[keithbuell]

I'm about to build a house and am looking for a whole-house audio system. I'm running conduit and component and may integrate video in the future, but for now I'm just looking to do in-ceiling speakers in about 5 or 6 rooms with a central wire closet. I want wireless touchpad remotes (RF or wifi) rather than wall controls. The Sonos product looks great, but it doesn't seem to make sense for new construction where I'll have a single 12 channel amplifier in the basement hooked to to 6 zones. Does anyone have any suggestions other than buying 6 Zone Players and stacking them in the closet?

 

[ekkoville]

Well I'll tell you this, I am finishing my basement and as such have a new construction feel down there with open wall cavities and ceiling. I also have several zones in the existing portions of the house, and I put Sonos in everywhere. With the 12 ch amp, a zp80 for every zone and contollers wherever you like would be fantastic. The options Sonos has with regard to your music files, Napster, Rhapsody, Sirius, internet radio, and a line-in source makes this almost unbeatable when you put all the factors together, including the great RF remote. Control from one controller all zones or even from any computer: I love it and I don't work for them either.


EK

 

[therazor]

I am too building a house, this affords the privlidge to have cable runs from a mutilple or zoned amplifier/s. I would like a music server like Sonos, using a multichannel audio card, that I can split into paired zones. I would run the soundcard output directly to the amp, to feed each zone. I do not have a requirement to use the sonos access points, it would seem extreme to have these in the rack with the music server and amplifier/s.


Previously circa 1999 I had a similar system using a brilliant windows CE app with winamp. It was very stable, I could control the music and volume in each zone and sync. Why 8 years later do I need to pay so much for Sonos, or Squeeze box.


My ideal would be to use the Sonos server with the ability for it to run multiple front end clients mapped to each sound card output. Controlled by itouch sonos reomtes, which would aslo include the air-remote app (yet to be launched) so I can intergrate with my other home automation.


The Sonas server won't meet my requirements, winamp is perhaps primative and not specifically designed for the purpose, what should I use?

 

[fcwilt]



Quote:
Originally Posted by keithbuell /forum/post/12919191


I'm about to build a house and am looking for a whole-house audio system. I'm running conduit and component and may integrate video in the future, but for now I'm just looking to do in-ceiling speakers in about 5 or 6 rooms with a central wire closet. I want wireless touchpad remotes (RF or wifi) rather than wall controls. The Sonos product looks great, but it doesn't seem to make sense for new construction where I'll have a single 12 channel amplifier in the basement hooked to to 6 zones. Does anyone have any suggestions other than buying 6 Zone Players and stacking them in the closet?

You certainly can put all of your zone players where the amp is. To get adequate wireless coverage for the remotes you may need to place some zone bridges around the house.


In my home I installed 10 of the 120 zone players down in the utility room where all of the a/v wiring was run during construction. I have 6 of the zone bridges (two on each level). I have 2 remotes for now, more as money permits. I also make use of the control software for PCs as well as the iTouch.


I highly recommend Sonos.

 

[fcwilt]



Quote:
Originally Posted by therazor /forum/post/15603619


I am too building a house, this affords the privlidge to have cable runs from a mutilple or zoned amplifier/s. I would like a music server like Sonos, using a multichannel audio card, that I can split into paired zones. I would run the soundcard output directly to the amp, to feed each zone. I do not have a requirement to use the sonos access points, it would seem extreme to have these in the rack with the music server and amplifier/s.


Previously circa 1999 I had a similar system using a brilliant windows CE app with winamp. It was very stable, I could control the music and volume in each zone and sync. Why 8 years later do I need to pay so much for Sonos, or Squeeze box.


My ideal would be to use the Sonos server with the ability for it to run multiple front end clients mapped to each sound card output. Controlled by itouch sonos reomtes, which would aslo include the air-remote app (yet to be launched) so I can intergrate with my other home automation.


The Sonas server won't meet my requirements, winamp is perhaps primative and not specifically designed for the purpose, what should I use?

There is no Sonos server that I am aware of. What are you referring to?

 

[eonibm]

I too am designing a new house. After reviewing everything on the market, I am sticking with Sonos. There just is nothing as fully featured and robust as Sonos that is also wireless. And, with the ability to use the iTouch/iPhone as a Sonos controller, it hardly gets any better. Any system with wall-mounted fixed kepads is slowly going to go extinct. I don't walk up to the TV to change a channel. Why should I walk up to the wall to control my audio system?


The other thing about the Sonos is that you can very easily install it yourself and you don't have to pay some $75/hour technician to come over to reprogram it as you do on high end (in price mainly, not features) system. I can't think of anything the Sonos system doesn't have that 99% of the market needs.


I am homerunning the speaker wire from all of my ceiling speakers to a central equipment closet which will contain my an HDTV matrix switch, the cable box PVR's and Sonos Zoneplayers.

 

[avJohnny]

Internet streaming aside, the Nuvo GC and E6G systems are *really* nice. No album art, but I've never cared for it, anyway.

Quote:
Originally Posted by eonibm /forum/post/15608774


I can't think of anything the Sonos system doesn't have that 99% of the market needs.

1) Low power consumption (Sonos is not bad, but not great either)

2) Supported external control capabilities

3) Some people prefer in-wall controllers

4) Some in-wall systems also have wireless controllers


That said, there really aren't any systems comparable in music source offerings.


Sonos is good when you just want to sit down and listen for a while. But, I prefer in-wall controllers for run-of-the-mill daily whole house audio. I have a Sonos system, but am working on a solution to bring streaming/Pandora/etc. with metadata feedback to Nuvo GC and E6G systems. I will sell my Sonos system once the solution is up and running.

 

[eonibm]



Quote:
Originally Posted by avJohnny /forum/post/15609410


Internet streaming aside, the Nuvo GC and E6G systems are *really* nice. No album art, but I've never cared for it, anyway.


1) Low power consumption (Sonos is not bad, but not great either)

2) Supported external control capabilities

3) Some people prefer in-wall controllers

4) Some in-wall systems also have wireless controllers


That said, there really aren't any systems comparable in music source offerings.


Sonos is good when you just want to sit down and listen for a while. But, I prefer in-wall controllers for run-of-the-mill daily whole house audio. I have a Sonos system, but am working on a solution to bring streaming/Pandora/etc. with metadata feedback to Nuvo GC and E6G systems. I will sell my Sonos system once the solution is up and running.

Well


1) Even though I am a real greenie, I really don't think the extra power consumption of the Sonos is a factor to most. I bet there are a thousand other things one can do that one is not already doing to reduce power consumption, aside from using something more energy efficient that the Sonos.

2) With music being digital, the only external control you really need is the radio and you can control that using IR. For an iPod control you can install line-in ports in a room.

3) If you would rather get up from the couch and walk over to the wall to control the music every time you want to change something, you can very easily make the Sono an in-wall controller buy velcro-ing it to the wall or gluing it to the wall.

 

[kupermanp]

it is nice to have a volume control on the wall. I have a sonos system. I use four zone players set as the inputs of a twelve channel amp (I split the signal to get the required speakers for each zone). It works great and sonos is the best of the music systems out there.


That being said I do have separate individual volume controls for the speakers in each room. This is super handy when the phone rings or whatever and you just want to turn the sound down where you are. its a bit of a pain to select a zone and turn down the volume and that doesn't take into account the problem of finding your controller or ipod.


K

 

[avJohnny]



Quote:
Originally Posted by eonibm /forum/post/15609457


2) With music being digital, the only external control you really need is the radio and you can control that using IR. For an iPod control you can install line-in ports in a room.

By external control, I'm talking about it being integrated into home control systems (i.e. Sonos controller manipulating lights and lighting scenes manipulating Sonos). This is the #1 reason why *many* pros will not spec the Sonos system, and a large part of why I'm moving away from Sonos as I move towards a more integrated home.

Quote:
Originally Posted by eonibm /forum/post/15609457


3) If you would rather get up from the couch and walk over to the wall to control the music every time you want to change something, you can very easily make the Sono an in-wall controller buy velcro-ing it to the wall or gluing it to the wall.

As I said before, many in-wall systems have wireless counterparts (especially if you have a home control system, as wireless touchpanels are very popular). In addition, velcro-ing a Sonos controller to the wall would look like crap (IMO), especially with the charging cord.

 

[dimond]

I have 7 zones and 2 controllers....


Lately I rely on the ipod touch for control... it is easier to use and faster and has better wireless capabilities.


I would highly recommend it as a cheaper and perhaps better alternative to the Sonos controllers (sonos wrote the software for the ipod touch).


You can also control other things with the ipod .... waiting until other manufacturers jump on the bandwagon ! (Marantz, B&K etc .... )


cheers

sd

 

[eonibm]



Quote:
Originally Posted by dimond /forum/post/15623058


Lately I rely on the ipod touch for control... it is easier to use and faster and has better wireless capabilities.


I would highly recommend it as a cheaper and perhaps better alternative to the Sonos controllers (sonos wrote the software for the ipod touch).

But the Sonos Controller is the only thing you can take into the shower with you to control music...

 

[eonibm]



Quote:
Originally Posted by kupermanp /forum/post/15610158


it is nice to have a volume control on the wall. I have a sonos system. I use four zone players set as the inputs of a twelve channel amp (I split the signal to get the required speakers for each zone). It works great and sonos is the best of the music systems out there.


That being said I do have separate individual volume controls for the speakers in each room. This is super handy when the phone rings or whatever and you just want to turn the sound down where you are. its a bit of a pain to select a zone and turn down the volume and that doesn't take into account the problem of finding your controller or ipod.


K

Great idea. The volume controls are a great way to quickly turning down the music instead of running for the controller and manipulating it.


What volume controls did you use and is there anything I should know about installing them with Sonos? I'll be using amplified ZP120's to drive the room speakers (except the home theatre which will use an unamplified ZP90 connected to a home theatre amp)?

 

[fcwilt]

What's the advantage to going to the wall to turn down the volume as opposed to going to the controller?


The controller has a mute button right on the front which will kill the sound with just a push.


Then you have the problem of the volume being controlled in two places, the zone player and the wall mounted controls. If somebody were to turn the wall mounted controls all the way down you might wonder why you cranked the volume with the controller all the way up and nothing happened.


To each is own.

 

[eonibm]



Quote:
Originally Posted by fcwilt /forum/post/15633079


What's the advantage to going to the wall to turn down the volume as opposed to going to the controller?


The controller has a mute button right on the front which will kill the sound with just a push.


Then you have the problem of the volume being controlled in two places, the zone player and the wall mounted controls. If somebody were to turn the wall mounted controls all the way down you might wonder why you cranked the volume with the controller all the way up and nothing happened.


To each is own.

Those are good points.


I guess the advantage is that if you can't find the controller then it's easy and quick to turn off the sound. I don't think that people typically have a controller in every zone if they have a lot of zones. I sure wouldn't.


As for wondering, I think the first time you cranked up the volume on the controller and nothing happened you would know for the future that the problem was someone turned down the wall-mounted control.


Maybe it would be better to just have a control mounted in a discreet place (ie out of view) in the area one spent the most time, such as the home office or the great room. I am just trying to facilitate turning down the volume if the controller wasn't easily accessible for some reason.


What do you think of that idea?

 

[fcwilt]

Well my goal is to (someday) have one controller for each zone but perhaps that is not realistic in many or most cases. The iTouch is a nice alternate controller but it would like get misplaced even easier.


The Sonos controller does have the optional charging station which can be wall mounted. Perhaps with a bit of creative thinking you could mount the charging station on a wall, hide the wires from the wall wart (in the wall?) and fasten a controller to the station so you have one always in a fixed location. Might be doable.


Whatever you do you are going to love the Sonos system. My wife is not a techie but she really likes the Sonos and can use without my help. That's pretty neat.

 

[windrockwater]

I also have the Sonos system with 4 powerered Zoneplayers and one unpowered that is connected to my theater amp. I have two Sonos controllers and one iTouch. The iTouch interface is fantastic! Very slick, not patched together. And searching for names using the touchscreeen is waaaaay better than using the wheel on the sonos controller. The only negative i have about the itouch is that you cannot use the snooze/timer functions of the sonos for some reason. But everything else that can be done with the Sonos controller can be done (better) with the itouch. And that Itouch is much cheaper than a Sonos controller...


The downside to connecting the unamplified sonos to a separate amp is that you need to set the sonos volume to 'fixed' which means you dont use the sonos controllers to control volume for that zone. This means juggling two remotes. THe variable level volume to a separate amp sucks in my opinion.


If Sonos ever opens up the API for their controllers, there will be a lot of happy people like me so we can use sonos for more inteilligent home automation.


But for now, my Sonos is my favorite toy (and I have lots of toys). Set it up with a Rhapsody account and you can have INSTANT ACCESS TO ALMOST ALL MUSIC! Its simply phenomenal.

 

[kupermanp]



Quote:
Originally Posted by fcwilt /forum/post/15633079


What's the advantage to going to the wall to turn down the volume as opposed to going to the controller?


The controller has a mute button right on the front which will kill the sound with just a push.


Then you have the problem of the volume being controlled in two places, the zone player and the wall mounted controls. If somebody were to turn the wall mounted controls all the way down you might wonder why you cranked the volume with the controller all the way up and nothing happened.


To each is own.

The main advantage is not having to look around for the control when I need to turn the sound down right now (i.e my wife wants to tell me something or the phone rings). Although I have several zones. Each zone may have more than one room. I don't not have the desire nor do I want to spend the money to have a controller in each room. Even if I just used ipods (which are awesome by the way) they still take a couple of seconds to find the sonos network. Also if you have other people listening to the music its a little less intrusive to just turn off your speakers rather than shut everyone down (which is what the mute does). I admit that I also often leave remotes etc lying around and can't remember where I put them. i always know where the wall switch is

As far as not knowin' when I cranked it up. that's not a problem. Since I generally will only turn down the volume transiently and even if I do leave it off it just one room that's off and I can hear the music from the rest of the house. The volume control is by the light switch if the sound is off in the room I'm entering I'll turn it up as I turn the lights on.


As far as brand of controls you need to get impedence matching controls to keep from frying your amp.


K

 

[eonibm]



Quote:
Originally Posted by kupermanp /forum/post/15644265


The volume control is by the light switch if the sound is off in the room I'm entering I'll turn it up as I turn the lights on.

I thought one was supposed to keep the volume control (and speaker wires) away from electrical wire and devices. How far do you have your volume control away from the light switch?

Quote:
Originally Posted by kupermanp /forum/post/15644265


As far as brand of controls you need to get impedence matching controls to keep from frying your amp.

Is this the type of volume control you need if you are using the amplified zoneplayers? (ie ZP100/120)

 

[dimond]



Quote:
Originally Posted by windrockwater /forum/post/15641129


The downside to connecting the unamplified sonos to a separate amp is that you need to set the sonos volume to 'fixed' which means you dont use the sonos controllers to control volume for that zone.

You have the option of setting the amp volume up ... say 5/6 and using sonos controller for volume level. I do this with a 12 channel amp and a number of Z80's.