Prodigy I

Trade up scheme

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Either I'm misunderstanding or this scheme is just encouraging people to throw away perfectly good Sonos equipment.

The way I read it, you "trade up" by selecting an eligible device and it then gets deactivated by Sonos for you to bin.

This is surely ethically wrong?

Trade Up

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A

augustwest

Enthusiast II

Big thumbs down to Sonos. You guys have just gone way down in my opinion. I have joined this forum just to make this point.

Booooooooo - you suck.

I own 4 Sonoses and love the products and experience. I used to think the company was decent too. But now I just think you’re just wanting to line your pockets and F the environmental impact.

Too bad you feel that way. IMO all the negative comments surrounding the Trade Up program are really getting ridiculous.

First of all Sonos is not requiring that you Trade-up your products. Do it if you like or don’t...it's a CHOICE.

Basically, the complaints about “bricking” a working product comes down to personal greed. You want the 30% discount; but you want it for FREE! So essentially you want to double dip...get the 30% off new Sonos and in some cases sell your old Sonos.

I’m not against selling older Sonos...heck...I sell my Sonos all the time in order to offset the cost of new. I recently sold two Play 3’s and a Connect to offset the cost of two Move’s and a Port, respectively. I even sold a black sub to offset the cost of a white sub.

I have a Playbar in my bedroom. If Sonos were to offer me 30% off to upgrade to a new improved Playbar in exchange for my current one; I’d go for it (budget permitting). I can only use one Playbar at a time. Given the age of the Playbar $210 (30% of $ 699) is about what it’s worth on the open market. So IMO...Great Deal!

As far as Sonos announcing they will discontinue support for “X” product. Do you really expect Sonos to support legacy products forever? Let’s get real people. You also need to understand that dis-continuing support for a Sonos speaker doesn’t mean it will cease to work. Just do the following:

Turn off cellular for your setup device to sever contact with the internet
Disconnect your router from the internet
Continue using Wi-Fi on both devices.

Now that you have “walled –off” your Sonos from the outside world; continue using it until the circuit boards burnout. :smiling_imp:

Cheers!

Edit: Really...You :thumbsup: your own post :thinking: That’s :sweat_smile: and :disappointed_relieved: at the same time.

I still have audio equipment from the 60’s that works great. I don’t expect SONOS to “support” legacy gear forever but I also don’t expect it to stop working either. They could easily keep legacy equipment operable while only supporting new equipment. Not unlike old PC’s which still work fine they just don't support new OS’s or software.

jgatie

Most older SONOS gear is worth more than the 30% discount. So a better “trade up” is to liquidate current gear and buy the new gear. For instance; I can easily fetch $280 for a Connect Amp which will net me an additional $100.

I would just like to know if this is going to be like the old remotes which they ended up bricking after a brief trade in period (which I missed). It would suck to come home from a long vacation and find all of my SONOS gear inoperable (12 units).

Nobody knows, however I think expecting older units to operate and/or be upgraded in perpetuity is wishful thinking. Eventually, they are going to be retired, and it would not surprise me if this trade up program is in preparation for that eventuality.

What I don’t expect is the trade up program to end before the retirement takes place.

jgatie

I still have audio equipment from the 60’s that works great. I don’t expect SONOS to “support” legacy gear forever but I also don’t expect it to stop working either. They could easily keep legacy equipment operable while only supporting new equipment. Not unlike old PC’s which still work fine they just don't support new OS’s or software.

In the Save the CR100 thread, Sonos stated that one option to continue using the retired units was to never upgrade. They didn’t recommend it, and it would eventually become incompatible with all but local library streaming, but it was an option.

Airgetlam

I tend to look at my Sonos equipment much as I look at my mobile phone. They’ve both got an OS, a certain amount of memory, and a CPU. At some point in time, it seems inevitable that one of these will no longer be able to support continuing development of the Sonos ecosystem.

In my opinion, I’m pretty impressed with Sonos. So far, the only devices that they’ve had to deprecate are non-speakers, i.e. the dock and the CR100. But not a single actual speaker. I don’t expect that to last forever, no more than I expect to run iOS 13.2 on my iPhone 1. But Sonos has shown more commitment to maintaining older equipment that they’ve made than any other tech company that I deal with on a regular basis.

Frankly, as a user, I tend to be more interested in the “new” features, than I am in locking down my system in order to maintain some particular device. But then again, I don’t think that those who do so are in any way “wrong” to do it. It’s a choice, that each of us have to make. The challenge for many of us is trying to remember what things were like in software release “X” so that we can assist people. It’s probably an equal issue for Sonos support.

I’ve worked in software for many years. I’ve run in to many of the same challenges that Sonos faces, with issues with clients that don’t match the server, with maintaining support for operating systems that are no longer supported by their originators. I get where they face challenges. And I think they do a good job in meeting those challenges. But at the end of the day, in order to stay valid in the marketplace, Sonos needs to continue to evolve their software. Adding new features, adding new speakers. The only way that they make money is by selling new speakers. So they’ve got an obligation (now) to their shareholders and employees not to stand still, but continue to grow. Sometimes, that’s in opposition to some of the needs of us users.

Unfortunately, I’ve never found a tech company that works to exactly what I want. I have to figure out what the best use is of what’s available out there on the market, and make it work for what I need it to. It’s exactly the same way with Sonos. Yes, I want them to change, in very specific ways to accommodate my needs. But I suspect, nay, know, that my personal needs are not those of the greater marketplace.

I’d love to compare Sonos to an older setup of a receiver with speakers. But I can’t. They’re entirely different technologies. That old system didn’t have any software, or internet connectivity built in. Each Sonos device is effectively a computer. And computers eventually get old. Not stop running, but just can’t be updated to the current “version” that gives you the latest and greatest features.

Bruce

A

augustwest

Enthusiast II

Most older SONOS gear is worth more than the 30% discount. So a better “trade up” is to liquidate current gear and buy the new gear. For instance; I can easily fetch $280 for a Connect Amp which will net me an additional $100.

I would just like to know if this is going to be like the old remotes which they ended up bricking after a brief trade in period (which I missed). It would suck to come home from a long vacation and find all of my SONOS gear inoperable (12 units).

Nobody knows, however I think expecting older units to operate and/or be upgraded in perpetuity is wishful thinking. Eventually, they are going to be retired, and it would not surprise me if this trade up program is in preparation for that eventuality.

What I don’t expect is the trade up program to end before the retirement takes place.

It’s good that you think you have infinite amounts of money. I work hard for my money; and If someone told me that my toaster wasn't going to work at some point in the future because there is a better toaster (a toaster toasts bread btw) then good for you and your money tree. For me? I want my gear to work into infinity at the level at which I bought it...

Ah shucks... I still have an email server running windows 2000 from 2001 on a PC I built for $500. It works great and serves the task of sending email as well today as it did over 20 years ago (an email server that got me a job by my resume always being at top of the queue). But hey, I am so glad you don't care about saving money and someday perhaps retirement. Good for you. Stop spewing your incredulous attitude towards those of us who like our hard earned money and the gear we bought with it.

My $15,000 6 burner Blue Star range will still work as good when I die (25K BTU Burners) as it does today. Is it too much to ask that SONOS honor that same ethic? Honestly, I don't give a shit about many of the new features.

(SIDEBAR)If SONOS told me they were going to remove the library limit on library tracks of IIRC 65k and 24BIT support (I am at 1M+) then some “upgrade” to my 12 unit, wrong, 14 unit system might be worth it. (/SIDEBAR)

Until then, leave me alone and stop preaching false prophets about 10 years old equipment or give me your money. Etc. yada yada yada. FYI, I was probably SONOS customer number less than 5,000 and worked on their singular defining advertising moment: Their Super Bowl commercial in 2014. (sales doubled every every year from that point forward). TV advertising works. SURPRISE!

As a computer programer I had previously built my own whole house system using pirated Creston equipment. BTW, My Swedish made mixer (Ankarsrum) my grandmother gave to me when I was 8 (and was built in the late 40’s) still works as good today (better) than any Kitchen Aid that graces every American kitchen.

A

amun

But then again, I don’t think that those who do so are in any way “wrong” to do it. It’s a choice, that each of us have to make.

Sorry - this quoting is atrocious, now…

Couldn’t agree more

Unfortunately, I’ve never found a tech company that works to exactly what I want. I have to figure out what the best use is of what’s available out there on the market, and make it work for what I need it to.

Spot on…

I originally thought that Sonos would be a good long term solution but it turned out not to be, for my purposes, as their system evolved. I still like the speakers, so intend to get full use out of them - in the best way that I can.

A

augustwest

Enthusiast II

But then again, I don’t think that those who do so are in any way “wrong” to do it. It’s a choice, that each of us have to make.

Sorry - this quoting is atrocious, now…

Couldn’t agree more

Unfortunately, I’ve never found a tech company that works to exactly what I want. I have to figure out what the best use is of what’s available out there on the market, and make it work for what I need it to.

Spot on…

I originally thought that Sonos would be a good long term solution but it turned out not to be, for my purposes, as their system evolved. I still like the speakers, so intend to get full use out of them - in the best way that I can.

As owner/operators of the SONOS system we can DEMAND how stuff works or as you state “abandon” it. Not sure you are wrong with your assessment. This idea of making my money worthless... I am not keen on it (e.g. trade up / bricking).

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amun

Is it too much to ask that SONOS honor that same ethic?

I agree, but all those who have been involved in making new and old devices continue to work together know that there’s a cost to the company to achieve this - and apparently it’s not one that Sonos are prepared to absorb. Personally, I would have more sympathy with them if they made it easier for people to run whichever versions of the software they choose, but that hasn’t happened, either.

I have a Hobart made Kitchen Aid Mixer from the 70’s that is still bullet proof.

It’s all about the software - your mixer doesn’t have any…. :grinning:

A

augustwest

Enthusiast II

The lack of transparency from SONOS regarding the path forward tells me they are afraid and operating from a position of fear. I don’t own any SONOS stock anymore but I may consider shorting them based on their treatment of long time fans. I was a professional chef for 25 years and the thing I learned in that time is cloistering ideas makes you stale. Sharing ideas drives creativity and innovation. SONOS is operating from a place of fear (e.g. Look at Elon Musk sharing his e car patents). As a first adopter I am not happy with their current leading from behind strategy. The other thing is their apparent lack of 2way feedback from the community,.

A

augustwest

Enthusiast II

Is it too much to ask that SONOS honor that same ethic?

I agree, but all those who have been involved in making new and old devices continue to work together know that there’s a cost to the company to achieve this - and apparently it’s not one that Sonos are prepared to absorb. Personally, I would have more sympathy with them if they made it easier for people to run whichever versions of the software they choose, but that hasn’t happened, either.

I have a Hobart made Kitchen Aid Mixer from the 70’s that is still bullet proof.

It’s all about the software - your mixer doesn’t have any…. :grinning:

Hey man. I CONGREE completely. Per my Email Server analogy. Just let people run old OS instead of making it obsolete. I’d be fine for my purposes if the software stayed the same or provided ports to third party hacking but don't make my **** obsolete. All I personally need is access to my 1M+ local library and TuneIn. The four best radio stations in the world IMO ( FIP - out of Paris - #1 ration station in the world| WWOZ - Out of NOLA, CKUT - Out of Montreal, and the seminal BLK 100 out of NOLA (The Black Station)

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