Help with a Sonos system

[admin_exported]

Hi,

This is my first post on this forum and I am hoping someone might be able to give me some advice. I usually listen to music on headphones as I have grumbly neighbours but decided to throw caution to the wind and buy a new system as I haven't had any 'hi fi' equipment for a very long time. I put hi fi in quotes as I have to admit that I am used to only the budget end of the market.

I decided on a Sonos connect:amp, I suppose because I felt it might be time to move into the twenty-first century and use my iTunes purchases and digitise my CD collection. I have started encoding them as Apple Lossless files - all good so far. I love the way you control the Sonos through a PC or iPad and you don't need to faff around with turning equipment on, just set the playlist and go.

Anyway, that is beside the point. I have been loaned a pair of Q Acoustics 2010i speakers to get my system up and running and just wondered what people might recommend that I buy for myself speaker-wise. The Q Acoustics speakers are too close together sitting on a bookshelf at the moment so I am aware I am not listening in a great environment but I am a bit underwhelmed at the moment. Is it the Sonos, the positioning, the speakers, the size? I am hoping for a nice clear, punchy sound even at low volumes and wondered what I should do next. I like the connect amp but don't know what speakers to choose. I like the look of Q Acoustics 2050i floor standers but this would really be at the top of my budget. Can anyone recommend anything cheaper that sounds good, or bookshelf speakers that will give me a good solid sound.

I don't know whether adding a subwoofer to the connect:amp's dedicated out would be a good idea or just mush up the sound. The room is roughly 15 feet by 20.

Any advice would be very gratefully received.

 

[Anonymous]

I do realise that my CD collection is already digitised. You know what I mean. Make it available wirelessly. 🙂

 

[Anonymous]

I think I would like to have deeper bass than the small 2010s can produce but I do not know what would be 'too much' for the room or the neighbours. I don't want to push the volume very high but have a nice, detailed, solid sound.

 

[gregvet]

I cant think of any new speakers for that budget that will blow you away. My connect:amp drives a pair of these

Leema Xero's

and it sounds great for what it is, punchy, clear and surpising bass for the size. However, the connect:amp itself is easily bettered by even a budget standalone amp, so my advise would be to consider changing the connect:amp to a connect (selling yours on ebay should more than cover the cost of a new/second hand connect), keep your current speakers, and get a second hand stereo amp or new budget amp like

Marantz

Just my opinion. The sonos is great for what it does, and very convenient, but the connect:amp is a convenience product (ie not really HiFI). Using it as a source only can really lift the performance to another level.

 

[richardw42]

However, the connect:amp itself is easily bettered by even a budget standalone amp, so my advise would be to consider changing the connect:amp to a connect (selling yours on ebay should more than cover the cost of a new/second hand connect), keep your current speakers, and get a second hand stereo amp or new budget amp like

Marantz

Just my opinion. The sonos is great for what it does, and very convenient, but the connect:amp is a convenience product (ie not really HiFI). Using it as a source only can really lift the performance to another level.

Agreed, I think the above would be the way to go if you can. By all accounts those little speakers are pretty good and better amplification should improve things.

 

[PEAYEL]

Agreed, go with a ZP90 Connect + separate amp of your choice. It sounds better, no competition. Try to audition some Cambridge as well as Marantz, you may be surprised.

 

[Big Aura]

I'm going to go slightly against the grain here...

While the Sonos Connect:Amp is a good product (as noted above), it's far from the last word/note in hi-fi. That said, moving to a ZP90 (Connect) and a better amp (even a budget one like the Marantz) could still be a bit of a mismatch with capable, but cheap, speakers like the 2010is.

Most dealers will have Sonos on display, so just go down there and audition various speakers to see what you like. It's going to save you more cash in the long run to sell your speakers (or use them somewhere else) than to sell the Connect Amp, buy a ZP 90 (Connect) and a budget amp. (Whereupon you'll probably decide you need to upgrade your speakers anyway!).

I've got a connect:amp in my bedroom, and I'm running it through some KEF iQ30s that I got as ex-demos. They're a good product at rrp (about £380), but were a steal at £170. They're slightly unruley, so give a quite punchy and engaging sound, and are well driven to give enough weight to low vol jazzy/folk (like Melody Gardot on a Sunday morning).

Basically, don't take anyone's word for it, take a Saturday afternoon at your dealer, have a listen and try for a bargain on some last-year's model, or ex-demos, or haggle for some new kit, and buy what makes you smile.

Good luck!

 

[kungula]

have you considered active speakers ?

In a small room as you have I would try the ZP 90 with a Dac and small active speakers. You will be amazed what is possible.

 

[danbeatles78]

So is the general consensus it's better to use the sonos connect with a seperate amp?

i am currently running dali zensor 3's through the connect amp and it sounds great but can it better?

was seriously contemplating getting the Nad 316bee and connect , worth it or not?

 

[davedotco]

So is the general consensus it's better to use the sonos connect with a seperate amp?

i am currently running dali zensor 3's through the connect amp and it sounds great but can it better?

was seriously contemplating getting the Nad 316bee and connect , worth it or not?

I can't really see that the improvement would be worth the outlay, yes it would be better but not that much.

If you want to see a real improvement, hold on until you can get something like a Creek 50a with onboard dac to go with a connect, much more expensive I know, but at least the difference will be worth having.

 

[matt49]

I'd say it depends on how well the NAD drives your speakers. If they're well matched, then it could be a great upgrade.

Alternatively, if you don't need the NAD's preamp connectivity, you might consider using a Connect with a power amp, so the Connect would function as preamp. This is quite a neat solution because it allows you to control everything (music selection, sources, volume) from the Sonos interface. True, there aren't many hi-fi power amps for the price of a NAD C316bee. A leftfield suggestion: the Behringer A500 (300W into 4 ohms!). Or there's loads of good stuff on eBay.

Matt

 

[danbeatles78]

Might sit tight then with the Sonos Amp as I love the ease of use and convenience

and for what I would pay for an amp and connect wouldn't truly be worth it

 

[davedotco]

Might sit tight then with the Sonos Amp as I love the ease of use and convenience

and for what I would pay for an amp and connect wouldn't truly be worth it

Good choice, I think I would live with that untill I was ready to really step up.

Matt's point about amp/speaker matching is fair comment but in my view if the Dali 3s a comfortable on a baby NAD, then the onboard amps a probably doing a desent job too.

Enjoy...... :rockout: