Why Can't I listen to my music through my Computer?

I have a pair of Audioengine A2+ powered speakers connected to my PC for using my PC as a stereo. Seems like an easy solution. You can play your library, download the various music services you like that have PC apps (or use their web-based players), and you are done.

The new A2+/A5+ even have a built-in DAC to bypass your PC's soundcard. I use a dedicated DAC, USB to S/PDIF converter, and a separate headphone amp. My DAC feeds my A2+s, but one hardly needs this. So many ways to go, but for my computer, I need some decent speakers and a headphone amp.

So, I have a bridge and connect for my main stereo, a play 1 for my bedroom, and my A2+ fed by a DAC for my main desktop PC. I am very new to the Sonos family, having only bought my gear 2 weeks ago. I have used a Squeezebox Touch for the past 3 years. Sonos is easier and more expandable.

While I would like to see playback through a PC and I could myself amongst those who would gladly pay for an app that allowed PC playback.

The biggest reason I want PC playback is because I don't want another piece of hardware on my desk. Heck, I'd pay close to Play:1 prices for that function.

After reading through most of the 51 pages on the previously mentioned thread I do understand their reasons and the unlikelihood that this will happen.

I am lucky enough that my speakers have a second line input that will allow me to add a connect to it without much hassle.

So I'm pretty much there...

I have really nice Klipsch speakers and a subwoofer as my office pc speakers. After reading most comments, I agree that creating a Sonos App for all PCs/Macs is an animal not worth taming. It's a great product because they focus on one thing. Linux OS in a speaker with an app. Fracking brilliant! Anyway, this boils down to another post were a guy wanted to bounce around the house listening to Sonos' throughout, but he only has one. Time to add more, that's all. Sonos Connect here you come...

Personally I think they should offer a small usb adapter or even a program you can buy for a one time payment to make one of your computers a connect if you will at a much lower cost than a connect. I just purchased a connect and a play 5 thats $750.00 and where I come from that a lot so, It would be nice to be able to use my macbook in other areas of my home instead of having to unplug my connect and take it with me. I hope you will consider this Sonos. I would pay.

Personally I think they should offer a small usb adapter or even a program you can buy for a one time payment to make one of your computers a connect if you will at a much lower cost than a connect.

I agree.

A while back I suggested a USB connected "line in" device which could be used to pipe the output of any computer directly into the Sonos network and would act like an audio interface to the PC.

If it was class-compliant, it would be cross-platform and drivers wouldn't be an issue (plug 'n' play on most platforms).

I wouldn't be so keen on software: that is platform specific and, even on "supported" platforms, tends to be tricky and unreliable.

Cheers,

A USB dongle would be handy, but many users would still struggle with the 70ms latency.

The dongle which arranb is after is an output device, not input. Basically what's requested (and not for the first time) is a cheap CONNECT.

The dongle which arranb is after is an output device, not input.

Yes, I think you're right, and that's not what I was proposing. I misunderstood this as a way to listen to the computer music through Sonos

Basically what's requested (and not for the first time) is a cheap CONNECT.

Referring to my line-out USB dong thingy:

In essence, yes, but (aside from the cost) wiring up a Connect can be quite clunky, and for most people will require a second audio output from their PC or a lot of plugging and unplugging to switch between local speakers and Sonos.

And I don't see many people wanting to stick pair of Play:1 or Play:3 devices as computer speakers, especially with the 70ms latency.

Of course it may be possible to reduce the line-in delay from such a device (after all, the audio doesn't need to be digitised as it's already in digital format), although USB audio can have it's own latency issues.

As regards cost, my feeling is it can be made significantly cheaper than a Connect (and I'm sort of changing my mind about this as I've previously suggested otherwise): A dedicated line-in device probably doesn't need as much memory, processing power, DSP etc. and certainly doesn't need the pre-amps and other audio circuits as it's never going to play anything. In a USB device, it also doesn't need a power supply, nor does it need ADCs and associated components.

Rather than comparing it to a Connect, a more appropriate comparison would be the old DOCK product, which was less than half the price of the Connect.

My thought was is such a common use-case that it would benefit from an more optimal, more elegant solution. I actually think it is a more common application than the DOCK was.

But I don't support the idea of making a PC a full zone at all.

Cheers,

Keith

Excellent. I also have a connect that until now has seemed redundant. Will try this now.

I too would love to be able to use the Sonos app to play music through my computer, it is crazy that you can't 😞