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How to Replace ZonePlayer 100 Economically

  • 21 January 2020
  • 15 replies
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Sonos has just advised me that my ZonePlayer 100 will become a “Legacy Product” after May and will no longer be supported with software upgrades. Must I, in fact, replace it with a qualifying component if I want to continue driving my treasured Vienna Acoustics speakers as part of my Sonos system? What will happen if I leave the ZonePlayer in place? Will the rest of my system (two One SL’s & a Play 1) be affected negatively? The ZonePlayer still works perfectly, and I can't afford a new AMP amplifier, which will simply do the same thing and offer a bunch of other options I don't need. Will appreciate some advice.

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Best answer by jgatie 21 January 2020, 20:00

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Your system will be frozen at the last update available.  All should work as before at first, but as music services make changes, you could see a deterioration in functionality, especially with online streaming.  Local music should work ad infinitum. 

Thank you. Do I understand correctly that all components will be frozen because of one outlier?

Thank you. Do I understand correctly that all components will be frozen because of one outlier?

 

Essentially, yes.  All components in your system are required to be on the same version.  So if one component can’ be upgraded, none of them can till it is removed from your system.

In my opinion, there ought to be an additional 5-10% discount available for each registered device on a user’s Sonos net that is current-gen that will be adversely affected by leaving the deprecated “trade-in eligible” device on that network.

That’s an interesting concept. Would that discount apply to all purchased products? What happens if the number of impacted products exceeds ten, or twenty?

Thank you all. I do feel that Sonos has an obligation to “Legacy” customers who have (as in my case)  made a long-term commitment to the Sonos system from their first purchase (in my case 12 years ago). We are, in effect, locked in by our investment in Sonos. They will say a 30% discount for upgrading and retiring old equipment is fair. I feel 50% would be truly fair.

Can you convince Apple to give me a 50% discount when I have to update my iPhone to run the latest version of iOS, too?

When you buy an iPhone you know it will need to be replaced. When I bought my first Sonos system I expected they would add newer, better products in the future but not in doing so that they would be junking what I already had!

Referring to the first reply above from jagati, if the objective is to upgrade Sonos systems uniformly to ensure continuing compatibility with online streamlining services and not to modify an older component’s basic functionality (i.e. my ZonePlayer’s function as an amplifier), then Sonos surely should be able to provide an adaptive hardware component, if not a software solution, allowing the older hardware to continue. This would be a fairer, and much less expensive solution. Is anyone from Sonos listening?

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Referring to the first reply above from jagati, if the objective is to upgrade Sonos systems uniformly to ensure continuing compatibility with online streamlining services and not to modify an older component’s basic functionality (i.e. my ZonePlayer’s function as an amplifier), then Sonos surely should be able to provide an adaptive hardware component, if not a software solution, allowing the older hardware to continue. This would be a fairer, and much less expensive solution. Is anyone from Sonos listening?

 It isn't about fairness.  The objective is to have you jettison your old devices and buy new ones because money and progress.

Thank you all. I do feel that Sonos has an obligation to “Legacy” customers who have (as in my case)  made a long-term commitment to the Sonos system from their first purchase (in my case 12 years ago). We are, in effect, locked in by our investment in Sonos. They will say a 30% discount for upgrading and retiring old equipment is fair. I feel 50% would be truly fair.

 

Why is 50% fair?  I get that’s what you feel, but others are going to feel differently.  If you were to find out that at 30% Sonos makes zero profit off the sale, would you feel differently about it?  If you were to find out that Sonos actually takes a lose on the sale at 50%, what would you feel then?  I don’t know what the margin is, but I think it’s relevant to what is or isn’t fair, and this not knowing this makes it seems like customers really can’t say what is or isn’t fair.  Of course, customers can decide what discount is or isn’t enough to want to purchase a replacement, but that’s a different question.

 

Referring to the first reply above from jagati, if the objective is to upgrade Sonos systems uniformly to ensure continuing compatibility with online streamlining services and not to modify an older component’s basic functionality (i.e. my ZonePlayer’s function as an amplifier), then Sonos surely should be able to provide an adaptive hardware component, if not a software solution, allowing the older hardware to continue. This would be a fairer, and much less expensive solution. Is anyone from Sonos listening?

 

You are making a lot of assumptions here.  First, that Sonos never looked at that idea.  You are also assuming that some adaptive hardware component could resolve the age issue of older components, that such a device could be developed, tested, and manufacturer at a low enough cost (including support) and  that the relatively limited market of legacy customers who could use the device will actually will buy it.   Remember, many of the legacy customers are already saying they are done with Sonos entirely.  The cost of such an item would need to be significantly lower than 70% of the cost of a replacement item….which is also assuming that  customers wouldn’t just trade in a Connect:Amp for a pair of Sonos Ones, for example.  

 

Referring to the first reply above from jagati, if the objective is to upgrade Sonos systems uniformly to ensure continuing compatibility with online streamlining services and not to modify an older component’s basic functionality (i.e. my ZonePlayer’s function as an amplifier), then Sonos surely should be able to provide an adaptive hardware component, if not a software solution, allowing the older hardware to continue. This would be a fairer, and much less expensive solution. Is anyone from Sonos listening?

 

Why address this at me?  I’m not the one who established the program, nor have I passed any judgment.  I merely stated the facts to someone who asked what would happen.  

I simply referenced your helpful comment, didn’t address to you.

  1. That’s an interesting concept.
  2. Would that discount apply to all purchased products?
  3. What happens if the number of impacted products exceeds ten, or twenty?
  1. Missed this one the other day. I still think it’s a good idea. (5-10% additional discount to the offered 30% for each modern device on a network affected by a now-legacy device).
  2. No. It would apply to the first purchased product up to 100%.
  3. If more and the customer is purchasing more than one replacement product there could be a carry over credit for any further number of devices that didn’t count toward discount before 100% on the first purchase.
    Clearly at that point their additional outlay to upgrade multiple devices is going to be rather substantial -- not unlikely if total devices are in the 10s and 20s. If it’s just one legacy device being replaced out of 10s/20s modern units in their network, I’d say that customer is well worth the small loss at 100% discount. Essentially a “courtesy” replacement device that is one of 10 or 20 total on a single network is nary a dent to the profit margin, and sure maintains some mutual goodwill.
  1. That’s an interesting concept.
  2. Would that discount apply to all purchased products?
  3. What happens if the number of impacted products exceeds ten, or twenty?
  1. Missed this one the other day. I still think it’s a good idea. (5-10% additional discount to the offered 30% for each modern device on a network affected by a now-legacy device).
  2. No. It would apply to the first purchased product up to 100%.

The current 30% discount can be applied to any product in the store, inclluding sets that are priced over a $1000.  What you’re saying is that you think Sonos should offer to give away a complete home theatre set for free to some customers.  As it stands right now, it is very possible for customers to use the 30% discount to be an actual dollar value greater than the original purchase price of the product they are replacing.

 

As an example to work with, I have about 25 products in total, 3 legacy products, only one of which is still in use.  Under your program, I could get well over a $2000 dollar discount in products.

 

Also, since the trade in program has been active for a while, you would need to reimburse those that have already used it.

  1. If more and the customer is purchase more than one product there’d be a carry over credit for any further number of devices that didn’t count toward discount before 100% on the first purchase.
    Clearly at that point their additional outlay to upgrade multiple devices is going to be rather substantial -- not unlikely if total devices are in the 10s and 20s. If it’s just one legacy device being replaced out of 10s/20s modern units in their network, I’d say that customer is well worth the small loss at 100% discount. Essentially a “courtesy” replacement device that is one of 10 or 20 total on a single network is nary a dent to the profit margin, and sure maintains some mutual goodwill.