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SAVE THE CR100

D
Userlevel 5
Badge +8
Losing our two CR100s will be the most devastating thing to happen to our household.

My ONE YEAR OLD can play his favourite music by just pushing the button over and over again. My 7 year old will now PESTER ME CONSTANTLY to use my phone whenever he wants to listen to Harry Potter (which is ALL THE TIME)

My parents in law - NEITHER OF WHOM OWN SMARTPHONES will now have to go downstairs and switch on their PC in order to listen to the audiobooks and radio programmes I've given them. They don't use all these 'services', but Sonos is amazing so we built it for them, at great cost for the convenience of having the controller.

My wife won't be able to roll over in bed and hit the volume without blinding us all with your WHITE app in the middle of the night (swipe tap tap tap vs reach and push a button?????)

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE DON'T DO THIS SONOS!!!!!

My Children and in-laws are going to HATE me for this.

DO NOT criticise our choices not to use smartphones, or Alexa, or Spotify. Why should we buy new things to make your system work?

PLEASE don't take away the ability to connect we are happy with basic controls?


What am I going to do now? Tell me WHAT?
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Best answer by Ryan S 2 February 2018, 19:08

Hi everyone, thanks for voicing your concerns here. We’re going to keep this as the main thread for this conversation so it’s all in one place. All the threads have been merged here, so my apologies if there are any conversations that had the flow messed up.

I want to provide more detail about exactly what will happen in the coming months and why. In early April, we will release a software upgrade that will no longer support the aging CR100. Here are your options:

  • Accept the upgrade, understanding that your CR100 will no longer connect. This is our strong recommendation for two reasons: 1) due the age of the battery in the controller, it has the potential to overheat when left charging for extended periods of time 2) you will continue to receive the latest features, bug fixes, and security updates. This is a far better solution for safety and performance reasons, but we realize you’ll need to transition to a new controller. We have resources available to help you get set-up on an alternate controller and are offering a coupon code to sonos.com to help make the transition easier (amount varies regionally, one per household).
  • Ignore future upgrades, leaving your Sonos system on its current version. We do not recommend this option. If you do go this route, you are acknowledging the risk of the aging lithium ion battery in your controller. Additionally, opting not to update means you will not receive any new features or future security patches for your entire system – not just the CR100. For example, being on an unsupported version means that you might lose connectivity to music services, as is already the case for Google Play Music on the CR100. It is necessary to configure your system in advance to avoid future updates. Any update applied to the firmware and/or to the app, even unintentionally, is irreversible.

Please reach out to discuss your specific situation and solutions with one of our team members, or if you’d like to better understand how to get set-up on an alternate controller. You can contact us directly at https://sonos.com/contact.

The CR100 can be disposed of at any local e-waste processing center in accordance with all local laws and regulations. To claim your coupon code or if you’d like a hand disposing of your CR100, please see here: https://www.sonos.com/cr100submit.

Updated March 23rd:
We appreciate the concern and your love of the CR100, and the team has been listening to your feedback here. We’ve tried to keep our reasons for making this decision clear.

The CR100 is a unique Sonos product as it has an internal lithium ion battery, which was never intended or recommended to be replaceable. Additionally, the hardware of the CR100 has aged. As you know, it already can’t keep up with new features. For these reasons, the best course of action for CR100s is to safely dispose of them.

We strive to keep products working with core functionality for as long as possible and we’ve worked to keep the hardware running for almost a decade since it was last available for sale. We have no plans to disconnect any of our legacy players, although in the future they may not get some new features that become available on newer Sonos products.

We always encourage Sonos owners to stay up-to-date with software upgrades, but ultimately this choice is yours. If you do choose to take steps to ignore future software upgrades, skipping the update in April that will disconnect the CR100 from your system, you will no longer be able to add speakers, and you will not receive new features or security patches. Additionally, opting not to update means you are acknowledging the risk of the aging lithium ion battery in your controller. Whichever you choose, we’re here to help and answer questions.
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3319 replies

G
Userlevel 4
Badge +1
I just saw the email coming in, and read it twice to believe it... I am quite a techy guy, have played with many automation, geeky systems. The ones relying on smart phone apps always end in a drawer: too clunky, too slow to control, just a pain.
I love my sonos system because it has a dedicated controller. Fast and easy to control, always on, always in the room where it's supposed to be. And now I am told that I am supposed to discard it?

Come on Sonos, years of excellent service, don't ruin it now.
K
Userlevel 4
Badge +1
Anyone else a bit disappointed that from April 2018 our cr100's will no longer work? I have 4 of these and Sonos's solution is to offer me a voucher for £100 off my next Sonos purchase. Unfortunately they don't sell any controllers any more so that's not really going to help.

It looks like I'm going to have to purchase some kind of ipods or something , as I need dedicated devices that I can leave in each zone. Anyone got any suggestions of the cheapest options?
C
Userlevel 1
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I see from a help topic that you can setup an iphone or android device as a dedicated controller (only sonos app available on home screen/ requires password and funky button presses to access normal phone operating mode), so I wonder if that means that the annoying time delay is eliminated ?
If it is, I can probably live without the controller as in my domestic situation it was only being used as a backup when I couldnt find my phone (and the voucher for €125 will be accepted with open arms for a new speaker !)
R
Userlevel 1
is there a way to disconnect from internet, so it still can be used??
K
Userlevel 4
Badge +1
Agree that losing the CR100 will be a pain. We have kids and they each have a CR100 in their rooms. We have done this because we don't let them have unsupervised use of their smart devices.

Frankly a £100 voucher off a Sonos purchase doesnt really help as I already have one Play 1s, 5 Connect amps, one ZP80 and one Play 5. There's nowhere else to put music unless I build another room onto my house! What I want is a controller - well 4 to replace my CR100's but I can't buy any with a £100 voucher cos they don't sell any (not that £100 would be enough to do so).

Incidentally, a £100 voucher if you have a CR100, and still just a £100 voucher if you have 4? Or more? What's that about?
K
Userlevel 4
Badge +1
I see from a help topic that you can setup an iphone or android device as a dedicated controller (only sonos app available on home screen/ requires password and funky button presses to access normal phone operating mode), so I wonder if that means that the annoying time delay is eliminated ?
If it is, I can probably live without the controller as in my domestic situation it was only being used as a backup when I couldnt find my phone (and the voucher for €125 will be accepted with open arms for a new speaker !)

That sounds interesting - but does mean I'd need to buy 4 ipods @ £200 a pop.... and the voucher can't be used to subsidise that.
H
Userlevel 3
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This is a real shame. There are plenty of products out there with lithium ion batteries which are still allowed to function after many years. Imagine a laptop vendor disabling internet connectivity on older devices?

It would be great if Sonos could continue allowing CR100 controllers to participate in a Sonos environment, even with limited functionality (which I believe is already the case to some extent).

£100 voucher doesn't really help if there is no replacement hardware controller.

😞
H
Userlevel 3
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Maybe if you don't update the Sonos software you will still be able to use the CR100. But then you would be missing out on new features that are released.
K
Userlevel 4
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is there a way to disconnect from internet, so it still can be used??
That will make using Amazon, Napster, Tune in and Apple music a bit difficult.... and I use them all.
C
Userlevel 1
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That sounds interesting - but does mean I'd need to buy 4 ipods @ £200 a pop.... and the voucher can't be used to subsidise that.
If getting something new, then there's android tablets available for about the €50 mark on amazon which look like a reasonable option.
P
Userlevel 4
Badge +1
I feel very sad, angry and surprised too!!! Why is it not possible to keep basic functions going on the CR100. All that is needed is, select a radio station or something from the music library and zone functions, join, leave. No need for new fancy stuff! I use 2, one in the kitchen and one in the bathroom. Areas where moist and mobiles/tablets do not go together.
Also in the context of resource conservation and environmental reasons this is sending a very wrong signal. Ditch perfectly working electronic tools, that is ultimate wasteful. I am already very concerned in the way Sonos is forcing us to take up new software and changing the terms and conditions while doing this. I bought Sonos components with the understanding that I bought something that will continue to work till it breaks ( not by software updates). I still want to be able to use my 1st gen Sonos stuff in 20 years time, even if that means I don't have access to all new functionality that is released in the mean time.
I really would like to see an option to create a 'freeze' on the software installed and keep that going for the rest of the working life of my sonos components. I will accept I cannot add new stuff to it. Fine!!
The next step I can see coming is that the 1gen Sonos connect (ZP90) and Play gen 1 will not be supported any more and new Sons controller software will render them obsolete.
This cannot continue!!
I can still use my old CPM/2 based computer and my XP based laptop, so it should not require rocket science to keep a CR100 going using basic functions.
P
Userlevel 2
I have 5 controllers spread around the house and losing them will be a real problem. The Sonos app is really clunky and nowhere near as easy to use as the CR100. What's more Sonos completely redesigns it every year or so and it takes ages to get used to the new design. Please keep the CR100.
P
Userlevel 4
Badge +1
I have 5 controllers spread around the house and losing them will be a real problem. The Sonos app is really clunky and nowhere near as easy to use as the CR100. What's more Sonos completely redesigns it every year or so and it takes ages to get used to the new design. Please keep the CR100.
Indeed, the last revamp of the controller app is especially bad, moving away from a single pane to access all functions was a very bad decision in my opinion. Please move back to the screen layout as is still used on the macOS controller version.
R
Userlevel 1
Well, that's a really bad decision, I have myself two CR100 using them in a guest annexe and in my bedroom. But life goes on

But that's exactly what Sonos writes it does not live up to what you can do with Sonos App.

On the other hand, I thought it's nice service from Sonos to give a discount coupon to those customers who have to say goodbye to their CR100. But it was not a solution to get a small tablet (without sim card) but with Wi-Fi. Then the little problem should be solved!

Let me hear from others?

And will I first receive their discount coupon in 2 weeks, I would like to have ordered something today. And do I receive 2 coupon because I have 2 CR100 controller

Greetings to all Sonos users
Paul Gordon
Userlevel 7
Badge +5
Here here! - wholeheartedly DISMAYED AND DISGUSTED by this announcement... I have 3 x CR100s all with wall cradles, and all in a permanent mount scenario, where NO OTHER CONTROL OPTION is as elegant, and straightforward for the particular use cases where I have used CR100's - why on earth else do you imagine I still have them in use today?!?!?

I have literally only a month or two ago, purchased & installed all new batteries in my 3 CR100s, in the expectation that I'd get another 10 years sterling service from these much beloved units.

a £100 voucher of another SONOS purchase??? - do me a favour!... - that is completely & utterly value-less to me... - I already have the 8 zones in my house that I need, & thus I *have* no future SONOS purchases in mind at the moment.. Now, talk to me about a (worthwhile) discount against 3 tablet devices that it looks like I'm going to have to purchase to wall mount in place of my CR100s, (then spend no doubt many hours of my time trying to configure them to behave as elegantly as a control point as the CR100's do), and perhaps we might have a conversation.

SONOS - DO NOT DO THIS

Believe it or not, there are use cases in which no other controller is as simple & elegant as my wall-mounted CR100s, and that, in my opinion, is one of the 2 main pillars of the entire SONOS value proposition: excellent audio quality, and *supreme* ease of use - often this is paraphrased into the much-sought and rarely awarded; "It just works". Forcing me to adopt a different control paradigm, which is LESS satisfactory than what I have now, damages that reputation.

I cannot conceive of any other company (who's products I would consider paying for), deliberately "bricking" functioning products that customers are happy with. I'm perfectly OK with any or all of:
- we don't / won't offer further software updates
- we don't / won't offer spare parts or repairs
- these units may not support future features
- we are not liable if the batteries explode (which may be in the T&C's already?)
I am NOT at all happy with SONOS taking an affirmative action to deliberately brick hardware that I own, that I paid (handsomely) for, that has served me perfectly well for the last decade, and more to the point is continuing to serve me satisfactorily to this day.

Can you just *imagine* Apple doing this? - deliberately bricking original iPad 1's for example? (I still have an old iPad 1, - it won't take any recent iOS updates, and many apps on the appstore won't run on it, but it STILL WORKS, and Apple aren't (AFAIK) planning on deliberately destroying it...

Class action suit anyone??? :@:@:@:@:@
SAVE THE CR100!!
S
Userlevel 3
Sonos have failed to understand that so many of us love having a dedicated independent controller, and not using phones etc.....please reconsider this guys. Keep the CR100 going until you can come up with a replacement controller..
A
Userlevel 1
disappointed about CR100 being discontinued also your Freephone is not available anymore 😞
Paul Gordon
Userlevel 7
Badge +5

The next step I can see coming is that the 1gen Sonos connect (ZP90) and Play gen 1 will not be supported any more and new Sons controller software will render them obsolete.
This cannot continue!!


*IF* that happens, then that truly is the moment SONOS & I part company... If I'm forced (kicking & screaming) to ditch the CR100s, then what am I going to do?? - clearly, I'm going to go out & purchase some low/mid range tablet device (Amazon Fire et al)... - that can serve as a SONOS controller... - but... - it can also be re-purposed as a controller for any other competitive multi-zone speaker system that has an app (which is all of them, btw)...

Keeping me on CR100 controllers serves to keep me locked into the walled garden of the SONOS ecosystem - I can't use a CR100 for *any other purpose* (which actually, is part of its attraction). Once SONOS starts forcing me to replace elements of my system that can just as easily control a Denon/Yamaha/BOSE alternative, then my ability to jump ship onto one of those competitors is enhanced.

The absolute folly of doing the same with the old gen 1 zoneplayers (which comprise 4 of my 8 zones) then do you seriously imagine I am going to purchase new SONOS units to replace them?!?!? - IN YOUR DREAMS!
SAVE THE CR100!!
A
Userlevel 1
Similar story to you.
I liked having the convenience of one of my controllers sitting out on my covered entertaining area to be used during party’s etc
Easy to quickly grab and change volume, skip tracks etc which anyone could easily do and not have to worry about leaving my phone lying about. Also very rugged and didn’t mind getting dropped or the occasional splash of water or beverage 🙂 Like you I also have a few of these, would hope to get a voucher for each unit.
R
Userlevel 1
I am sorry to tell you ! We only get ONE coupon, and dont get Coupon for each CR100 controller
Paul Gordon
Userlevel 7
Badge +5
Indeed, - a couple of my 8 zones are pretty much permanently & exclusively used for TuneIn radio stations. SWMBO has been saying for ages that for at least 1 of my zones, a simple DAB radio would be "better" - she *hates* the iOS app - even more so since the last disastrous redesign, but is perfectly happy with the simple & intuitive CR100. This announcement *may well be* the straw that breaks the camel's back, and force me to acquiesce to her request to ditch the Play:1 in the kitchen in favour of aforementioned DAB radio... - could this be the trickle that starts the flood????
SAVE THE CR100!!
pwt
Userlevel 7
Badge +20
I'm relatively new to Sonos. When was the CR100 discontinued, as in no longer available for new purchases?
2 x P:5 + Sub | 2 x P:5 | 2 x 2 x P:1 | Connect x 3 | Boost | Connect:Amp | One x 2 | Amp
D
Userlevel 5
Badge +8

The next step I can see coming is that the 1gen Sonos connect (ZP90) and Play gen 1 will not be supported any more and new Sons controller software will render them obsolete.


Actually gen 1 is ZP80 (I have 1) and ZP100 (I have 4)

If Sonos kill these I will lose 5 rooms and nearly 2 grand - don't scare me!
Paul Gordon
Userlevel 7
Badge +5
I'm relatively new to Sonos. When was the CR100 discontinued, as in no longer available for new purchases?
Gosh... *many* years ago... but that (IMO) is hardly the point... - I still have a HiFi amplifier (JVC RS33L) that I purchased from Richer Sounds on London Bridge in 1979, and it still works perfectly, and JVC aren't planning to deliberately brick it anytime soon...

I have an original gen 1 iPad that still works... -- it has limited utility, but it still works, and Apple (AFAIK) aren't planning to deliberately brick it anytime soon.

I have Dell computers that are 10-ish years old, and which sill work (slowly of course!) - but as far as I know, neither Dell or Microsoft are planning to deliberately brick them anytime soon...

I still have the first ever laptop I purchased myself, a Fujitsu Amilo Pro 1845D, which is about the same age as my CR100's - it too still works, in fact last week I spent a fair amount of time reinstalling Windows on it to upgrade it from XP to Win7.. the battery is crap (it could be replaced - but it works well enough on mains), the Wifi is limited to old 802.11b - which my router no longer supports, so I have to use it on a wired LAN connection, but it STILL WORKS, and again, to the best of my knowledge, Fujitsu have no plans to deliberately brick it anytime soon...

See where I'm going with this? - none of those aforementioned devices are still supported by their manufacturers, and won't get repaired if/when they die, but until such time as that happens they will continue to work in whatever capacity is afforded by their hardware.

All I ask is the same level of customer support from SONOS. we deserve nothing less as customers who have paid (handsomely) for their premium-level hardware.
SAVE THE CR100!!
pwt
Userlevel 7
Badge +20
Gosh... *many* years ago... but that (IMO) is hardly the point...
Thanks. Not really making a point, just seeking information.
2 x P:5 + Sub | 2 x P:5 | 2 x 2 x P:1 | Connect x 3 | Boost | Connect:Amp | One x 2 | Amp

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