Reply to: Amplifier and speakers for the Man-cave

[SimonMac]

Amplifier and speakers for the Man-cave

Since moving to our new house, I'm slowly building the automated/tech home I've always wanted. Part of this is my Sonos setup - I currently have 2 Play 1's and have just treated myself to a Sonos Connect:Amp which will sit in my comms cabinet and connect to in-ceiling speakers in the kitchen. As the Sky box is also in the cabinet, I can feed the analog out from the Sky box into the Connect:Amp and that will in turn feed the audio from Sky to any of the Sonos devices in the house.

Sonos is an incredible bit of kit, reassuringly expensive but so easy to use and integrates with most (see below) music services effortlessly.

The biggest issue I see with Sonos at the moment is the lack of integration with Apple - they are missing a trick by not supporting AirPlay or Apple Music - whilst both a rumored to be available by the end of the year, they should be available now IMO.

I don't massively miss AirPlay integration (and if it bothered me that much, I could plug an AirPort Express into the Connect:Amp and feed audio in that way) and I have a Spotify subscription as well as Apple Music, but it just feels wrong to have such a premium product missing integration with Apple.

I think it's more Apple who would be stopping SONOS having full integration rather than the other way round

[v8gaz]

True, and with Sonos you're dependent on them continuing as a company and keep their servers going, otherwise it's just a useless brick

I'd bet money on Apple being around longer

I'm not sure you've quite grasped how a sonos works.

[MicrosoftBob]

Apple Airport Express works pretty well - actually amazingly well - to inject digital into your old Hi Fi. I did to great effect with my old Naim amps and Linn Sara speakers - it sounded just amazing, and I suspect much better than all this Sonos b0ll0x.

(actually judging by the price of the Sonos stuff, of course 'proper' hi fi will sound better).

True, and with Sonos you're dependent on them continuing as a company and keep their servers going, otherwise it's just a useless brick

I'd bet money on Apple being around longer

[Platypus]

But there'll be no tech integration unless you add it yourself

Apple Airport Express works pretty well - actually amazingly well - to inject digital into your old Hi Fi. I did to great effect with my old Naim amps and Linn Sara speakers - it sounded just amazing, and I suspect much better than all this Sonos b0ll0x.

(actually judging by the price of the Sonos stuff, of course 'proper' hi fi will sound better).

[zeitghost]

More or less what ZeitPater(RIP) purchased new in 1952 or so.

I was quite impressed that it used triode connected pentodes, or maybe even ultralinear connected pentodes depending on the version.

The later ones were less impressive.

Goodness me, they made a radiogram version:

[unixman]

I recently had to replace my CD player, but I still have my old Hi-Fi amp & speakers that I bought 25 years ago.

WHS. Buying old kit will give the sound quality. But there'll be no tech integration unless you add it yourself. I'm still using the Leak amplifier my Dad bought in 1974.

[Boney M]

Spotify, last.fm and my own music. Streaming the music from a NAS through whatever device (phone/ipad/pc) I'm controlling the Sonos system with.

Exactly the same

[ThomserveBAS]

Since moving to our new house, I'm slowly building the automated/tech home I've always wanted. Part of this is my Sonos setup - I currently have 2 Play 1's and have just treated myself to a Sonos Connect:Amp which will sit in my comms cabinet and connect to in-ceiling speakers in the kitchen. As the Sky box is also in the cabinet, I can feed the analog out from the Sky box into the Connect:Amp and that will in turn feed the audio from Sky to any of the Sonos devices in the house.

Sonos is an incredible bit of kit, reassuringly expensive but so easy to use and integrates with most (see below) music services effortlessly.

The biggest issue I see with Sonos at the moment is the lack of integration with Apple - they are missing a trick by not supporting AirPlay or Apple Music - whilst both a rumored to be available by the end of the year, they should be available now IMO.

I don't massively miss AirPlay integration (and if it bothered me that much, I could plug an AirPort Express into the Connect:Amp and feed audio in that way) and I have a Spotify subscription as well as Apple Music, but it just feels wrong to have such a premium product missing integration with Apple.

[LondonManc]

I'd check out those What Hi-Fi links posted earlier, always a good place to start. If you've got a Richer Sounds shop nearby, try going in there and talking to the staff, I've always found them pretty knowledgeable too.

The guys with Sonos speakers; what are you playing through them? Spotify, Apple Music your own collection, etc etc?

Spotify, last.fm and my own music. Streaming the music from a NAS through whatever device (phone/ipad/pc) I'm controlling the Sonos system with.

[MrWebDev]

I'd check out those What Hi-Fi links posted earlier, always a good place to start. If you've got a Richer Sounds shop nearby, try going in there and talking to the staff, I've always found them pretty knowledgeable too.

The guys with Sonos speakers; what are you playing through them? Spotify, Apple Music your own collection, etc etc?

[Scrag Meister]

I have a simple Logitech set of PC Speakers, probably shows I am no sound connoisseur. Z906 I think they are, do a great job for gaming and good atmosphere for movies, have Z5500 in the lounge.

Logitech Z906

[Scruff]

Look on eBay, I'm selling some Rogers LS5 at the moment and also some Linn Sara's although the Sara's will likely be too much for the NAD to bear. But the Rogers are beautiful, classic, and will work very well with a NAD (3020 I assume?).

I'll sell off eBay if you're interested

Nice bins. I regret selling my Kef Concerto. Brought them all the way from Cape Town and sold them within 6 months of arriving since I needed the space at the time... Bloody fool I was.

[Scruff]

A real man cave looks like this...

A Whole Lotta' Love!

[Platypus]

Look on eBay, I'm selling some Rogers LS5 at the moment and also some Linn Sara's although the Sara's will likely be too much for the NAD to bear. But the Rogers are beautiful, classic, and will work very well with a NAD (3020 I assume?).

I'll sell off eBay if you're interested

[LondonManc]

Another +1 for the SONOS system here.