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I’ve been a Sonos user at my primary home for over 10 years, having a very simple Sonos setup that works well for me since I already had a high end stereo system. However, I now live up to 50% time in a second location - a 1 bedroom flat. I’d like to port my music there as follows: attach an external HD with the Sonos music files to a generally idle computer and play it via Sonos without benefit of a stereo system.

A friend has volunteered to give me her old S1 components, but I don’t understand the set-up without a conventional stereo & stereo speakers to know whether I could put something simple together from what she has (and which components I should claim). My modem/router is a different room than the one where my speakers would be, so I assume that I would need a Sonos bridge. I have a good quality pair of Bose computer speakers if that would be useful, but have no other stereo equipment other than a cheap 1-piece stereo for playing music on an iPod (so of no use for Sonos). I only need to have speakers in 1 room. What components would I need in addition to the bridge? My friend has a ZonePlayer ZP80, a ZonePlayer ZP100, a ZonePlayer S5, a “first generation large stand alone speaker”, and 2 controllers.(I’ve always used the controller app on my iPod, iPad, or computer rather than having physical ones.)

Thanks so much!

Just the S5 speaker may be all you need, if you are happy with streamed music services like Spotify. 

It may even work directly on the WiFi signal in the other room. 

It will even read the files from the HD attached to the idle computer if the computer isn't off/asleep.

The two Sonos controllers won't work with the S1 software either, so you will have to use your phone for hosting the Sonos app. I haven't set up systems in a while, but I suspect that your existing S1 app will do the job as well.

At this time therefore there is no need to buy anything - and if a bridge is needed after all, the device to buy is the Boost, the present version of the bridge.

Thanks! I don’t use streaming services - just my huge music collection on an external connected HD (I’d leave the computer on when I’m there) and my PLEX server which is on my NAS in my primary location (all in flac 16 format for Sonos). oI had to add a PLEX server since I exceeded the track limit for Sonos.] So I should be good to go with the ZonePlayer S5 (unless a bridge is needed)? That would be great. Thanks!

 So I should be good to go with the ZonePlayer S5 (unless a bridge is needed)? That would be great. 

The Boost would be needed, wired to the router, if the S5 in WiFi mode is not up to the job.

Awesome. Thanks so much for your help! I’m going to pick it up from my friend over the next week or so and test it at my primary residence where I have the Bridge installed as part of my system. If that works fine, then when I bring the S5 to my flat, I’ll purchase the Boost if it doesn’t work well by itself. 

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