In Use
I think I've already made it quite clear that this is a simple system to
use. I couldn't be happier with the interface. The question is, can this
system deliver the level of performance I'm looking for. I know most people just
plug in a bunch of low bit rate MP3's, but I was looking for a system that can
output bit for bit identical audio tracks from their CD counterparts into my
reference audio processor.
All of
the music I've loaded onto my hard drive was extracted using the program
Exact Audio Copy. This program ensures bit for bit ripping from a CD and
evaluates for errors during the process. Once that audio is extracted, I used FLAC Frontend to convert the raw WAV files to lossless FLAC files. This
compresses the file sizes, but ensures the files are bit for bit identical
with the original WAV files. Both of these programs synch up with each other,
making the process a snap.
To
compare the quality of the tracks with their CD counterparts, I used the HDMI
output of Oppo Digital's new 983H DVD player. Since this player is
outputting a digital bitstream via HDMI, it acts as a transport. I could cue
up a CD on the Oppo and cue up the exact same track on the Sonos system. I
started off with a test track to ensure proper level matching and then
began my comparison. Both sounded identical regardless of the material I
used, making this a very flexible option for doing speaker demos or audio
evaluations.
There
was a bit of a hit in quality when I used the streaming audio services
compared to the music on my server, but I expected as much. Most streaming
services and Internet radio use a lower compression quality to preserve
bandwidth and space. But the quality was good enough that I doubt many
people would even notice the subtle differences. This was especially the
case with Pandora, which allowed me to pause the tracks and A/B between their
streaming track and my stored version. The differences were there, but they
were subtle.
At the
end of the day, the Sonos did leave me wanting in one area. As soon as I saw
that this product supported a digital output, the gears in my head starting
chugging with the possibilities of supporting surround sound music. As some
of you know, I am a big fan of 5.1 music and have a decent collection of
DVD-Audio and Super Audio CD selections. While I wouldn't expect this
product to support decoding of either of these formats, there is no reason
to think it couldn't simply pass through the raw DTS and Dolby Digital
tracks found on DVD-Audio, DTS CDs, and DVDs. There is plenty of software
available on the open market that allows you to extract these soundtracks
into their raw data file. If the Sonos recognized these tracks it could send
them through in their raw form via their digital output and allow any
surround sound processor or receiver with a Dolby Digital and DTS decoder to
process them. You would instantly have a 5.1 music server. I talked with the
co-founder of Sonos and gave him the rundown on this, and I hope its
something they'll consider with future updates. No decoding would need to be
added, it would simply need to identify the file extension and pass it
through.
Conclusions
I think it's clear to see that I was quite impressed with these products.
This is without a doubt the most full featured music server system that I've
used, and I thought the interface and setup ease were second to none. The
price is a bit higher than you'll find with some other popular server
solutions, but the flexibility it adds in remote zones, connectivity,
streaming services, and audio support is hard to beat. Anyone in the market
for a wireless music server would be remiss to not give this one a look. The Sonos
Music System has found a permanent home in my theater system, and I couldn't
recommend it more.
- Kris Deering -