Sonos Connect:Amp and Airplay 2

Its not an "easy software update" when the Airplay 2 codec requires a large memory buffer and a 64 bit processor, neither of which the Connect:Amp has.

I guess I just have high expectations when I am paying $650 per connect amp that Sonos would be thinking far enough ahead that it would have anticipated the need for this and already had it built in. This equipment is, after all, just 2 years old.

I guess I just have high expectations when I am paying $650 per connect amp that Sonos would be thinking far enough ahead that it would have anticipated the need for this and already had it built in. This equipment is, after all, just 2 years old.

But the design is 10 years old, going back to the ZP120.

I guess I just have high expectations when I am paying $650 per connect amp that Sonos would be thinking far enough ahead that it would have anticipated the need for this and already had it built in. This equipment is, after all, just 2 years old.

Your equipment is 2 years old, but the hardware specs are what, 10 years old now? Sonos does leave room for expansion and does expand features where it's physically possible (other companies won't), but they can only anticipate so far into the future.

I'd say the CONNECT:AMP is due for an upgrade, but I have no idea what the costs for that are or what kind of sales it would generate.

Shame on me, I guess, for not researching my purchase better. I thought I was buying an industry leading platform when I made my purchase. It is disappointing to now learn that I actually bought 10 year old technology packaged in a spiffy new box.

There was nothing at all wrong with your decision to purchase a Connect:Amp. It does all that it was advertised to do at that point and then some. What's wrong is the expectation that Sonos can predict the hardware requirements for features that do not yet exist and they have no control over. To me, expecting Sonos products to automatically be airplay 2 compliant isn't that different than expecting them to have voice control already built in to existing products. People don't complain about this though as microphones are physically visible, while the memory and processor of a unit are not.

Shame on me, I guess, for not researching my purchase better. I thought I was buying an industry leading platform when I made my purchase. It is disappointing to now learn that I actually bought 10 year old technology packaged in a spiffy new box.

Actually, the box isn't that spiffy either. It's the same exact box as the ZP120 came in 10 years ago. The name change was a simple rebranding. However, melvimbe is correct, it does all it claimed to do when you bought it, and there is no way Sonos can predict the hardware requirements of future functionality. Even if they could, building the ability to keep up with processing requirements for years into the future would require cutting edge processors; thus pricing themselves out of the market.

Unfortunately the fact that Sonos attempts to keep older units still functioning long after a forced obsolescence model would have abandoned them and made you buy a new replacement, is also the reason why eventually the older models are not going to be capable of all of the new functionality.

I'm super disappointed those of us early Sonos adopters and huge fans, now get screwed. Honestly, I built an AirPlay driver for a music company (you've all heard of) and I know the protocol. It isn't limited by hardware, if an iPhone can support Airplay, a Connect:AMP and Play:3 at least will do it. It's super lame Sonos isn't investing in us who love the product. I'm only connect:amp and one Play:3 and can't see myself going down the Sonos path any longer if they don't start innovating and supporting products evenly. There's no technical reason it won't work, and I challenge them to be more transparent on that claim.

Or at a Minimum, if Sonos won't support us who bought these claimed "older units", why don't they do a buyback program like Apple and at least buy this stuff back they won't support so we can upgrade. Your stuff isn't cheap and shouldn't be like cheap Amazon throw away stuff they at least support better (for the record, I bought this connect:amp LAST year for 400 bucks or whatever) and the Play:3 a few years back

Early adopters - us users with older equipment are not early adapters its a vary mature platfrom …. that never bought their speaker ever thinking you would get Airplay support. You didn't buy your speakers for airplay support - - we are lucky enough that the newer ones can do it and that they keep supporting all older equipment with every update they can push to it (like you didn't buy those speakers ever expecting Alexa support either - but Sonos gave it as a free update).

Fact is Sonos is giving free updates as much as they can and you can't expect them to keep being able to give every feature to every unit they ever made over the past decade. They are trying to support mature devices the best they can.

Heck - HEOS is only a few years old and they are now going to their 3rd generation to get airplay support. That is an example of early adapters were pretty let down.