Multi room audio system

[WilSurf]

My understanding is that the Connect needs to plugged in to the receiver for FM or CD player which linkes up to the other Sonos items.

I went to JB today and it sounds good.
But the sales person told me that he recommended a Bridge connection to the router and then a Play.
"For future proof" he said. Not sure if you really need a bridge.

[koshari]

i suspect your correct will.

it would seem to me that the ethernet connection should suffice via the home network to allow the controller to access the "connect" box.

What if I already have a wireless Router?

SonosNet does not replace your existing home network but rather works along side of it. As per the Internet connection requirements, one Sonos component or BRIDGE must be wired into the router with an Ethernet cable. This provides access to the home network, ensuring that each device can access shared music and the Internet.

[achjimmy]

My understanding is that the Connect needs to plugged in to the receiver for FM or CD player which linkes up to the other Sonos items.

I went to JB today and it sounds good.
But the sales person told me that he recommended a Bridge connection to the router and then a Play.
"For future proof" he said. Not sure if you really need a bridge.

eBay is full of sonos bridges for sale. I can only think they are people who listened to JB as well?  Ethernet to connect, connect to reciever/amplifier if you don't have an Ethernet port within cable length of your reciever/amplifier then yes you may need a bridge.

[grafy82]

Can you get proper sub woofers for this Sonos system. Just looking at the speakers on their website, a little 3.5" midrange woofer just won't cut it in the bass department.

[WilSurf]

I heard the sound coming out of them and they are pretty good.
But I am not a critical listener who needs gold plated connectors.

I found articles saying that Sonos will coe out soon with software where you don't need to be wired in.

[koshari]

alternatively use a sonos unpowerd connect with your own subbie/stereo.

[boobook]

I'll see if I can clear up a few issues raised.

1)You don't need a bridge...but somewhere in the sonos world you do need an ethernet connection to your router if you want to stream music and get updates. Usually speakers aren't near where the router is so the bridge provides that function. If you have one speaker near your router and can cable it, then the bridge does nothing. You can't connect into the Sonos wireless network. All your streaming and connections are wireless as usual to your router then wired into the sonos system via the wired connection.
2)You don't need a server or massive PC, I don't have one. You just need an Iphone/Ipad, android device or PC to select and stream your songs. Any or all or even your friends ones are ok when they come over.
3)I have a connnect. It has stereo and digital out, and stereo in. I use it to connect to my high end amplifier and my good speakers. I can also connect to sime audi input but can't find a reason to do that. You can't get these at JB. Harvey Norman have them.
4)you can get subwoofers, I don't know how good they are.
5)There is a bridge that also has an amplifier so you just connect to your old speakers, its exxy ( even in sonos terms.)

They are a hit. I often connect people's phone if they have music ( which is the app download, pressing one button on the sonos and you're away). Everyone is blown away. 3 people have bought some straight away straight after seeing it. I've only had it about 2 months.

It really changes how you listen to the radio and music.

[WilSurf]

All these internet streaming sites like Pandora, are they free or do you have to pay for them?

[boobook]

You have all your own music on your iphone, Android, PC etc for free of course.

Then there are a few radio type services, like tune in radio and Pandora ( both free). I use that most of the time. It gets something like 20000 internet radio stations around the world and about 1000 ( a guess) from Australia. There are radio stations dedicated to ACDC, the beetles, Pink Floyd, etc etc as well as the ABC across Australia and all the commercial stations as well as internet only stations, Jazz, country, rock etc. etc.

I regularly listen to ABC Gippsland and Kimberly.

Then there are about 25 subscription services like MOG, JBNow, etc usually about $10 per month for 20million odd songs. Google play was added in the latest update about a week ago.

I tried the 1 month free subscription and liek JB the best followed by Mog, but prefer my own music or internet radio.

[WilSurf]

Thanks for your reply boobook.
Sounds like it will be the Sonos Play 1 for the first unit and see how that goes.

[boobook]

You'll love it.

Just to be clear about the bridge, if you can run an ethernet cable from your Sonos Play 1 to your router then you don't need a bridge. However if it isn't practical then you will need the bridge so you can connect your devices to it through your normal wifi / router and so it can get to the internet.

[WilSurf]

OK.
We have the router/modem in our living room, so that is no problem for connecting the Sonos.
No bridge needed.

[achjimmy]

5)There is a bridge that also has an amplifier so you just connect to your old speakers, its exxy ( even in sonos terms.)

It used to be the ZP100 and then the ZP120 now "Connect Amp" it's quite good and the beauty is you control the on and off of the amplifier as well so for an out door area it's perfect.

I find the Sonos sound quality generally more than good enough for the source of the music today  which is generally compressed.  Sonos was never know as the best in terms of SQ that was always bettered by squeezebox and others but it's functionality and reliability is unequalled. You can add DACs and stuff to the sonos but why would you bother, it's good enough.

[WilSurf]

Finally, after a long time I have bought a Sonos Play 1.
Set up was very easy and the sound is not bad at all.
Luckily I could buy it "second hand". Someone bought 3 but decided that 2 was enough and sold the third Play 1.
Box was still sealed.

[Nifty1]

These systems can be quite sophisticated but you need to look at how you really listen to sound. What I realised was that there is typically a different person in each room and they want to hear different things - son wants the footy, wife listens to talkback, daughters want pop, I want to enjoy Pink Floyd - and people also change rooms. Bedroom might have a littel TV. Flooding the whole house with a single program isn't a lot of use. And people do a lot of listening from iphones etc. I found a better solution was to tailor the system to each room, so TV gets a surround sound directly connected, lounge has a plain but good stereo for music, others generally use ipods, portables etc. My mate got a bit carried away and ran expensive speaker cabling to every room, from two music centres with state of the art amps. After 5 years he hasn't hooked it up anywhere.
I made a similar mistake but saturated the house with Cat 5. None of it's used - it's all wifi. Apple TV, Airplay etc have changed the game. Do you really need HiFi in a busy kitchen?
Just my take on it - and the budget hasn't taken a hit either. After living through LP, tape, Beta, CD, Minidisc, DVD, USB, iPod and Streaming, I wouldn't commit to anything long term. (That's a way of admitting that all my good gear is somewhat obsolete in today's game, lacking optical, HDMI, Wifi and 7-channel inputs).

[noel_w]

Just to add my setup
For xmas I bought myself a Connect and a Play 1. The Play 1 was so good I bought another one to make it a stereo pair in my bedroom.
The Connect goes to my Denon Receiver via Toslink cable and has a 3.5mm analogue input also that I plug my old classic ipod into. (or any other analogue source)
I can:
play music to either or both (Bedroom or Lounge room Home Theatre setup). The same source or different
play music from my Nas, my HTPC, my laptop, my ipod, my phones, my tablet or the internet.
From the internet I can play from Tunein, Pandora or Deezer. My Sonos purchase came with 12 months subscription to Deezer which is an internet streaming music source.

I don't need a Bridge and didn't get one. They are really only required when you are setting up a 5.1 system to your TV with a Sonos soundbar, sub and plays as the rear speakers. I also believe they have done away with their proprietary wireless network and now use wireless N.
I setup my system within 10 minutes and didn't need to connect to a wired point, it all was done wirelessly. Once connected to the Wifi network the speakers and Connect downloaded automatic updates and were ready to go. Setup my account on the Sonos webpage and Go Go Go
I have the app on my tablet which I use the most but also have it on my laptop and phones.I have listened to more music since xmas than I have listened to in the past 20 years simply because I can access it so easily. The Deezer subscription is great as I can search for music that I don't already have on my Nas. When the free subscription finishes in 12 months I will probably sign up for Spotify. For 60yo old ears it sounds very good especially through my Denon system to my reasonably priced speakers (Soon to be upgraded) The music is compressed to play over the Sonos system but it does still sound very good. I am surprised how well the little Play 1's sound. If I play flac files from my HTPC to my Receiver and compare them to the same from Deezer to my Sonos i can't tell the difference.
My opinion is: Glad I did it and no going back. It just works (and sounds surprisingly good.) And there is so much goodness in music on the interwebs that is so easy to access. My biggest problem is what will I play next.

[WilSurf]

So you can have the app on multiple devices to control it?
That sounds good.
I have it on my tablet which I took with me on a day trip last Saturday. My wife couldn't switch to a different music, She could only stop it. :-)
I will tell her to download the app to her apple thingy.