The sound quality is spectacular, with rich mids, detailed highs and very punchy bass for speakers so small – and you can always use that subwoofer out if you need even more low-end thump. If you do wire them up you get up to 24-bit/384KHz and DSD256 wireless connection downsamples to 24-bit/48KHz. They're incredibly well-connected, with AirPlay 2, HDMI ARC and USB-C, Ethernet, analogue and digital inputs, a pre-out for a subwoofer and CAT 5 for wiring a pair together. These small speakers have a pretty big price tag, but these aren't "just" a pair of bookshelf speakers. Pricey compared to standalone wireless speakers And it sounds superb solo, in a stereo pair or as part of a Sonos home cinema setup. The lack of Bluetooth or Alexa/Siri/Google Assistant may put some potential buyers off but there is AirPlay 2 support and Sonos's own app does a great job of covering all the key streaming options. 2 in C Minor, for example – is beautifully detailed without being abrasively bright. The bass isn't overpowering in more delicate music, and music that can sound harsh on rival speakers – the flute in Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No. In our Sonos Five review we said that "it's here to bring the bass and make you feel it", and it's at its best when you use the TruePlay tuning on your iPhone to tune the output to your room. The speaker array is the same as the Play:5, with six custom-designed drivers driven by six class D amplifiers for a combined power output of 120W: three high excursion 10cm mid-woofers across the bottom of the unit and three tweeters above them, two of which are angled outwards. We suspect that releasing a newer model with the same spec is largely about the new processor: it means Sonos could add the long-rumoured hi-res audio support in a future firmware update. Previous models already sounded great, but this newer edition sounds even better. It's the latest iteration of Sonos's excellent Play:5 and while it isn't dramatically different from its predecessors, there are still some worthwhile improvements including a slightly sleeker design, more memory and a more powerful processor. This hefty Sonos speaker delivers an equally weighty serving of volume, filling even large rooms without breaking sweat. Read more: Mu-So Qb 2nd Generation reviewĪs the great pop group Five might put it: Everybody get up! Five will make you get down now. It comes will a full suite of connectivity options including aptX Bluetooth, Spotify Connect and AirPlay, which means all of your music should be supported at its maximum resolution, no matter what device you're using.īut even if you don't have your phone in hand, this wireless speaker is still controllable using its sleek touch-screen which allows you to access internet radio stations, for example. It's got a premium price, but if you opt for the Qb then you won't be disappointed. showcases its facility with dynamics, both great and small. And, with something like Mogwai’s Come On Die Young, the Qb 2nd Gen. The frequency range is nicely balanced overall, with no area given undue prominence nor too little power. Naim Audio is a company that produces some of the most stylish connected speakers in the business, and we think the Mu-So Qb 2nd Generation is the best they've put out yet. With Kanye West’s 808s & Heartbreak playing via Tidal, the Naim controls the strangely chilly low frequencies well. Not the biggest audio presentation around They're still a huge step up from the HomePods mini, though, and the sound quality you get for the money is excellent. However the second generation HomePods are not as loud as before, and the bass is a bit lighter too. And you get the impressively easy setup and control you'd expect from Apple.Ĭompared to the first generation there's better clarity around the upper mids, which really benefits classical and acoustic music, and the Dolby Atmos performance is excellent. It’s cheaper than what you get from the hardcore hi-fi brands (such as the Naim Mu-so Qb 2), and with a more full sound than the Sonos One can deliver. These are very impressive smart speakers, and if you're Apple Music users in all-Apple homes, the HomePod 2 is perhaps the best-value speaker out there. However, as Apple Music and AirPlay devices they're great. If you're more of a Spotify, TIDAL, Amazon or Deezer user, though, you should look elsewhere: the HomePods really, really want you to use Apple Music and don't have auxiliary ports or Bluetooth connections. The big HomePod is back, and if you're tied into the Apple ecosystem it's pretty great.
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