Best answer by Kumar
View original
Should I replace my hifi separates with a Sonos system?
My system comprises an all British set of separates, including a pre-amp and mono blocs. It still sounds great after twenty years, but things change and technology marches on. Whereas I used to listen to CD's, I now stream my music via AirPlay. A Cambridge Audio DAC is the interface between the hifi and Apple TV. I'm considering selling the whole system and replacing it with Sonos kit, principally for music but also to integrate and upgrade my TV sound. My question is, should I expect the Sonos units to be truly comparable to the high end hifi I've known for years?
This topic has been closed for further comments. You can use the search bar to find a similar topic, or create a new one by clicking Create Topic at the top of the page.
Page 4 / 4
In that case, Sonos can meet all your needs. You will be more than impressed by how much easier and neater - in terms of fewer boxes and associated cabling - the Sonos set up can be.
You do need to have a stable home WiFi environment though; Sonos needs that as a foundation. Multi room audio may well be the classic case of the unperceived need that Sonos meets in a way that is addictive; be warned:-).
You do need to have a stable home WiFi environment though; Sonos needs that as a foundation. Multi room audio may well be the classic case of the unperceived need that Sonos meets in a way that is addictive; be warned:-).
You might check out Canton soundbases for the TV. They are neat and sound good. But there are plenty of good soundbars around as well.
Then Sonos for the music. You could get a couple of P:5s from the Sonos website and they come with a long return period. You could check them out in your own home before you commit to selling existing gear. I don't think you will return them.
But adding TV to this assertion can get tricky, so if you want state of the art TV sound as well, you will want to look outside Sonos for a hybrid solution.
Thanks Kumar, With music, I'm hoping to be impressed by Sonos, with TV I just want an improvement on the OE kit. Music is a hands down priority over TV any day for me!
If you want a purely Sonos music experience that gives a true audiophile experience then you need a pair of Sonos gen2 Play:5 speakers, possibly with a Sub. I have some pretty good hifi gear (Cyrus DAC/pre-amp with two Cyrus power amps and PMC floorstanders, but a pair of P:5s with a Sub is not far off it, at a quarter of the new cost. (Thankfully I didn't buy the trad hifi gar new!)
Thanks John, that's really the advice I've been after. It addresses the two changes/limitations that prompt me to consider a change. One, I don't listen to stuff like I used to, sat facing the speakers and immersed in the experience. Two, having TV and music as separate entities is irritating me. A songs system seems to offer a reasonable trade off between the genuine audiophile experience and a more versatile AV/music platform. As 'furniture' too the Sonos stuff is far less intrusive and more adaptable in where it can be placed. RE multi-room, although it's an option it really doesn't feature as a key issue up front.
If you want a purely Sonos music experience that gives a true audiophile experience then you need a pair of Sonos... .
I agree; and I too have used traditional hifi separates for many years. In addition to the specific solution that follows the quoted bit, there are many others from the Sonos product line up that can deliver what is loosely called audiophile quality sound.
But adding TV to this assertion can get tricky, so if you want state of the art TV sound as well, you will want to look outside Sonos for a hybrid solution.
@Paul123's advice is perfectly reasonable. But as he implies, it depends where you want to get to.
If you want all-singing all-dancing cinema surround sound, and don't mind speakers and wires everywhere, then get a AV receiver. If you just want better TV sound and a convenient way of playing music in one unit then a Playbar is a neat solution. The music sounds great but probably won't rival your separates. You should consider a traditional soundbar or soundbase as well.
You could keep your separates and DAC and use a Sonos Connect. But viewed in isolation a Chromecast is a cheaper option to "convert" your hifi.
If you want a purely Sonos music experience that gives a true audiophile experience then you need a pair of Sonos gen2 Play:5 speakers, possibly with a Sub. I have some pretty good hifi gear (Cyrus DAC/pre-amp with two Cyrus power amps and PMC floorstanders), but a pair of P:5s with a Sub is not far off it, at a quarter of the new cost. (Thankfully I didn't buy the trad hifi gear new!)
And how much of the Sonos multiroom experience do you want? Can you see yourself like me, with Sonos speakers just about everywhere? The easy multiroom control is a big plus for Sonos if you see yourself going down that route. (Actually, even if you can't see yourself doing that, once you start......)
These are just my opinions, of course.
If you want all-singing all-dancing cinema surround sound, and don't mind speakers and wires everywhere, then get a AV receiver. If you just want better TV sound and a convenient way of playing music in one unit then a Playbar is a neat solution. The music sounds great but probably won't rival your separates. You should consider a traditional soundbar or soundbase as well.
You could keep your separates and DAC and use a Sonos Connect. But viewed in isolation a Chromecast is a cheaper option to "convert" your hifi.
If you want a purely Sonos music experience that gives a true audiophile experience then you need a pair of Sonos gen2 Play:5 speakers, possibly with a Sub. I have some pretty good hifi gear (Cyrus DAC/pre-amp with two Cyrus power amps and PMC floorstanders), but a pair of P:5s with a Sub is not far off it, at a quarter of the new cost. (Thankfully I didn't buy the trad hifi gear new!)
And how much of the Sonos multiroom experience do you want? Can you see yourself like me, with Sonos speakers just about everywhere? The easy multiroom control is a big plus for Sonos if you see yourself going down that route. (Actually, even if you can't see yourself doing that, once you start......)
These are just my opinions, of course.
Userlevel 7
+17
If your thinking of tv, read all the posts on here about the playbar.
I would get a 7.1 av amp with dolby atmos inside, and google chromecasts to stream over superior wifi, just the same as sonos does.
If you want mutli-room with easy one make supplier, then sonos is what you want.
I would get a 7.1 av amp with dolby atmos inside, and google chromecasts to stream over superior wifi, just the same as sonos does.
If you want mutli-room with easy one make supplier, then sonos is what you want.
Page 4 / 4
Enter your username or e-mail address. We'll send you an e-mail with instructions to reset your password.