Sonos/Hi Fi Quandary

[admin_exported]

Current set up is as follows.

Marantz CD 6000OSE KI Sig, Rotel RC 970BXII and RB 971, Kef Q4 (also run my PS3 into the Rotel).

Generally this is a clean-sounding system, but has always seemed rather thin (perhaps due to the Q4s not really having much in the way of bass weight).

Anyway I am looking to update and veering towards including a Sonos in the system, but I am not sure what else to do.

Clearly the simplest option is just to introduce the Sonos and run it into the amp and continue as before, but it would be good to try and minimise boxes and so on.

So herein lies the quandary:

Do I get a Sonos package including the amplified section and use that to run my current speakers removing the Rotels (keep the CDP); or

Use the amplified section in the kitchen with a pair of small wall mounted monitor speakers, and use an additional non-amplified Sonos unit in the sitting room with some new active speakers, or entirely new amp/speaker set up (or keep the Rotels into the KEFs)?

Do I forget all this and do something else?

I am open-minded and whilst budget is not limitless am willing to consider any reasonable solutions.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

 

[Frank Harvey]

I'd stick with your pre/power rather than the Sonos ZP120. If you want to condense your system, I'd look at something like Rotel's RA05SE or RA1520 to replace your pre/power. If you generally like the KEF sound, try the iQ70, or even the iQ50 - I know it's still a small floorstander like your Q4's, but they have improved the bass weight since yours.

Generally, serious active speakers are going to set you back quite a lot, and more budget ones probably won't be up to your Rotel's standards.

If you really wanted to get rid of all the boxes, the KEF's will sound ok with the Sonos, but your Rotel's will get more from them.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for your input.

In which case it seems the most sensible option would be to get the ZP120 for the kitchen with a pair of small monitors (currently I am just using an ipod dock with some creative gigaworks speakers), and use the ZP90 in conjunction with my current set up with a view to upgrading amplification and speakers.

Not particularly wedded to the Kef sound as such (I don't really have anything to compare them to except a friends £10k Naim/B&W system, which is obviously something else). When I auditioned them years back I listened to them against some B&W standmounts (602s possibly), which had a far meatier sound, but the slim profile of the Kefs won the day.

One annoyance with the Rotels is the lack of a remote volume control, but I guess you can just set the volume on the amp and then use the Sonos controller to deal with volume.

I do like the look of the new Rotel amp and CDP, so another option would be to ditch the Marantz and replace both amp and CDP with the new Rotel items and look about for some better speakers and have the Sonos as well. All starting to mount up in cost though!

I hear what you are saying regarding active speakers. been thinking about AVIs, but I guess they are a bit of a hot potato around here, so I won't open that one up. Might have a listen in any case.

Thanks again

 

[The_Lhc]

If you're not going to get the AVI 9.1s (which have built in DACs) I'd seriously suggest a DAC to go with the ZP90, it's another box I know but as much as I like Sonos, I really don't rate its on-board DAC, you'lll get a big improvement with a standalone DAC (or even a DAC integrated amp).

 

[Frank Harvey]

skstct: One annoyance with the Rotels is the lack of a remote volume control, but I guess you can just set the volume on the amp and then use the Sonos controller to deal with volume. The newer Rotel's are remote controlled.