In this video blog post we compare the Sonos Play 1 vs Sonos One. Both of these capable smart speakers allow you to stream music right on the speakers but there is one key difference between the two smart speakers. The Sonos One 1 has Alexa built in, so that you can issue Alexa voice commands directly to the Sonos One Speaker.

The video post below compares the features of the Sonos Play 1 vs Sonos One but we’ve also included text summary of the differences below.

Sonos Play 1 vs Sonos One: Sound Quality

The sound quality of these two smart speakers is identical, they use the same speaker components and the same electronic back end, so you are not compromising with either speaker if you choose the Sonos Play 1 or Sonos One.

Sonos Play 1 vs Sonos One: Works With Alexa

Both of these smart speakers will work with Alexa and use the same Alexa commands for control. The only difference is that the Sonos One speakers have a Alexa built in with a microphone for two way communication through Alexa. With the Sonos One speaker you can use Alexa commands directly with the speaker, and it functions as a standalone Alexa device. This means that with the Sonos One you can use other Alexa commands like setting timers, asking it the weather, or other typical Alexa commands you would ask any Alexa device. You can even use the Sonos One to control other smart home devices like smart thermostats, and smart lights using your voice.

The Sonos Play 1 speakers will also work with Alexa but they don’t have Alexa built in. This means that you will need to pair your Sonos Play 1 with a compatible Alexa device like an Echo Show or Echo Dot device to control it with Alexa commands. Since Alexa is not built into the Sonos Play 1 Speakers, Alexa will not speak to you through the speaker like Alexa does with the Sonos One.

Sonos Play 1 vs Sonos One: Sonos Play 1 on left, Sonos One on Right.

Sonos Play 1 vs Sonos One: Features

With the exception of Alexa being built into the Sonos One these devices have pretty much all of the same smart speaker features so we’ve provided the list of features below that are applicable to both speakers and listed the difference between the two speakers. Both speakers are basically the same size and look very similar with the Sonos One having a flat capacitive touch top vs rounded edges and buttons on the Sonos Play 1.

Sonos Play 1 vs Sonos One: Differences

Sonos Play 1 has physical touch buttons on the top that you press vs the flat capacitive touch control on the top of the Sonos One.
Sonos One has Alexa built in. Sonos Play 1 does not.
Sonoe One has native integration with Airplay and HomeKit. Sonos Play 1 does not. However if you have 1 Sonos device on your network that work with Airplay it will allow all of your Sonos devices to broadcast directly with Airplay through the Sonos network.

Two Room Set with all-new Sonos One - Smart Speaker with Alexa voice control built-In. Compact size with incredible sound for any room. (White)

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Sonos Play 1 and Sonos One Similar Features

Two Class-D digital amplifiers perfectly tuned to match the speaker drivers and acoustic architecture.
One mid-woofer ensures you’ll hear the faithful playback of mid-range vocal frequencies plus deep, rich bass.
One Tweeter for high frequency response.
Adjustable bass and treble controls let you customize your sound by individual room or groups of rooms.
Wifi Connection To Home Network
Dimensions - H x W x D
6.36 x 4.69 x 4.69 in. (161.45 x 119.7 x 119.7 mm).
Works With Alexa

Sonos Play 1 vs Sonos One Summary

Both the Sonos One and Sonos Play 1 are exceptional streaming speakers that sound great and provide easy app or voice control. I have both the Sonos One and Sonos Play 1 in my house and it really comes down to if you want a device with Alexa built in or if you would rather not have a built in voice assistant. Both speakers can be paired with a Sound Bar like the Sonos Beam or Sonos Playbar to create a surround sound environment with your TV. The Sonos Beam has Alexa built in so you could use the lower cost Sonos Play 1’s as part of a surround sound system vs using more expensive Sonos One speakers with Alexa built in.