Quote to Install Sonos Home Audio System

[explanade]

Yeah the OP can try using a portable speaker without spending much money.

He/she may decide it would be worth spending thousands to install speakers throughout the house as originally planned.


Another possibility is to install a few of these smart speakers around the house. You can get them for $99 each or less. I don't know how well they do with handing off playback from one speaker to another as you move around. But presumably they were designed for that.

[yakers]

We bought a place with installed wired speakers and an oldeer high end audio system, it cost $4K+ to upgrade to a current Sonos system, I'm fairly frugal (DS would say cheap) and I particularly thought my hearing had declined too much over the years to install such a system. Did it mostly to placate DW. But I love it. I listen to Pandora, or direct from my computer. DW can have opera in her room, whatever in mine, the sound from the TV through the Sonos in the living room is fantastic. Most expensive thing I have bought that I thought was too expensive but now wouldn't part with. Kind of like many, many years ago when I bought my first Apple computer, cost seemed so high but never looked back.

[NW-Bound]

Quote:

Originally Posted by airbornesapper Neighbour is a big Sonos fan… I built my system based on Google Speakers and the use of Chromecast Audio’s for two sound systems and on my garage tv sound bar. We also have Google displays which to be honest audio wise see the most use indoors. All of it can be played at once or in various groups. A powerful Google home max is used outside. I have a very good mesh wifi system and run two routers…. One for all the smart home stuff, and the other for media. The neighbour thinks my system is more versatile…. and with way less cost…

My niece gave me two Google Chromecast Audio more 2 years ago, and I never bothered to look at it. And two days ago, opened one and installed it on the stereo system in my family room. Darn, I should have done it earlier, instead of plugging an old smartphone to that stereo to play music.

Then, I installed the 2nd Chromecast Audio onto the stereo system in the living room.

Wanted to buy one more for the stereo in my bedroom, but found out that Google discontinued it back in 2019. And what Google sold for $35, then down to $15 when they discontinued it is now fetching more than $150 in unopened box and more than $50 used on eBay.

I learned that part of the desirability is that this small device can accept music streaming from sources that serve high-bit-rate music of 24-bit 96kHz format. Wow!

Darn, I discover this too late. It would be nice to have whole house music for dirt cheap, using all the stereo equipment and speakers I have throughout the house. You can use Google Home app to send the same music program to any selected, or all of the devices on the Wi-Fi network. Or you can stream different programs from multiple Android phones to different devices.


PS. Manufacturers all want us to go out and buy new hardware for audio streaming, but I have multiple stereos with good vintage speakers with 12" woofers that sound better than the smallish speakers that they sell. The Chromecast Audio even has an optical digital output!

[swakyaby]

Saw this old thread revived and wondered what you eventually decided. That was quite an ambitious install you were quoted. I recently noticed a message from Sonos in their app, saying that there is an update for their soundbars that would improve the clarity of speech. I ran the update and re-tuned the Sonos speakers in my family room (arc, subwoofer, 2 rear surrounds) using the app on my iPad. Result: the dialogue in the movies was even more clear. This was a feature that I had not appreciated before, that the sound of some wi-fi enabled speakers could actually be improved through updates. My speakers are confined to only one room, so not the comprehensive setup you had planned, but I am very pleased with the sound I get when streaming movies or playing 4K blurays, or playing Tidal subscription music when in my adjoining kitchen.

[RetiredAt49]

Sonos is a plug and play system… I could walk my mom through it on the phone…. I’d buy the components online and if by chance you can’t figure it out sonos has a customer support number. If then all else fails hire someone…

[airbornesapper]

NW-Bound… good to hear of your experience.

I remain a big fan of Chromecast in general and in particular the Brilliant Chromecast Audios which as you say are often snapped up at a premium.

Why people pay Sonos prices is lost on me… I’m driving multiple quality speakers as needed at nowhere near the cost.

An Alexa based system is also still possible to mimic Chromecast audio - using the small older Alexa pucks that had a 3.5mm out plug…read of people doing that.

As for indoor outdoor wifi coverage… tossed the whole home indoor-outdoor mesh system….now run a high bandwidth power line adapter to one of my outbuildings and then plug in a router to that…using the same SSID as I use for media in the house…. It’s working that well that many internal house clients can be found connected to it..

[Chuckanut]

I like my Sonos system. It's only three speakers, located in the three areas of my home where I am most likely to be at any given time. I bought them years ago on a Black Friday deal for 25% off. That' sstill a bit pricey but they do sound good and they work well together without any fuss. Visually, I like the fact that they fade into the background. Chromecast audio is a non-starter since it is not available anymore except at a very high cost.

For podcasts, I have simplified my setup. I have an iPhone that is very old, but works well as an iPod Touch. I purchased a set of $30 wireless earpod like devices. I turn on the podcast, put the phone in my pocket, the pods in my ears and that is that. I don't need hi quality sound for to listen to the podcasts.

Lately Sonos has been offering me a 15% discount on new speakers. Not good enough. Sometimes it's fun to BTD, and at other times it's more satisfying to wait for a deal.

[swakyaby]

Quote:

Originally Posted by airbornesapper Why people pay Sonos prices is lost on me… I’m driving multiple quality speakers as needed at nowhere near the cost.

Can’t speak for the OP, just what appealed to me about Sonos. Originally, DH had the big 10 foot projection screen with M&K (Miller & Kreisel) speakers that gave THX-level room shaking sound. We moved several times since, and I wanted a more simplified home theater sound and vision that blended into the more compact room that didn’t look like a bachelor pad anymore. Specifically, no more bulky floor-standing speakers and wires running across the room. Also, hearing the dialogue clearly in action movies was becoming more difficult, even when boosting the center channel frequencies. I tried different 5.1 with amplifier setups, but the dialogue proved to be an increasingly difficult problem as I got older.

Last year, I began reading overwhelmingly positive 5-star reviews of Sonos latest soundbar, the arc. There was a definite smaller subset of 1-star consumer reviews that had problems with connectivity. The reviews that addressed the impressive dialogue clarity were of particular interest. So I ordered the arc soundbar with the 30-day money back guarantee. It’s a beautiful soundbar with 11 individual amplified drivers angled in specific directions including upward-firing drivers for Dolby Atmos effects. After running Trueplay with my ios device, the sound is customized to my particular room no matter where I’m standing or sitting. I wanted more lower end bass for movies, but worried that a Sonos subwoofer might drown out the dialogue. But after my positive impression with the soundbar, I took the leap. I found that when integrated with the subwoofer, the crossover frequency is changed so the soundbar no longer is trying to pump out the lower frequencies and devotes the soundbar’s midwoofers even more to the mid frequencies. Dialogue was even better with the subwoofer and the lower frequencies were great, very natural-sounding. So pleased, I ended up ordering 2 rear surround speakers placed on Sonos stands. Visually, the speaker setup blends into the room. At last, a TV room I can live with.

I know this is a lengthy reply, but it’s my reason why I don’t regret spending so much on wi-fi enabled speakers like Sonos.

[swakyaby]

Interesting article I read today when I googled “Sonos patents.” An article in March 2022 by The Verge said that Sonos sued Google in 2020 over patent infringement and Google lost all 5 patent infringement cases. It didn’t specifically mention Google Chromecast audio, but it would explain why Google discontinued the product and dumped the remainder in a fire sale.

[WWDog]

Been useing my old Sonos for years. Sound bar for the TV and two speakers for the music. Only complaint is the software on my laptop to play the music. It doesn't work well with large music collections/play lists. Finding a particular song can be tedious. Used to use Mediamonkey on my computer and then plug into the headphone output directly to my amplifier which worked very well but not wireless. If Sonos would make there software more robust similar to mediamonkey for search purposes and playlists then it would be much better.

[Chuckanut]

Quote:

Originally Posted by airbornesapper Why people pay Sonos prices is lost on me… I’m driving multiple quality speakers as needed at nowhere near the cost.

We do it to drive people using other equipment bonkers as they wonder why everybody else is not like them.

[NW-Bound]

As mentioned earlier, the Chromecast Audio has been discontinued, and used devices command a fairly high price.

However, the Chromecast devices (for video) are still current and fairly cheap. These however are HDMI devices, and will need an HDMI audio extractor to get the audio analog signals to wire to a stereo receiver. Some HDMI audio extractors also have an optical output.

An HDMI Chromecast plus an HDMI audio extractor may cost less than a used Chromecast Audio device.

[Amethyst]

I went with a sound bar, subwoofer, a speaker in the kitchen/dining area, a portable speaker for the lanai, and a little speaker in my bedroom. I think the whole thing came to $2300 with tax and installation. I had someone in the house for 90 minutes, setting up the equipment and educating me on the app.

I don't enjoy the Android phone interface - too buggy - but am managing to make it work. Especially enjoy playing alternative radio stations around the nation and the globe.

I also have a large CD collection, which I'd like to hook into the Sonos system. Sonos, however, doesn't have any suggestions for compatible CD players. Can anyone recommend one?

[swakyaby]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amethyst I also have a large CD collection, which I'd like to hook into the Sonos system. Sonos, however, doesn't have any suggestions for compatible CD players. Can anyone recommend one?

I use my backwards compatible Sony 4K bluray player which is connected to my TV’s HDMI input, and the TV is connected to the Sonos soundbar, with its subwoofer and 2 surrounds. So it plays my CDs as well. But since the CD audio passes through the TV, it also requires the TV to be on, not ideal at all for pure music listening.

I do love listening to music, and have gone through trial subscriptions of music streaming services like Tidal, Pandora Plus, Apple music, and Amazon Unlimited, finally settling on Tidal music. With a music streaming service integrated in the Sonos app, you would also be able to play music in rooms other than the room with the CD player. My choice for Tidal music was also influenced by the service being supported by my Tesla EV. I have over 600 CDs, but music streaming has taken over my listening habits in the car and with my Sonos speakers at home.