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Sonos music system

2K views 6 replies 3 participants last post by  Stuliet 
#1 ·
Thinking about getting a Sonos passive player, the ZP90 together with the Sonos remote CR200. I store music on a Linux server that is always online, both flac and mp3 music. The audio equipment is an Onkyo 875 with a pair of Dali Ikon 6 speakers. Very nice sound btw. :hail

Currently I'm just using the analogue out on the computer's sound card, but that impairs the audio quality and it's also a bit tedious to have to ssh login and use a console player (xmms2).

What I want is the ability to go digital as far as possible to and through the Onkyo and that could be resolved by getting the soundcard's digital out to work, but that still leaves me with that sucky console player...

Anyone with some experience with the Sonos? Is it simple to browse music files accessed by Samba? Can you create playlists and store in the Sonos?
Any other brands or models that work for this? I'm not that interested yet in playing video.

The Sonos ZP90 is around €350 ($470) and the CR200 controller is also €350 ($470). What does it cost where you are at? Could be worth the shipping cost... :devious
 
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#2 ·
I don't know much about any of that, but in the US www.crutchfield.com is a major supplier of quality AV gear. www.tigerdirect.com and www.newegg.com also sell some gear and often have better discounts.

I'm a noob for AV stuff. For Christmas got pilette (and sort of for myself too I suppose) a yamaha rrx-v567 eciver and a flat screen TV so will at least have to figure out how to connect all that up :laugh
 
#3 ·
No idea about the Sonos, but have you considered the Logitech devices?

http://www.logitech.com/en-us/speakers-audio/wireless-music-systems

As you already have a permanently available Linux server it could meet your needs. One of the best parts of the Logitech devices is that the server is open source (bar the device firmware) so there are dozens of community plugins. Can be controlled via a remote, web browser, iPhone app, etc.

I have had these devices in various forms since the pre-Logitech acquisition of SlimDevices. Digital out is available on some (all?) of the devices and there is no need to have the player near a PC (wired/wireless network is all that is needed).

Oh, btw, you can download the server now and try it for free before you buy with a Java client on your PC :devious

Even my wife loves it! What higher recommendation could there be :laugh
 
#4 ·
Yes, I've thought about the Squeezebox Duet. It's nice with a good remote control as the only necessary piece of equipment to actually use for playing music. The actual player is hidden away somewhere and you don't have to care.

Another feature with the Sonos that I'd like to use in the future is it's feature of streaming music over it's own WiFi protocol to play whatever you like in any room where you have a Sonos player. All using the same remote if you like.

And seriously. If the Squeezebox Duet is $400, I'd rather spend another $150 and get the Sonos, but I presume you can get the Squeezebox cheaper elsewhere.
 
#5 ·
Another feature with the Sonos that I'd like to use in the future is it's feature of streaming music over it's own WiFi protocol to play whatever you like in any room where you have a Sonos player. All using the same remote if you like.
The Squeezebox does this too - you can have multiple players in different rooms each paying their own tracks or sync'd to play the same tracks; all controlled with either one Duet remote/Browsers/iPod touch/etc

I originally looked into the prices and for me the Sonos was too limited and too costly in comparison, but as always YMMV. Whatever you choose, I have found a networked music player to be great and really opens up my music collection or introduces new music via Spotify/LatFM/Live Music Archive/Radio/etc
 
#6 ·
Ahh, I've never gotten a clear answer on that. Does the Squeezebox have Spotify support? I know the Sonos have.
 
#7 ·
Yep, Spotify support is provided via a plugin; full details are here http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=79706 The author of the Spotify plugin has a also written a couple of other plugins inclusing a superb BBC iPlayer Radio plugin. He is also very responsive on the forum in helping with problems/feature requests and the like.

This is a 3rd party plugin which for me is a great facility. If a new audio source crops up, then someone will write a plugin to provide access. For example, there was a 3rd party LastFM plugin that worked well a long time before official LastFM support.
 
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