Sonos challenge

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nickd

Sonos challenge
« on: 29 Apr 2011, 03:00 pm »
I have been playing with a Sonos Zone player 90 While i'm waiting for my new USB DAC to arrive. It mey be the coolest toy ever for discovering new music :o. It's ease of use and easy multi room sound station capability make it unique and fun (you can add lots of units to the network). The down side, it sounds like a $150. sony CD player. OK but no color, pace and flow to the music.

Dave, you gotta play with one of these things and start tweeking the power suppily. Cullen is doing a "digital out" mod I think i'll try. This little thing is a look into the future of audio as we know it. and I like where it's going! Now if we can get to sound great, there will be many late nights of listening indeed.

dBe

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Re: Sonos challenge
« Reply #1 on: 29 Apr 2011, 05:39 pm »
I have been playing with a Sonos Zone player 90 While i'm waiting for my new USB DAC to arrive. It mey be the coolest toy ever for discovering new music :o. It's ease of use and easy multi room sound station capability make it unique and fun (you can add lots of units to the network). The down side, it sounds like a $150. sony CD player. OK but no color, pace and flow to the music.

Dave, you gotta play with one of these things and start tweeking the power suppily. Cullen is doing a "digital out" mod I think i'll try. This little thing is a look into the future of audio as we know it. and I like where it's going! Now if we can get to sound great, there will be many late nights of listening indeed.
Yep, you can only get so much for $350.00.  You have to remember that the SQ is good enough for 95% of the marketplace that is scarfing on MP3 like it is real music.

I have been tempted to do something with this player, but time is always my critical issue.  I am on the downside of two and a half days lost to dentists and oral surgeons.

OTOH, I love Vicodin.   :lol:

When you get your new USB DAC (which one?) and can stand top be without the Sonos for a week or so I'll be happy to take a look at yours and see what can be done.  It will cost you postage one way for me to take a peek.

Loopy Dave

nickd

Re: Sonos challenge
« Reply #2 on: 29 Apr 2011, 08:25 pm »
Hi Dave,
I might just take you up on that and send you my Sonos. I ordered a PBN Audio USB dac. I heard the PBN standard DAC and was blown away. I sold my Tranquility in a 1 day but have to wait 3-4 weeks for the new DAC with USB. So I bought a SONOS to play with. Who would thought an analog guy could have made such a rockin DAC? The PBN uses an alalog 4th order bessel filter and analog current to voltage conversion, a monster all F.E.T balanced output stage and a power suppily that would run an arc welder. I  just had to have one for my Mach 2 mini.

I hope to finish my Super V's before it's ready. I'm busy like you but with a lower dentist bill :lol: 

dBe

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Re: Sonos challenge
« Reply #3 on: 29 Apr 2011, 08:53 pm »
Hi Dave,
I might just take you up on that and send you my Sonos. I ordered a PBN Audio USB dac. I heard the PBN standard DAC and was blown away. I sold my Tranquility in a 1 day but have to wait 3-4 weeks for the new DAC with USB. So I bought a SONOS to play with. Who would thought an analog guy could have made such a rockin DAC? The PBN uses an alalog 4th order bessel filter and analog current to voltage conversion, a monster all F.E.T balanced output stage and a power suppily that would run an arc welder. I  just had to have one for my Mach 2 mini.

I hope to finish my Super V's before it's ready. I'm busy like you but with a lower dentist bill :lol:
:rotflmao:

Just let me know when you are ready and I'll do the looksee.  If I bought everypiece of gear that intrigued me, well... I couldn't!  Besides, mutual exploration is half the fun in this wacky obsession!

Dave

Audioclyde

Re: Sonos challenge
« Reply #4 on: 29 Apr 2011, 09:18 pm »
Nickd,

Tell us more about the PBN Audio DAC please, a quick look at Peter's website doesn't turn it up.

Thanks!

nickd

Re: Sonos challenge
« Reply #5 on: 29 Apr 2011, 10:39 pm »
Clyde,
Pete showed the Standard DAC at CES last year but I think it went un-noticed because everyone is going the server / USB route. He went back to the drawing board on the digital side with a 24/192 Burr brown DAC chipset after a sweet asynchronus USB reciever chip with some custom software and then its an all analog dream after that. No digital filter to mess things up. I think it has 3 other inputs so you can plug in a transport and a Sonos and get the full use from the digital toys. Retail in the first run is $7500.00. yes thats cost no object territory but it is a step up from a DCS or Esoterec IMHO, Just not as pretty. Parts quality, quanity and build are "off the chart" as they should be at this price. I will have to bug him to get a picture on his site.

jimdgoulding

Re: Sonos challenge
« Reply #6 on: 29 Apr 2011, 10:45 pm »
OTOH, I love Vicodin.   :lol:

Loppy Dave
[/quote]
Heard that.  Bout 10mg of that stuff and a few glasses of wine and my system sounds like a million bucks!

dBe

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Re: Sonos challenge
« Reply #7 on: 30 Apr 2011, 01:14 am »
OTOH, I love Vicodin.   :lol:

Loppy Dave

Heard that.  Bout 10mg of that stuff and a few glasses of wine and my system sounds like a million bucks!
Jim, see what I mean!  That was supposed to be: Loopy Dave, not Loppy Dave.  What is Loppy anyway?   :scratch:

Have a great weekend, my friend.

Braindead Dave

jimdgoulding

Re: Sonos challenge
« Reply #8 on: 30 Apr 2011, 01:16 am »
Jim, see what I mean!  That was supposed to be: Loopy Dave, not Loppy Dave.  What is Loppy anyway?   :scratch:

Have a great weekend, my friend.

Braindead Dave
A wee type-o it was.  You have a good one, too, my friend.