[esfan_adam]

Hi All,


I really like the idea of being able to control my stereo system from a phone app. I think Sonos has done a beautiful job of providing this capability but I don't want to be limited by using only Sonos speakers. I have a 5.1 system with 2 channels in another zone, but I love how Sonos allows you to control the playback of songs on your home network or even Pandora. I currently have a Pioneer VSX-1120-K which doesn't seem to offer app control. I have thought about adding the Sonos "Connect" ($350) and the Sonos "Bridge" ($50) to give me some of these capabilities with my existing receiver, but I am unsure this would even do what I am looking to do. Additionally that is $400 extra, and I am beginning to wonder if it just makes to put that money into buying a top tier which supports these features. However, when I look at the Denon & Pioneer app reviews on the Google Play store they are quite terrible. Is any receiver company doing a good job with this right now? What is the best receiver available which provides useful features and leading edge technology at a price under $2000?


Thanks in advance for your suggestions and expertise!

 

[jdsmoothie]

There are 3rd party Android (AVRRemote) and iPhone (DeRemote, DenOnOff) apps that can get the job done.

 

[esfan_adam]



Quote:
Originally Posted by jdsmoothie  /t/1523370/a-v-receiver-with-an-and...ives-a-sonos-quality-experience#post_24505185


There are 3rd party Android (AVRRemote) and iPhone (DeRemote, DenOnOff) apps that can get the job done.

I looked at AVRRemote, and the GUI just doesn't do it for me, doesn't compare to Sonos. Which new receiver, under 2K, provides these features built in?

 

[smurraybhm]

Based on what is out there right now you will not find a GUI that is close to Sonos on a receiver. Add the upcoming revisions and the gap will increases. Good luck, personally I just added a Sonos, made things a lot easier for my wife and its nice to get home and have her taking advantage of the upstairs sound system after work. Worth every penny. You do know you can connect the Sonos receiver to your receiver, it has optical, coax and L/R outputs.

http://www.amazon.com/SONOS-Wireless-Streaming-Receiver-Component/dp/B001CROHX6/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1395352972&sr=8-6&keywords=sonos

 

[wkearney99]

Something irule as a remote app will give you a lot of options for controlling a denon avr with any number of sources. Pandora can be controlled via the ios Deremote app and is quite reasonable to use. For the best WAF use a sonos connect into the AVR and use DeRemote to initiate use. Then if more nuanced control is desired then use the sonos app.

 

[Socketman]

esfan


I own a Yamaha network receiver and a Denon receiver and I use AVR- Remote and the Yamaha app and they both work quite well. Bad reviews from people who don't know how to network correctly are not really bad reviews, easier to blame the app than blame themselves. They are great to turn down the tv when the kids put it too loud and I don't have to go out and yell at them LOL.

Maybe consider using skifta, it pushes music to the avr. I have had a couple of thoughts around this, since I don't consider sono's being for anything other than background music.


1. Source a used network receiver that is a few years old , since it will only be for music and not 5.1.


2. Older 2 channel receiver and add a dlna device to it and push music to it using skifta.


Set it all up to run a dual band wireless router using 5 ghz band


Sono's is not exactly cheap and I think a person could do better if they shop around.

 

[esfan_adam]



Quote:
Originally Posted by smurraybhm  /t/1523370/a-v-receiver-with-an-and...ives-a-sonos-quality-experience#post_24508975


Based on what is out there right now you will not find a GUI that is close to Sonos on a receiver. Add the upcoming revisions and the gap will increases. Good luck, personally I just added a Sonos, made things a lot easier for my wife and its nice to get home and have her taking advantage of the upstairs sound system after work. Worth every penny. You do know you can connect the Sonos receiver to your receiver, it has optical, coax and L/R outputs.

http://www.amazon.com/SONOS-Wireless-Streaming-Receiver-Component/dp/B001CROHX6/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1395352972&sr=8-6&keywords=sonos

I think I like your SONOS solution. How exactly do you have it hooked up? Are you just using a connect to your existing stereo system? I am also considering upgrading my AV receiver to the Pioneer SC-79, which has an Android app that looks like it allows you to connect to your NAS and play music as well as Pandora. With that said, and if not using other SONOS products to have independent room control, I wonder if SONOS still makes sense. Please let me know what your experience has been.

 

[smurraybhm]



Quote:
Originally Posted by esfan_adam  /t/1523370/a-v-receiver-with-an-and...ives-a-sonos-quality-experience#post_24515930


I think I like your SONOS solution. How exactly do you have it hooked up? Are you just using a connect to your existing stereo system? I am also considering upgrading my AV receiver to the Pioneer SC-79, which has an Android app that looks like it allows you to connect to your NAS and play music as well as Pandora. With that said, and if not using other SONOS products to have independent room control, I wonder if SONOS still makes sense. Please let me know what your experience has been.

Sorry for delay in responding. I am using a Sonos amp vs. their receiver to power about 4 pair of ceiling speakers upstairs. The amp analog outputs are running into my receiver as well. That being said the SC-79 is a hell of a receiver and Pioneer has done a good job with their PDA and iPad etc app. I have been resisting buying the same receiver all year, use a lesser Pioneer upstairs as I've been too lazy to hook up a SC-07 that's been boxed up for two years after buying a Denon 4311 for my HT downstairs. If it was just me the Pioneer would work, but not for my wife. That being said Sonos has a great user interface that is about to get better, the search function across multiple sources will be a nice improvement. A SC-79 with a Sonos would be a strong pair, but if $ is an issue Pioneer's app isn't bad either. After I finish upgrading my center speaker (in production since Jan) I will be most likely buying their 2014 version of the 79 unless I find a 79 for a crazy low price later this year. I can survive without the sub EQ and like the way Pioneer's room correction does not down sample my high res music collection as does XT32. Plus I am just a Pioneer fan - bought my first Pioneer product 38 years ago

P.S. I didn't buy the Sonos until my wife promised to use it because as said above it isn't cheap. Having her use the system now makes it worth every penny - plus I have to admit they make it easy to enjoy a lot of different sources on-line or off - key word easy. The little class D 50 watt amp isn't bad either.

 

[esfan_adam]



Quote:
Originally Posted by smurraybhm  /t/1523370/a-v-receiver-with-an-and...ives-a-sonos-quality-experience#post_24517114


Sorry for delay in responding. I am using a Sonos amp vs. their receiver to power about 4 pair of ceiling speakers upstairs. The amp analog outputs are running into my receiver as well. That being said the SC-79 is a hell of a receiver and Pioneer has done a good job with their PDA and iPad etc app. I have been resisting buying the same receiver all year, use a lesser Pioneer upstairs as I've been too lazy to hook up a SC-07 that's been boxed up for two years after buying a Denon 4311 for my HT downstairs. If it was just me the Pioneer would work, but not for my wife. That being said Sonos has a great user interface that is about to get better, the search function across multiple sources will be a nice improvement. A SC-79 with a Sonos would be a strong pair, but if $ is an issue Pioneer's app isn't bad either. After I finish upgrading my center speaker (in production since Jan) I will be most likely buying their 2014 version of the 79 unless I find a 79 for a crazy low price later this year. I can survive without the sub EQ and like the way Pioneer's room correction does not down sample my high res music collection as does XT32. Plus I am just a Pioneer fan - bought my first Pioneer product 38 years ago

P.S. I didn't buy the Sonos until my wife promised to use it because as said above it isn't cheap. Having her use the system now makes it worth every penny - plus I have to admit they make it easy to enjoy a lot of different sources on-line or off - key word easy. The little class D 50 watt amp isn't bad either.

Thanks for the reply. Could you please explain your setup in a bit more detail? Do you have 1 connect amp? If so how is that enough power to run 8 speakers? What do you mean by the amp analog outputs are running into your receiver, what does that do for you?


What do you mean by their 2014 version of the 79, is the SC-79 the 2014 model?

 

[geocab]

Are the newer Denons better with the AV control app? I used a 1912 for a recent speaker test and the app experience was very subpar. The receiver was hard wired. When I first opened the app, everything was very responsive, as soon as the ipad went to sleep once, there was tremendous lag between a key press and anything happening, if at all. And I only was doing basic things like volume control and switching inputs.


Hooked up a Sonos system in an apartment mock up today and that system controlled like a dream. Very simple to use and a very nice interface. Had speakers in the master bedroom, kitchen, guest bedroom, and the living room. Very easy to have different songs playing on each speaker, no lag with controls. Easy to sync speakers. I want that control in a receiver, whether it be Yamaha, Denon, Pioneer, it doesn't matter, I'd just like to be able to use my own speakers and have wired zones, but the same easy and streamlined control from an app I can use over my home's network.

 

[esfan_adam]



Quote:
Originally Posted by geocab  /t/1523370/a-v-receiver-with-an-and...ives-a-sonos-quality-experience#post_24517897


Are the newer Denons better with the AV control app? I used a 1912 for a recent speaker test and the app experience was very subpar. The receiver was hard wired. When I first opened the app, everything was very responsive, as soon as the ipad went to sleep once, there was tremendous lag between a key press and anything happening, if at all. And I only was doing basic things like volume control and switching inputs.


Hooked up a Sonos system in an apartment mock up today and that system controlled like a dream. Very simple to use and a very nice interface. Had speakers in the master bedroom, kitchen, guest bedroom, and the living room. Very easy to have different songs playing on each speaker, no lag with controls. Easy to sync speakers. I want that control in a receiver, whether it be Yamaha, Denon, Pioneer, it doesn't matter, I'd just like to be able to use my own speakers and have wired zones, but the same easy and streamlined control from an app I can use over my home's network.

I couldn't agree more! So does anyone have a recommendation with regards to the manufacturer who provides the best app experience???


The only thing stopping me from Sonos is the price and inability to tie it back into the AV receiver in one working unit. Am I correct in saying, even with the Sonos connect, you would still be forced to use your AV receiver remote and or app/harmony remote to turn the AV receiver on and to the optical input, then you would have to go into the Sonos app to have control of the music.


For the apartment mock up, did you put a Sonos branded speaker in each room, which would still get very expensive especially considering the speakers themselves are good but not excellent?

 

[wkearney99]

The Sonos solutions, as a whole, is well worth the price. Sure, we'd all like things to be less expensive, but their total package really does hit all the high marks for WAF. It 'just works'. It's staggering to think how poorly everything else pales in comparison.


I've had a Connect fed into our Russound setup for a while. It's a single source, deliverable to all of the zones. While having the ability to supply more than one source at a time seems like an important feature, in reality we haven't needed it. I've also got a Play:1 that I've moved to other rooms not covered by the Russound setup (this was in the old house). Again, even with two sources like this we really never used more than one at a time.


Just factor that into your equations when considering stuff like this. How will you REALLY use it? There's absolutely something to be said for paying up front for the Sonos gear and avoiding a lot of headaches down the line.

 

[Socketman]

Have you considered Airplay

 

[geocab]



Quote:
Originally Posted by esfan_adam  /t/1523370/a-v-receiver-with-an-and...ives-a-sonos-quality-experience#post_24519172


I couldn't agree more! So does anyone have a recommendation with regards to the manufacturer who provides the best app experience???


The only thing stopping me from Sonos is the price and inability to tie it back into the AV receiver in one working unit. Am I correct in saying, even with the Sonos connect, you would still be forced to use your AV receiver remote and or app/harmony remote to turn the AV receiver on and to the optical input, then you would have to go into the Sonos app to have control of the music.


For the apartment mock up, did you put a Sonos branded speaker in each room, which would still get very expensive especially considering the speakers themselves are good but not excellent?

Sonos brand in every room. Play 5, 3, and the Bar in different combinations. This system is fitting for the environment it's going in.

 

[primetimeguy]


I find BubbleUPnP app to work great.  Choose the source device library and the player/client and the app acts as the remote.  

 

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bubblesoft.android.bubbleupnp

 

[esfan_adam]



Quote:
Originally Posted by wkearney99  /t/1523370/a-v-receiver-with-an-and...ives-a-sonos-quality-experience#post_24519185


The Sonos solutions, as a whole, is well worth the price. Sure, we'd all like things to be less expensive, but their total package really does hit all the high marks for WAF. It 'just works'. It's staggering to think how poorly everything else pales in comparison.


I've had a Connect fed into our Russound setup for a while. It's a single source, deliverable to all of the zones. While having the ability to supply more than one source at a time seems like an important feature, in reality we haven't needed it. I've also got a Play:1 that I've moved to other rooms not covered by the Russound setup (this was in the old house). Again, even with two sources like this we really never used more than one at a time.


Just factor that into your equations when considering stuff like this. How will you REALLY use it? There's absolutely something to be said for paying up front for the Sonos gear and avoiding a lot of headaches down the line.

Thanks for the advice, I think you are very right, not all too often would I really need different music in different rooms at the same time. I am fairly new to more advanced speaker setup, so I apologize for the lack of knowledge. Is Russound essentially your receiver, or does it somehow feed into your receiver? I agree with you and am no longer worried about needing different music in different locations, but I do need to be able to have the Sonos connect play the same music in one, two, three, and even four locations depending on how many people we are having over. I am worried the zone two which I had planned on distributing through an ATON DLA4 speaker switcher to accomplish the above might not powerful enough and might fry the zone 2 receiver. What would you do in my situation?


I am running Pioneer VSX-1120 7.1 channel 2 zone receiver. For speakers I went with a 5.1 Solus Audio setup in zone 1 for my family room, 2 speaker stereo setup in a formal sitting area, 2 speaker stereo setup by the pool, and 2 stereo speaker setup in the garage. Thanks for all your help!


Here is the speaker setup I went with:

http://www.solusaudio.com/#!symetrie-in-ceiling/c1ex7


SC-8A x11

12" Solus Audio Sub x 1

 

[esfan_adam]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Socketman  /t/1523370/a-v-receiver-with-an-and...ives-a-sonos-quality-experience#post_24519357


Have you considered Airplay

I use Android, isn't airplay only Apple?

 

[esfan_adam]



Quote:
Originally Posted by geocab  /t/1523370/a-v-receiver-with-an-and...ives-a-sonos-quality-experience#post_24519535


Sonos brand in every room. Play 5, 3, and the Bar in different combinations. This system is fitting for the environment it's going in.

How does the quality compare to a higher end speaker connected through traditional speaker wire and a nice amp?

 

[esfan_adam]



Quote:
Originally Posted by primetimeguy  /t/1523370/a-v-receiver-with-an-and...ives-a-sonos-quality-experience#post_24519566


I find BubbleUPnP app to work great.  Choose the source device library and the player/client and the app acts as the remote.  

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bubblesoft.android.bubbleupnp

Wow, great reviews and the GUI looks nice. Could you explain in a bit more detail how this app/system works? Thanks

 

[primetimeguy]



Quote:
Originally Posted by esfan_adam  /t/1523370/a-v-receiver-with-an-and...ives-a-sonos-quality-experience#post_24519961



Wow, great reviews and the GUI looks nice. Could you explain in a bit more detail how this app/system works? Thanks

Essentially anything that supports DLNA as a server and/or renderer will work.  What this means for me is I run a DLNA server on my PC (mediamonkey) and then all my Android tablets, phones, smart tvs, popcorn hours and Dish Network boxes are renderers or players.  I open the app on my phone, choose the server/library (mediamonkey) and then choose the renderer or play to device (any of the previous mentioned items).  Once that is done you pick your music, playists, etc and your phone is the UI and the remote control playing.  I use it to play music anywhere in the house.  Kids use it to play music on their tablets, all from the same library source on my home PC.