Is Sonos the biggest rip-off in the modern world?

  • 12 January 2021
  • 9 replies
  • 659 views
I

If we lived in a world where ‘truth in advertising’ was a thing, here are a few points I would plaster all over the website and the box:

  • Sonos will control and limit the content you can play through your speakers. Don’t expect that you can play something just because you own it or have paid for access to it.
  • You need a PhD in network engineering to set up and maintain your Sonos system. 
  • Expect at least 3 catastrophic app updates during the life of your Sonos system. (Sonos love to blow away a heavily refined user interface with something that is ridiculously unhelpful, just when you got used to the old one.)
  • Nothing will ever be backwards compatible. Sonos took their strategy of forced obsolescence straight from the Apple playbook. Expect to invest heavily and repeatedly. 
  • Don’t expect to get any real help from Sonos support. At the end of the day, if they can’t fix it for you, they will tell you it’s all to do with ‘your network’ and it’s your problem to fix it. 
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9 replies

Airgetlam

Are you even familiar with the Sonos ecosystem?

  1. Sonos has effectively zero control over what you play on their system. If the Sonos player can read a file, it can be played. Various streaming companies do restrict what content they provide to the servers that they provide Sonos content on, but Sonos has zero control over that. If your content is local, Sonos doesn’t know what you’re playing.
  2. I don’t have a PhD in networking. In fact, my work experience is in video gaming, and not networking at all. My Sonos system of 19 speakers remains rock solid.
  3. I have never experienced a catastrophic update, since I originally purchased a speaker in 8 years of ownership, applying each update as it came out, without waiting to see other’s experiences. I did have one slightly problematic update, which I resolved by assigning reserved IP addresses to all my network devices, but even that small issue was in no way catastrophic. 
  4. All of the devices I’ve purchased from Sonos have been as ‘backwards compatible’ as any tech device can be. If I hadn’t traded in my PLAY:5 Gen 1 for a newer device, Sonos still supports it with the S1 software. In fact, to my knowledge, the only devices Sonos no longer supports is the iPod (30 connection) dock, and a remote control that didn’t end up having enough internal memory to run the latest versions of the controller, with all the features that Sonos has added over time. 
  5. When I needed it, I’ve received substantial assistance from Sonos support via phone. More often, I’ve received critical and extraordinarily useful data from community members of this very forum.

I’m sorry your experience hasn’t mirrored mine. It’s evident that you feel your experience is the only valid one, I wanted to present an alternate view. 

Bruce
Sonosjunkie
Userlevel 5
Badge +12

Is it not perfect and has made some blunder but that’s a bit ‘over the top’ and harsh. 
 

  1. limited content - like what? I’m new to Sonos - only been on board a few years but have not come across any content that I’ve not been able go play through the system. 
  2. networking - this is likely the biggest challenge users face. Got 21 speakers on the network and 2 more on the way. So far bot had any major issues. None that I’d expect to have with any other mass use off wifi devices. Get a Boost. Research positioning and make sure the wifi interference is kept to a minimal. No need for a CCNA. 
  3. Updates/Outages not had one so far in 2.5 years of use. 
  4. Obsolescence do people really expect infinite support for ‘smart’ speakers?  Caveat emptor has always been the case. If 30 years from speakers os the expectation then a tech driven solution is best avoided. Every 10 years it makes sense to move on and streamline the ecosystem. The old kit still generally does what it was sold to do and has enjoyed a reasonable lifespan of updates.
  5. Support never had any technical issues so can’t comment. 

 



 

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M

Indisidiou50N05 I think you r full of crap!

G
Userlevel 7

@Insidiou50N05 Rather than complaining, which will get you no where, send us your set up and the problems you are having and maybe we can assist you.

"Receive with simplicity everything that happens to you." - Rashi
controlav
Userlevel 7
Badge +23

@Insidiou50N05 Rather than complaining, which will get you no where, send us your set up and the problems you are having and maybe we can assist you.

As they joined the site yesterday, and this is their only post, one has to question their motive and purpose.

Author of the leading independent Sonos app for Windows, the only Sonos app for Xbox, and a Sonos app for iOS
J

@Insidiou50N05 Rather than complaining, which will get you no where, send us your set up and the problems you are having and maybe we can assist you.

As they joined the site yesterday, and this is their only post, one has to question their motive and purpose.

I agree.  This is a familiar pattern.  The title is deliberately provocative, and even if this is a genuine user, his mind is made up.  I would rather concentrate any time I spend on here trying to help users who are actually seeking help.

That is obviously an entirely personal view, and others may think differently.

Jeffrey_35
Userlevel 5
Badge +15

This is 100% trolling.  He probably is a fanboy of another system and is trying to create uncertainty. Personally I think it would be nice on chat rooms to have a 14 day viewing period where they can’t comment after they register. I am all for free speech but this is ridiculous. 

“The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination.”
Stanley_4
Userlevel 7
Badge +22

I just wish the forum offered a feature to mute users like this and topics like this.

 

Having new poster’s posts only visible to support staff until approved would be great too. Used that on several other forums to cut down on the butt-hurt posts and spammers.

jgatie

Yet another drive-by post firing off nothing but melodrama.  Nothing to see here, folks.

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