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alecf
Contributor I
Apr 28, 2012 9:32 PM UTC

Why is Connect more expensive than Play?

I just got my first pair of Sonos units - two Play:3's for the kitchen and bedroom and I absolutely love them. I'm not a huge audiophile, but the convenience and total plug 'n play nature of Sonos is what attracted me to it.

Of course the next thing that occured to me was how to get this connected up to my stereo.

What I don't understand is why the basic Connect is $349 while the Play:3 units are $299 each. I mean if anything it seems like a Connect is just a Play:3 without the speakers and amp? Why does it cost so much more for fewer features? Seems like the guts of the connect should be a $99 unit - I meant he appleTV is $99, and it does way more (At least in terms of technological capability - video/etc) than the connect.

To be honest I've been drooling over Sonos for years - and I know the quality is very high, but the expense of the units has always put me off. It wasn't until the Play:3 that I felt like there was enough bang-for-the-buck to justify diving in... I'm probably going to get at least 2 or 3 more Play:3's for elsewhere in the house, but it's going to be hard to justify the Connect until the price comes down further. It's still cheaper to just put a Play:3 in the same room as my stereo - it's small and powerful enough to just sit near my existing speakers.
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      Sorenrose
      Lyricist I
      Dec 4, 2013 12:13 AM UTC
      The connect is priced high because Sonos has no interest in customers connecting their existing or new hi-if equipment, they basically want you to buy their entire range. It's a shame since it's chicken logic (Danish Saying) that the price should be around what an Airport Extreme cost - I personally think the Bridge and Connect should be the same price.

      I have 2xPlay5, 2xPlay1, 1xSpeakerbar, 1xsub, 1xConnect Amp and a bridge, but it doesn't make sense for me buying the connect when the Airport does the trick for 1/3 of the price!
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      NoBoB
      NoBoB
      Dec 4, 2013 2:45 AM UTC
      Welcome to the forum.

      Your logic is flawed. The Connect model is the latest in the line that provides the "connect to existing audio equipment" role, going all the way back to the ZP80, which was introduced in 2006, a full three and a half years before the appearance of the ZonePlayer S5 (the first Sonos standalone unit, now called the Play:5).

      Sonos was charging $349 for the equivalent of the Connect for years before they even had "an entire range" to buy into. That's what it costs. It's not mandatory to buy one.

      When my 7-year-old ZP80's encounter trouble, I have the option of requesting help from Sonos Support. Try that with a Airport Extreme that old.
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      ratty
      ratty
      Dec 4, 2013 10:57 AM UTC
      I personally think the Bridge and Connect should be the same price.
      You're entitled think that, but it makes no sense on cost grounds let alone market pricing. Feature-wise the Bridge is a small subset of the Connect.

      In fact, since the Bridge is often included for free in a bundle I guess you're asking to be given a Connect.
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      sonoed
      Lyricist I
      Dec 27, 2013 1:33 PM UTC
      Let me chime in and say very clearly that Connect is totally overpriced. I am one of the new PLAY:3 customers but rest assured, it was a present. I contemplated "upgrading" to a Sonos system last year until I learnt that you needed "Bridge", that "Connect" costed a little fortune and there could be no iTunes Match support. No ITM support wasn't that much of a big deal since I was used to it but a 'Bridge' device? What year is it?

      To top it all I am underwhelmed by the PLAY:3 sound ( slight bass distortion ), though I have yet to play around with the equalizer.

      Sadly I don't feel like I own a premium system, I feel my 5 year old squeezebox was massively ahead of its time and probably still is.
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      jgatie
      jgatie
      Dec 27, 2013 1:38 PM UTC
      Sadly I don't feel like I own a premium system, I feel my 5 year old squeezebox was massively ahead of its time and probably still is.


      Awww, another Squeezebox lamentation. You folks are so cute! 😃
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      kurt1970
      Avid Contributor I
      Dec 27, 2013 5:57 PM UTC
      Let me chime in and say very clearly that Connect is totally overpriced.

      Bullsh-it! I don't know your budget, nor your expectations versus price, but I've the Connect (it was called ZP90 when I bought it); for 5 years. The system performed without any glidge up till now.
      So, you're saying that 349€ for 5y (In my case, and ongoing) on a 24/7 basis music is not satisfying?? Whatelse you want more for that price??? Calculate it on a daily basis if you're a real music lover.
      I've connected the Connect to an external dac on my 50k€ hifi system. So far, I haven't found any system on the market providing the same flexibility as a SONOS system. And yes, I've found a better sound performing system than SONOS (sorry jgatie), but lacking basic user interface functionality, which made me going on with SONOS, since sound quality is marginal versus flexibility (not taking into account the price)

      k
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      ratty
      ratty
      Dec 27, 2013 6:28 PM UTC
      but a 'Bridge' device? What year is it?
      Irrespective of the year the function of 'bridge' devices is to connect together link-layer network segments. Sonos have their own wireless mesh dedicated to audio.
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      buzz
      buzz
      Grand Maestro
      Dec 28, 2013 9:18 AM UTC
      ... 'Bridge' device? What year is it?

      It will soon be 2014 and the competing products are still stuck in an older age, attempting to use WiFi for a purpose (streaming music) for which it is ill suited. The WiFi based products struggle with a few rooms while SONOS shines at several times the room count.
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      Kumar
      Dec 29, 2013 7:05 AM UTC

      I've connected the Connect to an external dac on my 50k€ hifi system. So far, I haven't found any system on the market providing the same flexibility as a SONOS system. And yes, I've found a better sound performing system than SONOS
      k
      In such a set up as you mention, which component have you found that can improve the SQ provided by the Connect? Wired or Wireless, is there any such in either flavour?
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      bluerum
      Lyricist III
      Feb 21, 2015 11:22 AM UTC
      Sorry to revive this thread. Jumped into sonos last year with a playbar/sub/play1s for bedroom HT. Love the sound and simplicity!
      Another pair of play1s in diff rooms I arrived at the connect and the value it had to bring my main HT into sonos land. I balked for months as I think it is a ripoff price. Bought one begrudgingly last week. Opened up a new world where I could enjoy streaming without AirPlay in my maranta pre/pro.

      I have a Bowers Zep not used in 3 years as AirPlay can be spotty. Moved the connect to it and now I enjoy this amazing speaker.
      Alas my HT now needs the missing connect. $350 is a ripoff, but I will buy another one for it. Will curse but once installed will be happy with the value it brings via music enjoyment.
      Yes a ripoff price but in context of the value , not too bad. Like most apple Products, My MacBooks and iPhones served the family with lot better quality than my windows and android hardware ever did. Yes I love my nexus 7 on lollipop.
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