Sonos launches Playbase speaker that lives under your TV

Sonos is adding a new entry to its wireless speaker portfolio: Say hello to the Playbase.

Like the Playbar before it, the Playbase is built specifically to be used with TVs. The difference is that rather than being a slim bar, the base serves as a platform for your TV stand, giving the speaker a larger volume to pack in more drivers and potentially better sound as a result.

There are six mid-range drivers, three tweeters, and one woofer, which work in unison for what Sonos claims is a soundstage “much wider than the speaker itself.” It also comes with Dialogue Enhancement and Night Mode (which prevents loud volume spikes) setting to aid in the movie-watching experience.

Sonos isn’t providing frequency response information, but given what the company did with the updated Play:5, I’m hoping it punches above its weight for in the sound base category. In any case, you can pair it with other Sonos speakers, including a the Sonos Sub, for a full 5.1 sound experience. The speaker itself requires just two cables: power and optical.

While some people will miss the ability to mount the speaker to a wall, Sonos points out that “up to 70 percent” of TVs stand on furniture. One could counter that TVs are getting lighter and easier to mount on a wall, but I still imagine most people are too lazy to do so in the first place.

Of course, you don’t only have to use for your TV; it still has all the music-playing connectivity you’d expect from a Sonos speaker, and will support Amazon Alexa later this year.

The Playbase is available to pre-order (exclusive to previous Sonos owners for now) in black or white for $699, and will be available starting April 4.