Dead spots on CR200

Damn. Mine is coming up to 3 years old (I think) and has just started misbehaving today :(

When I do the finger down the right hand side for the leading letter of the scrolling list it gets so far then stops. Also the dropdown arrow to show the time elapsed etc isn't working any more.

Oh well. Mine was part of the batch that was originally supposed to be the problem batch and so I guess I'm lucky it's lasted this long!

Is there any point in trying a reset of it?

JohnG,

Sorry to hear your Sonos controller is starting to go bad.

FWIW, as indicated above, an iPod Touch is a good replacement and one that I endorse. Not only do I have the Sonos app installed, I also have an app for other "net aware" devices that are a part of my music/entertainment set up. It's all right there in the palm of my hand.

GL

DJ

Fortunately I do have a Nexus7 and love that as a controller. I also have a CR100 which I've always preferred to the CR200 🙂

I am now on my 4th CR200. Each of the previous 3 has failed in exactly the same way. Dead screen bottom RH side.

If this was batch related, then the previous 3 must have all come from that batch over a period of 4 years. Unlikely !!

Anyway, Sonos have always handled this brilliantly and I have had all replacements FOC even though the 1st one failed outside of the 1st year. I seriously considered selling my new one, but when I got it, it was actually refurbished and so I was too honest to sell it as new.

We'll see how long this one lasts !!

I was pretty unimpressed when I learnt that the dead spots on my CR200 are a widespread defect. Sonos at first seemed willing to help by replacing the controller, but then limited that to doing it in the UK, where I bought it. Since I am in South Africa, it'd cost me the same to get it to the UK as walking into a shop and buying another. To a certain extent this is fair enough, but I'm not really sure why I'm supposed to bear the cost of Sonos selling me a defective product, irrespective of where I live. My letter to Sonos support below:
-------
Dear Sonos,

While it may seem very magnanimous of you to offer to honour the international warranty that isn't actually in place, the issue is that this controller is defective with a known defect which is widely spread amongst your similar products. You have offered to replace it, except that you offer is limited in its scope, which makes it, from your customer's perspective (ie. me), close to worthless. If this was indeed a genuine warranty claim, I would agree with you that your offer was generous and valid. Except that you sold me defective equipment and now you're making it my problem that you did so.

I do not perceive that it is my fault that Sonos sold defective merchandise. To be clear, I am somewhat disenchated that this is the case. Sonos markets itself as making high-end audio equipment, and is concomitantly expensive. I somewhat mistakenly hoped that you would take responsibility for selling me a defective product. Let me give you an example of taking responsibility: Dell sold me a laptop in 2010. A few months later I had a problem with it while I was on holiday in the gulf of Thailand on a small island. I called Dell and asked them to see if they could fix it, and they sent a technician by boat to the house where I was staying. The island was so rural that I didn't have an address - I had to send directions and a google maps image of the dirt track which the house was on; but the technician got there and they sorted out the problem. That's real customer service. On the other hand, your limited offer is not - instead it feels like least cost reputational damage control because you sold a defective product. It leaves me in the lurch, with my nose out of joint, wishing that I'd bought a different brand.

In answer to your question: No, I do not wish to spend another R2000+ on a "free" replacement controller, which may or may not break again. I will make do with my andriod controllers. At least if my android device breaks I can get it fixed.

Regards
...

My controller had started to exhibit dead zones in the middle of the right hand side and I assumed that it was a software fault and would probably be remedied with an update. Needless to say, that didn't happen.

I began digging around on the internet and found this thread and was pleased to see that there was a problem but horrified that it was so wide spread.

My unit is well outside of warranty. Never the less I decided to approach Sonos and was offered an RMA once I had gone through the battery reset procedure. I was offered the £74 replacement service but wrote back saying that I didn't expect a premium product to fail after three years and that, with most premium products good will would be applied and that I was expecting the same in this situation too.

Sonos explained that the £74 service was a subsidised one give the relative age of my controller but that, on this occasion, they would waive the cost and provide me with an RMA as if it were a warranty.

Of course, I realise that I may simply be buying myself a little time by having a different unit but I feel that by having a refurbished (or otherwise) unit, it gives me a fighting chance to get a longer term resolution - it being easier to return an refurbished unit if it dies or becomes crippled than fighting to replace something which is well outside of warranty.

So, if you don't ask, you don't get. If you do ask, firmly, you may be surprised.

I've had 10 or 11 replacements - and so far, touch wood, these 2 units I now have are working OK.

But if they fail, then any charge is not going to fly I'm afraid. Sonos knows, in advance, that they have a manufacturing defect. I'm no lawyer, but I'd bet that you'd have a strong legal right to a refund or replacement beyond the warranty period if there was a known defect.

They could have recalled them and offered a refund at the time, but they chose not to.

Can you buy a replacement screen and replace it yourself?

A question for any UK users. I got my forst CR200 in December 2009 and in August 2010 had to get a replacement due to dead spots. The replacement has now gone the same way - had been dying for a bit before I got around to reporting it.

Sonos want to charge me £95 for a replacement (incl shipping and VAT). Quite frankly I don't think this is on for something that is clearly a product that has had such a troubled history - and is being withdrawn. Has anyone else been asked to pay towards a replacement - and did you pay it?

Thanks.

I'm also in the UK and mine died after three years. They tried to get me to pay and I argued that a premium brand would apply goodwill after the warranty had run out and that I expected Sonos to do the same. I got a free one via RMA.

UK based as well and I am on my 4th CR200. All have failed in the same way.

All have been replaced FOC even when out of warranty,

I've had it with this piece of kit now and my latest one is still boxed and I'm going to sell it.