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

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

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...

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

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

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

The Sonos Playbase all-in-one speaker system is designed to be paired with a TV, so it's ironic that it sounds better with music than it does with movies and television shows. Maybe that's because low-end frequencies are more prevalent in music than they are in soundtracks-even in action films.

The Sonos PlayBase is beautifully designed as the perfect sound-enhancing solution for your telly. It delivers excellent sound quality and enough bass to be sufficient as a top notch standalone speaker too.

Fantastic sound quality; Super slim and solid design; Ample bass without sub; Sonos app platform remains one of the best out there; Seamless multi-room integration with Sonos system

Very expensive; No HDMI; Sub sold separately; No DTS Surround support

The PlayBase is very close to being a brilliant TV speaker solution, but it falls just short. It’s undeniably a huge upgrade over the sound produced by any TV, offering width, scale, dynamism and excitement that will blow your mind if that’s what you’re used to. Even compared to the vast majority of other soundbars and bases the Sonos is in most ways streets ahead, and that’s before you consider all of the regular Sonos features this has and which rivals do not. But there’s a fly in the ointment, and that fly is treble that’s sharp and harsh enough to distract and detract from the other things that the PlayBase does so well. In a battle between the PlayBase and the PlayBar, it’s the PlayBar that I’d take. Yes, it has its own flaws - it isn’t as full-bodied, punchy or dynamic as the PlayBase - but its treble is far better controlled and that goes a good way to making up for its other flaws. But, as mentioned, the PlayBar doesn’t work very well unless you’re wall-mounting. If you’re not and you’re a Sonos fan looking for a speaker you can plonk your telly on, there’s still loads to like with the PlayBase - and remember, that generous returns policy means you can always try one out for yourself. Buy the PlayBase here from Sonos

Amazingly big, wide sound for a box this compact; Natural, punchy bass; Does all of the great things any other Sonos speaker can; Can be upgraded to a full 5.1 system;

Treble is harsh, often annoyingly so; Optical-only isn't very flexible - or even necessarily that simple; Won't work perfectly in every room;

Sonos isn't a stranger to soundbars, but we've been waiting quite a while for a follow-up to 2013's Playbar ($748.00 at Amazon) . Switching gears a bit, the new Playbase is a sound slab designed to be placed under your TV. This $699.99 speaker system is a bit pricey considering it doesn't include a subwoofer, but its size allows for fuller audio than most soundbars, and it does a great job with movies, TV shows, and music alike. It can also integrate easily with other Sonos speakers throughout your home, and you can even set up a full 5.1-channel surround system if you're willing to spend an extra $1,100 for the additional satellites and subwoofer. Design Most sound slabs are designed to completely disappear under a TV, becoming nothing more than a blocky stand of sorts. The Playbase is similarly simple and understated, but it has enough visual flourishes that make it unmistakably a Sonos product, and one that won't totally fade into the background. The speaker is a large, curved ...

The Playbase is a powerful audio slab for your TV, with lots of streaming options and the ability to connect to other Sonos speakers throughout your home.

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