Sonos is So Nice

I mentioned my Sonos ZP80 bundle in an earlier post, but it really deserves a post on its own. So far, the Sonos has been the best A/V purchase that I've made in the last 2 years... and believe me, I've made a lot!

My main reason for liking it so much is that it allows me to effortlessly bring music to anywhere in the house via its own WiFi network, and its ease of use has also made it a favourite toy for my totally luddite wife.

The basic concept is that it brings an iPod style interface to your stored music. Each "Zoneplayer" has it's own queue that you can load up with different music. Whilst each zone has a separate volume control, you can also link zones to enable "party mode". Adding extra zone players into the mix is a piece of cake, just open your wallet and they magically appear an are easily discovered on your Sonos network.

The user interface is what makes the Sonos popular with everyone in the household. Queues, playlists, Music Libraries, Online Radio Stations, and Real-time music subscription services such as Raphsody can all be controlled from the wonderful Sonos Controller OR the Sonos Desktop Software that can be installed on every PC or Mac in the house.

The ZP80 zoneplayers are very small devices (about the same size and look as a Mac Mini) and do not have an amplifier. In my installation, I use the AV Receivers in my Living Room and HT Room to drive the speakers. The ZP100 zoneplayers come with a built-in amplifier and are a little bigger, but you get the convenience of a single volume control and you don't have to power up a separate amp.

The picture on the left shows just how small and inobtrusive the ZP80 is in my Lounge Room setup. The Sonos has been such a hit that I now have permission to get another couple of zoneplayers, one for the baby's room, and one for the master bedroom.