I've read through the discussions here and it upset me that no one provided this easy solution. Listen Not everyone wants to stream FM/AM local broadcasts!!! Some people like myself want a simple TUNER connected to their sonos system so they can QUICKLY go to a local radio station. I had to look around and finally purchased a HD tuner by Sangean, I believe its the model 100. I also had the sonos Amp which I connected the tuner RCA outputs into the Amp. The Amp also has small wired speakers because I use this in my workout room. I get the best of both worlds with this setup! So sonos if they are smart will create a simple TUNER because not everyone wants to stream EVERYTHING!!! Make sense.????
Adding a tuner to your sonos system
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Sonos meets a need for those wanting a multi-room music streaming system. It also enables linking to “traditional” hifi systems. If you only want a traditional system, rather than a streaming system, you’re quite at liberty not to buy Sonos kit. But to easily add multi-room capability to a traditional system, it can be done, as you acknowledge.
Any Sonos , not used as a surround, that has a line-in can be used to add a tuner of your choice, simply plug it in and select it as your music source.
Sonos does resell some turntables but not any other external devices. If you think they should resell a tuner you might contact support and suggest one.
In my teens I was an AM/FM/Shortwave junky. With a movable FM antenna I had access to three major and several minor metropolitan areas. In my current location AM/FM has become uninteresting and shortwave content has become much easier to deal with by way of the Internet. (Regretfully, some esoteric content is still available only through shortwave and my, now ancient, receiver has been recycled.)
I don’t think that there would be enough potential sales for SONOS to justify the cost of developing a Tuner. For a capable DIY person it could be a one or two evening project to develop a phone/pad remote for a tuner that could play into a SONOS Line-In. Maybe you could convince a 3rd party SONOS controller developer to add remote control for a 3rd party Tuner or Receiver.
For a repertoire of a few regular stations, SONOS Favorites is convenient.
+18Why is your system not able to change stations quickly? On my system it would be more cumbersome to have to reach for a separate remote instead of reaching for my phone or ask Google to change the stations.
I do think you are in a minority with your question - a minority Sonos already caters for with the Amp, Port or Era with adapter as you found out.
Why is your system not able to change stations quickly?
I have a tuner remote with 10 presets for the stations Iike. When I work out a station may have a song or two and then cut to a commercial or news break, that's when I switch to a different station at the push of a button. I also will use the tuner knob at times. Look people don't necessarily like to be forced into a certain behavior. We see that as people want vinyl records again. They have also been back on the CD kick and now I've heard there are groups looking for the old cassettes again.
There's nothing wrong with streaming music, but if I could have only one item, it would be the old fashion stereo system with a CD player and a phonograph! That's just me, I grew up in the 70's and I like that music along with those older technologies.
There is a new generation (and many old timers) who don’t want to mess with clumsy remotes or knobs and just want to talk to their electronics. Each generation feels that the others just don’t “get it” because the most convenient approach is so obvious to them.
There's nothing wrong with streaming music, but if I could have only one item, it would be the old fashion stereo system with a CD player and a phonograph! That's just me, I grew up in the 70's and I like that music along with those older technologies.
So you long for days of a CD player and phonograph. The CD player I get. However, if you were using a phonograph (see picture below) did you have disc’s of this type as well? 😂
Phonograph Record
- Shellac Disc (1897 - late 1950s)
- Aluminum Disc (Late 1920s - 1940s)
- Lacquer Disc (Late 1920s - 1970s)
Oh...BTW...in my day we didn’t have CD palyers. Instead we had Reel to Reel tape decks and portable Vinyl record players with 45 rpm record adaptors (see pictures below): 😊
Cassettes are really horrid for music reproduction. First is their noise level, even with Dolby, then wow and flutter, frequency response, degradation from multiple plays.
Vinyl is marginally better, if on a properly set up turntable but wear is still a consideration. Used vinyl is all too often worn to the point it is almost unlistenable.
Still if nostalgic desire overrides your desire for high quality sound both can be fun hobbies.
My preferred source is ripped to a NAS CD, second is CD quality streaming. I just want to pick something and listen to decent quality sound. My audio as a hobby days are behind me.
I have some 33rpm record albums from my father's collection ie: Glenn Miller and some big bands that I love! Also something to think about...today your purchases can be tracked, your TV viewing, your cell phone where abouts and now what music you listen to via: you guessed it, Streaming. I like to think I can enjoy my freedom without the Beast System knowing everything!
Sonos used to support that but now so much of what you do locally is passed through their servers.
We now have a backup system that allows us to play our local music without announcing every song to the snoopy and marketers. Doesn't sound as good as Sonos, lacks many nice Sonos features but it is PRIVATE.
mocha95,
These LP’s were produced before record companies started using draconian compression schemes that irritate so many of us. This is why some people are seeking the early releases that you have. We are currently seeing ‘vintage’ record stores popping up.
There is some justification for this draconian compression because it was easy to prove that it sold more records, tapes, and CDs. These compressed releases are easier to listen to in noisy environments, such as cars and out on the street. It’s hard for me to argue with people who claim that the 70’s (uncompressed or lightly compressed) releases sound better than later mass releases, but the premium releases that worked from the master tape in the vault, without any compression, are (in my opinion) in a different league.
Sonos used to support that but now so much of what you do locally is passed through their servers.
We now have a backup system that allows us to play our local music without announcing every song to the snoopy and marketers. Doesn't sound as good as Sonos, lacks many nice Sonos features but it is PRIVATE.
While I don’t have access to the data, I suspect that most SONOS listeners use services and privacy does not exist. Way back when, I would not have climbed aboard if SONOS had not been private. I think that the marketers are in charge and they demand data. Privacy just gets in the way.
+18The thing is you can also ad favorites to Sonos, so I still do not really see the need for a tuner. But, as stated, Sonos caters for this use case by selling devices that have an analogue in.
For a capable DIY person it could be a one or two evening project to develop a phone/pad remote for a tuner that could play into a SONOS Line-In. Maybe you could convince a 3rd party SONOS controller developer to add remote control for a 3rd party Tuner or Receiver.
For a repertoire of a few regular stations, SONOS Favorites is convenient.
https://www.airablenow.com/airable/radio/ This is something that Brennan has included into the higher end CD Ripper/Players. Just a thought...
+18This last post makes me question if you've even installed a music service like TuneIn on your system. Airable looks like it does something like TuneIn - provide acces to radio stations via the internet.
I appreciate you aren’t keen on streaming - but you could search on Sonos for each of those ten stations you like and add them to your Sonos Favourites, so that on the Sonos app home screen you just tap the station of your choice and it will immediately play - just like you’re trying to do with your tuner, cables, and remote control.
It is by far the most efficient way to play and switch stations on your Sonos system. I don’t know why this would be less agreeable than connecting up a tuner. (I think Sonos’ lack of an external tuner is because it is counter-intuitive vs Sonos’ fundamental purpose.)
And regarding privacy, I can’t speak to the privacy policies of individual stations or Sonos, but I don’t get too concerned that a computer out there somewhere knows I listen to the BBC Radio 2 Breakfast show. If you have a Sonos account and speakers, then they already have all the info they need. Playing radio stations through Sonos won’t put you at any further ‘risk’.
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