Sonos Digital Music System Multi-Zone Audio Done Right
April 2005
Did you know that Sonos is the Greek word for sound? Or that Sonos spelled backward is Sonos? Forgive me if I seem to be grasping for straws, but this multi-zone music system has already achieved a level of fame usually reserved for supermodels, presidents and mass murderers. What can I tell you about it that you haven't already heard?
You probably know it uses a sleek handheld wireless controller, called, logically enough, the Controller, to operate one or more ZonePlayers. If you're multi-zone savvy, you'll also be aware that the zones can operate in tandem or independently. And no doubt you've heard a lot about the system's visual resemblance to the Apple iPod.
But here are some things you may not have heard yet. The Controller is splash-resistant and therefore can function (within limits) in the kitchen and bathroom. Class D amps enable the ZonePlayer to deliver its 50 watts per channel, a technology story in itself. And while digital rights management does impose some restrictions, a recent deal with RealNetworks will allow the Sonos system to play songs downloaded from the Rhapsody online music service.
My review sample was the "introductory bundle," which includes a single CR100 Controller and two ZP100 ZonePlayers for $1,199. Extra Controllers go for $399 and additional ZonePlayers—the system can handle up to 32 zones—cost $499, each. The two ZonePlayers found homes in my office and bedroom.
On my desk, an Ethernet cable connected the primary ZonePlayer to a Belkin router. The player mated with a pair of Paradigm Studio/20 monitors, moonlighting from their back-channel positions in my reference system. Unusual spring-loaded binding posts accepted cables via holes on the sides. The holes would have accepted either banana plugs or bare wire tips, but when I tried bananas, the plugs blocked the power-cord jack. So I stripped some generic 12-gauge cable that I keep around for emergencies.
In my bedroom, the second ZonePlayer was a perfect fit for a bookshelf that's seven inches deep and stands 1.5 inches from the wall, perfectly accommodating both player and binding posts. Here the speakers were a new pair of JBL Control1Xtreme indoor/outdoor speakers with a Pinnacle SubSonic subwoofer beefing up the low end. The second ZonePlayer connected to the system wirelessly, presumably with the first one serving as transmitter, so there was no need to connect another Ethernet cable.
Each ZonePlayer has a set of auto-detect stereo analog inputs to connect an external source (so you can still play unripped CDs, cassettes, or even vinyl). And, of course, each requires a separate power connection. The Controller has to be charged with a power adapter, a process that takes about two hours. A charge lasts for a week with "typical usage."
You probably know it uses a sleek handheld wireless controller, called, logically enough, the Controller, to operate one or more ZonePlayers. If you're multi-zone savvy, you'll also be aware that the zones can operate in tandem or independently. And no doubt you've heard a lot about the system's visual resemblance to the Apple iPod.
But here are some things you may not have heard yet. The Controller is splash-resistant and therefore can function (within limits) in the kitchen and bathroom. Class D amps enable the ZonePlayer to deliver its 50 watts per channel, a technology story in itself. And while digital rights management does impose some restrictions, a recent deal with RealNetworks will allow the Sonos system to play songs downloaded from the Rhapsody online music service.
My review sample was the "introductory bundle," which includes a single CR100 Controller and two ZP100 ZonePlayers for $1,199. Extra Controllers go for $399 and additional ZonePlayers—the system can handle up to 32 zones—cost $499, each. The two ZonePlayers found homes in my office and bedroom.
On my desk, an Ethernet cable connected the primary ZonePlayer to a Belkin router. The player mated with a pair of Paradigm Studio/20 monitors, moonlighting from their back-channel positions in my reference system. Unusual spring-loaded binding posts accepted cables via holes on the sides. The holes would have accepted either banana plugs or bare wire tips, but when I tried bananas, the plugs blocked the power-cord jack. So I stripped some generic 12-gauge cable that I keep around for emergencies.
In my bedroom, the second ZonePlayer was a perfect fit for a bookshelf that's seven inches deep and stands 1.5 inches from the wall, perfectly accommodating both player and binding posts. Here the speakers were a new pair of JBL Control1Xtreme indoor/outdoor speakers with a Pinnacle SubSonic subwoofer beefing up the low end. The second ZonePlayer connected to the system wirelessly, presumably with the first one serving as transmitter, so there was no need to connect another Ethernet cable.
Each ZonePlayer has a set of auto-detect stereo analog inputs to connect an external source (so you can still play unripped CDs, cassettes, or even vinyl). And, of course, each requires a separate power connection. The Controller has to be charged with a power adapter, a process that takes about two hours. A charge lasts for a week with "typical usage."
