Sonos sound quality vs CD

[admin_exported]

Hi,

I am contemplating replacing my CD collection (1200+) with a Sonos solution and wanted your valued advice.

My current setup is a Rotel RCD06 through a Rotel RA05 amp with Wharfedale 9.1 speakers. I am thinking of ripping my CDs to FLAC on a NAS and then playing them via a Sonos connected to the same amp and speakers.

My primary concern is sound quality - am I going to notice a difference from the CD solution ? If any one can see any flaws in the proposed setup then please shout ! Also would a DAC compensate for any sound quality issues ?

As always your advice is greatfully received.

Brian.

 

[Anonymous]

I owned the Sonos and thought it was very acceptable playing FLAC files or lossless. It can be improved on by adding an External DAC via the digital outs of the Sonos . If you get the Sonos, do a test against your cd player. I think probably adding an Arcam DAC to the setup would give you much audio pleasure, then it's just up to you if you want to spend the extra money.

Demo the Sonos in store if you can, I think it is a really good product, but in the end the user interface( using ipad Sonos app controller) Irritated me and for my needs it was a bit gimmicky. Irritated is not how you want to listen to music.

Do you really need the mulit room option?
D

 

[The_Lhc]

but in the end the user interface( using ipad Sonos app controller) Irritated me and for my needs it was a bit gimmicky. Irritated is not how you want to listen to music.

Really? I've never heard anyone complain about the user interface!

 

[Anonymous]

I know it's weird, but I really didn't get on with it. It annoyed me as well because of the money I'd spent on it. I still think it's a fantastic system for the right person / circumstances. just wasn't for me.

 

[BenLaw]

Agree with brittondave that the only difference in SQ should be down to the DAC. The data transfer is very stable and you'll be using the same data as with the CD. So a DAC upgrade could even exceed your current CD playback.

Don't agree with brittondave re the interface, I like it and find it straightforward. But each to their own of course

 

[Overdose]

Hi,

I am contemplating replacing my CD collection (1200+) with a Sonos solution and ................. I am thinking of ripping my CDs to FLAC on a NAS ............................

My primary concern is sound quality - am I going to notice a difference from the CD solution ? If any one can see any flaws in the proposed setup then please shout ! Also would a DAC compensate for any sound quality issues ?

As always your advice is greatfully received.

Brian.

That'll keep you busy for a while. I'm just starting mine and I've only got about 2/3 of your collection.

Try the Sonos as is. You could always add a DAC at a later stage if you find the sound quality lacking.

 

[Anonymous]

in the end the user interface( using ipad Sonos app controller) Irritated me and for my needs it was a bit gimmicky. Irritated is not how you want to listen to music. Do you really need the mulit room option? D

I also find that strange. Having a CR100, CR200, Touch and iPad, I think the iPad is the best controller to use. All the screens are on one page. Dragging and dropping into the queue is a doddle. Mrs. Grin likes the CR100 as it has dedicated volume, play and pause buttons etc.

The only thing that seems strange to me that not all functions are available on all controllers. e.g you can't delete a favourite radio station on the Touch. The CR200 and PC software seem to be the only way to access all the function and options in all the menus.

 

[Anonymous]

in the end the user interface( using ipad Sonos app controller) Irritated me and for my needs it was a bit gimmicky. Irritated is not how you want to listen to music. Do you really need the mulit room option? D

I also find that strange. Having a CR100, CR200, Touch and iPad, I think the iPad is the best controller to use. All the screens are on one page. Dragging and dropping into the queue is a doddle. Mrs. Grin likes the CR100 as it has dedicated volume, play and pause buttons etc. The only thing that seems strange to me that not all functions are available on all controllers. e.g you can't delete a favourite radio station on the Touch. The CR200 and PC software seem to be the only way to access all the function and options in all the menus.

I am sure 99% of Sonos users get on fine, it just bugged me and I know it's weird. but there we go.

 

[eggontoast]

About 3 months ago I finished what you are proposing by ditching my cd player in favour of a Sonos system with FLAC. I stored all my cd's on a 1TB buffalo linkstation live and a 1TB Juststore connected as a back up and it all works a treat. I even brought an S5 and stuck it up stairs, these little units sound surprisingly good also.

The sound quality from a stock Sonos is very good indeed, in fact so good I have not dashed out to buy an external DAC but may do in future when funds allow. It should allow you to get better sound quality than your cd player if you rip your cd's properly as you won't have the read errors of the cd player, just use something like EAC to rip the cd's.

I have the CR200 and the iPhone App and both are good and easy to use for controlling the Sonos and finding your music. If push came to shove I would say the CR200 is slightly better but wouldn't say that it justifies the huge price tag.

 

[CustomCable]

I personally went from a Marantz CD63 KI Signature CD Player to the Sonos with a DAC and I havn't looked back. The Sonics are as good if not better than my CD 63 KI and that is saying something. I struggled finding a DAC that offered the same level of musicality as the standard L/R analogue outputs on the Sonos and found the Sonos to be very very good. Many DAC's offered amazing detail improvements but lacked musicality in a BIG way.

 

[eggontoast]

I personally went from a Marantz CD63 KI Signature CD Player to the Sonos with a DAC and I havn't looked back. The Sonics are as good if not better than my CD 63 KI and that is saying something. I struggled finding a DAC that offered the same level of musicality as the standard L/R analogue outputs on the Sonos and found the Sonos to be very very good. Many DAC's offered amazing detail improvements but lacked musicality in a BIG way.

Just out of interest which DAC did you finally decide on ?

 

[CustomCable]

"caugh" MF M1 "caugh"

 

[The_Lhc]

"caugh"

...quoth the raven...

 

[Anonymous]

Ripping your cd collection to a lossless format should improve the sound compared to a cd player.

A lot of ripping software allows for bit-accurate rips to be made, whereas even the most high-end cd player will still have errors introduced by the cd transport.

 

[scene]

I found that ripping my CDs to lossless (apple btw, in my case, but flac would be the same) and storing them on a nas, played back via Sonos has revolutionised both my and my family's listening. The playback quality is superb. We've got an S5 in every bedroom now and that means quality sound for everyone, accessed by a friendly, easy to use interface. I use the iPad version, and my six-year old chooses his own tracks with ease!
I have a zp90 plumbed into my avr250, so I'm using the DAC on the arcam and it sounds superb, almost as good as the DV79, maybe better in some respects, but way easier to use. I tried it straight via phono, and I reckon that the sonos beats most mid-priced CD players that I've heard.
Can't recommend them enough, my hat off :hat: to Sonos

 

[Anonymous]

I've found the sound quality from all of the Sonos products to be great. The ZP120 sounds better than my old NAD 3020i or Sony 930 AV amp with the ceiling speakers in the dining room. Everyone who's heard the S5 has been really impressed by the sound which comes from the plain white box.

Me and Mrs Grin were discussing it last night and came to realise that the little laddy will probably grow up not really know what physical media is with regards music. At the moment he thinks music in the house is 'just there'. I play around with a little box and suddenly the music he wants is playing and he can dance around. Obvioulssy at the moment he doesn't realise I have to rip the music first.

 

[Drummerdave]

"caugh" MF M1 "caugh"

"cough" CAUGH "cough"

 

[Anonymous]

I have a Sonos system with a Seagate DAC and my CD files ripped to FLAC. I connect a zoneplayer to my Cambridge Audio 840 CD player by coax and use the onboard DAC.
This is probably going to upset some people but I have gone back to listening to the CD player after comparing the two over a few months. I now tend to just use the Spotify service with Sonos which does sound superb through the CD player's DAC

 

[eggontoast]

I have a Sonos system with a Seagate DAC and my CD files ripped to FLAC. I connect a zoneplayer to my Cambridge Audio 840 CD player by coax and use the onboard DAC. This is probably going to upset some people but I have gone back to listening to the CD player after comparing the two over a few months. I now tend to just use the Spotify service with Sonos which does sound superb through the CD player's DAC

?????? just to clarify.

So listening to compressed music, from Spotify, via the Sonos, through the CA's DAC sounds excellent but a FLAC rip of a CD through the same system doesn't sound as good as from the CD player

Can you elaborate on the differences you have heard.

 

[Anonymous]

I use spotify to listen to music I don't have on CD

 

[eggontoast]

I use spotify to listen to music I don't have on CD

Yes I got that bit

, it was the going back from FLAC through the Sonos to listening to cd's I was asking about.

 

[Anonymous]

The sound from FLAC files is a little thinner and less spacious than the sound from the CD. Don't get me wrong, the sound quality is excellent from FLAC, I have just noticed a difference which means I listen to the CD player now when I'm sat on the sofa and paying attention.

 

[Dr Beat]

Hi

I am using Sonos and it is linked to my Cyrus Dac XP+ digitally (to use its DAC), and the difference is night and day compared to when it was simply connected to my pre amp via analogue interconnects.

My only complain is that my Sonos keeps dropping when it transmits songs to my other bedrooms. The helpline says that the signal "bleeds" when signal from a base station like a DECT phone , interferes. so the signal drops. It is most infuriating and interrupts the pleasure of continuous music. The situation improves slightly after i moved the DECT phone away by about 6 feet. I am thinking of giving up on my DECt phone just to cater to uninterrupt Sonos music . apologies, if i stray from the main topic.

 

[Overdose]

I've just started a topic about a similar situation that I'm in. I already have the FLAC files and I'm currently testing to find the best playback.

 

[pef99]

Recently I'd very much got in the habit of streaming music from my Mac/iPhone/iPod to my stereo. However I've just had the opportunity to pick up a NAD Masters M5 CD/SACD player at cost price, and partnered with a good amp and speakers I've been rediscovering my collection of 1000+ CD's and SACD's. I've even been burning stuff I downloaded onto CD for the pleasure of listening to it. The moral is don't write of your CD collection without trying a really good CD player. You might also want to consider trying something like one of the Olive players, or one of the current crop of cd players like the Audiolab 8200 or Cambridge Audio 840C where you can also plug your laptop in via usb and use their DAC to improve the sound quality of your ripped music files.