[Charlychimp]

Hi all,

I'm toying with getting a SONOS system but struggling to get to grips with certain things.

In the product description for the ZonePlayer90 it says "Just connect the ZP90 to any amplified audio device in any room and it’s instantly part of the wireless Sonos system"

I'm pretty useless at stuff like this - does the above mean I could connect the ZP90 to something like this for example - or does it need to go into a home cinema system/amp?

Any help would be much appreciated - thanks!

[vex]

Any Hifi, Amplifier or even Active speakers with a Stereo (L / R) input would work.

HTH

V.

[Normal Bias]

The ZP90's outputs need to be plugged into an amplifier, the amplifier then drives the speakers. "Active" speakers are speakers with an amplifier inside them.

The ZP120 has an amplifier inside it and is designed to connect directly to your speakers.

HTH

[Derek22]

Just incase you havent found the sonos website, link below, explains quite a lot.

You also need to consider where the music your are going to play is, computer,internet, network attached storage etc. The sonos wireless is just between sonos boxes, cant be used to connect wirelessly to an existing wireless router for example, at least one unit will need to be hardwired to get a connection through your router to the internet for example.

Sonos - Home

as well as the answers above there is also the new S5 which is essentially the same as a zp120 with speakers already built in.

[Joe Fernand]

Hello Charlychimp

Think of the ZP90 as a 'wireless and diskless' CD player that plugs into your HiFi or AV Amp - whereas the ZP120 has onboard amplification and connects straight to your loudspeakers.

Generally you'll use the ZP120 in any rooms where you don't already have a HiFi or AV set-up and the ZP90 in rooms where you do.

Any Sonos approved Installer/Dealer will be happy to talk you through the best configuration/kit list to suit your requirements.

Joe

[GarryPearson]

Quick Sonos product guide here that should be useful to you - Sonos Product Guide / Multi Room Systems - Sonos Authorised Reseller. Sonos Authorised Installer

This next guide will hopefully help you work out what you will need for your potential Sonos multi-room music system purchase - Multi Room Music / Sonos / Multi Room Systems - Sonos Authorised Reseller. Sonos Authorised Installer

[Charlychimp]

Thanks to everyone for the help and advice - will check out those links shortly when I get a moment.

I understand that one ZP needs to be wired to my router, my problem is my AV Amp is in the only room where I don't really want/need a SONOS zone.

thanks again.

[Joe Fernand]

Rather than 'waste' a Zone Player use a Zone Extender (79.00 GBP) as your hard wired connection to the Router.

Joe

[GarryPearson]

In the AV Amp room, if you dont want Sonos in there then just dont put a zoneplayer in. You only need to if you want to utilise the AV Amp you already have for Sonos music in that room - in which case put in a ZP90.

If your router is in the AV Amp room which is what I think you are saying, then Joe is right, just 'wire' in a Sonos Zonebridge BR100 to start things off and any other rooms where you want Sonos just choose which zoneplayer/s you want

[Charlychimp]

Originally Posted by GarryPearson

In the AV Amp room, if you dont want Sonos in there then just dont put a zoneplayer in. You only need to if you want to utilise the AV Amp you already have for Sonos music in that room - in which case put in a ZP90.

If your router is in the AV Amp room which is what I think you are saying, then Joe is right, just 'wire' in a Sonos Zonebridge BR100 to start things off and any other rooms where you want Sonos just choose which zoneplayer/s you want

Sorry, I was a bit unclear but you're right, the amp and router is in same room. So I could use the ZoneBridge in that room and put the two ZonePlayers where I actually want them andnthat would be great.

The main part I was unsure of was the speaker issue with the ZP90 - as I was unsure about the powered speaker part - which I understand are speakers with built in amps thus meaning they will work with ZP90?

Thanks again to all.

[Joe Fernand]

'Conventional' Spks are passive devices - you power them using an external amp (Hi-Fi, AV or stand alone power amp) such as the ZP120.

Active Spks have integral amplification (requiring them to be mains powered) and you connect a line input source (such as a ZP90) direct to the Spks.

You can have Active Spks that are 'desktop' PC style low cost/quality Spks or higher quality Studio/Hi-Fi/AV units - from bookshelf to floor standing; depending on budget/room size and required sound levels.

Joe

[GarryPearson]

yep, pretty much that

The ZP90 zoneplayer has no amp inside it so is designed to attach to powered speakers or an amp of some description such as your AV Amp room you mention.

So the two rooms where you actually want Sonos its likely you will need 2 x ZP120 zoneplayers - £399 inc VAT each. The ZP120 has a built in amp so all you need do then is attach some speakers of your choice to the ZP120 (standard speaker connections on the back).

Or, go for the new S5 zoneplayer at £349 inc VAT in one or both rooms which has 5 amplified speakers built in already, even easier!. The S5's are getting good reviews

[GarryPearson]

sorry joe, my post crossed over with yours

[Normal Bias]

Originally Posted by Charlychimp

The main part I was unsure of was the speaker issue with the ZP90 - as I was unsure about the powered speaker part - which I understand are speakers with built in amps thus meaning they will work with ZP90?

Correct. You can tell the difference because powered (aka active) speakers will require power from the mains.

As an aside, I wouldn't dismiss the idea of using the Sonos (ZP90) in your AV room. You may have other means of playing your music in there, but there are advantages of using Sonos there:

1. You can use the same controller / method of access in every room (although you will have to switch on your amp and select the right input first).
2. You could synchronise the music playing in the AV room with other rooms
3. The zoneplayers have inputs. If you connect an output from your amp to the ZP90's inputs, you'll be able to listen to anything that's playing on your amp, in any room or rooms where there are zoneplayers.
4. You don't need to buy a separate zonebridge.

[Joe Fernand]

Hi Gary

Not a problem I was trying to get out of the office and typing like a madman - well as fast as my typing would allow

Some good points from Normal Bias - we find a lot of audiophiles who initially are sceptical of Sonos (digital music playback) get hooked once they have a couple of Zones!!!

Playing in external sources is a great option - especially if you have a Tuner with a favourite station that's not available on-line (quite a few sports broadcasts don't get streamed online - whilst they are available over the air).

Joe