Sonos trials Flex speaker subscription service

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by Andy Bassett
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Sonos trials Flex speaker subscription service

First Disney with their upcoming video streaming service and now Sonos, it seems the Netherlands is the current go-to European country for AV or media companies to first launch their latest tech or services.

Sonos has just announced their Flex subscription service which is an opportunity for audio fans to get hold of some of the company’s speakers in affordable packages for a monthly fee.

The service is currently only available in 500 homes in the Netherlands but will be rolled out globally if it proves successful and features three tiers starting at €15 per month for a pair of Sonos One smart speakers. These can be used as a stereo pair or split between separate rooms. The next tier adds a Sonos Beam to the Ones for €25 per month with the aim of enhancing TV audio and the top tier at €50 adds a Sub and swaps the Beam for a Playbar allowing a full 5.1 surround sound system to be implemented and taking advantage of the Playbar’s nine drivers over the Beam’s five.

The full cost of equivalent outright purchase runs at roughly €446, €794 and €2,229 respectively, so the initial outlay is massively reduced. However, the full amounts would be paid off after 30-45 months (2.5 - 3.7 years) and the important distinction here is that since this is a subscription service, at no point has the customer actually purchased the products like they would have done if the monthly payments were part of a finance deal.

Sonos trials Flex speaker subscription service
So what are the advantages of ‘renting’ your Sonos system? Well, Sonos’s website states that the speakers will always be the latest versions - for example, the Sonos Ones are now Generation 2. Also, delivery is free and for the less technically minded consumers, Sonos is offering a free installation service within the Amsterdam area.

One thing’s for sure, some lucky residents of the Netherlands are going to be enjoying The Mandalorian in Sonos 5.1 surround sound ahead of the rest of us pretty soon.

Sonos’s speakers are not exactly cheap, so is this a good idea to make them available to consumers who wouldn’t otherwise be able to get hold of them? Let us know what you think.

Source: www.the-ambient.com, www.pcmag.com. www.flex.sonos.com
Image Source: Sonos.
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