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November 5, 2017

Leaving Sonos behind

  • November 5, 2017
  • 36 replies
  • 1571 views
Hi all, just wanted to say I am selling my Sonos devices.
After the death of my 2nd CR200 I found neither the iOS nor the Android app are appropriate replacements.
For me it's (most of) all about convenience.
And after a few weeks with another (officially long dead) music system I now decided I found a good replacement (but only because there is this Android app which is, in its simplicity, similar to the CR200!)
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    36 replies

    pwt
    Virtuoso
    November 6, 2017
    After this recent update, I can't seem to figure out how do I choose the line in on my Sonos P90 connect...
    Where in this new Android app is the option for me to tap on and listen the sound that goes in the P90 line in on my living room so I can listen to the music on my bedroom?


    1. Bottom Tab Bar | Rooms | Choose 'Bedroom'
    2. Bottom Tab Bar | Browse | Line In | Choose 'ZP-90'

    You're done.
    4 x P:5 | Sub | 4 x P:1 | 3 x Connect | 2 x Boost | Connect:Amp | 2 x One | Amp | Move | Port | Era 300
    jgatie
    November 6, 2017
    After this recent update, I can't seem to figure out how do I choose the line in on my Sonos P90 connect...
    Where in this new Android app is the option for me to tap on and listen the sound that goes in the P90 line in on my living room so I can listen to the music on my bedroom?


    Most of the functionality that was on the sources page is now on the Browse page. In what I think is one of the better moves of the new interface, other functions like settings, alarms, voice control, etc, are not stuffed in with the sources and are instead on their own page under the "More . . ." tab.
    November 6, 2017
    I trust that this whole thread is sarcasm Thomas. Because I cannot see the sense in moving from Sonos to that replacement system.
    Hi Burt,
    Andrews has got it right.
    No sarcasm at all!
    The controller was the reason why I bought Sonos in the first place.
    Now that it's gone I looked around again and found that replacement.

    The system as a whole is not as easy to set up as Sonos, not as good looking as Sonos, agreed.
    But I only had to set it up once and that ugly Raspberry is hidden behind the speakers anyway.
    And this Android app is just great, at least for me.
    November 6, 2017

    And this Android app is just great, at least for me.

    Which Android app are you referring to?
    November 6, 2017
    I was referring to the Orange Squeeze app, which enables me to control the Squeezeboxes just as easy as the CR200 allowed me to control my Zoneplayers.
    Without this app I wouldn't have jumped ship!
    November 6, 2017
    Ahh, ok. Perhaps it is time to get myself a Raspberry and play with it for entertainment and learning. Can it be used in any way with Sonos? What is the risk of breaking Sonos while trying to do so?
    pwt
    Virtuoso
    November 6, 2017
    Ahh, ok. Perhaps it is time to get myself a Raspberry and play with it for entertainment and learning. Can it be used in any way with Sonos? What is the risk of breaking Sonos while trying to do so?

    Yes, e.g.:
    - You can run Samba on it and host music libraries
    - You can populate those music libraries with automatically downloaded podcasts and other content, e.g.: https://squarepenguin.co.uk
    - You can use it as a poor-man's line in: http://www.instructables.com/id/Add-Aux-to-Sonos-Using-Raspberry-Pi/
    - You can write Sonos control programs using SoCo: https://soco.readthedocs.io/en/latest/index.html
    - ...

    Only the last of these interacts at the API/UPNP level with Sonos, and I think it's unlikely to break anything.
    4 x P:5 | Sub | 4 x P:1 | 3 x Connect | 2 x Boost | Connect:Amp | 2 x One | Amp | Move | Port | Era 300
    November 6, 2017
    Much obliged @pwt. Time to learn a new skill; I have heard a lot about how interesting and varied the uses of a Raspberry can be.

    I have never done any programming in my life other than setting rules for handling incoming emails; never too late to start trying at least.
    Stanley_4
    Grand Maestro
    November 6, 2017
    My Pi is happily serving up my music library to my Sonos via SMB v1 letting me secure my real NAS.

    Just needed a Pi, 4 GB SD card, 2A USB wall wart, USB to SATA connector and a spare SSD. Any SATA drive will do if you provide it enough power.

    Followed the Pi's instructions on setting up Samba (SMB) sharing, copied my music and added it to my Sonos.

    Needed something to replace the no longer safe to use WD Live drive I have sitting here with no more security updates available for it. Something that won't be happening to the Pi for many years.

    Wife has a hoard of CR-100s and rotates them through her two cradles and updates them as needed. She won't touch the app, regardless of version and the CR-200 was too small for her to use comfortably.
    Contributor I
    November 7, 2017
    Hi all, just wanted to say I am selling my Sonos devices.
    After the death of my 2nd CR200 I found neither the iOS nor the Android app are appropriate replacements.
    For me it's (most of) all about convenience.
    And after a few weeks with another (officially long dead) music system I now decided I found a good replacement (but only because there is this Android app which is, in its simplicity, similar to the CR200!)
    Thomas,

    I feel the same exact way. Over the past ten plus years of buying Sonos equipment and being very happy with it, I am on the verge of selling everything myself. I still have two of the original CR100 controller that work; these are the only control my wife will use. I also use the Windows app, which is good, but running to your computer to change the music is worse than walking over to your old stereo receive (pre-remotes).

    Personally, I am giving Sonos another month or two to realize that this new phone App is going to bring down their company. If they haven't rolled back or at least announced a roll-back by then, I will be competing against your to sell my 15 Sonos components, hopefully, that is still before everyone else comes in and they are all completely worthless.