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Spent a decent amount on your system? want a reality check?

PhilofCas

PhilofCas

pfm Member
Go buy a SONOS One and see what you think.

Could happily live with one of these and enjoy my music.

Something this small cannot sound this good, but it does!!!!!!!!!!!

Seriously, is this a result of hearing a tuned active speaker?
 
I rate Sonos, have a Beem & a Play 3. The Beem is amazing for the money, transforms TV viewing. I listened to my 3 for a while when I had a problem with nap250, I don't this it stands up to critical listening but I could easily live with one if I didn't know any better. I think the new amp is a potential game changer also.
 
Pair two. Very capable Stereo system.

My HiFi is in a different league, but the Sonos One (or the less functional but sonically equivalent Play 1) is a cracking little thing.
 
We have a little Cambridge Audio One in our kitchen, paired with a little set of Tannoy speakers. Dirt cheap but quite capable, covering radio (FM & DAB), streaming, CD etc. - but quite a long way behind the systems we have in our other rooms. Still quite capable though.
 
Has anyone heard the Minirig Bluetooth speakers?

I use a Minirig 3 speaker and a Sub 2 subwoofer in work.
This setup has real bass, clarity and can play as loud as a small Hifi.
The battery will last all day on full volume or upto a week on low.
You can link as many speakers and subs together as you like.
 
Compared my dewalt work radio to one of these. It’s the top end one, so a whole £200, and walked all over the sonos. Wasn’t impressed. Sure it’d work ok for background music/kitchen etc but not something for the living room for me. Source & software are nice/user friendly though
 
Truth is, Sonos is easily good enough for the vast majority of people.
Ok, it doesn’t do hi-res, compared to a lot of “proper” Hifi, yes it’s lacking, but...........
It allows people to listen to a wide range of music, it doesn’t take up much room, the app is the best out there & it just works.
Us Hifi geeks may know & care that there is much better stuff out there, but we are a small minority.
 
Spent a fortune on my system over the years culminating in a full Linn Klimax system (albeit purchased used over a few years), sold out of necessity over a year ago.

I’m still listening to music just as much through an early 2000s Linn LK setup, a 90s Linn LK setup with a pair of Royd Sapphires I paid £60 for... but the real bargain setup is the one in my workspace, the line out of my iMac (already in place for work stuff), a Linn LK85 I paid £150 for, and a pair of Q Acoustics 3010s I paid £28 for, I got some off cuts of Black Rhodium speaker cable and a cheap cable off Amazon to connect the amp to the Mac, it’s a joy to listen to for just £200.
 
david ellwood said:
I have a ruark r1 in the kitchen that I really enjoy.

Don’t think I could live with the sonos.
Click to expand...
Interesting, a friend had one, I thought it was nothing special. I only have a Play 3 in the kitchen diner, plays quite loud & excellent for background listening. Having said that Sono does have a signature sound.
 
PhilofCas said:
Go buy a SONOS One and see what you think.

Could happily live with one of these and enjoy my music.

Something this small cannot sound this good, but it does!!!!!!!!!!!

Seriously, is this a result of hearing a tuned active speaker?
Click to expand...
There’s something to be said for DSP crossovers, I’ve heard a few small actives seemingly defying the laws of physics... okay, they can’t actually defy the laws of physics and they’re never going to rattle the the foundations but played at sensible listening levels, they can be made to sound remarkably big.
 
linnfomaniac83 said:
There’s something to be said for DSP crossovers, I’ve heard a few small actives seemingly defying the laws of physics... okay, they can’t actually defy the laws of physics and they’re never going to rattle the the foundations but played at sensible listening levels, they can be made to sound remarkably big.
Click to expand...

I’d go along with that, the bass is pretty amazing for a single small speaker.
 
I have Sonos, and a main system. Both have their place.

The Playbar, situated in the bedroom and rigged to the telly, is very good at what it does, etc.

I also like how Sonos integrates with Roon.
 
A friend of mine has Sonos with sub and all sorts. It sounds very clear, has impressive deep bass and moves the music along well enough. It feels likes reconstructed music to me though, or a facsimile, rather than hearing the real thing, albeit distorted (analogue). My own streamer setup for the family is no different though (Linn Sneaky, M109s).
 
Different systems for different uses. I happily use a JBL Flip 4 for background music or on the rare occasions I work out in the garage. Similarly my Bose QC35II’s get regular use when watching films or listening to music in bed - no chance of disturbing the Mrs and I can’t hear her snoring.

The Alexa too is perfectly fine for a bit of light entertainment.

But when I want to kick back and actually *listen* to music it’ll be the full system any day.
 
Can you pair these things for proper stereo the way you can with the Apple equivalents? I’m fine with mono for the bathroom (I just have an old Roberts FM radio), I guess the same if I wanted something in the bedroom or kitchen, but for ‘serious’ listening (or for TV) I need a good believable stereo soundstage.

FWIW I’m convinced I could live perfectly happily with my JR149 near-field system, so I’m not a ‘high-end snob’, but I do like a soundstage as well as decent tonality etc!

I’ve never heard the Apple things (can’t remember what they are called). I bet a couple of them setup properly on decent stands would be pretty good, though the price is getting on for a pair of active studio near-fields (Genlec, Neumann etc), which would likely be my choice if on a tight budget and buying new.
 
Sonos One is convenient and quite nice sounding but you could put together a second hand separated system or a Pi based system that would better it for the same price.
 
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