Time for a refresh Sonos

Sonos is rumoured to be refreshing the Connect. Though I doubt you will ever see them support any hi-res formats like MQA. They were pretty definitive a while back when they stated they don't believe in the superiority of the extending frequency sampling in hi-res audio.

I would be very surprised to see a Connect Amp refresh; all its excellent capability and much more is now available in play units except for one - being a source indoors for wired weatherproof speakers outdoors, with no such speakers in the Sonos range. Or perhaps for ceiling speakers.

For those who are not happy with the play unit sound quality, a Connect + third party amp and speakers is the much better alternative because it also meets their psychological needs. I would think that the Connect Amp market has to be shrinking to a niche, not earning a refresh for the product.

MQA/Hi Res isn't worthy of comment; a red herring.

jgatie wrote:

Sonos is rumoured to be refreshing the Connect. Though I doubt you will ever see them support any hi-res formats like MQA. They were pretty definitive a while back when they stated they don't believe in the superiority of the extending frequency sampling in hi-res audio.

I hope you are right with the Connect refresh.

Kumar wrote:

For those who are not happy with the play unit sound quality, a Connect + third party amp and speakers is the much better alternative because it also meets their psychological needs. I would think that the Connect Amp market has to be shrinking to a niche, not earning a refresh for the product.

Your logic is impeccable and I'm sure you're right, but I must say I enjoy the streamlined experience of the CONNECT:AMP and a pair of (old) passive speakers. No switching a separate amplifier on and off, and everything integrated into a neat, attractive unit. The sound quality is equal to the the Arcam 8 amplifier (50WPC) and Arcam 7SE CD player that it replaced.

pwt wrote:

Kumar wrote:

For those who are not happy with the play unit sound quality, a Connect + third party amp and speakers is the much better alternative because it also meets their psychological needs. I would think that the Connect Amp market has to be shrinking to a niche, not earning a refresh for the product.

Your logic is impeccable and I'm sure you're right, but I must say I enjoy the streamlined experience of the CONNECT:AMP and a pair of (old) passive speakers. No switching a separate amplifier on and off, and everything integrated into a neat, attractive unit. The sound quality is equal to the the Arcam 8 amplifier (50WPC) and Arcam 7SE CD player that it replaced.

Yep. I’ve driven the big QUAD ESL-63s with many amps, including a QUAD 405-2 with Luxman pre, and an Onix A-120, but always came back to the simplicity of the Connect:Amp. The “night and day” differences that “audiophiles” so often claim to hear between quality amplifiers operating within their parameters was roundly disproven by Peter J Walker years ago, and is laughable today.

No argument there and I expect they will keep it in the range; I just don't see a refresh happening.