Sonos Five

Name: Sonos — Five, Wi-Fi hi-fi speaker with 3.5 mm line-in (white)
Brand: Sonos
SKU: B0883KJXWD

Wi-Fi hi-fi speaker with 3.5 mm line-in (white)

Ideal for: Wi-Fi hi-fi for the living room.

Live price and availability on amazon.com.be

The Sonos Five is Sonos's hi-fi Wi-Fi speaker: six Class-D amplifiers, three tweeters, three midwoofers, AirPlay 2 and a 3.5 mm line-in for a turntable.

Amplification6 Class-D amplifiers
Drivers3 tweeters + 3 midwoofers
Dimensions203 × 364 × 154 mm
Weight6.3 kg
ConnectionsWi-Fi, Ethernet 10/100, 3.5 mm line-in, AirPlay 2

Avoid ifYou want a portable speaker to take along, or you don't have a stable Wi-Fi network at home: the Sonos Five plugs into the mains and runs over Wi-Fi or Ethernet.

Sonos Five Wi-Fi hi-fi speaker placed horizontally, front view

Why this model

The Sonos Five is a Wi-Fi hi-fi speaker for people who want real living-room sound in one understated block, with no full hi-fi system and no speaker cables. It suits anyone who mostly streams music but likes being able to plug in a turntable or another source through the 3.5 mm line-in.

This page covers its design, daily use, key specifications according to Sonos and the cases where it isn't the right choice. You'll also find answers to the questions people ask before buying a Sonos Five in Belgium.

Sonos Five design: an understated block for the living room

According to Sonos, the Five measures 203 mm high, 364 mm wide and 154 mm deep. Its rectangular shape and clean lines let it sit on a low cabinet, shelf or sideboard without adding visual noise. This version is white, and the range also comes in black.

The controls are capacitive touch, with an LED for connection, mute and error status. They adapt to the speaker's orientation, which keeps the front face clean with no visible physical buttons.

Daily use: streaming, turntable and room

Day to day, you control the Sonos Five from the Sonos app, with access to Sonos Radio, or through AirPlay 2 from an Apple device. It connects over Wi-Fi (2.4 or 5 GHz) or through a 10/100 Ethernet port, which helps if your Wi-Fi is patchy in that spot.

Placed horizontally it gives stereo separation; vertically it switches to mono, according to Sonos. The 3.5 mm line-in lets you plug in an external source such as a turntable. With Trueplay, an iOS device measures the room to adjust the EQ, and two Fives can be paired as a stereo pair.

Sonos Five key specifications

According to Sonos, the Five has six Class-D amplifiers, three tweeters (one centre tweeter for vocals, two angled for spatial extension) and three midwoofers in a sealed cabinet. The Amazon listing highlights support for high-resolution audio streaming. It weighs 6.3 kg and runs on mains power (internal 100–240 V supply, 2 m cable).

Connections: Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n, 10/100 Ethernet, 3.5 mm line-in and AirPlay 2 (iOS 11.4 or later). You need a Wi-Fi network, an internet connection, a nearby power outlet and the current Sonos app.

Who it's for, who it isn't

The Sonos Five suits you if you want a living-room speaker that plays loud and clean without building a hi-fi system, and if you have a turntable or other source to plug in. It also makes sense if you plan to add more Sonos speakers to cover several rooms.

It's a weaker fit if you want a speaker to carry around: it stays plugged in. If you mainly want better TV sound, a soundbar is the more logical choice. And since Trueplay tuning uses an iOS device according to Sonos, check that point if you're on Android.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Sonos Five worth it for listening to music in the living room?

It is designed for the living room: six Class-D amplifiers, three tweeters and three midwoofers, according to Sonos. It targets people who want a full sound from one device, without a hi-fi system.

Can you connect a turntable to the Sonos Five?

Yes, the Sonos Five has a 3.5 mm line-in for an external source such as a turntable. Just check that your turntable outputs a signal suited to a line input.

Does the Sonos Five work with AirPlay 2?

Yes, according to Sonos it supports Apple AirPlay 2 with iOS 11.4 or later. You can also control it from the Sonos app.

Do you need Wi-Fi to use the Sonos Five?

Yes, according to Sonos you need a Wi-Fi network and an internet connection. If your Wi-Fi is weak, the 10/100 Ethernet port lets you connect it by cable.

What's the difference between placing the Sonos Five horizontally or vertically?

According to Sonos, placed horizontally the Five gives stereo separation, while vertically it switches to mono. The touch controls adapt to the orientation you choose.