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I previously used Logitech Squeezeboxes which got discontinued
I remember those, think I sold mine on Ebay.
A vote for Yamaha MusicCast here. We've got it and it's bloody brilliant. You can just keep adding bits to it and they all sync up perfectly. We've got a combination of AV receiver, some MusicCast speakers, and I'm using my existing hifi with a plug-in MusicCast receiver to the amp. Does net radio, almost every type of music streaming, BT, syncing up different speakers (so living room TV plays through kitchen speakers, for example). It's been faultless so far, and cost probably half the price of the equivalent Sonos bits and bobs.
I remember those, think I sold mine on Ebay.
I did too, for a surprisingly good amount 🙂
The thing I like about Sonos is it’s not source dependant, it streams directly, all the other options seem to need a phone or something to supply the content.
With Sonos we can have music on without battery drain on a phone and you can just walk out the house and leave it playing.
Not sure what else can provide this independent ability?
both echo and chromecast support streaming independently.
If you are into tinkering, then squeezeboxes & LMS are being kept alive with the Raspberry Pi community and PiCorePlayer. I have a few that are plugged into a few sets of old logitech computer speakers and then a couple with half decent DACS hooked up to the proper HiFi's. They all have BT, Airplay, WiFi and can do a million things more than you wanted it to. They also stream from the device, rather than using your phone, unless you are using Airplay or Bt. Works very similar to Sonos, but with a few more bugs. It is extremely cheap in comparison to Sonos.
If I was to think about this before building a new house... I would probably go with speakers in ceiling, run speaker wires to a room that houses the Amps/Pi's/etc.
I do run 2 seperate wireless networks, one for smart devices/audio dev/video dev and another for wireless devices/phones/pads/pc's, this works well and I don't have any problems with dodgy WiFi... Until a neighbor changes their WiFi channel!
For me its coming down more to Yamaha or Naim. Doesn't look like you can beat Naim, but I need to go and look in a shop as the Muso might be too deep for where it will need to sit.
Yamaha gets mixed reviews on some sound bars, I guess its choosing the right model
As I posted earlier, the Naim Muso has been great.
i subscribe to Tidal and the sound quality is really good.
Also the radio function gets used more than I thought it would.
Not sure what else can provide this independent ability?
Every system I listed does this as far as I know. Even Chromecast actually streams directly from the source once you've casted to it. This means it keeps playing if you go out of wifi range or turn the phone / computer off etc
[i]I like the Chromecasts we’ve got, They work perfectly for podcasts and spotify. But they won’t play a good slice of my music. It’s my bloody music, Google, play it![/i]
Is this using Google Music? Try another streaming service such as Spotify, still works with the Chromecast.
Spotify will play your own music files, but the UI support is pretty rubbish, the absolute minimum effort has gone in to it.
For those with the Naim system, it doesn’t appear to have a separate sub. Does it crest enough base on its own? Most competitors have a separate sub woofer.
Thanks
Spotify will play your own music files, but the UI support is pretty rubbish, the absolute minimum effort has gone in to it.
Never knew that!
Picked up a Naim Muso today.
It looks and sounds stunning, the sound is much more clear and refined than a Sonos.
Got it at a reasonable deal too £750
Funkydunc - are you planning on using yours as a soundbar as well? I'm torn between Naim (I REALLY want a Muso) or Sonos.
Naim would also be a QB in the kitchen I think but I've read that the Muso can't handle output from 4k TVs (as a soundbar). Don't know what this means as I thought the 4k bit was picture rather than audio. This means a Sonos Beam and a couple of Play 1s are under consideration.
I’ve just upgraded my Sonos, Play 1s in bedrooms, living room has a connect going into my DAC to deliver stereo through the hi-fi.
TV has a Sonos Beam with 2 Play 1s acting as the surrounds, no sub as the bass is OK.
One thing to remember if you plug one speaker into Ethernet it forces the system to use the Sonos WiFi which can cause problems if it’s a long way to the furest speaker.
I have my router in the middle of the house so all speakers get a good signal.
For control I use Sonophone and Sonopad both by the same developer.
Sonos 1, 3, 5 and connect via Chord Dac streaming Tidal lossless through the serious kit.
The cheaper 1 is the value product, the 3 does sound a little better but is being discontinued. The old original 5 is a party machine that has an aux in as does the connect and ZP.
You will soon get used to the ease of use the app is poor but the experience makes up for the sound quality. If you are sitting down to Radio 3 7:30 concert it won’t be the highest of fi, but there are options to get it (see above). If you want music in a teenagers room and around the house And off to college, it’s perfect.
are you planning on using yours as a soundbar as well? I’m torn between Naim (I REALLY want a Muso) or Sonos
Yes I am. Not tried it yet (buying a new 4K TV in the next month or so) both John Lewis and Richer Sounds said it would work as a sound bar via Toslink (optical)
Tried it with a few movie clips off YouTube and sounds great so far. Obviously it’s not surround etc, but for me it’s music first with bonus of TV
Got a full Sonos 5.1 in my front room, Playbar, sub, 2 play 1's.
Absolutely brilliant. Easy to set up, sounds fabulous and the app is great.
Not cheap though.
What most people seem to be failing to appreciate is that if you want decent sound you need a Connect Amp and separate speakers. None of the standalone units from any manufacturer are going to compare to this, apart from maybe the Naim Muso. Sonos in my mind was always about this but then it got popular and they started selling more of the integrated units. My Connect Amps with decent speakers sound fantastic, and compare very favourably to much more expensive systems I have owned in the past. If you want decent sound quality I really don’t know why you are comparing small standalone systems, which are really just a compromise for small space and lowish cost. For what it is, the Play 1 sounds incredibly good. Can’t see the point of the larger ones though.
The additional option of integrating an existing system into the Sonos using a Sonos Connect is also genius. The App could be better though, an integrated search would be nice.
Joining this discussion a bit late. Another fan here. Got a Playbar, 5 and 2x 1s. To summarise what others say. Not cheap - but buy when there are offers. Maybe there is better sound for buck but it's easy to setup. For real audiophiles just use the Connect.
I've got a huge CD collection all ripped lossless to a NAS. A Spotify account that's included with my Vodafone SIM. Add Soundcloud and Mixcloud (thanks for the comment above I didn't realise!!!) accounts you have more music that you can imagine. The room grouping and setup just works.
When I moved from Zen to BT ADSL I used the provided BT Homehub and Sonos started playing up so went back to my TP-Link router and all was good. When I upgraded to VDSL I lasted 6 months with the BT VDSL hub before getting a new one. The Homehub just isn't geared up for more than a couple of clients, Wireless or cabled.
The additional option of integrating an existing system into the Sonos using a Sonos Connect is also genius.
This is what I have connected to our main amp in the lounge and in the bedroom. Coax into the amp using the amp's DAC - any digital source like this will sound pretty similar.
Bathroom, kitchen, spare room & study have Play 1s.
It all works brilliantly and the Play 1s sound great for their size, but don't compare to the main set up.
It did cost a fair bit though 😮
I find it hard to look past Sonos now purely for its functionality. We have a couple of Play 1's set up in our bedroom and in the kitchen which act as alarm clocks in the morning as well as having music playing when the kids get back from school.
Just added a Beam which is great and will get another couple of Play 1's to create a surround system.
I'm not an audiophile and didn't really have any great HiFi beforehand.
I find it hard to look past Sonos now purely for its functionality.
Interesting approach. You’re happy to sacrifice sound quality because the interface is a bit easier...
Glad to see I’m not the only faint voice crying in the wilderness hereabouts, with my usual response to any “Who gives you the best sound?”-type questions. 🤔😉
It sounds good to me and I think that's what matters. Maybe I'm a bit deaf but none of my family or friends seems to complain.... in fact most of them also have Sonos.
If it sounded crap I wouldn't have bought it.
Obviously YMMV.
What is there that compares to a Sonos Connect amp and a really decent set of speakers? Not much that I’m aware of. If you’re talking about sound quality there really isn’t any point talking about little units that try to pretend to sound like a proper set of speakers, from any manufacturer.
If you’re talking about sound quality there really isn’t any point talking about little units that try to pretend to sound like a proper set of speakers, from any manufacturer.
Probably true, I don’t want some big ugly speakers in my lounge and big amps. Sonos/Naim etc are all compromise on sound to some extent but have massive modern advantages too.
Sonos Connect Amps are small. A decent pair of bookshelf speakers are smaller than a play 3 or 5, and if you get a nice set they look a lot nicer too, either super modern like some of the Monitor Audio ones, or more classic looks with wood veneer etc. Only thing is wiring, but on the plus side normal speakers don’t need power. You don’t need anything big or ugly to sound good. If you want bass power you can hide a subwoofer. My lounge has Monitor Audio Apex A10s on the wall, a Sonos Connect Amp (hidden away) and a Sonos Sub and it sounds amazing, I actually prefer the sound to my old Naim hifi system which cost about 5 times as much.
Chromecast audio. Cheap, good sound quality, and you can plug it into any speaker or system you like.
It's difficult to knock Sonos for the money. It sounds good and although I really miss the much older software, the software is okay to use and integrates with all of the popular services.
I have Deezer Elite and Apple Music, and although I have 100's of CDs ripped lossless, I can't remember the last time I streamed from the NAS.
I have 1s in the bedroom, 3s in the living room paired with a Beam and a 5 in the kitchen. I think the 1s are really good for the money, especially if you have a pair in stereo. I wouldn't bother with the 5 or 3s if I was starting again - just 1s in stereo.
I also have a Connect Amp in the living room connected to nice Musical Fidelity amp and PMC speakers. I haven't turned them on in preference to the Beam and Play 3s since I bought the Beam. It's more than good enough.
You’re happy to sacrifice sound quality because the interface is a bit easier…
Yes, within reason this is a very sensible approach.
I listen to a LOT more different, varying music than I used to because it's easy to find using the multitude on convenient streaming services available.
I mostly use Google Play music through various Sonos (Sonii?) which is lower quality than putting a CD on or streaming from my ripped FLAC collection. Personally I wouldn't want just the Play 1s, but for a lot of people it will be more than enough. The stereo pair in my kitchen really are pretty good.
Kinda pointless given that the OP has bought a unit now, but I got a Chromecast Audio for Christmas and it's an impressive bit of kit for the money.
It's plugged into my old separates system, where previously I had to actually plug my phone into a lead connected to an unused input.
I'm keen now to get an old Sony micro system set-up in the garage with one plugged in and also some active speakers for the bedroom.
Chromecast looks clever and cheap, but if you want a multi room system you’d need either powered speakers in every room or loads of standalone amplifiers to plug them into. For a good quality integrated system in multiple rooms I still think Sonos is a far better option.
Glad to see I’m not the only faint voice crying in the wilderness hereabouts, with my usual response to any “Who gives you the best sound?”-type questions.
I think most people have music on in the background nowadays rather than actually sitting down and listening to it, so they don’t care or don’t know what sounds better anyway.
I didn’t want Sonos because I don’t want my (expensive) hardware’s functionality to be tethered to software which is good/ok today, but who knows in 3-5 years?
Don't forget that to get firmware updates you must agree to Sonos accessing all your data.
I have Chromecast in 4 rooms including the garage. Old amps and speakers, but also a pure dab radio in the bedroom that has a great sound. Whichever of these systems you have I would strongly suggest a supplementary router to your ISP's.
Re Stumpys post. I also own an audiocast. I have a seperates system in the office. Can i just plug tge audiocast into the amp and stream from a phone/tablet? Would this be possible via bluetooth as no wireless out there
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Re Stumpys post. I also own an audiocast. I have a seperates system in the office. Can i just plug tge audiocast into the amp and stream from a phone/tablet? Would this be possible via bluetooth as no wireless out there
If you mean a Chromecast Audio, then I think it only works over wi-fi.
You could get a Bluetooth receiver to plug into the separates and stream direct from the phone to the stereo via Bluetooth.
You can pick Bluetooth receivers up for around £20.
Chromecast looks clever and cheap, but if you want a multi room system you’d need either powered speakers in every room or loads of standalone amplifiers to plug them into. For a good quality integrated system in multiple rooms I still think Sonos is a far better option.
Is a Sonos system not a set of powered speakers in every room?
I think the advantage of the Chromecast is that you are not tied to using a proprietary and relatively expensive speaker system, so there are a lot more devices to choose from, and you can reuse existing music systems.
If you mean a Chromecast Audio, then I think it only works over wi-fi.
You can connect a Chromecast directly to your network by cable, using an adapter:
https://store.google.com/gb/product/ethernet_adapter_for_chromecast
Is a Sonos system not a set of powered speakers in every room?
I think the advantage of the Chromecast is that you are not tied to using a proprietary and relatively expensive speaker system, so there are a lot more devices to choose from, and you can reuse existing music systems.
You can do that so with a Sonos connect (or Zone Player as they used to be called). Plugs in to an existing amp and is the route to the best sound quality, although quite spendy. Especially when compared to the £30 Chromecast audio (that apparently also has digital optical out).
A Sonos system works best with a Connect amp for each room, then you can run normal speakers rather than buying powered integrated Sonos play speakers which are lower quality. The Sonos system in my house has 7 amps so that all of the rooms have nice quality audio. Plus a Sonos Connect that links with my existing hifi / home cinema. I did have the advantage of wiring all of the speakers in during the original fit so that all of the amps are in one place and all of the speaker wire is hidden.
Although Chromecast looks very clever and cheap, from what I can see there is no option for multi room decent quality networked audio. Also regarding the Sonos app, if you don’t like it you can control music directly from Spotify instead and have it play through Sonos.
I'd be interested to hear what sources people are using for the Sonos amps as my experience is that they sound quote poor and are woefully underpowered.
Now before people disagree I am a massive Sonos fan with 5 x Play 1's, 1 x Play 5, 1 x Sub, 1 x Playbar.
To give your more background I was trying to use the Sonos amp with a turntable and Project phono amp so maybe the analogue feed was just too low a level for it to be successful?
I only really use my own music from lossless files on a NAS drive, or Spotify / Tunein radio etc. They’re not the loudest but the range of volume is beyond what you’d ever need unless you plan on running a club night in your own house...
Chromecast audio (that apparently also has digital optical out).
Nope. Just a 3,5mm jack output.
Although Chromecast looks very clever and cheap, from what I can see there is no option for multi room decent quality networked audio.
I don't know if this is what you mean, but you can link Chromecast Audios into groups, to set-up multi-room audio. I only have one, so haven't tried it, but it looks pretty simple and seems to do exactly what Sonos does.