Sonos Music System...any thoughts.

[pearsall001]

I just started the task of ripping all of my CD's to FLAC using the dBpoweramp program & storing on an external hard drive. I've also just started exploring the many devices out there. There's a whole lot of them, mostly on the expensive side. I'm not conserned about their onboard DAC's because I intend on using my hot rodded Music Hall dac. So the unit definelely will need a digital out. I've looked at Olive, Wadia, Bryston, Marantz, Squeezebox, Music Servers Direct just to name a few. Then I checked out the Sonos line, it looks like the perfect solution that I'm looking for. In particular the ZP90 zone player along with their CR 200 controller (you can also use the Apple devices & Android).

From what I've read it's a knock out system the sounds exceptional. Even more so running thru an external dac. Any thoughts from 1st hand users?

[dcoil]

Good question and one that I will follow. I also hope someone with "1st hand use" can give some good info.

And not to hijack your thread, but what did you use to rip your CD's? I assume a CD in your computer, not your Oppo. But what does this do to the quality? I know my dedicated CDP sounds far superior to my old CD changer. So wouldn't it make sense to use the Oppo to rip? But I don't know how you would do this. Am I wrong in my assumption that ripping with a computer CDP is going to miss some of the goods?

[mantis]

yes I did a full Krell and Vienna Acoustics 5.1 theater system with a ZP90 running Flac and it was cool as hell and sounded excellent.
We Install Sonos all the time and I'm impressed with them on all kinds of levels.
I didn't get to sit and listen to my music on the zp90 on his system but what I heard was most enjoyable.
hard wire it and you will not need a zone bridge. It can be stand alone.

[blakeh]

dcoil- ripping with a computer drive is really your only option (unless you buy a higher end music system such as Olive makes which allows you to rip your music directly to the storage device). A computer drive loses no quality when it rips a CD because it's all in the digital domain. You hear a difference in sound quality between your Oppo and old CD changer because the Oppo's analog output section is better.

To the original poster: I have played with the Sonos system and while it is nice and does everything well, it seems very expensive compared to a Squeezebox solution. I went with the latter and feel I have more flexibility for about 1/3 of the cost.

[coolsax]

actually if you have a an Itouch/iPhone/and pretty soon an android phone, Sonos has apps to control the box w/o their proprietary controller which puts it into the SB(squeeze box) price territory, however they lag behind the SB in that the Sonos does not play Hi Rez music, while the SB and PC's will hence why I"m currently going the PC Route myself as I'd like to try using Hi Rez files.

[PrazVT]

It looks like the ZonzePlayer 90 supports Apple Lossless, FLAC, WAV, and AIFF up to 48khz. So seems to be comparable to the SB Classic spec-wise. Not sure what the software is like though.