you'll get with a true multi-speaker setup