CEOs make a lot more than us “regular people”   I am retired.  Fell our pain.  Seriously.  We are the 99%

So, Sonos is going the way of the smartphone; thinking that it’s o.k. for consumers to spend $1k+ every few years.  Not cool and really not even in the same ball park.  I agree with all the other comments that audio equipment should last decades, not the oh so generous “5 years” that you claim to go above and beyond….ridiculous.  I was an early adopter to this system and still would be paying $100/year for this legacy equipment up to now.  For me I will be looking seriously at going back to the hard-wired or “other” solution that only requires one software dependent component to remove the “uprgrade” BS that the industry is racing down for now multiple AND very expensive devices.  VERY BAD DECISION SONOS.

As others have said - this totally misses the point - legacy and new kit needs to work seamlessly and be able to play the same music at the same time… if I wanted to have separate systems in different parts of the house I could have bought those but I wanted to be able to play music everywhere 

Now that it seems that Sonos has destroyed this bit of its USP there is no point in buying any more of their products

i am so so sad about this… I am really angry too but mostly I am sad… you had a great platform and we loved it…

good lick surviving now all your loyal customers hate you…

I know this has now been said over and over but I'm disgusted by this decision. 

The 30% trade up is an absolute Insult on Sonos prices.

My house runs on 7 connect amps that even with the discount would cost me nearly £2500 to replace and for what? So I can have stupid voice control and a host of other things I just don't want or need! 

I don't need Sonos to give me updates to make the products better, they are amazing as they are! All I want is for them to continue working as they do now with my music streaming service and for Sonos to keep giving software updates that allow that to happen.

I've had Sonos in my life for 12 years but if this does stop my current system from working within a few years even I shall not be buying into Sonos again!

It’s not just older speakers - products like the ZP80 and ZP100 are still perfectly functional and work with your own speakers. Their new incarnations are just wireless N and you can get a wireless N adapter for the old products - so no different at all.

Oh I agree and yes the split system isn't what we wont for sure as you mention. But I think they now see the picture and we need to keep reminding them of your point. That grouping/streaming between all speakers is a must!

I was just happy to see the CEO at least let us know he isn't on the golf course and has hear some concerns. As I mentioned “whatever the solution is” I was giving them room to give us a good one, LOL

I’m prepared to wait and see, however I’ll put on hold any further purchases of Sonos products. I’

ll be looking at what other brand options there are, fortunately I have hybrid system where my old amp is 30 years old and had a major service done a year ago. Now the Sonos amp will become obsolete after a few years. Don’t give me the recycle BS and crap about software limitations I don’t buy it- clearly your over-run by a bunch of jaffa’s (if you’re not sure what a jaffa is ask your accountant) and business analysts. Count me as a lost customer, I suspect I’m not alone reading these posts! 

Was about to invest in another surround system for my Office TV (Beam / Sub / Play 1’s) but with this announcement I’ll delay and see what May brings in terms of Sonos’ solution to their “Legacy” products.  I only have a Gen1 Play 5 and a Bridge that is affected at this time.  I can (if forced to protect the rest of my system) unplug and bin or use the line in only.

Once I know the outcome in May I’ll decide if that’s the end of my love of Sonos and if necessary I’ll start pulling out by selling everything else I have before it too is declared effectively End Of Life (and still has some small value hopefully unless Sonos have already nuked the second hand prices of their gear).

Sonos was the king of quality multi room music but the price of a Play 5 can also cover a reasonable amp / bookshelf speakers and a streaming device that I can couple with Roon for the same outcome in terms of enjoying multi room music.

I understand your reason Sonos I do. But there’s got to be a way of allowing me to still listen to music thru my older units without compromising the newer elements in my system.  Even if it’s only via NAS / local files rather than streaming services.

I was so happy with my Sonos system until now, I’ve never listened to music as much as I do now with lovely sounds in every room.  Really sad that it feels like I may have made a mistake and committed too much money and time into something that is not going to last :(

What’s next to be rendered scrap? Play 1’s? (got loads of those)...the sub, the Playbar…? Can you see why your customers are getting worried and angry Sonos?

Contact the Board of SONOS and lobby for the removal of the CEO:  https://investors.sonos.com/corporate-governance/default.aspx

you make an excellent point. 

Spence did try to ease the fear that legacy products will peter out after May.

Will be intrigued as to what the “alternative solution(s)” will be if Sonos can’t keep the “core experience” going for legacy devices..

One very upset customer here!!!  I was an early adopter to the Sonos platform and now you’re telling me that 70% of my equipment is EOL for your marketers to SELL MORE GOODS….welll, I’m hear to tell you, unless the deal is more fair than this….ie; % of trade in is proportionate to age and some LOYALTY credits too, you are looking at a guy who has spent Thousands of dollars with you and you give me a 30% discount to upgrade when you've raised the prices at least that much since I bought my first pieces….its bullcrap, I will look at replacing with another whole-house setup that costs less that supports its GOOD CUSTOMERS!

Thank you, SONOS, for acknowledging our dismay and disappointment. While your email still says little, it is a start, at least.

Edit: Upon re-reading your statements, however, it seems I overlooked that there is nothing different being said that we’ve not already heard here - and it is unsatisfactory. We do not want our systems to be fractured. That defeats the purpose and main reason most of us purchased them for.

Copy of email received:

I think legacy devices will bring a much better trade up % if Sonos can’t keep the “core experience” going in the future.

So I would NOT trash legacy devices now, or sell them cheaply on EBAY.

Sorry Ryan, but that is just the same message but this time from the CEO with a few thank you’s. My position remains the same. Sonos is dead to me. 

This is a deal-breaker for me. Even though just a small part of my system (three ZP100) is affected, I can't rely on a system that might be obsolete from one day to another.

Already sold the ZP100:s and have started the migration to Yamaha Musiccast instead.

// Anders

does this mean legacy and modern will not sync and work together?  If so, they continue to miss the mark.

So now that you scared me into immediately upgrading my Play5 to keep my entire system out of the “legacy lock” situation you change your minds and tell me i could have kept my legacy device on my system without affecting the rest of my system.  Thanks a lot for that… But I invested a lot of money in my Sonos gear, and I don’t want a two-tiered system. I want everything to work nicely together like you always promised me it would .

I used to very brand loyal to Sonos,,,but seems like the clowns are running the circus over there now. Why would anyone believe anything say from this point on???

I too am an early adapter of Sonos and now have over 12 devices.  Some are incorporated into my entire home sound system linked to my turntable, amp, and other items. It is unthinkable that they will be deemed “bricks” soon.   Even with the announcement that the company had “heard us” it still concerns me that “legacy” products will no longer be supported in the future and that the two systems can work together, but separately!  That’s crazy. 

I was really irked last year when the Sonos App stopped working on an older iPad that I used in my home to control all my devices instead of using my iPhone.  Perhaps the company has spent to much time linking itself to Apple operation systems that are constantly being outdated when the introduce software updates. 

Sooner or later Sonos will lose it’s customers if it continues to manage their business like this.  It is wrong and I believe quite disingenuous to its customers who helped the company become what it is today! 

Why can’t your programmers create an operating system that remains as-is and continues to work with the existing system(s), even though it doesn’t get upgrades?  Just like the Sonos App on the older iPad/IOS...it should still work...without some functionality of the updated Sonos/App... but that still works.

Sonos really dropped the ball yesterday!  Suggesting that a 30% discount on new products to replace thousands of dollars that we (your previously loyal customers) have spent supporting/buying your product.  Nice of you to answer the thousands of outraged clients with a dulled down version of yesterdays announcement.  I can’t be the only one looking at ways to protect my investment in a whole house system after it become very clear that Sonos did not engineer with very much forward thinking.   Clearly not much thought was even put into sending out the announcement yesterday.  

Dear Patrick Spence and the Board.

Too little, too late. I and many others don’t want to split the system we have into 2. We like it the way it is now. 

Yours,

Former Sonos customers.

Hugely disappointed about the CEO response. More about how do I keep ltip stock options positive 

rather than how do I keep loyal customers and brand advocates on side. I’ll stick with vinyl and trusty Wharfdale speakers from now on…

is that what Sonos really wants?

Yes I had the old ZP80’s and ZP100’s and I still love them + only one month ago I bought a Sonos Beam and now they may not integrate well.

The email does little for me…. you have already made your intentions known,…. you want me to spend money all over again and I’m not interested!  I am suspending any future purchases of Sonos gear (was going to buy a Move soon) till this company recognizes the investment many of us have made in this large zone whole house audio system and supports us like the good paying customers we are.  in other words 30% doesnt cut it!