I remember how much I wanted aniPodwhen it was first announced so I could well transfer my music from my computer to a nice little equipment and comport it with me . Then I wanted to take my medicine in the auto , then in the mansion and now I want it in multiple room in the house . That may vocalise like a tall order , but last weekend I hook up aSonos Digital Music Systemto see if it could accomplish my musical desires .
Dan Frakesreviewed the Sonos organisation in detailearlier this class . But here are my fast impressions after setting up and operating the organisation .
My Sonos scheme consist of two “ Zone Players ” and a controller . The Zone Players resemble stereoscopic photograph component , albeit a scrap tall and narrower . The whitened and gray zone role player was in stark contrast to the residual of my disastrous dwelling theatre components , but it did look quite elegant .
you may setup the Zone Player in a couple of unlike ways . If you do n’t have constituent in which to plug the player , you may simply plug speakers directly into the Zone Player itself . The actual apparatus of the gimmick could n’t have been easier — and I did n’t read the manual of arms first . ( Confession : I never register the manuals , and it usually gets me into trouble . Not this sentence . )
I used the Ethernet cablegram from my AirPort Express , plugged it into the back of the Sonos Zone Player and pass an app on my Mac to add my medicine library . I did have a tiny bit of trouble here just because of the path my Mac was make on the web , so I change the name to “ Jim ” and all was well .
The Zone Player ask about 10 transactions to index the close to 4,000 song in my medicine library . The Sonos control then alerted me to an update that was useable for the arrangement and asked if I want to download and add the update . I did this and it only took a few minute — very easy and painless .
After all the updates were done , I was ready to dally some medicine . I was surprised at how well the system worked . The built - in radio stations played seamlessly and without skipping or stopping , and , for the most part the music in my depository library did as well . The sound was very crisp and clear coming through the Sonos to my family theater of operations .
The Sonos Controller is nothing short of beautiful . It has a very comfortable to see CRT screen that can even be attend outdoors on a sunny day . I spent a footling prison term outside on my back deck “ researching ” this on Saturday .
The control are well laid out and promiscuous to realize — if you know how to work an iPod , this system will portray no problems for you . you could do anything you need to using the Controller from changing medicine to downloading software update and re - indexing your music library .
If you decide you desire music in another room of your house , it is but a matter of punch in another Zone Player and assign a name for it . Of naturally , if one is for the kids , a new Controller might help future battles .
The unlike zones can all be controlled from the one Controller if you wish . For example , when you press suspension on the Controller , you’re able to choose to pause music on the presently selected zona or on all zones . A nice feature of speech with kids that like loud medicine .
I only have two complaint about the Sonos system : the major one is that there is no opthalmic out . I want the best sound and I can get from my home theatre — most of my element apply ocular and I would have expect the Sonos system to include this as well .
My second charge is n’t as lively . I thought the remote control could have been minor — there seemed to be a lot of undefended space on the remote . If this were made a bit more compact , the remote control would be easy and you would be able to carry it around the house with you .
Overall , I have intercourse the system . At $ 1,199 for two Zone Players and a Controller — you may also check PriceGrabber to see if there ’s a lower monetary value — the Sonos Digital Music System will not be an impulse buy , but for those that need music throughout the menage , the Sonos is the answer .
