Hows is the Sonos Play:5 in comparison with good iPod docks?

bigblue235

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Hi folks,

I'm (again) trying to persuade myself to buy into the Sonos way of doing things.

My girlfriend fancies a Bose iPod dock, but is happy to go along with an alternative, providing it sounds as good as the Bose she heard. Does the Play:5 sound as good as the likes of the rCube, Zeppelin, etc? I wasn't impressed with the Play:3.

Thanks!
 
Play:5 definitely sounds better than the Bose. I haven't compared the others. It really depends on what you want out of your system. If you're planning to go multiroom in the future, Sonos makes a sensible investment.
 

moon

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John Duncan said:
I found the Play:5 a bit better than the Bose but not as good as a Zeppelin. But personally I wouldn't have any of them :)

thats because you have what you have in your sig!
 

bigblue235

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Why wouldn't you have any of them, John? I probably wouldn't either, right enough. But she wants something dock-like. We already have Apple TV/AEs, but she wants something even simpler.

Just trying to ensure domestic harmony, and it also may be something to do with my plan to drag her along on an XTZ demo in a week or two...
 

John Duncan

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moon said:
John Duncan said:
I found the Play:5 a bit better than the Bose but not as good as a Zeppelin. But personally I wouldn't have any of them :)

thats because you have what you have in your sig!

Well there is that, but I do acknowledge that sometimes people need things for other rooms, and most especially acknowledge BB's need to get something they can both agree on.

To answer your question directly, though, BB, I think they're all rather more expensive than can be justified for the sound that comes out of them. The Bose is weedy, the Sonos slightly less so, and the B&W a bit boomy and just too expensive for what it offers. I'd rather get a mini/micro with a dock built in (there's a Yamaha in Richer's that looks nice) and add some decent budget speakers that suit the decor (Dali Zensors spring to mind for starters). Just loads more versatile and you can spread the speakers out a bit, space permitting, to give you at least a semblance of 'stereo'.

This of course may not match Mrs(?) BB's idea of what constitutes a 'dock'.
 

bigblue235

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Thanks for that, John. Sadly, you're right about the missus. The Denon CEOL was the initial suggestion, but it was ruled out for being 'too complicated'. Not that she couldn't work it or anything, she just wants something simple for background listening.

I've always felt the Sonos stuff was overpriced, but for some strange reason I still want it. I just felt that it might be a better idea than a dock. Just tech lust, maybe :)

She loved the Bose dock, said it sounded great in her room at work which is bigger than our living room. Not sure how much critical listening can be done in that room though, what with a woman giving birth in the middle of it...
 

richardw42

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I've got my dock on my bedside table, I wouldn't want system + speakers.

They have their place.

Physical docking is a bit bothersome so I've changed my zeppelin for the Altec Lansing Air500, as recommended in Hot Deals by BB.

It does get a bit unruly at higher volumes but given its position that's not something I'm worried about, and for £100 in an eBay deal it's a bargain.

Airplay suits what I want.
 

Andrew17321

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We have Sonos and a Bose iPod dock. S5 sounds better. Don't recall the Bose dock being used in the last year or so. That might answer your question.

My other half puts on a DAB radio, because it is simple (you just have to switch it on), rather than use better quality internet radio on the Sonos. That might give a different view!

She will not be happy if it is not 'simple'. Go for domestic harmony rather than sound quality, or economy. That's my final view.

My qualifications? Married for 46 years!

Andrew
 

bigblue235

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BenLaw said:
bigblue235 said:
Not sure how much critical listening can be done in that room though, what with a woman giving birth in the middle of it...

?

Your living room or her work room?

:)

She's a Madwife. Patients can bring their own music/source for listening to during the delivery, and someone brought in one of the aforementioned Bose docks recently.

Andrew, that's handy to know, ta! All other comments noted too, thanks! :)

*Just noticed the irritating typo in the title. That's what comes of drinking wine of an afternoon*
 

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