Entered CNET Catalog: 10/28/2004
SKU: 0180501000164
Manufacturer: Sonos, Inc.
Manufacturer description
The ZonePlayer 100 Bundle includes 2x ZonePlayer 100 and 1x Controller 100. The Sonos ZonePlayer 100 (ZP100) brings great sounding music to any and every room in your house. That's because the wireless ZP100, with its built-in amplifier, will work anywhere you've ever dreamed of having music. With the Sonos Controller in hand, you'll have instant access to your entire digital music collection, Internet radio and select music services from almost anywhere - inside or out. That's because the Sonos Controller uses SonosNet, the secure, wireless mesh network that extends the range of your Controller throughout your entire home. Which means you don't have to run to your PC every time you want to pick a new tune or raise the volume. You can use up to 32 Controllers for all your ZonePlayers - like one for every room, floor or music lover in your house.Product summary
The good: The Sonos Digital Music System is sleekly designed and easy to set up, and its wireless, color-screen remote allows you to access your music from anywhere in the house. The Sonos system is also easily expandable (to as many as 32 rooms); it has a built-in 50-watt-per-channel amp, analog audio inputs for streaming music from other sources, and impressive sound quality. Lastly, Sonos has integrated the subscription-based Rhapsody music service right into the system (no PC required), which means you have access to thousands of songs the moment you turn your system on and activate the one-month free trial. This is the first time Mac users have been able to use Rhapsody.
The bad: Somewhat expensive; no digital audio output; remote's rechargeable battery isn't removable; doesn't play protected WMA or AAC files.
The bottom line: This, the original Sonos Digital Music System, is still a very slick solution for affordably distributing your music throughout your house. But if you already count an amplifier or an A/V receiver as part of your existing music system, the ampless Sonos ZP80 bundle is a better bet.
Editors' review
- Editors' Choice: No
- Reviewed on: 02/14/2005
Editor's note: As of May 2007, Sonos has discontinued the distribution of this particular configuration of its Digital Music System. In its place, the very similar Sonos BU130 bundle is available instead.
In the last couple of years, several companies have introduced digital audio receivers or media servers that enable you to stream music--and sometimes images and video--from your PC or Mac to a stereo, a TV, or a set of speakers in another room. So why has little Sonos, a start-up based in Santa Barbara, managed to attract so much attention for its relatively expensive audio-only Digital Music System? Well, because it's essentially the product everybody's been hoping Apple would make: a simple, elegant solution to streaming hard-drive-based music to multiple rooms via a series of networked ZonePlayer base stations and a sleek command module. If this system has a weakness, it's that that the company's original ZonePlayer, the ZP100--two of which are included with this bundle along with a CR100 remote--has a built-in amp that's overkill for buyers who already count an amplifier or an A/V receiver as part of their existing music systems. For that crowd, Sonos now offers the Z80 bundle (a.k.a. the BU80) for $200 less. But there are still plenty of folks out there who like the idea of having a ZonePlayer that can be connected to--and will power--a pair of speakers on its own. If you're among this crowd, read on.
The Sonos Digital Music System is available in multiple configurations. The original one, reviewed here, consists of two CR100 controller, a high-tech wireless remote with a sharp color screen and a touch-pad scroll wheel that's the secret sauce in this package. The components aren't cheap--a single ZonePlayer goes for $499, while the remote comes in at $399--but they definitely have solid build quality. (The bundle price of $1,200 represents a savings of about $200 over the cost of purchasing them separately.)Take one look at the silver-and-white color scheme (and that scroll wheel on the remote), and you get the idea that Sonos wants you to think that its understatedly sleek components would fit right into Apple's iPod line--and they would. The nearly button-free ZonePlayer, which houses a full-fledged 50-watt-per-channel amplifier and weighs 10 pounds with a die-cast, matte-aluminum enclosure, feels like a mini tank. About the size of an Xbox, Sonos designed it to be smaller than a typical stereo component (it measures 10.2 by 8.2 by 4.4 inches), so it would fit into spots that a typical component won't. It sports two pairs of high-quality speaker binding posts, analog stereo inputs and outputs (plus a subwoofer output), and a built-in four-port Ethernet switch.
It's worth repeating our aforementioned advice: If you plan on installing a ZonePlayer where you already have an acceptable amplifier--an A/V receiver, stereo, or even a tabletop radio--you should consider the $1,000 Z80 bundle, which includes the same excellent wireless remote but pairs it with two smaller ZP80 base stations. The ZP80s, which retail for $349 each, can be connected to any device with auxiliary inputs, and--unlike the analog-only ZP100--they'll connect via coaxial and optical digital inputs as well.
The overall look and feel of the Sonos is great, and the controller's interface is downright superlative. But we do have our quibbles. For instance, both the ZP80 and ZP100 base stations are unusually boxy--they won't match the any of the other components in your home audio system. Likewise, the iPod-white color scheme may be stylish, but we'd love to see a basic black version. One other nitpick: the controller's built-in rechargeable battery isn't removable, which could spell trouble down the road. For its part, Sonos insists that the battery will last at least five years. But with no front panel controls on the ZonePlayers, the system will live or die by the controller's battery life. For instance, after we frequently used the remote for one day, its battery charge was nearly halfway depleted.
It's clear that Sonos spent a great deal of time trying to achieve the level of user friendliness that Apple is known for, because setup was a breeze. At least one ZonePlayer in your system must be plugged into an Ethernet port somewhere on your network (we connected it to a Belkin Powerline Ethernet adapter and it worked fine). Subsequent ZonePlayers (up to 32 can be linked) can wirelessly communicate via a secure peer-to-peer mesh network (dubbed SonosNet) that the ZonePlayer automatically sets up. Although it's disappointing that one ZonePlayer in every house must be tethered to an Ethernet cable (it won't interact with your existing wireless network unless you connect an Ethernet to wireless bridge), wirelessly connecting additional ZonePlayers is exceptionally easy. You simply press two buttons--no need to wade through the wireless networking configuration steps that can bog down the process of setting up competing digital media receivers. To get going, you can install a wizard on your PC or Mac (we tried both), which in turn guides you through a short setup process to build the ZP100's index of playable computer-based tracks. Even relative tech novices should be able to get the system up and running in a matter of minutes. If you're already using networked directories, you can even point the Sonos straight to them, without using the setup software.
The most impressive aspect of the system is the fact that you have your entire music collection--and the ability to distribute it throughout your house--at your fingertips. The advantage of the controller is a big one: instead of having to squint at a small LCD on an audio receiver or use your TV to navigate tracks and settings, the screen is in your hand--and it's in color. Yeah, Crestron makes some pretty nifty remotes, but those are usually part of expensive high-end systems that have been put together by a home installer, who ran cables behind walls and built speakers into them--expensive, custom jobs that make Sonos's price tag seem like a downright bargain. All ZonePlayers in a system can also be controlled with the Sonos Desktop Controller computer software interface, and you can always purchase additional wireless controllers as well.For our tests, we set up one ZonePlayer in our living room and one in our master bedroom. One ZonePlayer we connected to an A/V receiver that powered a set of NHT tower speakers; the other we tested connected directly to a few different loudspeaker sets and a powered subwoofer. You can choose to stream the same music in each zone (the music is synced) or stream different tunes in different rooms. To toggle between rooms, you simply hit the Zones button on the remote and select the room you want (Sonos offers dozens of room labels from which to choose).
You can opt for standard playback modes such as Shuffle, Repeat One, and Repeat All; choose to fire up playlists created by other applications such as iTunes and Windows Media Player; or listen to playlists you've created by using the Sonos software or the remote to save a song queue. Obviously, the more meticulously you've organized your music, with the correct ID3 tag information and the like, the better the user experience you'll have. Oh, and if you have album art in your database, it will be displayed on the remote when the song plays. Nice.
The Sonos system, which supports updates through firmware upgrades, currently plays MP3, WMA, AAC, and WAV files but does not support playback of secure or DRM-encrypted WMA and AAC files, including those bought from iTunes. That said, there is a work-around. You can connect your iPod or other portable MP3 player to any of your ZonePlayers via the analog audio-in jacks on the back of the unit and play secure files that way (from the remote it's easy to switch to the audio-in source in any room). The audio-in jacks also give you the flexibility to attach a CD player or even a satellite radio and stream music from them to any room you've Sonos-ified. That's pretty sweet.
Sonos made good on its promise to support the Rhapsody subscription music service with an April 2005 firmware upgrade, making the system even more appealing to music lovers. But recently, Sonos took that Rhapsody integration a step further by essentially bypassing your PC--or your Mac, for that matter. With a September 2006 firmware upgrade, you can activate a free 30-day trial to Rhapsody right from the remote, which automatically gives you access to Rhapsody's massive library of music.
One of the problems Sonos discovered with potential buyers--many of them more affluent folks--was that they had all their music on CDs but had yet to rip those CDs into digital music files on their computers. So while the thought the concept of multiroom audio sounded cool, they didn't have any music to stream. The big deal here is that, with Rhapsody, you really don't need to have your own music collection. Rhapsody's base package costs $9.95 and allows you to stream as much music as you want. You can sort by artists, albums, and latest releases, and build a playlist on the fly without interrupting your current song, plus the Sonos remote's screen even displays album art.
Perhaps the only problem with Rhapsody is that there's just so much music to choose from, it can be unwieldy to navigate that huge library. That said, both companies are constantly trying to improve their systems, so we expect future firmware upgrades that deliver new features. And in case you're wondering, if you already have a subscription to Rhapsody, you can link that account on your PC to your Sonos system. It's also worth noting that Rhapsody still isn't available for Macs, so this is the first time that Mac users will be able to use the service without owning a Windows PC.
Don't want to pay for your music? The Sonos system comes preconfigured to play nearly 90 free Internet radio stations and can be configured to play additional stations broadcast in both the MP3 and WMA streaming formats. It's also worth pointing out that the Sonos Music System can stream from any networked, attached storage device that supports the CIFS (common Internet file system) protocol, such as the Buffalo LinkStation or Maxtor Shared Storage drives. In fact, this setup is ideal, because your computer doesn't have to be powered up for you to access to your music collection.
Since we wrote our initial review of this bundle, Sonos has added a few new features, most notably an alarm clock that lets you wake up to music; you can also set a timer to automatically shut down the system as you fall asleep. Additionally, the system now supports as many as 50,000 tracks in your local library (for those of you who have massive music collections) and the automatic indexing of Podcasts, Audible content (audio books), and new music that's been added to your library.
One thing it has been able to correct is the omission of a digital-out connection, which can be found on the ZP80 base station. A digital audio receiver costing this much should allow you to connect digitally to an A/V receiver. The sound difference would be noticeable only to audiophiles, but anytime you can preserve an all-digital connection, it's preferable. In general, the system is zippy, with little or no lag time when accessing music and switching from room to room. Click the Enter button at the center of the touch wheel, and a selected song typically plays within a fraction of a second. In fact, thanks to the circular ribbon controller that scrolls through track lists, the experience of using the Sonos remote is very similar to the experience of using an iPod to navigate and play your music--except that the Sonos's color screen is bigger and easier to read. On the other hand, it's a shame that the remote doesn't have page-up and page-down keys to facilitate skipping around in long track lists. In our tests, the remote only lost its wireless connection to SonosNet only once (Sonos says you can roam up to 150 feet from any ZonePlayer before a connection is lost) and restored itself quickly.
Sound quality was also pretty impressive. With the first ZonePlayer connected to our A/V receiver's analog line inputs, tracks such as Stevie Wonder's "Superstition" sounded multidimensional and clear. In an A/B listening test comparing the ZonePlayer and Roku's single-room SoundBridge, the ZonePlayer proved to have a brighter, more open sound with less bass emphasis than the Roku. Although we liked the ZonePlayer's off-the-shelf sound, basic bass and treble tweaks were easy enough to make with the remote.
The ZP100's robust, spring-loaded, wire binding posts inspired confidence when we directly connected the unit to speakers. Sonos offers a matching pair of small monitor speakers, the SP100, which performed well (see the full review for details), but we also put the system through its paces with several other models we had on hand. The built-in 50-watt-per-channel amp did an admirable job of driving our bookshelf-size Event 20/20 studio monitors to loud volumes without noticeably straining. Although the amp couldn't make an old set of floor-standing Boston Acoustics A70 speakers play quite as loud, we were satisfied with the results. As long as your speakers are relatively efficient, they should perform well connected directly to the ZonePlayer. Connecting an active NHT M-00 subwoofer to the ZonePlayer's RCA type subwoofer output improved the overall listening experience by giving the system the same bass prowess as a serious home-theater rig.
The one area where we had a little concern is with the battery life of the remote. With light use, you should be able to go about a week without recharging, but we'd recommend buying the optional $49 dock/charging cradle, the CC100. That way, when you're not using the remote you can leave it in its dock, and it'll always have a full charge.
User opinions
Select a User Opinion to view: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40out of 40 user reviews
Amazing technology!
Pros: Play CDs like they were intended to be played, with no "pause" between songs that have no pause between them.
Cons: Nothing, except the fact that I haven't been able to access playlists from my Rhapsody account...it seems that some songs won't "stream" on to the Sonos system. That sucks, because I pay Rhapsody quite a bit every month.
Updated on Feb 4, 2009Summary: This is unbelievably impressive technology! I download almost all my favorite music on my computer, both from CDs and my Rhapsody membership. I don't have to record it on to CD-Rs anymore, because now I can play it on my Sonos Music System. I can put single songs or entire albums in the queue, and play them at the push of a button in one room, or my entire house. One of the biggest things I was impressed with is...there's no 1 or 2 second delay on CDs that have songs that have no "pause" between them...like Pink Floyd, Moody Blues, or Yes CDs, or, more importantly, Beatles CDs like "Sgt. Pepper's", "The Whie Album", and "Abbey Road". When I try to play CDs like this on my computer, or record on to a CD-R, there is a 1 or 2-second pause between the songs that's annoying, because the original CD was not intended to have that. Well, voilá, the Sonos System plays it like the orginal album (CD) was recorded. It's absolutely amazing, and I would recommend it to anyone.
out of 40 user reviews
Exceeding the standard of Consumer Electronics
Pros: It does what it claims, and does it well
Cons: cost and a buliker remote
I bit the bullet and paid for the Sonos and I do not regret the decision or the dollars.
My setup was fast and easy. I unplugged my Tivo LAN cable and daisy chained from the LAN to the Sonos to the Tivo using the Ethernet switch built into the Sonos. The desktop software immediately recognized the zone player (ZP80). I turned on the remote, pressed the buttons and the remote was immediately recognized. The other two zone players (ZP100) were just was easy. Each one took a firmware upgrade with no problems.
I wired the ZP80 (the one without and amplifier) to my Niles amp (using the Analog out) and my to the Marantz A/V Receiver (using the digital out) and wired the multi-room of the Marantz to the line in of the zone player.
On the two ZP100s I just attached speakers.
I was immediately able to play my CD player (multi-room from the Marantz) through the Sonos to all three zones.
While listening to the CD, in less than an hour I had configured the desktop to see my NAS and it had indexed the music collection (about 100 GB) and was able to play my FLAC and MP3 files (a different track in each zone just for fun).
Compared to my experience with Logitech Duet this was heaven. Compared to typical consumer electronics this device has been perfect (coming up on week 3). Navigation of a not small music collection is quick and easy (once I found the “power scroll” feature to jump the alphabet and not have to scroll through). There has not been a stutter or skip in the data stream. The Sonos manages it so that if there are any network issues, they are transparent to me!
While the Sonos remote is not as sleek as the Duet was, I like the larger screen and the better use of screen real estate. I also like the soft functions buttons.
This device was intended for the audiophile level of user, going beyond “consumer electronics”.
Now that I have tried both devices, I think the option of having a built in amplifier, lacking in the Logitech Duet (which required a separate piece of equipment for my additional zones) and the ability to stream from other local analog sources (the Duet lacking of “Line In” support) really offset the bulkier remote that Sonos offers.
There is nothing more frustrating than music skipping. The Duet relied upon my local network (wired or wireless) and as a result it was less reliable. The stability of the Sonos network and rock solid performance in streaming MP3 or FLAC (or even streaming WAV files) wirelessly puts this device well over the top.
Moving forward, I would like to tweak how the music library is sorted, perhaps that is an option I have just not found. I would love to be able to read the liner notes and lyrics I have added to the file tags. But neither of these would have even been an option on the stick style remote in the Logitech Duet.
My personal opinion, for the wired user with one zone, the Duet is an excellent option to free your MP3 collection to the home stereo. If you want more zones or more flexibility, the Sonos is the right answer.
out of 40 user reviews
Performance/Sound Quality
Pros: Potential is great.
Cons: Performance is REALLY DISAPPOINTING.
And then there's playback...skips and stops. I tried all of the solutions they have posted and even tried connecting directly to the players via ethernet. Didn't help. Sill waiting for them to get back to me.
oh - should mention that a lot of the support pages are out of date.
out of 40 user reviews
If a whole-house audio solution/conversion from CDs to digital is you goal, this is the best choice
Pros: User Interface, Wireless Capabilty, Sound Quality
Cons: Price, add-ons, elimination of 2-amp, 1-controller Bundle
out of 40 user reviews
Short of a $100,000 custom solution... nothing touches Sonos. Get it
Pros: Simple to set up, Rhapsody integration, great support, good interface, expandable
Cons: battery, player range
The controller batteries suck, sadly. I've purchased a couple of controllers and will buy another in a bit. This is no different than an ipod and, a small price to pay for a system that brings a huge range of music into your home while eliminating the hassels of a hacked pc solution or conventional stereo.
just buy one.
out of 40 user reviews
Perfect Home Audio System
Pros: ease of use, great design
Cons: price, but not when you compare to home installation
out of 40 user reviews
Cool and fun!
Pros: the whole kit and kaboodle
Cons: other than expensive? NONE
out of 40 user reviews
After a week, I sold my old stereo & CD player on eBay!
Pros: Works as advertised, and better; Rhapsody; easy set up; it just works, period!
Cons: Rhapsody menu/searching can be cumbersome at times.
This is very possibly (according to my wife as well) the coolest and best gadget I've ever purchased (or used for that matter). Friends and family are astonished at how cool this system is, and how fast and easy it is to operate.
The Rhapsody subscription is a must, as you may find you don't need to purchase many CD's any longer (most are on their service, and ready for instant access). I've made a habit of saving my favorite artists/albums in Rhapsody, and accessing them is about as quick and easy as accessing the music on my PC. As their collection is so big, it can be a bit cumbersome searching for specific music, although it is generally intuitive to use.
The zone-linking feature is very cool, and great for parties or background music synched (to the nano-second - truly amazing) througout the house. This system is addictive - you will want one for every room in the house.
I have one ZP100 with a pair of Polk M10's, and another in the living room with a pair of Bose 301's and a Sony subwoofer (kept that from my old system), and the sound is great on both ZP's. All that without a stereo, just a ZP and some speakers!
One last point. It is amazing how FAST this system works. The second you hit play, music starts playing, even if it is being streamed via Internet. I truly have no idea how the system is so fast and responsive, but it is.
out of 40 user reviews
Incredible product
Pros: Easy to install, seamless upgrades, indexes existing music libraries, great integration with Rhapsody, excellent navigation UI
Cons: Although rare, error messages aren't terribly clear
out of 40 user reviews
Does What it Says and Does it Well!
Pros: Very easy setup, Nice remote
Cons: Does not support music purchased on iTunes, a small delay on the remote. has problem with some 2.4 gh phones
1. iTunes purchased music does not work with system. (not their fault, Apple will not licence to anyone)
2. At times there is a slight delay on the remote which makes the wheel a bit hard to use. Not that big of a deal but annoying.
3. Cordless Phones may upset the Sonos system. I called customer service and was told that 2.4gh cordless phones may disrupt the signal. Pannasonic phones more than others.
All in all, a great way to get that music out of your computer.
out of 40 user reviews
Still the best one year later
Pros: Easy setup, very cool remote, works as promised
Cons: Expensive, no one discounts
out of 40 user reviews
Set Your Music Free
Pros: Access all of your music in any room; play same music throughout the house
Cons: Expensive; needs a NAS drive to make it all work perfect
out of 40 user reviews
Fabulous system, a must have for music lovers
Pros: versatile, easy to setup, good sound
Cons: price, some difficulties with subscription services
The system works in complex and hybrid environments: I have a mix of Mac, PCs, wired and wireless network, Itunes library on an external drive connected to a Mac while other mp3 files and podcasts are stored on another XP PC: no problem! The Sonos systems recognizes all the sources in a snap!
On the improvement side, my recommendations would be to have quicker controlers (which tend to get slow or freeze for a couple of seconds sometime) and an automated library update (if you add tunes, you have to launch an update library process to get the new tunes recognized). It is quite pricey, but so fun and nice to use. Highly recommended!
out of 40 user reviews
Plug it in and it works!
Pros: Very easy to setup, Rhapsody integration
Cons: Max number of songs, improving most others
GUI is weak for PC, have a max number of songs (40K), management SW is weak on the PC but is getting better consistently
I bought a set and quickly bought another set. I wish the music management was better because it really stinks and I use Rhapsody and iTunes. Again, they just came out with the first update I have seen (90 days) and it is quite impressive on the enhancements. If they keep this up with their QC, they will be very hard to beat. They focus on the SW and network aspects which are the most difficult. Each one also works as a 4 port switch.
out of 40 user reviews
7 rooms installed by a non techie Sales guy who is loving it
Pros: THE CONTROLLER! Party Mode, Easy for guests
Cons: No small version for connecting to Home Theater
I went to the Sonos forums and got really good open honest advice on the pros and cons. But what really did it was reading all the reviews from CNET to the Wall Street J. Those people love this thing.
I sprung for all 7 rooms in one go. It was so easy to set up I'm still amazed by the experience. The software finds all the songs on your PC and tells the system where they are. Then you just pick up that CONTROLLER and put some music on in any of 7 rooms from anywhere.
I have friends who spent $20 grand on multi-room systems and they can't even put music on without help from the installer. I spent $5K with speakers and I am the envy of all those guys.
Aaaah.
out of 40 user reviews
Ethernet Bridge Rocks. Finally a way around wireless interuptions.
Pros: Product is easy, super easy to install
Cons: They need a version with an amp Even with the discount on the 2nd unit.
This is so much better than standard wireless 802.11b. Originally thought the bridge enabled AC power as ethernet network when in fact it does so wirelessly.
I was going crazy with Apple Airport interuptions. No more. Also looking into rechargeable battery issue as being able to move from room to room or outside without ac power for an extended period of time. MOre to come....
out of 40 user reviews
Outstanding
Pros: Wireless Controller, Consistent and Strong Connection, Usability, Coolness, Solid, etc
Cons: Only things that are being addressed by Sonos in the very near future and can be updated on your system
out of 40 user reviews
very nice system BUT....
Pros: Ipod for the rest of us
Cons: do not believe the hype about ease of setup
out of 40 user reviews
Fantastic!
Pros: Easy to set up, automatically recognizes your mp3's when you point sonos to the folders, good sound, no issues with dropouts
Cons: expensive, but worth it
out of 40 user reviews
Impressive Streaming Audio Solution!
Pros: Very Cool Controller And Easy To Set-Up And Operate
Cons: The System Is A Little Pricey
out of 40 user reviews
Fantastic home audio solution.
Pros: Awesome interface, works with Rhapsody
Cons: Addt'l zone players are too expensive, can't listen to RealAudio or WMA streams such as BBC
out of 40 user reviews
Excellent Product for Whole House Music
Pros: easy to setup, excellent sound quality, great interface, A+ customer support, no bugs
Cons: price, no dock charger (yet)
This is an expensive system, but you get what you pay for.
I have two zones connected to two seperate receivers, of which one receiver runs 2 sets and another 3 sets of speakers through a speaker selection switcher w/ volume control. I have my entire house wired for sound and control it all from the very cool ipod-esque controller.
This system is specially cool during parties due to the "jukebox style" function of the controller, where you can pass it around to friends to add favorite songs to the que. Or you can just make smart playlists on your computer and play them directly.
All in all an A+ job by an A+ company. Well worth the price if you're a music lover. I'm just waiting for an outdoor weather proof zone player to wire the outside.
out of 40 user reviews
Great System, no bugs
Pros: Ease of set up; design, overall quality, sound quality
Cons: No digital out; no ampless version
out of 40 user reviews
Don't actually own it, but...
Pros: Portability seems appealing
Cons: Cost seems too prohibitive vs. the benefits
out of 40 user reviews
Awesome system! Highly recommended.
Pros: Setup was beyond easy. Software and hardware are rock solid.
Cons: A little too expensive and 50W/channel single speaker pair output per zone is too limited.
out of 40 user reviews
Amazing, Amzaing, Amazing. Someone finally got it right
Pros: Setup was easy and flawless. The remote control is the NICEST interface i've seen for accessing digital music. Sound quality is superb.
Cons: I really can't think of any, other than that it is expensive.
out of 40 user reviews
Its Perfect and Amazing
Pros: Well, the best thing in it that it has a wireless remote with a screen and it can reach high ranges
Cons: There arent engouh speakers, also the price is prety expensive
out of 40 user reviews
just seems like too much money for something like this
Pros: great way to continue computer age
Cons: too unrealistic to me
out of 40 user reviews
Great Product
Pros: Easy to use - great color controller
Cons: A little expensive
out of 40 user reviews
Great Product That Lives Up To The Hype!
Pros: Opens Digital Music To Entire House--Easily
Cons: Communicator Connection
out of 40 user reviews
Fantastic Product!!
Pros: Perfect & stylish integration of digital music
Cons: Needs a digital out
out of 40 user reviews
Terrific design, engineering & execution
Pros: Access all your music with no computer on. Rhapsody eliminates need to buy or own CDs. System is totally out of sight except for handheld WiFi controller.
Cons: Software for Mac not as complete as for thePC yet. The Remote does not have a beeper you can beep from your computer when you leave it somewhere and can't find it
For years I have used CD Jukeboxes for my hundreds of CDs. Keeping the jukeboxes up to date as to which CDs were where is a job that fell behind. Soon all 1000+ CDs will be on a LaCie Network Attached Drive and I will be able to find everything by album, artist, track, etc. - just like an iPod. This info goes in automatically when the CD is loaded onto the hard drive - album artwork too.
I have had 2 ZonePlayers and 1 Controller for a month and am ordering more to put them throughout the house.
out of 40 user reviews
I listen to more music then I have since college
Pros: The iPod like Controller. The system takes your iTunes Playlists and lets you play them in any room in the house. Party mode that lets you play the same song in all rooms at once. Easy.
Cons: It's not cheap. They don't have any in stock!
I was really skeptical that a new product from a new company would work well the first time. I asked the Sonos people again and again about their return policy. They kept saying "No questions asked but no one has taken us up on it"
I must say I can see/hear why now. When I got my iPod I couldn't believe how much music I was listening to. The same is true at home now. My wife and I lay in bed and pick 5, 10 or 20 songs to fade away by. It's like magic. I've ordered another bundle to put music on the deck and in the kitchen.
That Sonos Controller will change your relationship with your music.
out of 40 user reviews
I think it's a great concept
Pros: Like the controller, easy to use and the "box" fits anywhere.
Cons: None right now
out of 40 user reviews
Cool solution . . if you have the need
Pros: Don't want to rewire your house for sound and data? Large mp3 or wma collection? Love creating a music soundtrack for your life at home? Then this is the ticket. Lives up to the billing . . we've enjoyed our music at home more than ever!
Cons: Price. (But cheaper then rewiring the house for cat 5) What to do with my left over home amplifiers?
out of 40 user reviews
Music is back in the house
Pros: I was a beta site and now own 4 zones. It makes you rediscover your music just like the iPod did. The big pro is that you can give the Controller to anyone and they can put music on! I've tried Turtle Beach, Slimp3 and Roku and I always got stuck putt
Cons: I could really use an ampless version for my home theater system. The Zoneplayer is big and you don't use the amp in that configuration. Maybe those Sonos people don't watch TV but most people I know do. It can get pretty expensive. I'm at 4 rooms and
out of 40 user reviews
Real Rhapsody Streming Coming
Pros: Fantastic Remote, Multizone, Upcoming Streaming from Real Rhapsody (March most likely). Price is justified for full features
Cons: DRM (protected WMA files) don't support multizone yet - but they are working on it. Apple AAC Protected files not likely (Apple's Fault), No DIGITAL OUT (c'mon), Will Navigating Large Playlist be easy? Requires Sonos AMP when you may already have one, AMP
out of 40 user reviews
iPod for your whole house
Pros: It frees your iTunes from the computer and lets you play it around your house. I'm a beta site and I love it.
Cons: It's not shipping. What is with these guys? I had a beta unit 3 months ago that was fine.
out of 40 user reviews
Looks like a winner -ratings based on what I've read.
Pros: Based on what I read online, it looks like a great product. Can't wait to get mine in Jan 05.
Cons: They need a Sonos Plus model that includes a standard single tray CD/CD-MP3 player and FM (or FM & XM)tuner(s). Then it could completely replace an audio system. Sometimes you just want to listen to a CD that you may not have or want to load on your
out of 40 user reviews
Looks Cool
Pros: I have been reading up on this product for sometime and if it delivers what they promise on the Website, they are on to something big.
Cons: It is kind of expensive, but if it delivers on what it promises, well worth the investment.
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