End of Software Support - Clarifications

End of Software Support - Clarifications
Show first post
This topic has been closed for further comments. You can use the search bar to find a similar topic, or create a new one by clicking Create Topic at the top of the page.

4256 replies

J
Userlevel 2
Badge

Question for you all.  I recycled a few products ZP100’s and GEN 1 Play 5’s. I did this because SONOS initially said legacy systems could not be mixed with modern systems. 

Now given all the ‘goings on’ I’ve decided to return the replacement products using the 45 day guaranteed return policy due to “incompatibility issues”. SONOS are saying they cannot stop recycling once initiated, but if I return the replacement product I guess they would have no choice but to cease the recycle process otherwise they are bricking a product I bought without a way of getting it back to the pre-recycle status.

I suspect the “cannot stop recycling once initiated” stance is a financial one because if we all do that it would cause them a massive financial issue. 

Thoughts?

 

A
Userlevel 3
Badge

The really sad thing is that, despite previously being a loyal Sonos customer with a fair amount of kit, I and other customers I know are actively hoping for the stock price to crash further.

For the simple reason that it would be that event, and that alone which would force Sonos to really try to provide a solution (either techinical or financial). The CEO letter was simply too vague to insipire full confidence that they were not still playing for time and hoping the whole thing would blow over.

I think the damage has been done and nothing short of a nuclear option will save the company now.  The current staff are not in a position to fix this problem they have created.  Who trusts these people to come up with an enduring solution?  If Spence told us that he will support all of our products forever, none of us would believe him now.  If he says it will be supported for another year, five years, ten years, none of us would believe him. 

If the stock continues to decline, heads will roll which will make it a different company.  I can’t support Spence and Co, they need to go.  That is a potential positive for the stock decline. 

The second thing I would rather see is that the stock declines even further and one of the companies that Spence has threatened to sue buys up the stock.  Neither Amazon nor Google are dumb enough to sue themselves for patent infringement.  Kill two birds with one stone.  Either of those companies has an interest n the technology and the money to continue development.

D
Userlevel 2

I’ve been with SONOS since the system was born. No shortage of issues - but their service team has always been top notch and worked thru all

The last disappointment was their End-of-life for the IOS controller on my one--generation-too old iPod. They blamed APPLE for ending new IOS support… Fortunately, an apparently better engineer brought out Sonophone that somehow manages to control my system on that device.

SONOS deciding that “everything runs the same code” is the key to this mess. In an era when technology life cycles are 2-3 years or shorter, this is a truly dumb idea.  Limits what you can do on the coolest newest stuff and strains the oldest systems.

“Ending support so tradein/upgrade” didn’t go well. Now “No, we’re not ending support BUT you you will have to live with two separate SONOS systems if you mix products on the same network.”  

Stop the nonsense:

If you want to get customers you have lost with one email to ever buy from you again, decide to have everything work together until our hardware dies, period. It’s OK to not have every NEW feature run on every OLD device.  It’s OK to stop offering repairs on old stuff. Drop the “one code base” idea - it only sounds good to some of your engineers.

Want to sell us your newest gear? Make your newest stuff so terrific that people WANT to trade up.

Dennis

Aowdam54
Badge

Well, if no one else will speak up fro Sonos I will.

My system has worked flawlessly ever since I purchased my first 1st gen Play-5 many years ago.

Never an issue, not even with the updates that fail ever so often on other systems.

I accept that the older products can not be updated forever and if there will be a solution in May where newer products can be updated while the older ones remain as-is that’s fine with me.

So, I’m still in!  

Aowdam54
H
Userlevel 6
Badge +3

Bittersweet, just returned my Move for store credit. Now I only own 9 speakers, 4 of which are Legacy. I don’t see SONOS surviving this fiasco unless they develop another bridge to keep it all together. One email just lopped off thousands of unpaid salespeople/advocates for their brand. 

 

I just returned a brand new Move today also, still in its box unopened. 

 

J
Userlevel 5
Badge +9

Well, if no one else will speak up fro Sonos I will.

My system has worked flawlessly ever since I purchased my first 1st gen Play-5 many years ago.

Never an issue, not even with the updates that fail ever so often on other systems.

I accept that the older products can not be updated forever and if there will be a solution in May where newer products can be updated while the older ones remain as-is that’s fine with me.

So, I’m still in!  


Are you in if you cant group/stream your legacy devices with the new ones? If they are two diff systems?

Playbar(2) Sub(1) Play:5(2) Play:3(6) Play:1(5) Connect:AMP(3) Sonos:AMP(5) Move(1)
H
Userlevel 1

I cannot believe Sonos still wants to pull the rug out.  I get stuff not getting updates anymore but saying that I won’t be able to use the speaker with “new stuff” is just plain wrong.  I have thousands invested into Sonos and i was looking into buying more.  This makes me hesitate?  What will happen in 5 years.  will I have to upgrade again?  This whole thing is wrong on Sonos part. 

What do you mean by “new stuff”?

https://support.sonos.com/s/article/4786?language=en&et_rid=75038405&utm_campaign=lifecycleeosu_announce_183496_1497698&utm_medium=email&utm_source=owners_legacy_110822355&utm_content=copy-t2-readarticle_US

 

Customers with both legacy and modern products have time to decide what option is best for them. You can continue to use your whole system in legacy mode - in this case, it will stop receiving updates and new features. 

You will also be able to separate your legacy products from your modern products, so that the modern products can still receive updates and new features, and legacy products can still be used separately. We’ll have more information on how to do this in May when you can take that action.

 

How long does this last until stuff just stops working and you don’t know why.  What features are not going to work together?  will i be able to still have whole house audio?  what happens if apple music makes a change to the API and it is no longer compatible with the “old” speakers. Lot’s of questions left unanswered in my opinion. 

 

 

M
Userlevel 5
Badge +1

 

 

 

If

 

 

.  The Amazon Echos come closest in that department in my opinion.  But they don’t have a equivalent to a “sonos connect” right?

Amazon has Echo Link - which is a Connect/Port like device with digital in/out. I've never used it, reviews are so/so.

My bad…  I should have said “something comparable to the Connect AMP”.  I have 1970s Infinity speakers (4) connected to Connect AMPS as well as my Patio Speakers and the SONOS not smart speakers in my office.

M
Userlevel 5
Badge +1


From what i have seen, the electronics inside the IKEA Symfonisk is exactly the same as inside the Play 1, with the only difference being that the Symfonisk has 256Mbyte instead of 64Mbyte

The Symfonisk is essentially identical to a play 1 inside, apparently.

 

Yes, the Symfonisk is the same PCB but with added ram and rom

Should be an easy retrofit when the Play 1 is obsoleted in a couple of years….If they have not changed the PCB in the Symfonisk or stopped selling it.

If you think about a Symfonisk is more functional than a play 1.. when Sonos brick your Symfonisk in a few years you can at least continue to use it as a shelf. 

You do know that they put a kill switch on the rear bracket don’t you?  When Spence approves a particular software update, it falls off the wall…  Though he may not be around to approve it.

But who wants the aesthetically challenged IKEA products?

This is the problem I am having in researching a alternative to SONOS.  I like the way my products look.  Most of what I am seeing and either just plain ugly or they are too much over the top for my taste.  I like the simplicity of the design I have now.  The Amazon Echos come closest in that department in my opinion.  But they don’t have a equivalent to a “sonos connect” right?


To maybe answer your question RE: Sonos Connect Amazon equivalent - I’m looking at the Echo Link Amp and Echo Link at the moment among many other options (check them out on Amazon if you haven’t seen), and trying to figure out my going forward strategy - as I’m done with Sonos. 

I am doing a backyard, California room renovation and was going to go with Moves for around pool and Amps and a Playbar, Sub for TV etc, but of course I’ve discarded that idea.  Looking at the Bose 51 hard wired outdoor speakers now (instead of Moves), and trying to decide how to get rid of Sonos completely for the rest of the project . . .

. . . even thinking about a hardwired AV receiver now . . .

. . . it’s crazy like someone said above.  Sonos was a default no question purchase before this fiasco for me.  I wouldn’t even consider price or competitively shop - that’s how well the previous leaders built the Sonos brand!  And I’ve gone from that to “never again” in 1 week - and I’m telling everyone I brought over to Sonos to get out of their ecosystem because they can change your functionality (or shut you down) on a whim (based upon what they see as to their financial benefit) - and they are testing those whims now. 

I am convinced they may go out of business because of this brand destruction - and all my speakers will eventually die.  In my 52 years of life I cannot think of any company that I have turned against so quickly . . . it’s amazing really . . . it would be hard to do worse in terms of destroying a brand if one really, really (did I say really) tried.  I laugh and imagine the leaders at Sonos sitting around the boardroom table (like in a Dilbert cartoon) and saying - “hey, let’s destroy this company and our brand - who has the best idea about how we can do it?”

The sad thing is, the employees that built this (and us the customers) will be the ones that suffer.  The leaders will profit when someone swoops in and buys them to pick-up the pieces after the stock drops to 5 . . .

I think the miscalculation that Sonos and Patrick made was that they did not understand the intelligence of their average user.  People agreed to pay a Sonos premium because they understood the value in backwards compatibility, a whole house system (ie: we do not want segregated legacy and new systems), etc (ie: ROI).  And also, to pay the premium, their customers naturally have to be somewhat successful in general and have substantial disposable income.  People that fit that description are not dumb and can read through corporate BS when they see it.

Echo Link Amp - Well there you go.  I should stop posting replies before I read all the later responses.  Unfortunately I have to work too. lol  I will check this out later today.

G
Userlevel 6
Badge +4

I think we can safely say Sonos will not be changing direction

S
Userlevel 5
Badge +5

It has been only 6 days since we all got ‘the email’. …..feels a lot longer doesn’t it???

Since then there has been a lot of activity from previously loyal customers on this forum and a fair bit of damning activity from Wall Street.

But very little comment or action from Sonos!

i am bewildered by the silence…...there are even a couple of great threads that actually suggest to Sonos how they can fix this  

Something just doesn’t feel right…..

 

Y


From what i have seen, the electronics inside the IKEA Symfonisk is exactly the same as inside the Play 1, with the only difference being that the Symfonisk has 256Mbyte instead of 64Mbyte

The Symfonisk is essentially identical to a play 1 inside, apparently.

 

Yes, the Symfonisk is the same PCB but with added ram and rom

Should be an easy retrofit when the Play 1 is obsoleted in a couple of years….If they have not changed the PCB in the Symfonisk or stopped selling it.

If you think about a Symfonisk is more functional than a play 1.. when Sonos brick your Symfonisk in a few years you can at least continue to use it as a shelf. 

You do know that they put a kill switch on the rear bracket don’t you?  When Spence approves a particular software update, it falls off the wall…  Though he may not be around to approve it.

But who wants the aesthetically challenged IKEA products?

This is the problem I am having in researching a alternative to SONOS.  I like the way my products look.  Most of what I am seeing and either just plain ugly or they are too much over the top for my taste.  I like the simplicity of the design I have now.  The Amazon Echos come closest in that department in my opinion.  But they don’t have a equivalent to a “sonos connect” right?


To maybe answer your question RE: Sonos Connect Amazon equivalent - I’m looking at the Echo Link Amp and Echo Link at the moment among many other options (check them out on Amazon if you haven’t seen), and trying to figure out my going forward strategy - as I’m done with Sonos. 

I am doing a backyard, California room renovation and was going to go with Moves for around pool and Amps and a Playbar, Sub for TV etc, but of course I’ve discarded that idea.  Looking at the Bose 51 hard wired outdoor speakers now (instead of Moves), and trying to decide how to get rid of Sonos completely for the rest of the project . . .

. . . even thinking about a hardwired AV receiver now . . .

. . . it’s crazy like someone said above.  Sonos was a default no question purchase before this fiasco for me.  I wouldn’t even consider price or competitively shop - that’s how well the previous leaders built the Sonos brand!  And I’ve gone from that to “never again” in 1 week - and I’m telling everyone I brought over to Sonos to get out of their ecosystem because they can change your functionality (or shut you down) on a whim (based upon what they see as to their financial benefit) - and they are testing those whims now. 

I am convinced they may go out of business because of this brand destruction - and all my speakers will eventually die.  In my 52 years of life I cannot think of any company that I have turned against so quickly . . . it’s amazing really . . . it would be hard to do worse in terms of destroying a brand if one really, really (did I say really) tried.  I laugh and imagine the leaders at Sonos sitting around the boardroom table (like in a Dilbert cartoon) and saying - “hey, let’s destroy this company and our brand - who has the best idea about how we can do it?”

The sad thing is, the employees that built this (and us the customers) will be the ones that suffer.  The leaders will profit when someone swoops in and buys them to pick-up the pieces after the stock drops to 5 . . .

I think the miscalculation that Sonos and Patrick made was that they did not understand the intelligence of their average user.  People agreed to pay a Sonos premium because they understood the value in backwards compatibility, a whole house system (ie: we do not want segregated legacy and new systems), etc (ie: ROI).  And also, to pay the premium, their customers naturally have to be somewhat successful in general and have substantial disposable income.  People that fit that description are not dumb and can read through corporate BS when they see it.

Echo Link Amp - Well there you go.  I should stop posting replies before I read all the later responses.  Unfortunately I have to work too. lol  I will check this out later today.

Michael, I tried the echo link amp to replace my 7 connect amps and it didn't quite work the way I hoped. I don't think it's a replacement, unless you want to change the way you interact with your music. You are forced to ask what to play and where by voice through an Alexa app or device. You can't start music from the Alexa app on your phone or computer by searching or selecting. This means no queing music or playing just a few tracks from an album. I like being dj sometimes across multiple sources and Sonos does this well. 

I'm also looking for an alternative and musiccast and heos didn't get that great of reviews for their app, despite the limited music source choices. Bluesound cost more than Sonos and also got mixed reviews. I hate being held captive. 

M
Userlevel 7
Badge +4

 

M
Userlevel 5
Badge +1


From what i have seen, the electronics inside the IKEA Symfonisk is exactly the same as inside the Play 1, with the only difference being that the Symfonisk has 256Mbyte instead of 64Mbyte

The Symfonisk is essentially identical to a play 1 inside, apparently.

 

Yes, the Symfonisk is the same PCB but with added ram and rom

Should be an easy retrofit when the Play 1 is obsoleted in a couple of years….If they have not changed the PCB in the Symfonisk or stopped selling it.

If you think about a Symfonisk is more functional than a play 1.. when Sonos brick your Symfonisk in a few years you can at least continue to use it as a shelf. 

You do know that they put a kill switch on the rear bracket don’t you?  When Spence approves a particular software update, it falls off the wall…  Though he may not be around to approve it.

But who wants the aesthetically challenged IKEA products?

This is the problem I am having in researching a alternative to SONOS.  I like the way my products look.  Most of what I am seeing and either just plain ugly or they are too much over the top for my taste.  I like the simplicity of the design I have now.  The Amazon Echos come closest in that department in my opinion.  But they don’t have a equivalent to a “sonos connect” right?


To maybe answer your question RE: Sonos Connect Amazon equivalent - I’m looking at the Echo Link Amp and Echo Link at the moment among many other options (check them out on Amazon if you haven’t seen), and trying to figure out my going forward strategy - as I’m done with Sonos. 

I am doing a backyard, California room renovation and was going to go with Moves for around pool and Amps and a Playbar, Sub for TV etc, but of course I’ve discarded that idea.  Looking at the Bose 51 hard wired outdoor speakers now (instead of Moves), and trying to decide how to get rid of Sonos completely for the rest of the project . . .

. . . even thinking about a hardwired AV receiver now . . .

. . . it’s crazy like someone said above.  Sonos was a default no question purchase before this fiasco for me.  I wouldn’t even consider price or competitively shop - that’s how well the previous leaders built the Sonos brand!  And I’ve gone from that to “never again” in 1 week - and I’m telling everyone I brought over to Sonos to get out of their ecosystem because they can change your functionality (or shut you down) on a whim (based upon what they see as to their financial benefit) - and they are testing those whims now. 

I am convinced they may go out of business because of this brand destruction - and all my speakers will eventually die.  In my 52 years of life I cannot think of any company that I have turned against so quickly . . . it’s amazing really . . . it would be hard to do worse in terms of destroying a brand if one really, really (did I say really) tried.  I laugh and imagine the leaders at Sonos sitting around the boardroom table (like in a Dilbert cartoon) and saying - “hey, let’s destroy this company and our brand - who has the best idea about how we can do it?”

The sad thing is, the employees that built this (and us the customers) will be the ones that suffer.  The leaders will profit when someone swoops in and buys them to pick-up the pieces after the stock drops to 5 . . .

I think the miscalculation that Sonos and Patrick made was that they did not understand the intelligence of their average user.  People agreed to pay a Sonos premium because they understood the value in backwards compatibility, a whole house system (ie: we do not want segregated legacy and new systems), etc (ie: ROI).  And also, to pay the premium, their customers naturally have to be somewhat successful in general and have substantial disposable income.  People that fit that description are not dumb and can read through corporate BS when they see it.

Echo Link Amp - Well there you go.  I should stop posting replies before I read all the later responses.  Unfortunately I have to work too. lol  I will check this out later today.

Michael, I tried the echo link amp to replace my 7 connect amps and it didn't quite work the way I hoped. I don't think it's a replacement, unless you want to change the way you interact with your music. You are forced to ask what to play and where by voice through an Alexa app or device. You can't start music from the Alexa app on your phone or computer by searching or selecting. This means no queing music or playing just a few tracks from an album. I like being dj sometimes across multiple sources and Sonos does this well. 

I'm also looking for an alternative and musiccast and heos didn't get that great of reviews for their app, despite the limited music source choices. Bluesound cost more than Sonos and also got mixed reviews. I hate being held captive. 

Thanks Morgan,

Sounds like we are looking for the exact same thing.  I play music from my household NAS, my S10 Phone, Streaming Services, local radio, you name it.  I currently (but rarely) do use my $50 Echo Dot to tell Sonos to play music as well.  Normally if I don’t have my phone handy for some reason.  I would want Amazon to have a control app with most of the abilities of the Sonos Controller as well.  

Not sure they are going to want to play music from by local collection.

I am not rushing to do a wholesale replacement today.  Want to look at all the options available and compare against the price / functionality of what i have now.

Thing is…  Before last week I would never have even questioned where I would be getting my next purchase from.  I admit to being a “Sonos Sheep”.

T
Userlevel 4
Badge

Stocks go up and down. I don’t think multiple stock price updates are worthwhile news each day, just because the shares are down a bit. The management team warned investors to expect a bumpy ride initially when they implemented this pre-planned updates policy. They knew it was controversial, and they knew it was going to be a hard sell.

I do wonder if the current CEO was fully aware how much of this business is built on product evangelism from enthusiastic owners though? It can easily work in reverse if those same people start belittling your product with as much venom now as it was previously enthusiasm. I suppose that’s the real danger for Sonos as a company.

B
Userlevel 1

I now regret the huge investement for 20 Sonos pieces I currently own, I will never buy another Sonos product again nor will I buy into your inadequate 30% buy back scheme. I will be sure to let all of my friends and colleagues know that Sonos is a company to stay away from. And yes, I did read the press release from your corporate HQ… Sorry but I don`t believe it.

A
Userlevel 3
Badge

Stocks go up and down. I don’t think multiple stock price updates are worthwhile news each day, just because the shares are down a bit. The management team warned investors to expect a bumpy ride initially when they implemented this pre-planned updates policy. They knew it was controversial, and they knew it was going to be a hard sell.

I do wonder if the current CEO was fully aware how much of this business is built on product evangelism from enthusiastic owners though? It can easily work in reverse if those same people start belittling your product with as much venom now as it was previously enthusiasm. I suppose that’s the real danger for Sonos as a company.


According to their letter to shareholders from November, 37% of new product registrations (new hardware registered) were to individuals who already had at least one product registered (repeat customers).  He has a good idea what segment of the population he just pissed off, he may not have estimated how controversial the decision would be.

I could only imagine what it would be like for me to come to work and find that my customers are openly discussing alternatives to my product on my website!  And there is nothing I can do about it lest I am viewed as trying to cover up.  And, it’s been viewed over 100,000 times.  Monday, Monday...

chickentender

I cannot believe Sonos still wants to pull the rug out.  I get stuff not getting updates anymore but saying that I won’t be able to use the speaker with “new stuff” is just plain wrong.  I have thousands invested into Sonos and i was looking into buying more.  This makes me hesitate?  What will happen in 5 years.  will I have to upgrade again?  This whole thing is wrong on Sonos part. 

What do you mean by “new stuff”?

https://support.sonos.com/s/article/4786?language=en&et_rid=75038405&utm_campaign=lifecycleeosu_announce_183496_1497698&utm_medium=email&utm_source=owners_legacy_110822355&utm_content=copy-t2-readarticle_US

 

Customers with both legacy and modern products have time to decide what option is best for them. You can continue to use your whole system in legacy mode - in this case, it will stop receiving updates and new features. 

You will also be able to separate your legacy products from your modern products, so that the modern products can still receive updates and new features, and legacy products can still be used separately. We’ll have more information on how to do this in May when you can take that action.

 

How long does this last until stuff just stops working and you don’t know why.  What features are not going to work together?  will i be able to still have whole house audio?  what happens if apple music makes a change to the API and it is no longer compatible with the “old” speakers. Lot’s of questions left unanswered in my opinion. 

 

 

Still not certain what you meant by “new stuff”. Do you mean new software features? Or new units added to the network? If you leave your system as legacy, you can still add any modern device Sonos now sells to a legacy network and it will run with that software version. It is the various streaming APIs that will stop working at some point…. The least likely to stop working are access to your own media library and access to speaker settings, zone grouping etc, because those functions are not tied to the API changes of other companies. As a simple wireless speaker network that accesses local network files, it’s reasonable to assume that a legacy system will work indefinitely until the hardware fails.

J
Userlevel 2
Badge

This could be heading for a class action suit, especially if people recycled 200 series controllers based on the original SONOS ‘won’t work’ statement, then wanted to stop the recycle and were told they couldn’t.  There is no upgrade hardware for these controllers. Customers would have no way of controlling their systems.

F
Userlevel 3
Badge

I read with substantial dismay that SONOS will no longer provide updates for certain equipment. I want to advise SONOS management and community at large how disappointing this announcement is.

I have been a very loyal SONOS customer for at least 8 years and have purchased:

2 SONOS one’s

2 SONOS 5’s 1 generation

2 SONOS 5”s 2 generation

2 SONOS Sound Bars…

1 SONOS Base Unit

Also have purchased three individual sets of SONOS one’s for individual members of my family as gifts.As you can see I have made a considerable investment in both the company and its equipment.

I find it interesting and disappointing that this announcement happens with the fact that SONOS is now a publicly traded company on Wall Street. Since SONOS has gone public its share price and not increased and its sales volume has not increased as Wall Street had hoped.

Now the NEW strategy will be for SONOS management to create incentives for existing customers to purchase more "NEW" units…..THEREFORE INCREASE SALES VOLUME!  Before SONOS went “PUBLIC” it had an outstanding reputation for quality. Now it looks like GREED MANAGEMENT has taken control of the company…..

I will no longer invest my money in products with a company management that maintains this type of business agenda.

FJM

 

M
Userlevel 4
Badge +1

It has been only 6 days since we all got ‘the email’. …..feels a lot longer doesn’t it???

Since then there has been a lot of activity from previously loyal customers on this forum and a fair bit of damning activity from Wall Street.

But very little comment or action from Sonos!

i am bewildered by the silence…...there are even a couple of great threads that actually suggest to Sonos how they can fix this  

Something just doesn’t feel right…..

 


I’m guessing they’re telling investors “trust us, this is going to be great, just a vocal minority, we will delivery quality results in the next two quarters” and it is buying them time.  I think admitting failure and changing course here, while perhaps winning back many of us, would result in them losing their jobs sooner.  Or perhaps they genuinely believe this is the right course, or perhaps internally things look worse than we have perceived and this is the only way they attempt to fix things - a scary thought.

chickentender

Michael, I tried the echo link amp to replace my 7 connect amps and it didn't quite work the way I hoped. I don't think it's a replacement, unless you want to change the way you interact with your music. You are forced to ask what to play and where by voice through an Alexa app or device. You can't start music from the Alexa app on your phone or computer by searching or selecting. This means no queing music or playing just a few tracks from an album. I like being dj sometimes across multiple sources and Sonos does this well. 

I'm also looking for an alternative and musiccast and heos didn't get that great of reviews for their app, despite the limited music source choices. Bluesound cost more than Sonos and also got mixed reviews. I hate being held captive. 

Thanks Morgan,

Sounds like we are looking for the exact same thing.  I play music from my household NAS, my S10 Phone, Streaming Services, local radio, you name it.  I currently (but rarely) do use my $50 Echo Dot to tell Sonos to play music as well.  Normally if I don’t have my phone handy for some reason.  I would want Amazon to have a control app with most of the abilities of the Sonos Controller as well.  

Not sure they are going to want to play music from by local collection.

I am not rushing to do a wholesale replacement today.  Want to look at all the options available and compare against the price / functionality of what i have now.

Thing is…  Before last week I would never have even questioned where I would be getting my next purchase from.  I admit to being a “Sonos Sheep”.

For what it’s worth, my use is similar, though my Connect has always also been fed audio from my TV as a soundbar substitute double-duty sort of use (passing audio to my main traditional stereo setup), in addition to being essentially the “hub” of my music audio as well. Spent the past week looking into options and decided to (based on a number of factors) to just try the Bluesound Node 2i (purchased from Amazon for the nice risk-free return window) in it’s place and see what I could work out. I’ve only had it connected for 24 hours and frankly, it’s wonderful. I have it sending it’s RCA output to my stereo receiver just as the Connect did, but then I also send it’s optical-output to an inexpensive optical-to-rca converter which then goes to the LINE-IN of the old SonosConnect. This way I can still send audio around to my SonosPlay speakers in other rooms using the Bluesound as the streaming source (as well as a variety of other source options to the Bluesound that I won’t get into here - it’ll just complicate things). Thus far, I’m happy as a clam.

M
Userlevel 4
Badge +1

I cannot believe Sonos still wants to pull the rug out.  I get stuff not getting updates anymore but saying that I won’t be able to use the speaker with “new stuff” is just plain wrong.  I have thousands invested into Sonos and i was looking into buying more.  This makes me hesitate?  What will happen in 5 years.  will I have to upgrade again?  This whole thing is wrong on Sonos part. 

What do you mean by “new stuff”?

https://support.sonos.com/s/article/4786?language=en&et_rid=75038405&utm_campaign=lifecycleeosu_announce_183496_1497698&utm_medium=email&utm_source=owners_legacy_110822355&utm_content=copy-t2-readarticle_US

 

Customers with both legacy and modern products have time to decide what option is best for them. You can continue to use your whole system in legacy mode - in this case, it will stop receiving updates and new features. 

You will also be able to separate your legacy products from your modern products, so that the modern products can still receive updates and new features, and legacy products can still be used separately. We’ll have more information on how to do this in May when you can take that action.

 

How long does this last until stuff just stops working and you don’t know why.  What features are not going to work together?  will i be able to still have whole house audio?  what happens if apple music makes a change to the API and it is no longer compatible with the “old” speakers. Lot’s of questions left unanswered in my opinion. 

 

 

Still not certain what you meant by “new stuff”. Do you mean new software features? Or new units added to the network? If you leave your system as legacy, you can still add any modern device Sonos now sells to a legacy network and it will run with that software version. It is the various streaming APIs that will stop working at some point…. The least likely to stop working are access to your own media library and access to speaker settings, zone grouping etc, because those functions are not tied to the API changes of other companies. As a simple wireless speaker network that accesses local network files, it’s reasonable to assume that a legacy system will work indefinitely until the hardware fails.


I hope this is correct, but I have yet to see it written by sonos that any new speaker I buy can be added to a legacy setup.  As whole home/multiroom audio is what I’m here for I guess I’m going with legacy mode and not buying anymore speakers.

melvimbe

This could be heading for a class action suit, especially if people recycled 200 series controllers based on the original SONOS ‘won’t work’ statement, then wanted to stop the recycle and were told they couldn’t.  There is no upgrade hardware for these controllers. Customers would have no way of controlling their systems.

 

i don’t think CR200s are eligible for the trade in program.  And these customers would still be able to control their system with apps and applications the way the vast majority of people do.

Danny
F
Userlevel 3
Badge

This CEO and company management has lost TRUST….they are dead. No one will pay the money for this equipment after reading all of the bad press and Negative Reviews.

What a stupid move….meanwhile BOSE continues to innovate WHILE AT THE SAME TIME CONTINUES TO DELIVER OUTSTANDING quality service and support to its existing customers for more than 25 plus years.

SONSO….who do they think they are kidding.

FJM

Terms & ConditionsCookie settings