Sonos-based solution for kitchen

baz

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Aug 27, 2011
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Good morning all, and a very happy Sunday to you too.

I was wondering what sort of opinions/advice people may have regarding a Sonos-based solution for my kitchen/dining room....

I currently have a Sonos ZP90 hooked up to an 8200CDQ in my main system in the living room, and love the ease of use/functionality it offers (i.e. being able to laze on the sofa and choose music/radio without having to move more than an inch or two), and am very happy with the sound through the CDQ.

Next door in the kitchen, we currently have a 10 year old CD/MD/FM Sony radio mini-system, which does an ok job I guess, but it's really time to move on, and I'd like to up the sound quality somewhat, as the main system is in the living room next door and I invariably spend a fair bit of time in the kitchen/diner listening to it through a door, which seems to miss the pint somewhat ! Hearing something sounding great and then running through to catch a snippet whilst doing the washing up isn't really doing it for me, so I need (ok, want !) something decent in the same room.

So, Sonos it is (i.e not interested in the Squeezebox route, as I already have the ZP90 and am happy with the Sonos 'way'), but what configuration woukld offer the best sound ?

- ZP90 with active speakers (i.e. Epoz Aktimate Mini, Audioengine A5 or similar)

-ZP120 with passive speakers (i.e. Monitor Audio BX2, Dali Zensor 1 etc)

- Play 3

- Play 5

The room is about 3.5x5 metres, wood floor, plenty of furniture (dining table and chairs, console table, pics on the wall, bookshelves, thick curtains/blinds etc) and the speakers would almost certainly have to be up out of the way on wall brackets (she who must be obeyed etc)

I'm leaning towards the ZP90 with actives, as I don't think the Play3 and 5 will offer anywhere near the same SQ as the active route, although I know they can be paired in a stereo configuration etc.]

I'm not really looking for any earth-shattering volume etc (although I certainly don't mind it), just the best sound quality for my money, within a budget of about £600 all-in I reckon.

Any opinions/ideas ??

Thanks,

Baz
 
ZP90 with actives / powered speakers is an excellent option, but don't write off Play:5 just yet. Have a listen first. You'll be surprised as to how good it is. You can buy two Play:5s to make them work as a stereo pair. The results are outstanding. Besides, it'll mean less "boxes" & wires in the kitchen.

You can place the Sonos on this:

http://www.hifiracks.co.uk/hifi-racks/7/podium-platform
 

baz

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Thanks bigboss, I had a quick listen to the Play5 and Play3 in my local Richer Sounds a while back (they had them hooked up next to each other) and they did sound pretty good, althoygh it was in a busy showroom with a fair bit of extra background noise, so I'd need to have a listen in their demo room. I certainly won't write them off, and I intend to listen to pretty much every permutation before buying ! The only thing is, the £700 for a pair gets me squirming a bit...although if my ears really like it, who knows ?

Thanks, will also look at the link for the rack.

Baz
 
Well, you don't have to buy 2 Play:5s at once! You can always buy the 2nd one when funds allow.

Significant discounts on Sonos keep coming up every now & then. Worth keeping an eye out for. At one stage, the Play:5 was actually being sold for £298!
 

Dan Turner

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I've got a zp120 with a pair of Q Acoustics 1010 speakers and it sounds really decent, even with the speakers right up in the corners on top of the cabinets. In fact it continually surprises me just how good it does sound.
 

baz

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Thanks Dan,

Interesting stuff, I love the thought that it's possible to get a decent sound out of £100 speakers (in fact I've just done a quick search and found them for £70 at Audio Affair !), I seem to always be of the opinion that you need to spend a good couple of hundred to find anything worth listening to - just goes to show really, the only way I'll find out is to audition, audition, audition ! I will shove the 1010is on my list (although I see the 2020is are £109 at ssav).
 

Andy Clough

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I run a pair of Play:3s in stereo in my conservatory and they work a treat. Don't go massively loud, but more than enough volume for normal listening and they sound great.
 

richardw42

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As you can see from my sig, I'm a bit of a sonos fan.

In my situation the Play 3 sounds way better than the S5 in the kitchen. Apart from a bathroom a kitchen must be about as tough as it gets. Tbh I hardly listen in the kitchen much at all but doesn't mean your kitchen is anywhere near as bad as mine.

My first thought is to go for a play 3 or 5 as it will allow greater flexibility in positioning.

Is stereo imaging really that important in a kitchen. With all the moving around whilst I listen it isn't to me.
 

scene

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I have 4 play 5s and 2 connects. I used to have one of the Play 5s in the kitchen, and as the previous poster said, I found it problematic. The hard surfaces (tiled walls, etc.) and the bass of the Sonos didn't mix. I would think the less bass heavy nature of the play 3s, especially if wall mounted would be more suited to the environment, or a connect or amp with proper speakers.

I went for a connect in the dining area extension connected to an amp and speakers and it sounds very nice.
 

Lee H

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I have a ZP120 in our kitchen/diner with a small set of Bose cubes & sub. The sub sits under a sideboard out of the way. Ocassionally it can get cranked up quite loud if we're having an apres pub do.
 

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