Anyone use a Sonos System?

WC · « **on:** 4 Nov 2011, 07:50 pm »

I keep on debating how to stream to my system. I am looking more and more at the Sonos system, Zoneplayer 90. That should be all I need to connect it. I don't have any hires files currently and I am unsure if I am willing to pay the premium for them since it may not be very noticeable on my current system. Two features that I like are that I can pull all the music off a NAS which is where I currently am storing all the information and that it can stream MOG which I subscribe to. How do people like it?

Steven Stone · « **Reply #1 on:** 4 Nov 2011, 08:39 pm »

Sonos works with NAS drives quite well - that's how I use mine.

You may need a bridge for Internet - the $100 box.

I use streaming sources with no issues.

WC · « **Reply #2 on:** 4 Nov 2011, 08:54 pm »

Quote from: Steven Stone on 4 Nov 2011, 08:39 pm

Sonos works with NAS drives quite well - that's how I use mine.

You may need a bridge for Internet - the $100 box.

I use streaming sources with no issues.

My HT/Music Room is hard wired, so it shouldn't be necessary. They also reduced the Bridge price to $50.

Spirit · « **Reply #3 on:** 4 Nov 2011, 09:00 pm »

The SONOS system is brilliant.
I have owned it for several years and I adore it.
I have 3 ZP-90s and also a bridge.
I use the 90's in our Master bedroom, the Family room and in my Home office.
The Sonos Client support is also first rate.
I use it every single day.

bzr · « **Reply #4 on:** 6 Nov 2011, 10:22 pm »

Quote from: WC on 4 Nov 2011, 08:54 pm

My HT/Music Room is hard wired, so it shouldn't be necessary. They also reduced the Bridge price to $50.

If you have a dedicated ht/music room then you appreciate good sound, get it modified by url] Go to the modified link under products

pearsall001 · « **Reply #5 on:** 6 Nov 2011, 11:41 pm »

Absolutely fantastic!!! I have the ZP90, ZP120, S5 speaker & two controllers. The ZP90 is in my combo HT/2 channel system. The ZP120 runs my deck speakers & the S5 gets moved around alot. I also have the CA DacMagic w/ the Black Cat Veloce digital cable connecting to the ZP90...gorgeous sound & talk about flexibility, nothing else comes close. All my CD's are ripped to FLAC using dBpoweramp & J. River Media & stored on a NAS. Highly recommended!!!

totoro · « **Reply #6 on:** 7 Nov 2011, 01:04 am »

I think that the sonos is probably better than the squeezebox touch in terms of ease of integration. But if you want to be able to use multiple tag values (eg, multiple artists, where both the conductor and soloist will show up, or multiple genres, like perhaps "baroque" and "concerto"), you will find that sonos does not handle this well. It will simply use the first tag value it sees.

When I recently switched from the squeezebox to the squeezebox touch, I considered the sonos, and this was a game-ender for me. YMMV, of course.

Pez · « **Reply #7 on:** 7 Nov 2011, 01:29 am »

I cannot reccomend a bolder modded SB enough. It is better than pretty much anything I have heard. In my experience all sonos stuff is very take it or leave it, great convenience good usability, but so so on sound quality. So I guess it's more a question of what your end goals are.

Bob in St. Louis · « **Reply #8 on:** 8 Nov 2011, 01:48 am »

Quote from: Pez on 7 Nov 2011, 01:29 am

I cannot reccomend a bolder modded SB enough. It is better than pretty much anything I have heard.

I'll second that, although I've never heard Sonos.
My BOLDER modded SB3 sounds beautiful. I get a lot of complements on the sound quality of my tunes.

Bob

choffman · « **Reply #9 on:** 11 Nov 2011, 11:25 pm »

I have an unmodified Sonos system for our living room and bedroom. We really like it and my wife can operate it. Lots of options, cool interface, solid operation. That said, it is not something I've ever seriously considered incorporating into my listening room. The sound is just fine for casual listening but in a revealing system I think it wouldn't be good enough.

Bob in St. Louis · « **Reply #10 on:** 11 Nov 2011, 11:59 pm »

Choffman, have you tried it? Just curious.

KKM · « **Reply #11 on:** 15 Nov 2011, 04:18 pm »

A co-worker asked me about the Sonos but I am 2 channel guy and don't know much about the system. But he wanted to know if there was a cheaper alternative brand that does the same thing?

WC · « **Reply #12 on:** 15 Nov 2011, 08:51 pm »

Quote from: KKM on 15 Nov 2011, 04:18 pm

A co-worker asked me about the Sonos but I am 2 channel guy and don't know much about the system. But he wanted to know if there was a cheaper alternative brand that does the same thing?

Kind of depends on what sort of functionality he would like. You could also use Squeezeboxes or Apple airport Expresses for whole house music distribution.

pearsall001 · « **Reply #13 on:** 15 Nov 2011, 10:15 pm »

Quote from: KKM on 15 Nov 2011, 04:18 pm

A co-worker asked me about the Sonos but I am 2 channel guy and don't know much about the system. But he wanted to know if there was a cheaper alternative brand that does the same thing?

The cheaper alternative is the Squeezebox...you get what you pay for. Tell your co-worker to do it right the first time with the Sonos. He won't regret it.

Pez · « **Reply #14 on:** 15 Nov 2011, 11:12 pm »

Or get a Bolder modded SB that destroys all others.

freerider · « **Reply #15 on:** 16 Nov 2011, 12:48 am »

I love mine. I use it for casual listening. The controller apps on the iPad and iPhone are awesome. Makes accessing even huge music collections a simple task.

Bob in St. Louis · « **Reply #16 on:** 16 Nov 2011, 02:59 am »

Quote from: Pez on 15 Nov 2011, 11:12 pm

Or get a Bolder modded SB that destroys all others.

In sound quality, yes.

pearsall001 · « **Reply #17 on:** 16 Nov 2011, 03:30 am »

How come these squeezebox gizmos all have to be modded by that fellow from Bolder to get them to sound half way decent??? Is it really that bad to begin with???

Sonos baby!!!!

totoro · « **Reply #18 on:** 16 Nov 2011, 04:20 am »

I have one, it sounds fine to me (and my system is at least somewhat ok: sb touch -> mccormack dna.5 -> audio physic tempo 4). A lot of other people think so as well.

With Sonos, the client needs to keep track of the songs in order to browse: this means that there is a limit on how much music the system will deal with imposed by the hardware/firmware. You can't just add RAM to a sonos box. Sonos also keeps much of their API private, AFAIK. Logitech does not do this with their software: the result is software like iPeng, which is brilliant.

The idea that the squeezebox is worse because it is cheaper is just wrong-headed. It addresses a different market, ie, people who are willing to tinker a little. The good side of that is that the squeezebox ecosystem is actually much richer (there isn't any sonos equivalent of inguz, for instance).

Sonos is almost certainly easier to integrate. I've never heard one, so can't comment on the sound, but claims that the squeezebox touch sounds terrible without modification should definitely be taken with at least a pinch of salt.

Pez · « **Reply #19 on:** 16 Nov 2011, 04:25 am »

Quote from: pearsall001 on 16 Nov 2011, 03:30 am

How come these squeezebox gizmos all have to be modded by that fellow from Bolder to get them to sound half way decent??? Is it really that bad to begin with??? Sonos baby!!!!

His mods don't make it 'halfway decent' as you put it. It makes it incredibly great. I have heard it beat cd players in the 5 figure category. The only thing the Sonos beats sonically. Is your iPod.