Sonos ZP90 & MDA1000

[Masterlu]

I am thinking of adding the Sonos ZP90 to both of my homes via my MDA1000's. Will I be happy with the quality, or is this more of a background music device?

[PHC1]

I think David is the resident guru on low bit rate listening. I am sure he will chime in shortly.

I am only joking of course as I have 8 Sonos/ceiling speakers going in my new house. Obviously for background/casual listening.

[jdandy]

Ivan.......You will be happy for a number of reason. The first is that streaming music is suprisingly dynamic, despite the limited bandwidth. My best streaming sound comes from using Rhapsody, a subscription based web service. Rhapsody streams at one of the higher bit rates, and sounds quite good.

Second, once the Sonos is part of your home network you will have access to your entire MS750 library anywhere there is a zone player. With my second ZP90 in the studio, connected to a digital input on the MCD500, I am able to listen to all the music on my MS750 that's upstairs in the main system, as well as streaming internet.

Third, with the ZP120, a zone player with a 55 watt per channel amp and speaker terminals on the back, I am able to access Rhapsody, internet radio from around the world, and my MS750 library outside on speakers I have mounted on a deck under the house.

I have one ZP90 in my main system, and it is hardwired via ethernet cable to my router, and connected with a digital coax cable to my MCD500. It sounds damn good. The other ZP90 in the studio, and the ZP120 for the deck speakers connects to the ZP90 in my main system wirelessly. You can add as many zones as you want, and control the Sonos zones individually, or linked together, your choice, with the computer, an iPhone or iPod Touch with a free Sonos application, and using the CR100 wireless controller (soon to be the CR200). You can listen to Rhapsody on one zone, while listening to the MS750 hard drive on another zone, and internet radio on another zone, or you can link them all together to one source. Volume can be controlled individually, or linked. The Sonos interface is slick and intuitive.

Don't expect the sound of Sonos to be at the level of the MCD/MDA1000, but it is quite satisfying, especially streaming from the MS750, and is far better than the typical level of background music. Plus, being able to search websites like Rhapsody, Pandora, and LastFM will allow you to listen to all kinds of new music before commiting to a purchase.

One evening after I first installed the Sonos in my main system, Marlene and I had a 60's night. We searched for, and listened to every song we could remember from our high school days, and laughed and sang along like kids. We had a blast. Sonos is really cool.

[Masterlu]

Thanks Dan, I am completely sold!

This AA site & Sonos really is cool!

[Still-One]

Ivan,
Dan's post covers it all. You will be very happy with the sound quality of the SonoS gear as long as you are not doing "critical" listening. If you are, then you would not be using the units anyhow.

The unit has saved me a lot of money as I can try out new artists via Rhapsody before popping for a disc that will just sit on the shelf. I have also found several new artists via Pandora.

[1KW]

I can't wait for Serge to get a sonos in his system so he can see what all the fuss is about. Once I own a cd it gets copied into my itunes library on my lap top (500 gigs for now) and I create playlists using genious. I then am able to stream the music to the sonos which is hooked to the MCD500. Ivan I think for all the reasons Dan mentioned you will be quite happy with the sonos going to your MDA, that is what Alberto has done. I have to say the amount of music that you are able to harness using the sonos is unlimited. The sound quality is very good to excellant . Unless you had the actual cd to do a A/B with rhapsody I doubt you will know that you are listening to streaming music. For example, to name a couple on rhapsody put on Nils Lofgren Live or Sheffield Labs-Drums and you will be amazed. Infact, rhapsody sounds better then my TT

[Alberto]

Originally Posted by Masterlu

I am thinking of adding the Sonos ZP90 to both of my homes via my MDA1000's. Will I be happy with the quality, or is this more of a background music device?

Ivan, Sonos to MDA1000 is now my #1 source (~50% of the time) other 30% is iPod through the Wadia iPod dock, the other 20% is mostly vinyl. MCD201 is rarely turned on these days.

The quality is surprisingly good but a lot depends on the source material. I only use lossless compression.

Alberto

[Masterlu]

I'm all over it guys, thanks!

[JohnThomas]

Originally Posted by Masterlu

I'm all over it guys, thanks!

Ok Ivan it's been over a week. What kinda of mod have you decided to do to take the sonos to another level (besides MDA1000).

John