Sonos - the biggest competitor to AirPlay devices

[bigboss]

After this update, it's hard to ignore Sonos if you're in the market for an AirPlay speaker:

http://www.whathifi.com/news/sonos-adds-wireless-playback-of-music-stored-on-ipad-iphone-and-ipod-touch

 

[scene]

Yup. As you said, explains the discontinuance of the Sonos dock - might even encourage Mrs. Scene to go to iOS 6...

 

[bigboss]

Now waiting for Android and Windows versions!

 

[scene]

Now waiting for Android and Windows versions!

+1 on that.

 

[Andy Clough]

Must say I think this latest Sonos update is great. I updated the app on my iPhone and iPad over breakfast, it then took about 10mins to update the software on my various Sonos components and worked instantly after that. So I no longer need the AirPort Express I previously had plugged into the Sonos amp.Genius.

 

[The_Lhc]

Must say I think this latest Sonos update is great. I updated the app on my iPhone and iPad over breakfast, it then took about 10mins to update the software on my various Sonos components and worked instantly after that. So I no longer need the AirPort Express I previously had plugged into the Sonos amp.Genius.

You're clearly doing it wrong then, according to the dozen whingers, err, I mean customers on the Sonos forum, most of whom are saying it's completely pointless and a total waste of time! :doh:

There really is no pleasing some people...

 

[Juzzie Wuzzie]

Price points of Sonos v. AEX are still somewhat different though. Stating the obvious, I know. That said, massive upside for people who already have Sonos.

 

[chebby]

Is it universal?

On my iPhone I can use AirPlay (to the Marantz) for absolutely anything that makes a sound. (BBC iPlayer, TuneIn Radio Pro, iTunes, YouTube etc etc.)

I've not come across anything - with a soundtrack - that doesn't come up with an AirPlay symbol (or has an AirPlay symbol if you click 'home' twice and scoot back to volume).

I've checked the Spotify App and that also uses AirPlay from an iOS device. (I don't use Spotify so I had to check.)

 

[Clare Newsome]

After this update, it's hard to ignore Sonos if you're in the market for an AirPlay speaker:

Especially with the £259 deal - as detailed in this WHF news story - still running

*PR mode disengaged*

 

[The_Lhc]

Is it universal?

No it isn't, that's one of the biggest moans, it ONLY works with non-DRM mp3 and aac files, nothing else. It also only works with files that were put there by an iTunes sync (or presumably purchased through iTunes on the device itself), if you, for example, download a podcast outside of iTunes Sonos won't see it, until you add to iTunes on the PC and then re-sync the device.

One can only assume that either the additional functionality is coming in the future or that it's not possible without paying a full Airplay license, which I don't think Sonos will be doing. Tbh I'm kind of puzzled as to how they've managed to do this without Airplay anyway, I suspect it's setting up a share on the iDevice and pulling the files off as, once scanned, every song on the iDevice is available to all Sonos devices (be interested to see if multiple tracks can be pulled from one iDevice at the same time), rather than the iDevice pushing the audio like Airplay.

 

[Clare Newsome]

Though of course you can already stream a wide array of services - including Spotify, Napster etc - via the SONOS app; you don't need to stream via the service-specific apps (eg Spotify app) on your iThing...

 

[Amadeus1756]

Especially with the £259 deal - as detailed in this WHF news story - still running

*PR mode disengaged*

The current promotion seems to be exclusively aimed at new customers, not existing customers who want to expand. They should do some kind of deal on the Play:5 devices for those of us who want to add zones.

Our local JL did the PLay:5 for £299 a few weeks back but only for a few days - I imagine it was in respose to a price match but I doubt they were making much money on it. I have no idea why I didn't buy a couple of them there and then - I guess I thought it was a Crimbo promotion that would be around for some time (like the Play:3 promotion Clare referred to).

 

[Anonymous]

Now waiting for Android and Windows versions!

You dont need to wait from a App in Android you just use the app Bubblesupnp and you can stream all the music you want to the Sonos system from you android device. I can stream flac from 44 to 192, ape, mp3.

majesties

 

[Anonymous]

Now waiting for Android and Windows versions!

You dont need to wait from a App in Android you just use the app Bubblesupnp and you can stream all the music you want to the Sonos system from you android device. I can stream flac from 44 to 192, ape, mp3.

majesties