Sonos S5

[admin_exported]

Hi all,

Has anyone heard the Sonos S5 first hand? I'm really keen on the look of this product and would like to add to my existing Sonos setup. Also, are What Hi Fi going to be reviewing / mini reviewing one?

Thanks,

James

 

[TheHomeCinemaCentre]

The S5 is a great addition to a Sonos system. For the money I doubt you could find anything better. Build quality is good , it works all the time as you would expect from Sonos and the sound quality is more than acceptable. A ZP120 with a pair of small speakers would out perform the S5 but at a greater cost.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi jimsmac!

I have had the chance to hear the S5...and now own it! I have just got into the 'Sonos thing' recently, when I realised I could store all my music in a folder on the Apple Time Capsule that Sonos could 'read'...so no need for the iMac to be on!

My dealer got the S5 in stock early November and after 10 secs of listening to it, I was sold. I wanted music in the Kitchen and Dining area, but not have to go down the route of Sonos ZP120 and speakers (too many boxes and too pricey for occasional listening).

Its not a big unit, and I urge you to listen to one. The size of sound is similar to the B+W Zeppelin (not Mini) and has good bass weight. The midrange is full bodied and lends to sweet vocals. The top end is where I find it to be much better than the Zeppelin, it produces a clearer sound compared to the more mufffled sound I heard from the Zeppelin.

The spread of sound isn't huge but more than acceptable, again similar to the Zeppelin. Volume is tremendous for such a small unit with next to no distortion.

You get an Aux input (3.5mm) where I have attached the Apple Universal iPod Dock, just in case others in the household don't like my music!

You can place it anywhere and it sounds good except when it is too close to a wall, the bass could then boom a bit (3 inches plus should be fine).

Hope that helps and feel free to ask me anymore questions on the S5.

Raihan

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks to both of you for the replies. Like you Raihan, I'm looking at this as a solution either in our bedroom or the dining room where we don't want all the speakers and wires, and are prepared for it to sound not quite as good as a result.

The main thing for me though was that it sounded better than your average iPod doc, and from what your saying it sounds like it does. Looking forward to giving it a listen soon.

By the way, any plans for WHFS&V to review one? I saw it in the news section this month so I presume it will.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Raihan,

I'm intrigued as a review I read said you could not use the Apple time capsule as a NAS drive. Does it work ok and I'm guessing you've had no problems with it?

Regards

Paul

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Paul,

Yes, the Time Capsule works fine as a 'NAS' for the Sonos. The Time Capsule does back ups of my iMac. It is stored as 'sparsebundles' and this is not readable by Sonos. What Sonos instruct is to copy (or move) your itunes folder from your Mac/PC and save it to the Time Capsule as a Music folder. Once this is done (might take a while depending on how much music you have), use the Desktop Controller for Sonos and 'Update Music Index'. Again, this may take a few minutes.

After thats done, you are ready to listen to music! Music lists appear the same on the Sonos controller CR200, iPhone and iPod Touch.

Full instructions are available on the Sonos website, just do a search for 'using Time Capsule with Sonos' in the support section. If you run into problems, just give them a call (freephone to USA!) they are very, very helpful and kind.

What I have on my Time Capsule is my back up (which works fine) and another folder for music now. However, if you want to add more music, then you'll have to manage this manually, i.e. drag and drop the new tracks into the music folder on Time Capsule from you Mac/PC.

Lastly, for others that may read this, the Time Capsule is not really a music server, in the sense that it's not DLNA compliant, or has iTunes servers etc. I think this option with Sonos works, because Sonos made it work!

Hope that helps,

Raihan

 

[The_Lhc]

Raihan:Lastly, for others that may read this, the Time Capsule is not really a music server, in the sense that it's not DLNA compliant, or has iTunes servers etc. I think this option with Sonos works, because Sonos made it work!

No, it works because Sonos were sensible and made a standard network share the only requirement for the storage location, rather than needing any form of server side software, this is part of the reason why I went for it, total flexibility.

 

[SnowyJohn]

Oh this sounds perfect!! I've just found out about this S5 and it seems to be the answer to my dreams. I have an iphone, a time capsule and a macbook.

My only quabble is the sound reproduction. Does it compare with the room filling ability of the zeppelin at all or is it more like the zeppelin mini?

Although I don't necessarily like the idea of controlling it soley from my iphone (because I don't have any other sonos equipment). Can this controlled from a pc/mac?

Best regards,

A very interested John

 

[Anonymous]

Hi John,

The sounds reproduction is very, very good IMHO. Considering it being so small, the volume it produces is very impressive and will easily fill an average sized room with quality sound.

With regards the Zeppelin, I felt the S5 to be more accomplished and better in the midrange to high frequencies. The bass is excellent given its size. TBH, there is no comparison between the S5 and Zep Mini. The mini sounds great, but the S5 is just better in everyway.

Yes, you can control all the music from Mac/PC. You don't need any controllers. If I was going for a controller, I'd probably buy an iPod Touch (cheapest one) as the Sonos CR200 remote is £280!

Another point you made was not having other Sonos equipment. If you buy one or more S5s then one has to be attached via Ethernet to your router. The others can remain wireless. Alternatively, you may go for a ZP120 (amplifier built in), ZP90 (no amplifier in this) or the cheapest option of the Zonebridge (£80?). With the ZoneBridge you could attach it via Ethernet to your router which will then create the 'Sonos Wireless Mesh Network' and then place your S5 anywhere where there is a plug socket!

Hope that helps,

Raihan

 

[SnowyJohn]

Well that sounds great. I particularly like the idea that the £300+ spent on this S5 can be expanded in the future with the addition of more speakers (zone players)...

I do have an iphone which will be able to control it so

however I really want to avoid plugging this into my time capsule with an ethernet cable. As you say, the best way to solve this is to buy a sonos bridge, HOWEVER...

I'm thinking that just buying a standard cheapy router to partner the S5, which I can move when I want to move the S5... but still access the NAS on the network.

Does that make sense? I can see why it wouldn't work (a hardwire connection to the NAS may always be required) in which case I may consider changing my time capsule for just a standard airport extreme with a portable HDD.

Whatja think?

Kind regards,

John

 

[Anonymous]

Hi John,

I'm not sure about this. The S5 would be creating the 'Mesh Network for Sonos' and i'm assuming that the cheap router would wirelessly communicate with your TC whilst connected to the S5. But it doesn't mean that its hard wired by ethernet and so may not work.

The S5 has ethernet on the back and is a wireless device, but its network is the Sonos network, hence requring the hard wiring or Sonos ZoneBridge.

I, myself wouldn't be too keen on moving the S5, along with a router and its power supply every time i move it to another room.

I think, it would much easier and not much more expensive by getting a ZoneBridge and connecting that to the TC. Then get an S5! Rather than a cheap router, and S5 (and possibly an Airport Extreme and portable HDD).

Raihan

 

[SnowyJohn]

That's what I suspect. I will most likely purchase the S5 and just see if works with the cheap router method - I am not intending on moving the sonos at all in my current tenancy (1 bed flat) but I do not want a wire from where my TC is to where I want the S5 and I have a spare router knocking about. If it doesn't work I shall consider either (a) putting the S5 in the secondary position by the TC or (b) forking out £70 for a simple bridge or (c) buying a ZP...

option (c) is double what I want to pay.. so unlikely.

Raihan, does the S5 support a digital input in the aux?

There's a similar product called a Revo IKON, which seems to have similar characteristics as the sonos, but I have not heard of Revo -- does anyone know of this company? If so, who would they be comparable to?

Cheers,

John

 

[Frank Harvey]

Hopefully we should have one of these for demo tomorrow for our open day.....

 

[SnowyJohn]

Do let us know how it performs!

 

[Frank Harvey]

Will do

 

[Anonymous]

My curiosity has been aroused by all this talk and I visited a local dealer at lunchtime. I first had to walk past a Loewe Reference system, but that's another story. And at £9.5K is slightly out of my budget.

I thought the S5 was a nice little device, much more convenient than the broad-shouldered Zeppelin for instance if like me you live in a small flat. The sound (it was playing back Internet radio, like Smooth Radio or something similar) was ok. It is NOT a hi-fi detailed sound, but it is "fine" or decent. It will go loud that's for sure and will have no problem filling a small-to-medium room. The sound isn't far off a Bose sound, but with much clearer midrange. At least the remote gives you some tonal and balance control.

At £349 the S5 is VERY tempting. That would mean getting rid of most of my current kit, but right now in the small space we live in, the current set-up isn't ideal at all. I long for something simple, small and discreet but that can still produce a half-decent sound. My speakers have just been sent out for service, and I'll see when they come back if they do sound any better. It could well be that very soon it'll all end up on fleabay, who knows.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi John,

I'm afraid the input is analogue only on the S5.

BTW, i was thinking of your potential set up...getting a wireless router and attaching it to the Sonos. I think it may work, so long as the Sonos is attached via Ethernet to the router, and the router wirelessly communicates with TC, as the Sonos won't 'know' that the its signal is now wireless...if you see what i mean!

Afraid i haven't heard the Revo IKON.

Raihan