anybody replaced their Connect with a Port?

Arguably is right; if one definition of Hifi behaviour when buying kit is spending a lot more than one can afford, and also ruining the home aesthetic in the opinion of the better half, I qualify; and when I decided to be more sensible after over a decade of this, in 2011 I started using Connect directly wired to the line in jacks of my Quad pre amp with no perceived loss of sound quality or diminution in listening pleasure, with significantly enhanced domestic harmony. 

Now, I am just as fine with what I hear from a source such as Echo Show wired to analog inputs on my Connect/Connect Amps. It really comes down to speakers in use and how well they interact with the room. IMO. And the artwork that accompanies each track as is displayed on the Show adds to the experience in my book, while sound quality remains HiFi.

And all are HiFi. Including the Port here as a HiFi component when its analog outputs are used. It seems that when digital outputs are in use, one needs to know what one is doing, which is a pity that Sonos ought to quickly correct.

The other thing about HiFi is that for every HiFi component that is named as such another can be found that will look down on the former with disdain.

Inspired by this thread, I tried switching my Port over to its analog outputs. Personally, I think it sounds very good (Yamaha AX757SE amp, Q Acoustics Concept 20 speakers/stands, KEF subwoofer).

I am not surprised. I ended up giving away my Musical Fidelity Tube DAC to a friend some years ago, because I could not bring myself to sell something to him that did nothing to the SQ. It even had feet with built in lights that changed colours to let you know it was warmed up enough to deliver its designed performance. I also sold my DAC access equipped Marantz SACD player once I moved to Sonos+ripped to local NAS CDs. For that one I collected money, for since it played CDs!

Some years ago, I came across a DAC that was sold at something like USD 40k. Unbelievable.

PS: it was closer to USD 85k...

Hi All, First time poster here.  I too bought a Port to replace a Connect, which I felt compelled to do to keep my system up to date, as many others have.  I have read the What Hifi and Tech Hive reviews. When I received my Port, I hooked it up, and it did not sound great to me - compressed, less separation of instruments, bass not as deep, treble not as crisp. I read many posts here and began to wonder - is it me, or is it the actually the Port, so I set to find out.

I hooked up the Port and Connect at the same time via Coax to my Marantz SR7012 AVR and both were on fixed volume. I chose 4 songs  I am very familiar with to play: Steely Dan - Aja -Home At Last (MFSL), Elton John - Tumbleweed Connection - Ballad of a Well Known Gun (MFSL), Elton John Captain Fantastic - Captain Fantastic, Stevie Wonder - Innervisions- Don’t You Worry bout a Thing.  My Speakers are B&W CM9’s with CM Centre 2 S2 and ASW 600 Sub and B&W Surrounds. My Preferred Listening Mode is Auro 2D Surround.

I played each song, and had my Son choose the source 8 different times while each song was playing. Sometimes he switched the source, sometimes he didn’t, but there was a brief “break” between each switch request (he would choose a non source to break the sound, and then choose either the Port or Connect after that) so I could not tell which he was choosing. I then wrote down for each trial which source,  Connect or Port, I thought I was listening to, for each song. He kept track of which source he chose each time, and we compared notes at the end of each song.

I was able to guess the source correctly 72% of the time (23 out of 32 times). My scores for each song were 75% - 62% - 62% - 87% repsectively (not sure if that says something about Elton John : ))

My conclusion is that this is statically significant to me, and more often than not, I can tell the difference between the Port and Connect. So, am i disappointed? yeah, a bit. Am I going to return my Port - I’m not really sure - I am choosing between staying up to date vs. better sound from my Sonos streamer. I will probably end up keeping the Port and using it for more casual listening, and use other sources for more critical listening. And, hope for a Port update that will improve the sound.

The one thing I feel strongly about is that Sonos should at least acknowledge that their could be an issue with the Port sound, and to address it in some way with the community. There have been enough post and articles about the subject that not addressing it only hurts Sonos’ reputation (and I am a big fan and own many products) and possibly hurts further sales of the Port.

Thanks for listening.

Do what I did. Order a Gen 2 connect from Richer Sounds. Only £199 & then the best of both worlds great sound of Connect & runs S2. I couldn’t be happier! 

I also wrote to the CEO a few months back to tell him how disappointed I was with the Port! As follows……

Hi Patrick,

I hope you & your family are well? 

I have been a Sonos user for a few years & have recommended your products to many.
I use a connect on my main Hi-Fi & have Ones & Play Ones through the rest of the house.
I like many others have legacy products as part of my set up. 
I recently ordered the Port as an upgrade to my now legacy connect. I wasn’t massively happy about having to do this in order to keep up to date but appreciate that technology moves on.
What I wasn’t prepared for was the downgrade in audio quality when using the digital out on the Port compared to my Connect. 
The sound is much more compressed & ‘reigned in’ when fed through my DAC. The soundstage & instrument separation aren’t nearly as good. 
I’m going to have to return the Port & carry on using my Connect which now means I must split my system or carry on with the old App. Neither of which I want to do.
Why would the Digital signal be worse in the new product? I want to upgrade but the new product needs to be an ‘upgrade’ in order for me to feel comfortable handing over my hard earned cash.
Appreciate this is really one for your engineers & R&D team but just wanted to share my disappointment in this product with you first hand. 

Kind regards,

Simon.

…. As yet no response, it’s almost like he’s got something better to be doing 😂! 

Hi Patrick I made the same mistake too. I totally agree that the Port sounds far inferior compared to the Connect played through my Rega Dac, poor timing, dynamics and richness of sound being my main criticisms. I consider that the very poor quality remote power supply to the Port is the main culprit. At the present time my Boost and Connect have been rendered useless by the S2 upgrade. Sonos support, after several hours chat this morning have not yet come up with a solution to reinstate my  original Boost and Connect system. I’m presently taking time out to consider my next move.  However, this may be the incentive I need to go for something far better. I’ve been with Sonos since their inception, they don’t require clients like us anymore.

Hi All,

Just wanted to update - I took Finbow’s advice, I returned my Port to Sonos, and was able to purchase a brand new factory sealed Generation 2 Connect. I found it online at World Wide Stereo in PA. There are also some brand new ones as well as used Generation 2 Connects on Ebay (just be sure they are Gen 2 before purchase). I will report back once I hook it up, but I feel much better about this plan of action, so thanks so much for the advice!

I rather doubt that the power supply has much, if anything, to do with it. It’s been reliably reported that when the digital out is in Variable Volume mode the Port applies more limiting and/or dynamic range compression than Connect, ostensibly to protect the S/PDIF from clipping. 

For example, see https://www.techhive.com/article/3546333/sonos-port-review.html

Hope you think you made the right call. Absolutely no regrets here!