Sonos
wireless whole house Music System
With
the explosion of popularity in MP3 and other digital music devices,
serving up audio throughout your home seems like the logical next step
in the evolution. Having all your stored music and features like
internet radio accessible through a user friendly control device, and
being able to distribute various audio sources throughout your home is
easy to accomplish with Sonos.
All my
CDs have been converted to a music library using FLAC and stored on a
central hard disk, the Infrant ReadyNAS, a task that took
considerable time
to complete.
With the
project behind me, I connected the Sonos to the network, configured the
NAS (Network Attached Storage) drive and multiple zones, created a few
playlists on the Windows based Sonos Desktop (it's easier this way than
on the handheld controller,
believe me), and I was in business.
Out
of the Box
First
point to note, there are two types of the ZonePlayer, with and without
amplifier. The ZP80 without amp is connected to receiver or
pre/pro using Toslink, Coax, or Analog L+R. The first box in the
chain needs to be connected to a wired a network router/switch, the rest
will piggyback to that and use their built-in WiFi to communicate with
each other. If you're not keen on running wires throughout your
home, or just can't, this is the heart of Sonos system which works as a
WiFi repeater to cover wider areas. The ZP100 amplified
ZonePlayers are designed for non-powered speakers.
Reliability? Nearly bulletproof.
ZP100
ZP80
The
Sonos handheld controller is a wonder, it kicks on when it senses
movement, and firmware updates can be done from the handheld device via
the internet as they become available. The Sonos Desktop software
which can be run from any computer on the same network, is useful for
functions that can get tedious on the controller, but it's not necessary for
everyday use of Sonos.
Properly
tagged files with the cover art added to the same directory will be
displayed with all information on the handheld controller. The
controller is full featured, able to set zones, connect to internet
radio and music services, and the ipod like joggle makes it simple to
navigate. Top notch design wins Sonos the highest kudos from
satisfied consumers.
One word
about the latest addition to the Sonos, Pandora internet radio, I can't
say enough good about the service. Three bucks a month, what a
deal. If you like a particular band and want similar types of
music, set them as your radio station theme and hear similar genre from
countless artists.
Rhapsody,
another service available on the Sonos allows you to sign up and peruse
their whole on-line catalog. Create a playlist from your favorite
artists and store on the Sonos for playback.
The
ability to move the ZonePlayers around (within range of the wireless, of
course) allows flexible placement anywhere where there is power.
Each zone can play different songs, or you can join the zone to play the
same songs.
Auxiliary
inputs allow for listening to other devices from one location throughout
all zones. Make sure to set the auxiliary input to un-compressed
audio format if you want to avoid sound delays.
Performance
Flexible
and solid performer, the Sonos is easy to love. Whether it's the
easy WiFi setup or the killer navigation of the controller, Sonos simply
kicks butt. I've installed outdoor speakers, indoor in-walls and
in-ceilings, and have my main unit hooked up to my home entertainment
system. They all share stored music on a NAS drive, and I can
route audio sources from one room to another with ease. All this
with bare minimum wire connections, the time involved setting up the
Sonos is trivial. The design and usability of the Sonos can't be
emphasized enough, it's well thought out and executed.
Conclusion
If you
had it in your mind to add a distributed music system into your home,
but didn't want the chore of wiring, Sonos is a no-brainer. I
can't sing enough praises of Sonos' feature-rich music system, even if I
can't sing.
-KC
