SONOS Music System...

[frogger]

Singing, whistling, humming is a lot cheaper, and it works in every room of the house.

[ErVikingo]

I've heard it works fine as long as you don't currently have wifi problems (interference or lack of range).

Cheers, Juan

[krichard]

subscribed. My wife has been hounding me to get a whole house solution and I've been looking at this one. If anyone has experience with one I'd like to hear about it also.

[Vipergrün]

The owners/founders of the company are solid. I use to work for their other startup. I can assure they have some very bright minds working on their products. I would not let the "startup" part bother you.

[porsche356a]

Wayne -

I've had a Sonos in the house for years. Rock solid device. No Wifi or interference problems. Great support and it hooked into my NAS with no problem.

I even have the NAS hooked to my WiFi network to control the system and do direct CD burns from my laptop. The WiFi network also provides the streaming Internet radio.

Additionally, I have a Sonos repeater connected to my home entertainment system (via optical cable). This allows DVD and radio inputs to stream around the house.

Great stuff.

[porsche356a]

Oh, and you can just plug the NAS in directly to the port on the back. You don't have to have the system connected to any computer. No file sharing or network wrangling needed. Once the MP3 are on the NAS the Sonos scans the device and auto uploads the content directory (tracks, art, etc) to the remote.

[stealthn]

Cool idea, I would think it would be better if the boxes (amps) had speakers build in. As for NAS, Linksys has some nice business/consumer (inexpensive) based NAS devices. What no iTunes?

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Interesting system although I should point out that Bose has done something similar for years, using RF controllers (not line-of-sight) in order to allow you to control multiple rooms. It seems like the biggest selling point of the SONOS system is the ability to instantaneously download music (spend money) or listen to a subscribed music service (for which you spend money). I didn't see anywhere in their promotion that the system even had the ability to listen to conventional (or H.D., if that even means anything) radio or play conventional media like CD-ROMs. Just something to consider if you don't feel like sitting at your PC ripping CDs for hours.

I'd be interesting to know if the individual room speaker elements have a "standby" mode if they're not immediately in use or what their continuous current draw is. Something to consider in an age of increasing energy costs and conservation efforts. . .

It does look pretty cool though, but aside from the WiFi-like controller that links to subscription services, it's not necessarily a new idea either.

I guess I'd also be concerned about losing that controller or having someone sit on it or something too. I guess my biggest reservation is that although the system does look nice at first glance, it seems sort of "951-ish" in the sense that it's not ridiculously expensive at the outset (it's not cheap, but not outrageous depending on your # of rooms) but it has the potential/likelihood to nickel-dime you to death after you buy it.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Pretty cool - how many of the room units did you end up getting for starters?

[89911]

This is pretty cool. I am a bit confused about the total cost. We just built an addition that I have pre wired and am purchasing speakers for. I have one pair of bookshelf speakers in a master bathroom that will gain their audio source there. I have one pair in the master bedroom that will also have a separate source. On the 1st floor, I have 4 pairs of speakers, (2 pairs indoor wall mounted, 2 pairs outdoor going to a deck). These 4 pair all terminate to a common source. I then have 2 pairs of speakers in my garage that will need a source in the garage. I have been researching ways to make everything incorporate, but frankly the amount of money it would take (on top of a new 2 story addition) just hasn't been worth it. The Sonos system seems like it would be the answer, just wondering for how much.

[89911]

Also, what about picking up non digital signals from other sources? For instance, my Cable box has digital channels and I would like to access those from a source that isn't connected to a computer, or accessing XM radio?

[Hetmann]

I looked at this a while back and the bose version as well.

I just put a speaker selector switch on my existing stereo. Switch made by niles. I can control what rooms are on or off and the volume for each. Cost less than $300, plays any source, did not have to rip anything over again. What cool feature am I missing?

[89911]

Originally Posted by Hetmann

What cool feature am I missing?

Just about all of it. Check out the review or go to the website. Comparing it to a speaker selector is pretty funny.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

May have to give this one another look. Actually your accounts are more interesting than the stuff on the web site.

Do you know if Frys or anyplace like that has a demo set up that I could check out? Might be interesting. . .

[Hetmann]

Originally Posted by Wayne at Pelican Parts

I agree. It's like comparing a bicycle to a Porsche 911.

-Wayne

Or maybe an SC to a 959. I beg to differ boys. My ipod shuffles my digital library that I have been accumulating and pruning for years. My preamp hooks right up to my cable converter for digital radio and I have a PC in my rack so I can catch whatever is on the www. I have four areas in my home discretely controlled. You don't always need the high priced ride.

[nostatic]

what audio format and bit rates are you ripping and listening at? Funny because I'm now going the other way. I've upgraded my tv and audio setup, and am breaking out my old CDs. I don't know that I have any use for sending music to multiple rooms though...I'm certainly not going to plunk down 4 figures in speakers for each room.

My solution has been to stream itunes over airport express to the stereo (which sounds like crap) or pop my ipod into a bose base unit (which sounds decent). If I really want to listen to music, I get out a CD, put it in my Oppo player and sit and listen. Just depends on the desired effect.

[89911]

I'm actually on the fence about this (but I'm sure my wife wouldn't even consider it). I'm all for saving money, but what I was considering was 4 separate amplifiers to provide sound to all the area's I need and no means to provide a signal source to these other then broadcast FM, CD player, and an Ipod. Every time I hear a new song, I would then have to burn it to Itunes, transfer it to my Ipod, and then carry my Ipod to whatever room I'm in and sit at the controls to turn what I want to listen. Hardly convenient and I'm sure my wife won't even try. My only concerns are that technology is going to make the system outdated and cheaper in a year or two. True, with this mindset, you'll never purchase any new piece of equipment, so you have to commit at some time. As far as the quality and CD versus MP3's, I've got 4 kids and noise from every corner of my house. My days of quietly listening to audio as it "should" be are long gone.

[Hetmann]

Well I do have to admit you do have much more control over your audio. In fact, I don't even have a remote. For me its generally background music as I'm working on a project, cleaning the house or entertaining. I'm usually happy to hear anything that comes along on my music library. Suffice it to say I haven't lusted for the ability to surgically control this. If I want to hear something specific I walk over to the rack and punch it up on the ipod. I put my dollars into good speakers and the best 2 channel equipment I could get. I ripped my library into unprotected mp3s at 256kb and it sounds good to me.

[K. Roman]

I just use airtunes, which is hooked up to a set of powered M-Audio moniters and a powered subwoofer. I'm usually on my laptop, so I just use that as my controller with iTunes. It ain't the best sound, but it works. Only problem is that occasionally it loses it's connection, which is really annoying.

[MAS956]

I've had one of these for a couple of years now:

http://www.rokulabs.com/products_soundbridge.php

Works with all the streaming media players, internet radio and was all of $130.