Imagine Sonos listened and designed a product ‘just for you’. Imagine that there were no resource or prioritisation issues. Just for a moment. Ignore that there may be othernoptions out there already. You simply want a Sonos ‘one’. End of. What new device or service would you like to add to your Sonos system?
My starter for 10.
A HDMI connect or centre speaker type device that would allow the use of dedicated L/R speakers for wider separation and better (subjective I know) sound than a playbar provides. The ability to play high res codecs would be a bonus and even more so Atmos (ignore technical issues with speaker placement). Basically something like the Heos AVR or what many speculated the beam was going to be (updated Playbar) but on steroids.
No agenda behind the question other than curious what other would like the system to be able to do. Given the cost of the Playbar, I’d happily pay north of that for such a device.
Second on the list would be an ‘upscale’ Play 5. Call it the Play:X - only objective would be to have a better sound performance. Need not be more ‘powerful’, just better sounding, and with a more premium finish. I know there’s the option for connect (i’ve considered getting one for use with active speakers), but the simple option of having just a pair of speakers with no sub, no cable converters etc appeals. Think of a ‘works with Sonos’ Beolab 18. Only not quite as expensive 😉
Your Ideal Future Sonos Product
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A replacement CR-100, or really any device to control my Sonos gear that didn't have a touch screen. I could even live with a minimal feature set so that you needed a tablet or pc based controller to go beyond the bare minimum functions.
A half-size sub at about half the price, don't need to boom the neighbors but a bit more low end would be nice if it didn't break the piggy bank.
A half-size sub at about half the price, don't need to boom the neighbors but a bit more low end would be nice if it didn't break the piggy bank.
A centre speaker type device that would allow the use of dedicated L/R speakers for wider separation
Second on the list would be an ‘upscale’ Play 5. Call it the Play:X - only objective would be to have a better sound performance. Need not be more ‘powerful’, just better sounding, and with a more premium finish.
I agree with both; the first would do a couple of more things. One, the set up could then equally well serve the needs of stereo music, by having just the L/R speakers, which could be any play units, operate to provide good stereo imaging for music. And, for movies it should also allow more control over being able to turn up just the dialog via the centre speaker for better hearing of it, without having the other movie sound levels to also be elevated at the same time.
As to the second, I prefer a 1 pair + Sub to a 5 pair. So, a slightly larger than the 1/One main speaker for pairing, finished to look more like a HiFi speaker clad in veneer for the associated psychological cred that gives an impression of better sound quality, to work standalone as a single unit or a pair, or, for best results, anchored by the Sub. And of course, these could also be used for HT duty with the aforesaid centre speaker. With line in jacks on them too, to meet the need for a host of unmet at present demands like computer speakers, or even bluetooth source compatible ones, by just wiring something like an Echo Dot to the line in jacks. Or by wiring any other bluetooth receiver to these.
Finally, a discreet screen on the units that always shows the title of the music track being played, when in use for audio.
I'm a fan of the super connect idea as described in option 1. Something that has an extremely level of flexibility so that the customer could do anything up to a 9.2.2 system, and even incorporate a soundbar if they chose.
I don't know that I'd be a customer for this, but I'd like to see an upgrade to the connect with a far field and mike and small speaker so that you can effectively turn your existing system into a Sonos w/ Alexa or Google setup. Expansion of the works with Sonos program to lower range receivers as well.
Along the same lines, I's like to see a new version of the connect:amp as well. Add in the mic and small speaker perhaps, but not that important. Add in extra power and the ability to power additional speakers (A/B). It seems the amp's most common application is for outdoor and ceiling speakers, and it's not uncommon for those scenarios to need multiple pairs of speakers per zone. Also add in a sort of bypass mode so that you can't opt to have a line-in without buffering so that you can use it with a tv.
Of course the above product would essentially become unnecessary if you just used a connect with a simple amp. Perhaps it might be better if Sonos worked out a partnership with another company to make an amp, or series of amps, designed specifically to work with the connect.
And, in my absolute pipe dream, I'd like to see a whole house mic system. Instead of having mics on each speaker, and having the wrong speaker reply to you, I'd like to see various mics placed around the home, multiple in each room. When you make a command, the mics will be able to 'triangulate' where you are in the house and thus respond with the right speaker. Of course commands to play music and other smart home commands would also use your location within the house to get it correct.
And the ability to use custom wake words, a few different options for Alexa/Google voice, perhaps different for each room of the house. And grouping commands, as well as play local libraries.
I don't know that I'd be a customer for this, but I'd like to see an upgrade to the connect with a far field and mike and small speaker so that you can effectively turn your existing system into a Sonos w/ Alexa or Google setup. Expansion of the works with Sonos program to lower range receivers as well.
Along the same lines, I's like to see a new version of the connect:amp as well. Add in the mic and small speaker perhaps, but not that important. Add in extra power and the ability to power additional speakers (A/B). It seems the amp's most common application is for outdoor and ceiling speakers, and it's not uncommon for those scenarios to need multiple pairs of speakers per zone. Also add in a sort of bypass mode so that you can't opt to have a line-in without buffering so that you can use it with a tv.
Of course the above product would essentially become unnecessary if you just used a connect with a simple amp. Perhaps it might be better if Sonos worked out a partnership with another company to make an amp, or series of amps, designed specifically to work with the connect.
And, in my absolute pipe dream, I'd like to see a whole house mic system. Instead of having mics on each speaker, and having the wrong speaker reply to you, I'd like to see various mics placed around the home, multiple in each room. When you make a command, the mics will be able to 'triangulate' where you are in the house and thus respond with the right speaker. Of course commands to play music and other smart home commands would also use your location within the house to get it correct.
And the ability to use custom wake words, a few different options for Alexa/Google voice, perhaps different for each room of the house. And grouping commands, as well as play local libraries.
+12some awsome ideas here. Hopefully one or two might makenit into the mix one day. Interesting to see how different people see the evosystem ecolving and what upgrade paths would be interesting.
+3I would like a dedicated Sonos controller with hard buttons, like the CR100.
And.....much, much less sw updates over time, no annoying red dots signalling you 'need to update'. Just a stable music system to enjoy my music library.
Ah, of course no 65k tracks limit....
And.....much, much less sw updates over time, no annoying red dots signalling you 'need to update'. Just a stable music system to enjoy my music library.
Ah, of course no 65k tracks limit....
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