Best sonos alternatives. What's everyone moving to?

I’m looking at some KEFs and a basic tuner. This Sonos journey is not going to end well. The existing kit will stick around until … well I may give them to my kids while opening my eyes to all the other available options. 
 

It’s time to think about how Sonos is probably going to subscription their hardware’s usability behind $10 per month. 

I think you’re spot on with them scheming about how to extort us with monthly fees and upgrades.  We will hear how expensive it is to maintain software so they need more money to maintain the “great” standards (ahem) we’ve come to expect.  For them to be talking about streaming music is changing...not a great sign either.  They will be pushing their own crappy Sonos music on us.  Surprised they even let us pick anything else at this point. 

I have been researching a replacement strategy that meet the aesthetics of the Five. I have searched long and hard for a white bookshelf speaker roughly the size of the FIVE and approximately the same quality. Powered or unpowered, I could find none. Any replacement I could find was appreciably deeper. So I have started considering using the line-in on my Sonos.

I have a Wiim Pro Plus that I intended to use as a replacement for my port. Instead, I’ll try experimenting with one of my Five stereo setups.  Unfortunately, this does mean more wiring. It’s not too bad if I run a 3.5mm cable all the way to the Wiiim. Does anyone know is a cable like this:

https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=9301

Be of high enough caliber for an eight foot run?

Better are active/powered speakers like Elac DCB 41 as just one example from hundreds out there. All they need is an Echo Dot wired to a line in jack on them. Spotify will work just fine on this set up. If you don’t like voice commands, cast from the Spotify app on the phone to the Dot and music will play from chosen speakers. Which will sound as good as what chosen speakers can in your listening space.

It just takes a decision to stop being a piggy in thrall to the mother sow wanting to be fed from just one place.

Set up the line in on the 5 to autoplay, and you will be surprised at how well even just an Echo Dot wired to the line in jack on the 5 will sound, via the 5. You can then play music via voice command to the Dot, or by casting from the Spotify without even using the Sonos app; all you need is power to the 5. 

Do this as an experiment with an old Dot, and you will be surprised at how it well it can serve.

Any commodity RCA cable is good enough, just get a stereo one with the right plugs at both ends.

I was previously considering the white version of those speakers.  How would you compare the sound to the Five’s, and do you know if the grill can be replaced?

As far as I know, the Elac come in just black. The grill can be removed, as can be that of any HiFi speaker. I would say the sound is as good as most will need once they get used to the sound signature that is equivalent to that from the 5 except for deep bass where the 5 will do better. On the other hand, the Elac can be wired to a third party Sub, but that starts getting messy; I would look for bigger/better powered speakers instead.

Another brilliant powered speaker pair is the Pioneer DJ DM 50. Probably do bass as well as a 5. I know these come in white. I have a DM 40 pair and it is brilliant, with signal sensing autoplay that works very well. Very well built and mine has worked flawlessly for three years now.

I use the Elac for TV sound because they have an HDMI eArc socket.

The white version is called the ELAC Debut ConneX Adsum.  It’s a DCB 41 with a small stand and what is meant to be a nicer-looking grill.

I initially wrote it off thinking it may not be as good as the Five and more difficult to pair correctly with a sub.  Also, when considering powered speakers I prefered dual amps.

Your post has made me wonder if I’m being too picky :-)

You are, but that isn't a bad thing!

Why not first see how a Dot to the line in of the 5 works out? The Dot can even be stashed behind the 5, it just needs to be visible to WiFi. And if the 5 are a stereo pair, it has to be wired to any one of the paired 5. Why throw away your investment in the 5?

You then need the Sonos app to just configure that 5 unit’s line in feature. Hopefully this new app still allows you to do that.

If you find an older version of Echo Show 5/8 that have audio out jacks, you can use these and get album art for what’s playing on the 5, a feature that Sonos does not give you even today.

I assure you that used this way the 5 will sound as good as when used any other way.

Ah yes, I remember seeing this a month ago, the pimped up version! One thing about active/powered speakers, these tend to be designed for the pro audio market that does not pay more money for looks. So the looks tend to be more industrial, that may not go well some users or decor. But build quality is good, because the pro market needs reliability.