So it's Boxing day, and I've just received a lovely big SONOS Play:1 speaker for Christmas. I set the speakers up and try to find them on my system. Nothing.
I do some research, trying to figure out why I can only play through SONOS app and verified programmes approved through the SONOS app.
Why something which clearly cost more than a few pretty pennies is essentially useless for anything other than playing music.
No live sound, no video sync, nothing but music through SONOS.
So the decrepit old speakers I have had since 2000 are essentially doing a better job than the basic model of SONOS. Not only this but my cheap shower bluetooth speaker I bought for my boyfriend (£5.99) can do what this supposedly amazing modern and high quality technology cannot. Which is play ANY sound off of my computer or phone that I want it to.
How is this a complicated concept and why, after literally years and years of community comments and wailings and clearly strong customer dissatisfaction haven't you developed a simple software fix for this? What, you can play my music at the highest sound level ever but can't handle a simple YouTube video? What kind of operation are you running? Please for the love of all things good and pure and sound related, just fix this issue. I don't think I've ever had more issue with such a supposedly 'amazing' product before. If Bluetooth is such a low quality sound how come they can do what you can't?
Why can't I just use you like any other speakers?
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you are correct I don't work and Im not on Facebook for the exact reason of people like you its been fun I will know move to the correct forum. Good luck players.
Let me put it simply :
1. Sonos has 1 official application for streaming. All your services and local media utilize this application.
2. If they made their 1 and only application amazing and paid attention to it, I would have no complaints.
3. If they chose not to make their official application powerful and useful I would be fine with it too, IF and only IF they made it possible for 3rd Party applications to tie into their streaming protocol.
4. You do not have to be open source in order for this to happen.
5. You do not have to be part of a universal protocol for this to happen.
Don't want to build a good application? Fine. Let other 3rd Party applications stream to your Sonos speakers. Let my favorite Android, iPhone and Windows Phone applications handle the User Interface and Library management for you and let them stream to your speakers.
And if you can't even be bothered to do that, at the very least, put a 3.5mm line-in on it!
NAILED IT!!
Userlevel 1
That would work if it hadn't been a gift. How does one take back something when you don't know where it comes from?
LG and Bose do it via Bluetooth to only one speaker with no multi-room. Fact is, the app manufacturers have never standardized on a multi-room, Ethernet based casting architecture, never mind a standard protocol. Unreliable Bluetooth to a single speaker is as good as it gets. So Dec, with your effort to disparage Sonos,you actually came up with a very good description of the shortcomings of your "preferred" systems, in that they have to use inferior synching, standard WiFi, and Bluetooth to mimic a cheaper, unreliable feature set, something which Sonos refuses to compromise.
So ask where they bought it. Simple, no?
Yes I will, My Jabra soulmate works well in the bathroom, no problems at all, phone stays in the bedroom.
I could do this with a play1 perhaps, oh hold no power in the bathroom, try better Sonos.
I could do this with a play1 perhaps, oh hold no power in the bathroom, try better Sonos.
I've made no assumptions, I know exactly what SONOS devices are capable of.
The OP had assumptions dashed, and was disappointed that a high end speaker was limited in its functionality where as a previous less expensive solution was not.
I suggested that Sonos would not meet his requirements and move on to something else, the same as you are suggesting, so how am I dissing Sonos and you are not?
Be careful with that speaker in the bathroom, electrons and non pure water don't mix.
The OP had assumptions dashed, and was disappointed that a high end speaker was limited in its functionality where as a previous less expensive solution was not.
I suggested that Sonos would not meet his requirements and move on to something else, the same as you are suggesting, so how am I dissing Sonos and you are not?
Be careful with that speaker in the bathroom, electrons and non pure water don't mix.
Since my country makes it part of the electrical code to have special GFI outlets in every bathroom, not to mention near any water source, I'm not worried. Seems to b a better solution to protect people from themselves than only allowing a razor in the bathroom.
And you are dissing Sonos because you are dissing Sonos. Unless you wish to point out where you have praised them, as I have numerous times? Sonos is not right for some. They are still the best there is, with their benefits far outweighing their shortcomings. Do you agree? If not, then there's your answer to your "dissing" question.
And you are dissing Sonos because you are dissing Sonos. Unless you wish to point out where you have praised them, as I have numerous times? Sonos is not right for some. They are still the best there is, with their benefits far outweighing their shortcomings. Do you agree? If not, then there's your answer to your "dissing" question.
Jabra Solemate is not a multi-room system
Get what you want/need
Simple
Exactly. I don't have to link/unlink my phone to my Play:1. If my girlfriend gets in the bathroom after me, she can listen to my music or change it to her own without a hassle. The music won't stop for her if I take my phone to work. If I want my music to follow me downstairs, it's two clicks without leaving the app. I can then control it from my tablet as my phone charges. I can listen to Sirius, Pandora, Slacker, or a playlist from Google Music, Apple Music, and my own library, or all mixed together, without once leaving the app. That to me is far superior to a battery powered Bluetooth speaker.
It really is a shame that you don't listen to your power-users and your customers with more common needs. I'll probably be leaving the Sonos bandwagon and switching to buying powered speakers and connecting to them through Chromecast Audio or similar streaming devices. There's lots of great speakers out there. I bought Sonos because I thought that you guys did the best job of integrating the whole experience. It's sad to see that you have stopped innovating and are falling behind.
One reason why Sonos is the best out there in its addressed market is precisely because it chooses not to be the solution for everyone out there. Jack of all trades and all that...
Your CC approach is a valid option, but not for the reasons you want addressed. CC is for either a low cost front end, or for using much better sound quality but no WiFi active speakers than what Sonos offers, without at the same time also spending money on the Sonos connect. Or if you must have the native music apps.
I have played around with CC and it is a very interesting option for sure. But it isn't for me because its user interface to music play is nowhere as slick/stable as it is for Sonos. YMMV, and if so, you aren't part of the market that Sonos addresses, which by the way, is quite large going by Sonos revenue volume and growth numbers. Recognise that and move on.
I don't care for either, but that isn't the point, because this isn't as much about being better as it is about being what the addressed market prefers. The Brittany Spears market isn't ever going to buy Led Zeppelin because it doesn't care for the latter.
Which isn't to say that there isn't going to be a better version of Spears or there needn't be one - it just isn't going to a Zeppelin or similar.
Sonos isn't master of audio, no one says so. But for the things it does well, there isn't any better at the price point, or at many above the one it sells at, today. Tomorrow? Who knows, but the chances are it will stay so in the short to medium term of 2-3 years. Long term - I doubt any can say.
The other thing is that Sonos continues to innovate, but what does it say to you if that isn't in the direction you would like it to?
So Sonos isn't the master of Audio. With Chromecast Audio, LG's WiFi multiroom system and Bose following up, Sonos isn't the master of multi-room wireless either. And evidently they aren't the master of software integration either. So what is Sonos good at?
Ahh, if you are defining master of audio in just that very limited way, Sonos is clearly the master. No one today does multi room wireless audio as well as Sonos does. I have used CC and Bose enough to say that and I doubt LG is any better than these two.
I would extend this to say that it holds true at any price point in the market today.
So Sonos isn't the master of Audio. With Chromecast Audio, LG's WiFi multiroom system and Bose following up, Sonos isn't the master of multi-room wireless either. And evidently they aren't the master of software integration either. So what is Sonos good at?
Ahh, if you are defining master of audio in just that very limited way, Sonos is clearly the master. No one today does multi room wireless audio as well as Sonos does. I have used CC and Bose enough to say that and I doubt LG is any better than these two.
I would extend this to say that it holds true at any price point in the market today.
I've been using CC in parallel to my Sonos for the past few weeks and aside from the polish on the app, by which I mean the aesthetics of the application alone the Chromecast has done everything my Sonos set up does. I have not utilized higher sampling and bit rates but apparently the CC can also handle higher quality files than Sonos can (which is a hardware limitation of the Sonos). The CC app, while not aesthetically pleasing is much more functional and I imagine will improve rapidly since this is it's first iteration.
Out of curiosity I've gone back through posts looking for my own problems and found you responding in similar manner to other users with problems or criticism of Sonos. Can Sonos do no wrong? What is this innovation that you speak of? If Sonos cannot handle files, sort libraries or provide customers with the connectivity options that they need - how do you claim that it is the best at multi-room wireless?
Perhaps you're a proud owner, but I'm not. And I'm not quite as naive as to claim that units shipped is an indicator of innovation. Sonos was once an innovator. Now it can't make an app with an equalizer or library management or max out bit rates, or even do what you claim it does best : play anywhere.
jgatie here is a praise my first comment
"it does work well within a narrow band of requirements"
"it does work well within a narrow band of requirements"
kumar
This
"Trueplay tuning customises the sound to better suit the room the speaker is placed in and this is something that is offered for all speakers made by Sonos in the past as well, going back to 2009. Quite innovative and a rare thing, that. "
has been available on AV receivers by a lot of manufacturers for quite some time.
This
"Trueplay tuning customises the sound to better suit the room the speaker is placed in and this is something that is offered for all speakers made by Sonos in the past as well, going back to 2009. Quite innovative and a rare thing, that. "
has been available on AV receivers by a lot of manufacturers for quite some time.
Sonos offers sound tuning to the extent it believes is asked for by its chosen market of interest for the speakers they make. A product management decision Sonos has made, and I assume they know their business better than anyone here probably does. I certainly don't claim to know better.
For those that do not find this adequate, Sonos also offers Connect that can be used with any active speaker out there which has the desired sound quality and features needed by those that aren't happy with what they can get from Sonos speakers.
For those that do not find this adequate, Sonos also offers Connect that can be used with any active speaker out there which has the desired sound quality and features needed by those that aren't happy with what they can get from Sonos speakers.
I am not unconditionally defending Sonos. There are aspects of the product line and/or software that could use tweaking (shoot, I still can't get my iTunes playlists to properly sort). But some of the arguments for/against Sonos on this thread are really out of scope and context. Such as:
Comparing Sonos to stand-alone bluetooth speakers
Complaining that Sonos speakers can't be directly connected to a computer
Dismissing the innovations Sonos is implementing (and supporting on their older equipment)
Arguing that TruePlay is not a positive development because it has been available in AV receivers for years
In all seriousness, I would bet my bottom dollar that of all of the AV receivers out there in use, less than 5% of the owners have configured them using the built-in calibration software and provided microphone. Obviously that cannot be proven, it is just an opinion/estimate.
And besides, when comparing Sonos to an AV receiver, you are really comparing apples and oranges anyhow. Everyone recognizes that, right? Ask a novice to set up a multi-zone AVR, with wires running from the AVR location out to a different room, and then switch inputs and zones with the AV vendor's app or the IR remote that needs to be pointed at the AVR, and then trying to teach others in the house to use it............and let me know when that person is done pulling out his hair.
Sonos is by no means perfect. And the use case for Sonos (or really wifi systems in general) may not fit the needs/desires for some people. But really, focus on what the Sonos ecosystem does, and not on what it does not do.
EDIT: Disclosure: I have Sonos equipment in 4 rooms in my home. Further, I have a Denon AVR and 5.1 speaker system in my basement home theater, with wires running from that AVR out to my zone 2 patio for my outdoor enjoyment. I have experience in setting up both types of systems, and I would absolutely not have used an AVR or multi-zone amp to create a whole home system under any circumstances.
Comparing Sonos to stand-alone bluetooth speakers
Complaining that Sonos speakers can't be directly connected to a computer
Dismissing the innovations Sonos is implementing (and supporting on their older equipment)
Arguing that TruePlay is not a positive development because it has been available in AV receivers for years
In all seriousness, I would bet my bottom dollar that of all of the AV receivers out there in use, less than 5% of the owners have configured them using the built-in calibration software and provided microphone. Obviously that cannot be proven, it is just an opinion/estimate.
And besides, when comparing Sonos to an AV receiver, you are really comparing apples and oranges anyhow. Everyone recognizes that, right? Ask a novice to set up a multi-zone AVR, with wires running from the AVR location out to a different room, and then switch inputs and zones with the AV vendor's app or the IR remote that needs to be pointed at the AVR, and then trying to teach others in the house to use it............and let me know when that person is done pulling out his hair.
Sonos is by no means perfect. And the use case for Sonos (or really wifi systems in general) may not fit the needs/desires for some people. But really, focus on what the Sonos ecosystem does, and not on what it does not do.
EDIT: Disclosure: I have Sonos equipment in 4 rooms in my home. Further, I have a Denon AVR and 5.1 speaker system in my basement home theater, with wires running from that AVR out to my zone 2 patio for my outdoor enjoyment. I have experience in setting up both types of systems, and I would absolutely not have used an AVR or multi-zone amp to create a whole home system under any circumstances.
It would then be nice for some listener input to complete the mix that he/she desires.
At this time, the "some" you desire is via treble/bass shelving tone controls of the kind that many high end stereo amps don't have! If you want more, third party actives is the only option at this time. Or something else that will allow an external DSP box of tricks somewhere in the signal chain.
I think most Sonos purchasers are informed, just a very few clueless folks out there. Glance at the reviews of the Play:1s on Best Buy, 99% would recommend the purchase to friends, vast majority give five star rating. But, there will always be the tiny minority of impulse buyers who assume they're buying Bluetooth or computer speakers, and whine.
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/sonos-play1-wireless-speaker-for-streaming-music-black/1648801.p?id=1219058144905&skuId=1648801
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/sonos-play1-wireless-speaker-for-streaming-music-black/1648801.p?id=1219058144905&skuId=1648801
jdag , I was only comparing the connivence of the mobile aspect of the soulmate, which for its size and cost is very capable.
The feature of room equalisation,RE, was trumpeted as an innovation of Sonos which is not the case its been around for a while, nobody was comparing with AV receivers, just the feature of RE. Also RE can only work in the room where the speaker is, its of no use for multi room , each room has yo be done separately.
I have done lots of research on Sonos before purchase and am satisfied that the play5s I have fit the bill they were bought for, however there are other claims by Sonos that don't give me a solution that is, on the face of it, as appealing as other manufacturers. The 5.1 surround is a case in point, not supporting DTS and HDMI leaves them open to competition.
Its not difficult to addd Bluetooth and NFC to a product like Sonos, it would add a minor cost to the hardware.
The feature of room equalisation,RE, was trumpeted as an innovation of Sonos which is not the case its been around for a while, nobody was comparing with AV receivers, just the feature of RE. Also RE can only work in the room where the speaker is, its of no use for multi room , each room has yo be done separately.
I have done lots of research on Sonos before purchase and am satisfied that the play5s I have fit the bill they were bought for, however there are other claims by Sonos that don't give me a solution that is, on the face of it, as appealing as other manufacturers. The 5.1 surround is a case in point, not supporting DTS and HDMI leaves them open to competition.
Its not difficult to addd Bluetooth and NFC to a product like Sonos, it would add a minor cost to the hardware.
I wonder if we can beat the longest thread, we probably have a few thousand to go, keep it up guys 🙂
Dec...you mentioned "jdag , I was only comparing the connivence of the mobile aspect of the soulmate, which for its size and cost is very capable."
That's actually often the issue with people complaining about Sonos, and you are helping to make my point. People often compare devices or uses of those devices that are simply not comparable. Sure, the Soulmate is portable and a Sonos speaker is not. And that's fine as Sonos speakers are not built or sold to be portable.
Would I purchase a battery powered or outdoor Sonos speaker? Yeah, I probably would. But I don't diminish the other positives because they lack portability or battery operation. People often complain that it does not offer bluetooth, and again, by design. Whether you or others agree with that choice to not support bluetooth is subjective. Me, I couldn't care less.
I also believe that people that are the sole users of a system have a completely different perspective from those that have multiple users within the household. Sonos is absolutely brilliant in its ability to be controlled from any device. Some people might argue that there is no password protection, but as mentioned before, I like to focus on what the solution does as opposed to what it does not do.
That's actually often the issue with people complaining about Sonos, and you are helping to make my point. People often compare devices or uses of those devices that are simply not comparable. Sure, the Soulmate is portable and a Sonos speaker is not. And that's fine as Sonos speakers are not built or sold to be portable.
Would I purchase a battery powered or outdoor Sonos speaker? Yeah, I probably would. But I don't diminish the other positives because they lack portability or battery operation. People often complain that it does not offer bluetooth, and again, by design. Whether you or others agree with that choice to not support bluetooth is subjective. Me, I couldn't care less.
I also believe that people that are the sole users of a system have a completely different perspective from those that have multiple users within the household. Sonos is absolutely brilliant in its ability to be controlled from any device. Some people might argue that there is no password protection, but as mentioned before, I like to focus on what the solution does as opposed to what it does not do.
Millions of satisfied customers are laughing heartily at Astral and his friends. Simple matter of checking the thousands of reviews on Amazon and Best Buy. The very few 1 and 2 star reviews get voted as "unhelpful" big time, as they are usually from clueless idiots who thought they were buying bluetooth speakers, lol.
Remember Squeezebox, Astral? Did much of what you're asking, but required a user-provided server. Pain in the butt, so it failed miserably, as have the vast majority of Sonos "killers". They simply aren't as easy to use, or as comprehensive a solution as Sonos, so they fail.
You are obviously blissfully unaware that any DLNA-capable app can use Sonos devices as renderers. Ever tried BubbleUPnP? C5? Plenty of others, as well, though none as capable by any stretch as the Sonos app. There are also apps that use the native Sonos protocol, just search the app stores for Sonos, they pop right up.
Sonos also provides an API that any streaming provider can use to enable their service in Sonos. It's why Sonos supports 60+ services, while its competition, what's left of it, supports 3, 4, maybe 6 at the most. No competition at all, really, is it?
Oh, and show me another wireless, multiroom-capable speaker that can tune itself to the room, very easily...
Remember Squeezebox, Astral? Did much of what you're asking, but required a user-provided server. Pain in the butt, so it failed miserably, as have the vast majority of Sonos "killers". They simply aren't as easy to use, or as comprehensive a solution as Sonos, so they fail.
You are obviously blissfully unaware that any DLNA-capable app can use Sonos devices as renderers. Ever tried BubbleUPnP? C5? Plenty of others, as well, though none as capable by any stretch as the Sonos app. There are also apps that use the native Sonos protocol, just search the app stores for Sonos, they pop right up.
Sonos also provides an API that any streaming provider can use to enable their service in Sonos. It's why Sonos supports 60+ services, while its competition, what's left of it, supports 3, 4, maybe 6 at the most. No competition at all, really, is it?
Oh, and show me another wireless, multiroom-capable speaker that can tune itself to the room, very easily...
Please explain.
Are you agreeing with Astral's comment that "it doesn't create a good, basic music system"???
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