Whats the appeal of sonos vs other bluetooth speakers.
Sonos is not a bluetooth speaker.
It is a multi-room solution that uses it’s own wireless protocol.
Three options for speakers:
- use your own receiver and speakers. You need a Sonos Connect
- use your own speakers. You need a Sonos Connect:Amp
- use Sonos speakers. There are several options.
You need at least at least one Connect to be hard-wired to your router.
Sonos will play your mp3 or itunes library from your computer. It also supports many internet services like Spotify, Google Play, Sirius, TuneIn Internet radio.
The multi rooms can play the same source together, or be independent.
You can say that again! I’ve got my dad’s Sansui QRX-6500 and JBL studio monitors as one system. Fantastic stuff to this day.
ADCOM GTP-500 II preamp/tuner
ADCOM GFA-545 II power amplifier
Ohm Walsh 2 speakers
Inputs are a Sony CDP-C705 5 disc changer (which may or may not play an entire CD, depending on how lucky you are), a Google Chromecast Audio streamer. and audio from my computer via an optical output through a FiiO D03K DAC. The computer usually is used for playing Tidal lossless streams or CDs that have been ripped to FLAC files (since the CD player is a bit touchy these days). Oh yeah, and also the tuner.
My wife often yells at me to turn the subwoofer down. Honey, there ain’t no subwoofer, these speakers just get down there and play. As popular as small streaming speakers like Sonos are, they just don’t do what a set of nice speakers driven by a big amp can do. And the $35 Chromecast Audio adds all the functionality something like the Sonos to older systems. I highly recommend this little puck if you have an older system.
“Alexa…play something”
Receiver: Harmon/Kardon AVR247
Amps: Carver M-1.5t (left & right), Carver TFM-15 (center)
Speakers: Polk S20 (L&R), S30 (center), S15 (surrounds)
Powered Sub: Infinity BU-2
Headphones: Grado SR325e
Headphone amp: Little Dot 1+, currently running Voshkod 6ZH1P-EV tubes & a Burson V5i opamp
Fed by:
Panasonic 3-D bluray player
Pioneer SACD/DVD-A player
Pioneer Laserdisc player
Sony turntable w/a Grado Red1 cartridge
TV: Panasonic Viera ST30 42" 3-D plasma
I’ve spent quite a few years (and dollars) building up my system. Almost 1,200 watts isn’t too much for a >600 square foot apartment, is it? 
I’m pretty happy with it so far, though I’d like to get outboard amps for the surround channels. Maybe a couple more TFM-15s. Got other things to spend money on first, though.
- Desktop Computer (gift) + earphones($5)
- Tablet for $40 +earphones($5)
- Several ipods ($10-$40) +earphones($5)
Just WOW. I guess good things are expensive. My main concern is low price.
drools
Nice stuff.
You must have understanding neighbors. For so many of us if we lived in an apartment and had 1200 watts blasting away, our neighbors would complain.
Back in the day I had a pretty good turntable, amplifier, cassette tape deck and speaker setup.
Now virtually all my music listening is at work, using an iPod and inexpensive Klipsch dock/speakers (for rockin’ out in the yard while gardening, there’s a portable Sony CD player/radio combo).
I am another Sonos lover. They are a local company and I know a couple of people who work there so I can get 20% off of their stuff.
I have a stereo pair of gen2 Play:5s and a SUB.
For outside in the hot tub I have a JBL Boom that uses bluetooth.
If I pushed it that far, I’d deserve to have the cops called on me. Back when I lived in a house, it tended to get a little loud sometimes on the weekends, but not so loud anyone else was affected. For here, I have the headphones for that. Besides, they sound better.
My music is currently playing with a 2.1 speaker system I was given, connected to my tiny, second laptop which is streaming BBC Radio 6. If I have company I stream Jazz FM. I’ve got a ‘Premium’ Anker bluetooth speaker if I want tunes on the move, usually used in hotel rooms. Several sets of AKG in-ear headphones if I want the music to myself. TV is a huge 60" smart set by Samsung.
A few years ago I built a HT room in the basement. Major components include the following:
- Onkyo PR-SC886 7.1 channel preamp/processor
- Emotiva XPA-3 three-channel power amp
- Emotiva UPA-7 seven-channel power amp
- Hsu VTF 2 - MK3 subwoofer
- Seven RBH speakers. The center channel is behind the screen.
- JVC HD-250 high-definition projector
- 103 inch Seymour Center Stage acoustically transparent projection screen