Are Sonos noticeably better sounding?

IamtheWalrus

I have a cheap pair of Logitech wired PC speakers in my living room. I'm considering buying a Sonos Play 1 speaker. They're pricey enough.

In term of sound, do you have to be an audiophile to hear the difference?

Also, if I go down the Sonos route, wouldn't a single Play 1 be no good on it's own? Wouldn't I need 2 for stereo?

wexfordman2

IamtheWalrus wrote: »

I have a cheap pair of Logitech wired PC speakers in my living room. I'm considering buying a Sonos Play 1 speaker. They're pricey enough.

In term of sound, do you have to be an audiophile to hear the difference?

Also, if I go down the Sonos route, wouldn't a single Play 1 be no good on it's own? Wouldn't I need 2 for stereo?

I think you need two for stereo, I find that odd about the play 1, who listens to mono these days.

Saying that, I've had Sonos in my house pretty much 7 years or more now, without a hitch. Six zones, all the original zone player models, and it only have I had no faults with any of them, but the most amazing thing is that even with the oldest hardware, I can still do everything with them that the newest models can. They maintain software upgrades and features right across all the models.
If they were iPhone, they would no longer be supported, and wouldn't work with half of the features they do now.

IamtheWalrus

wexfordman2 wrote: »

I think you need two for stereo, I find that odd about the play 1, who listens to mono these days.

Saying that, I've had Sonos in my house pretty much 7 years or more now, without a hitch. Six zones, all the original zone player models, and it only have I had no faults with any of them, but the most amazing thing is that even with the oldest hardware, I can still do everything with them that the newest models can. They maintain software upgrades and features right across all the models.
If they were iPhone, they would no longer be supported, and wouldn't work with half of the features they do now.

So I'd notice the difference in sound if I didn't know the source? 200 quid's worth of notice?

wexfordman2

IamtheWalrus wrote: »

So I'd notice the difference in sound if I didn't know the source? 200 quid's worth of notice?

I haven't listened to your setup, so unfairness I couldn't comment. The sound quality from Sonos is excellent, but I am using external speakers. I would be willing to bet that the sound quality would be far superior to your current setup.

Again, real audiophiles may turn up their nose at any audio streaming device, never mind your current set up :-)

For your 200 euro though, your not just getting better sound, your not buying speakers, your getting a superior device with better features etc, but perhaps if your not into the multiroom aspect etc, it might it be what you are looking for.

For me, Sonos is about multiroom as much as anything else. Start with one room, add on over time.

IamtheWalrus

I have my music saved on my Mac. I have it synced to my iPhone. Can I play my music from my iPhone on my Sonos even if my Mac is turned off?

wexfordman2

IamtheWalrus wrote: »

I have my music saved on my Mac. I have it synced to my iPhone. Can I play my music from my iPhone on my Sonos even if my Mac is turned off?

Yep, using the sonos app, you can select to play music from various s sources, including a hard disk,pc,internet radio,loads of music streaming services and you can also select to play music stored on your smart phone.

IamtheWalrus

wexfordman2 wrote: »

Yep, using the sonos app, you can select to play music from various s sources, including a hard disk,pc,internet radio,loads of music streaming services and you can also select to play music stored on your smart phone.

Dude in John Lewis said I need to have my Mac started to play music from my phone. He said a lot of people don't realise that.

wexfordman2

IamtheWalrus wrote: »

Dude in John Lewis said I need to have my Mac started to play music from my phone. He said a lot of people don't realise that.

New (good while ago actually) release of Sonos control app for android lets you stream music from your device directly to Sonos.100 percent sure on that, I've done it.

I don't have an iPhone but my daughter does so I will double check later when she gets back that same applies to iPhone.we dont have any Macs, so if I can do it, then you might want to Pont out to the guy in John Lewis he is incorrect.

Will get back later

munchkin_utd

IamtheWalrus wrote: »

Dude in John Lewis said I need to have my Mac started to play music from my phone. He said a lot of people don't realise that.

grrrrr
he is right, but also wrong and missing the point.

The POINT of sonos is to elliminate the need for a computer.
You can put the music on a network hard disc (NAS) and then you'll never have to worry about turning on the computer again.

That said, once you have a spotify account or the likes then this does become a great way of listening to music. But again, no need for a computer.

IamtheWalrus

I just bought 2 Play 1's and a bridge. I'm experiencing serious buyers high right now.

wexfordman2

wexfordman2 wrote: »

Yep, using the sonos app, you can select to play music from various s sources, including a hard disk,pc,internet radio,loads of music streaming services and you can also select to play music stored on your smart phone.

Well blow me.just tried the daughters iPhone using the Sonos app,and it won't let you stream from the phone to Sonos!!

The android app is way better, I wonder was this a restriction placed by Apple ?

Anyway, I wouldn't let this deter you from Sonos, just get an android, or even keep the iPhone and use the lots of other methods of streaming to your sonos as outlined earlier

wexfordman2

IamtheWalrus wrote: »

I just bought 2 Play 1's and a bridge. I'm experiencing serious buyers high right now.

You will not regret it.

IamtheWalrus

wexfordman2 wrote: »

Well blow me.just tried the daughters iPhone using the Sonos app,and it won't let you stream from the phone to Sonos!!

The android app is way better, I wonder was this a restriction placed by Apple ?

Anyway, I wouldn't let this deter you from Sonos, just get an android, or even keep the iPhone and use the lots of other methods of streaming to your sonos as outlined earlier

Doesn't this suggest otherwise?

http://blog.sonos.com/cool-music-news/sonos-now-plays-itunes-music-and-podcasts-directly-from-iphone/

wexfordman2

IamtheWalrus wrote: »

Doesn't this suggest otherwise?

http://blog.sonos.com/cool-music-news/sonos-now-plays-itunes-music-and-podcasts-directly-from-iphone/

It would seem so. Just looked again and she has a different view on her phone even after I updated the Sonos app.

She is not on latest ios so perhaps that's it, and can't upgrade cos she's not got enough free memory.

superleedsdub

I recently bought a play:1 as a house warming present for a friend as he was looking for a wireless speaker and I knew that SONOS would suit him. I was blown away by the quality of the sound from it! Didn`t expect that clarity from music stored on his iphone 5s, I was so impressed I went out and bought a Play:1 and a connect that day!
The music quality from the play:1 would not be up to audiophile standards, but it`s probably impressive for 99% of the consumer market and great for a kitchen or Bedroom (I have my connect hooked up to a stereo amp and Speakers in my dining room). My wife listens to the radio/spotify/music stored on my NAS everyday and the ease of use is big plus point. I`ll be adding further SONOS components later this year.

IamtheWalrus

I am wondering if I really need the bridge... My speakers will me sitting beside my router (all on a TV stand). Do both Play:1 devices need to be connected to my router or just one?

wexfordman2

IamtheWalrus wrote: »

I am wondering if I really need the bridge... My speakers will me sitting beside my router (all on a TV stand). Do both Play:1 devices need to be connected to my router or just one?

Just one device needs to be wired to your router, other devices wikknthen create a mesh and connect via each other back to the one that connects to your router.

The caveat is that they abbr to be within wireless range of each other, but that's generally not a problem in most houses.

munchkin_utd

wexfordman2 wrote: »

It would seem so. Just looked again and she has a different view on her phone even after I updated the Sonos app.

She is not on latest ios so perhaps that's it, and can't upgrade cos she's not got enough free memory.

Tangent, if you want to upgrade the phone you can get around the memory problem by connecting it by cable to a computer with iTunes installed and then upgrading the old fashioned way

wexfordman2

munchkin_utd wrote: »

Tangent, if you want to upgrade the phone you can get around the memory problem by connecting it by cable to a computer with iTunes installed and then upgrading the old fashioned way

I'm forever fixing peoples phones she can do it herself she's well able and tends to get annoyed if I go near her phone.

She doesn't use the sonos either, I even put one in her room but she prefers to use her iPhone in
a dock as she uses some sort of streaming app for her music .

I'll leaver her to it :-)

superleedsdub

IamtheWalrus wrote: »

I am wondering if I really need the bridge... My speakers will me sitting beside my router (all on a TV stand). Do both Play:1 devices need to be connected to my router or just one?

Sonos are releasing a firmware update soon that will remove the need to use a bridge

http://www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/sonos-soon-nix-need-bridge-box-for-wireless-sonosnet/#!LHZcO

IamtheWalrus

I have set up my speakers, minus bridge. I am able to play music from my laptop but my iPhone cannot detect either speaker. Can anyone tell me why?

wexfordman2

IamtheWalrus wrote: »

I have set up my speakers, minus bridge. I am able to play music from my laptop but my iPhone cannot detect either speaker. Can anyone tell me why?

Make sure your iPhone is on the same WiFi network as the sonos

IamtheWalrus

wexfordman2 wrote: »

Make sure your iPhone is on the same WiFi network as the sonos

Both on my home wireless. I 'forgot' the network from my iPhone and reconnected but no joy.

IamtheWalrus

I am still having this issue. Anyone got any ideas? Should I ring Sonos?

IamtheWalrus

When registering the speaker, I was only holding down the play button and not volume up at the same time. Doh. Don't know how it worked for my Mac mind.

jones

Looking at getting two sonos play 1's to use for spotify around the house. According to the link there was a firmware upgrade that meant I wouldn't need a bridge anymore? is this correct? I am going to buy one first then the other so just wondering do I need to factor in the cost of the bridge aswell?

Cheers

IamtheWalrus

jones wrote: »

Looking at getting two sonos play 1's to use for spotify around the house. According to the link there was a firmware upgrade that meant I wouldn't need a bridge anymore? is this correct? I am going to buy one first then the other so just wondering do I need to factor in the cost of the bridge aswell?

Cheers

Note: You need spotify premium.

I haven't heard of the upgrade. I bought 2 Play 1s but didn't need a bridge because one speaker is beside my router.

jones

IamtheWalrus wrote:

Note: You need spotify premium.

Cheers mate. And yeah I know I need to have premium have it on my amp TV ipad and phone... I definitely get good use out of it ☺

akaSol

jones wrote: »

Looking at getting two sonos play 1's to use for spotify around the house. According to the link there was a firmware upgrade that meant I wouldn't need a bridge anymore? is this correct? I am going to buy one first then the other so just wondering do I need to factor in the cost of the bridge aswell?

Cheers

The Bridge is discontinued , and was replaced with a "Boost" (€100). When you set the Sonos up for the first time the app asks which method ( with/without bridge/boost) without leads you to a select wifi + enter password option.
Once done it asks to add another device, after that its a firmware upgrade and your done.

The Boost is only required if you add more speakers ( three and up / if you buy a PlayBar ) as they would be a constant draw on your wifi . The Boost creates a 2nd network that only the Sonos access relieving that burden.

>Sol

corcadorcha

akaSol wrote: »

The Bridge is discontinued , and was replaced with a "Boost" (€100). When you set the Sonos up for the first time the app asks which method ( with/without bridge/boost) without leads you to a select wifi + enter password option.
Once done it asks to add another device, after that its a firmware upgrade and your done.

The Boost is only required if you add more speakers ( three and up / if you buy a PlayBar ) as they would be a constant draw on your wifi . The Boost creates a 2nd network that only the Sonos access relieving that burden.

>Sol

Can you use Bridge instead of the boost?
Thanks.

akaSol

corcadorcha wrote: »

Can you use Bridge instead of the boost?
Thanks.

Of course - however Sonos don't ship the bridge anymore. If someone has back stock or a 2nd hand one its the only way your going to find it.

>Sol