 Works as adverstised! |
| Review Date: November 8, 2009 |
| Reviewer: T. Walker, Gainesville Florida |
I have owned the Sonos 250 bundle for a week now and it works like a charm!
It comes with an extensive owners manual,easy setup and most importantly it simply works.
I returned a Squeezebox Duet for a refund after 25 days it was a too problematic (constantly on the phone with tech support),the controler had too much lag time booting up from sleep mode.
The CR200 remote controler is an awesome piece of work it is robust (as is the entire Sonos system),fast and has a very sturdy rubberized build with a big bright full color screen,very nice.
The build quality for all the componets is top notch and I mean TOP NOTCH quality.
One thing to note...the 120 zoneplayer will not connect to a receiver only speakers as it has its own built in amp I made that assumption,not a problem my mini Onkyo receiver will find other duty around the house.All this is to say if you intend to connect to 2 receivers STOP and buy two Sonos 90 zoneplayers and CR 200 separately.
The sound from the built in amp is equal to if not better my my mini 60 amp Onkyo system.
The Sonos 90 zoneplayer in the bundle connects to my big Onkyo receiver in the family room again the sound is awesome and of course it syncs with the other room or plays seperate selections in each room if you desire.
There is another Sonos 90 in my future for my mini Onkyo.
All in all you cannot go wrong here Sonos cost more then its competition but is a better value and worth every penny.
I went the low road (Squeezebox) and it was full of bumps and headaches, dig a little deeper and save yourself some time and headaches Sonos is the way to go. |
Easy and done
|
| Review Date: November 12, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Derek Wiebenson, Evanston, IL |
My wife and I decided it was time to get rid of the stereos that sat around our apartment working only as radio's and iPhone input players -- we hadn't played a cd or tape on them in years. I stumbled on Sonos after looking through audio magazines on-line and it was on the only system I saw that really address all our needs. I ordered the BU250 bundle along with an S5. They arrived yesterday and I literally had them playing music in under 15 minutes -- including the uninstallation of the previous stereo equipment and the indexing of my music collection.
Step 1. Plugged in Zoneplayer 90 into router and power. Plugged in externally powered speakers.
Step 2. Moved old stereo to floor; attached speakers from old stereo into Zoneplayer 120 and plugged into outlet.
Step 3. Moved old box radio to floor; plugged S5 into outlet in the kitchen.
Step 4. Installed software from cd onto computer (this required pressing the mouse button several times but no actual technical understanding). Indexed the music on the computer too.
Step 5. Following the software prompt, told each Zoneplayer to announce it is around (push mute and volume up button at the same time). The software also had me update the software on the Zoneplayers to the latest versions (automaticly done, I just had to acknowledge this was ok). I then started playing local NPR station per commands from the computer to prove I could.
Step 6. Woke up the Controller 200 (it was already fully charged out of the box) and used the mute/volume button combo press on one of the Zoneplyers to let the remote know there is a system around to latch to.
Step 7. Gave remote to wife (I have an iPhone with the app installed). She then logged into her Pandora account from the remote and was playing music in under a minute.
Step 8. Invited friends over to gaze at what I have accomplished.
It was really that easy. We now have a bunch of bookshelf space back in the living room and we can quickly listen to just about any song out there with just a few touches to the remote. I have a NAS on order so we can play our music collection without having the computer powered on.
Bottom line: a very easy to use, easily expandable, full featured solution to life after cd/tapes.
|
Sonos got it right!
|
| Review Date: December 29, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Dragoncat, San Francisco, CA USA |
I am a very sophisticated user so getting something as easy to set up and use as a Sonos was not originally part of my purchase criteria. But since I'm not the only user I had to go beyond my own considerations when making a purchase.
This review is for a Sonos BU250 bundle + S5 that I purchased just before Christmas this year. I added a pair of SP100 speakers just a couple of days ago. I've had the system for about a week.
I previously had a Squeezebox system for a few years (SB3 attached to the home theater, Duet set up in the living room). Though the SB3 had been trouble free I was always disappointed by the user interface to search and play specific music. The frequent updates to the Squeezecenter software (now Squeezebox Server) were equally frustrating since those updates sometimes introduced problems that were not previously evident. Finally the range of the system was limited since it relied solely on the existing WiFi network (or wired Ethernet--in my case via powerline adapters). Regardless, the music was prone to stuttering or stopping altogether...quite a frustration when you have guests or just want to sit back and relax. In all fairness, Logitech (the owner of the Squeezebox brand) has done some commendable updates to their Duet software which has improved its functionality considerable. Still, the continuing dropouts and occasional lockups made the whole system less than a pleasant experience. With all that said, I am still a staunch supporter of the Squeezebox system and will continue to recommend it for certain users and configurations. For me, it ultimately fell short for what I had hoped to accomplish.
After doing a bit of research on options and alternatives I decided to go the Sonos route. I've known of Sonos for a few years but had decided on the Squeezebox route primarily based on cost. This time around, I decided the extra cost would be offset by the ease of use, so I went ahead and took the plunge.
For me, the critical factor for my decision was the mesh network which allows each unit to "piggyback" from the others, extending the network throughout the house. Now I don't have be concerned about the extent of a wired network since the mix of Sonos units throughout the house takes care of everything. I have a ZP120 in the living room (connected to Sonos SP100 speakers), a ZP90 in the media room (connected to the home theater and wired network), and an S5 in one of the upstairs bedrooms. The CR200 controller sits in the living room, but we also use the free iPhone/iPod Touch app to control the system when we're away from the living room.
I intend to add a couple of additional units--a ZP90 connected to a pair of powered speakers in my home office, and a second S5 that can do double duty in the guest room and as an outdoor system when we entertain.
Overall, I am quite pleased with the setup, ease of use, and overall functionality. And during my one call to technical support (I had a setup challenge since my network wasn't cooperating to connect to the initial Zoneplayer) the staff member was knowledgeable, patient, and thorough in his execution. After a bit of troubleshooting, we got the problem resolved and I have been a happy listener ever since. I highly recommend the system to anyone looking for a pain free whole house (or part of house) music system! |
The very best multi-room wireless sound system
|
| Review Date: September 18, 2009 |
| Reviewer: R. Remington, California |
| The Sonos system just works, and works brilliantly. Having multi-room wireless sound in my home with the option of listening to so many sources of music (digital music from my networked computer, Sirius, various online radio stations and online music service) as well as tying it into my existing home stereo for CDs and terrestrial radio is just brilliant. The hardware and software are engineered to the highest standard. It's not cheap but the functionality is a whole level above anything else out there. Those who want the best will be satisfied. Expect to pay $2000-$3000 to truly set up a large home with 4-5 zones assuming you need Sonos amplifiers and speakers in each room rather than using existing equipment. The new remote is spectacular and being able to control everything from my iphone is great. A whole home sound system is like landscape lighting or hardwood floors, not strictly necessary but really adds to the ambiance of the home. |
Exceeded Expectations - Cool Factor is High
|
| Review Date: January 21, 2010 |
| Reviewer: Jeff C, Greensboro, NC |
I am really happy with the purchase of this Sonos equipment. Over the past year, I increasingly became interested in jumping into a wireless household music system that can bridge my interest in audio and technology. After a fair amount of research, I decided on the Sonos solution. I started with the BU250 Multiroom Music System and a S5 Zoneplayer. My initial experience when I received the stuff was very similar to that when I get any Apple product. Packaging was well thought out and the design and quality was great. Cool, compact design and installation was a snap.
I had really good sound piped through the house within 30 minutes. The user interface on the remote was extremely intuitive and with the exception of a few needs to reference the manual, it was self-explanatory. The S5 sounds very good for a boom-box type application, but the ZP120 hooked up to some decent Polk Audio bookshelf speakers I had lying around sound a lot better and provide far better separation. If you have a good pair of speakers and don't need the portability, this is the way I recommend you go. This said, I easily see the benefits of portability of the S5. Like for parties out on the patio, working in the garage, etc.
I also hooked up the ZP90 to my main stereo, which I am very picky about the sound. I choose to use the digital out into an off board DAC, which feeds an analog signal into the stereo. I could use the analog directly out of the ZP90 and bypassed my DAC, but do not - nor did I do serious A/B comparisons to see how much better my DAC is to the one in the ZP90 unit (or if it is even better). The sound on this system is excellent and very listenable for long periods of time. Although a CD on a higher end player sounds much better, the convenience of dialing an almost endless variety of music into the mix from the comfort of my chair is technology at it's best!! When sitting in front of my stereo, I spend my time about 50% listening to CD's and 50% listening to material through the Sonos feed.
But, I find that I am listening to far more music in general because I don't have to be confined to the room with my main stereo. It is the greatest thing when throwing a party and I have turned countless friends onto it because the sound, the convenience, and a very high cool factor.
As far as source material goes, I subscribed to Sirius on the Internet (as well as my car and home), and it works seamlessly. It has actually saved me money because I cancelled my home subscription and now pipe Sirius through many rooms in my house with no hassle of weak signals and finding northwest facing windows to dangle an antenna in. Additionally, I have ripped about 150 gigs of music using in Apple Lossless format and keep it on a NAS attached to my router. So when someone asks to hear Neil Young do Helpless on his Unplugged album, no problem. Or, when my Irish mother-in-law was here from New Jersey and misses her WOR radio station in the morning, I dialed that in too. All through a few clicks on the Sonos remote (and it's free).
By now, you should have figured out I give the Sonos system a hardy recommendation . . . . . but there are a few cons. Namely:
The cost of the system is pretty high. But I personally feel you get what you pay for.
Although the Sonos network uses all units to communicate with each other and expand coverage, the reception is not stellar and you have to be sometimes thoughtful on unit placement. In a couple of situations, it got dicey on me if the distance to the closest unit was more than ~50 feet and through multiple walls.
If you use iTunes to manage your digital music, it is not really intuitive if you want Sonos to use your play lists and the computer that you run iTunes is not readily available on the network. Though I have found a workaround and am sure there may be better solutions.
The CR200 remote runs out of juice after about a day and a half, so it needs to find it's way back to it's charging cradle after extended use. Also, I wish there was a feature that allows you to make the remote beep to help find it because I misplace it a lot . . . . especially during parties!
Anyway, I don't write too many reviews, but when I find something that works very well and I am this happy, I owe it to the company and to other readers of reviews to share my thoughts. Hope it helps!
|
Best buy for " Sonos BU250 Multiroom Music System ", Lowest Price Sonos BU250 Multiroom Music System + Free shipping. Get Sonos BU250 Multiroom Music System Now! |
No video reviews found for this product.
