Question

Mac OS 10.6.8 compatibility

  • 30 August 2015
  • 68 replies
  • 15295 views

Hello lovely SONOS people.

Hope you can assist with this, sorry if it's been asked before!!

I'm running an iMac with 10.6.8 which holds my iTunes library and has been working solidly for, well, for a very lond time. It's an original Intel 17 inch machine which alas can't have the software updated any further.

For some reason, and I cant explain why, my SONOS controller software on this machine no longer works so, I'm looking to re-load it with a download from the SONOS site.

The latest software will not work with my machine but I can't locate a software archive for a older suitable version.

Could you please help and give me a link for the software that will work with 10.6.8.

Thanks in advance to all the great community contributors.

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68 replies

Userlevel 7
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Sonos normally won't supply older firmware. Are you not able to update your mac to required 10.7?
Userlevel 6
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All Macs that supported Snow Leopard support Yosemite (and with little performance problems too.)

I recommend backing up your Mac and then upgrade to Yosemite for free. If you absolutely despise Yosemite, Do a fresh install with your repair disc/snow leopard disc and restore your time machine backup.
Userlevel 6
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@Chris 10.7 is no longer available, unless you downloaded it previously. 10.10 is the latest.
Userlevel 7
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Thx josh
Userlevel 6
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Let me adjust my statement a bit - MOST Macs post-2007 support Yosemite.

Full list and how to identify your mac here: http://www.apple.com/uk/osx/how-to-upgrade/
Thank you so very much for your very kind replys.

Unfortunately as Im a 1.83ghz Intel Core Duo the best I can achieve is Snow Leopard which I'm happy to say is working well and rock solid apart from SONOS.

Was all OK untill this week but now has stopped.

Can get the SONOS to operate through an iPad so internet radio, Soundcloud etc are all good but it can't find my iMac which holds the iTunes vaults!

Would be a little harsh to have to upgrade my whole iMac just so SONOS can access it.

Do SONOS not hold a software archieve to enable me to download earlier controllers that work with 10.6.8??
Userlevel 7
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You should be able to access your imac/iTunes without the need for the Sonos Controller installed on the Mac.

On your ipad controller add music library. you can even manually add the path to your macs iTunes. such as //macnetworkname/pathofmusic
Userlevel 7
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You may find an old version of the MAC software.... but you won't be able to use it to add music library as it will be lower version than your system firmware is now so it will block most settings from being adjusted.
Userlevel 7
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I found version 5.1 here
http://sonos.soft32.com/mac/

It should allow you to use your Mac as a controller but it will not allow you to setup library etc. as it will not be the same firmware as hardware as mentioned before. Use you ipad for all setup. Use this just for control via Mac when required.
THANK YOU for reading and assisting with my question you are all very kind indeed.
Userlevel 1
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I think it's more than a little harsh to have to upgrade your operating system just so Sonos will work. It's outrageous that Sonos will not allow me to access the four speakers I paid for and the music I pay to listen to on my iMac. My computer runs as well as it did the day I took it out of the box, except for the Sonos app which it has decided not to "support." Pathetic company.
Userlevel 7
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I think it's more than a little harsh to have to upgrade your operating system just so Sonos will work. It's outrageous that Sonos will not allow me to access the four speakers I paid for and the music I pay to listen to on my iMac. My computer runs as well as it did the day I took it out of the box, except for the Sonos app which it has decided not to "support." Pathetic company.

Complete and utter rot.
I'm not a Mac user (and never plan to be) but it strikes me as somewhat ironic that a complaint is levelled at Sonos for no longer supporting a version of OS X which is 5 major releases out of date, when Apple is more than happy to force the obsolescence of hardware platforms. Sonos doesn't thoughtlessly abandon operating system support: witness the fact that WinXP SP3 and Android 2.2 (which are both ancient in Internet time) continue to be supported. One can only assume that there was a technical reason for being unable to continue with OS X 10.6.8, as indeed there was with iOS5 and earlier.
Userlevel 1
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It worked a week ago. Apple may no longer "support" my operating system but that doesn't change the way it works. And it still works very well, and I shouldn't have to change it for some lousy "updates" that Sonos is pushing.

I wouldn't assume there was a technical problem. I would assume the company made a calculated decision to deactivate the Sonos controllers on the older Macs.
Userlevel 7
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The new firmware on the players won't work properly with limitations of your old os. You can complain you don't want to update your os but unless you do your out of luck using it as a controller as there will not be any current or future version that will work with the old Mac OS. I'm sure you could still use the Mac to store music to play. But you would need to use another device in your home to do the controlling. There is no calculated decision. Sonos supported it as long as it was possible to support the old os.
Userlevel 7
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I'm sure about a billion people in great Brittain would disagree with holding back Sonos development so you can use your old computer (added hls compatibility).
Userlevel 1
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I don't care what a billion people think.
I wouldn't assume there was a technical problem. I would assume the company made a calculated decision to deactivate the Sonos controllers on the older Macs.
Sonos is a business. Their revenue depends on happy customers continuing to buy their hardware devices. Ask yourself this: why on earth would Sonos make a gratuitous decision to abandon support for an OS platform unless there was a valid reason to do so?

As an aside, I've been on this board (and its forebears) for getting on for 8 years and it never ceases to amaze me how often the blame for the consequences of Apple's business strategies are laid at Sonos' door. Can Apple do no wrong, ever?
I don't care what a billion people think.
But any business which doesn't care quite quickly ceases to be a business.
Userlevel 1
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I agree Sonos likely made a business decision. The decision to deactivate old computers like mine are all about revenue. Not as many are affected and most will not complain so it will likely go without consequence to their bottom line. But I still have a right to be critical, even if I'm a minority. I loved my Sonos system until about a week ago. As with many people my age, it brought music back into my life. I recommended the products to several people who eventually bought them. But I won't do that again.
Userlevel 7
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Have you spoken to Sonos? They may be able to offer you some practical advice. They won't be able to make your Mac work on Snow Leopard 10.6.8 but they may have other ideas. As has been mentioned it would definitely be worth looking ot obtain a hand held device to control your Sonos - you might even learn to love your Sonos in a whole new way.
Userlevel 7
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Decision to move forward. It's done they were required to leave it behind and it is gone forever. You can complain but the facts won't change. Is 10.6.8 has a flaw that Sonos could not overcome in moving three controller forward. End of 10.6.8.
Userlevel 1
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I emailed Sonos customer support first. Only option is to upgrade. I have other devices but I use my desktop a lot. It's easier for me to search for new music on my desktop. I often work at home and it's easy to control my listening on my desktop when I'm working. It's convenience thing for me. And habit. I'm old and old habits are hard to break. Old people like me get cranky when you mess with routines. 🙂
If it was a technical decision to abandon 10.6.8 it was simply because some new/revised functionality couldn't work. If it was a business decision it was based on the disproportionate cost of having to maintain specific development resource to support an obsolete OS for a minority of customers on account of that OS's lack of compatibility with later versions.

Either way it's technical, and Apple -- or your reluctance to update the OS -- is the issue. WinXP SP3 is three years older than OS X 10.6.8 and yet remains a compatible platform.
Userlevel 1
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I agree. I can complain.