- Thread Starter
- #81
They do so I am planning to wire up my JBL 305s as the powered speakers once the weather warms up.They sound like crap though.
They do so I am planning to wire up my JBL 305s as the powered speakers once the weather warms up.They sound like crap though.
They do so I am planning to wire up my JBL 305s as the powered speakers once the weather warms up.
Distortion curve pretty much matches my testing:And the predecessor of this amp:
https://www.stereophile.com/content/sonos-zp80-zp100-wifi-music-system-sonos-bundle-250-april-2010
Happily off-topicThey sound like crap though.
I've done Alexa for extended periods and find it generally a mess to use and not very reliable.
Happily off-topic
I started with Siri for home automation and abandoned it for Alexa. I've been rather surprised by the sound quality of my 2nd gen Amazon Echo Show. I've got it on counter in the corner, had to turn the bass down. I didn't buy it for the sound but it holds its own at low/moderate volume and I've found Alexa to be flawless on it and my Echo Spot.
When Amazon makes a Show with Optical Out, include the other music services and all these other streamer companies will disintegrate...suspect its when, not if. Add an IR emitter to it and a few other companies can take their ball and go home as well.
Distortion curve pretty much matches my testing:
Both show best case THD+N of 0.01%.
I can't help but wonder if the "bright" sound is just a reputation that has already stuck to this thing. Unless you are using the sub output. In that case the amp's crossover is automatically engaged, so maybe that would cause a brighter sound.The Verge reviews the AMP.
https://www.theverge.com/2019/3/7/18254803/sonos-amp-review-speaker-specs-features-price
Alot of reviews say it is a little bright. I notched the treble down a little and really don't like high treble but it's fine.
It doesn't really seem that expensive to me for what you get but maybe my standards for what is expensive are different from others.
I gave up an AV receiver three times the cost of the Amp in favor of no cables and simplicity.
I can't help but wonder if the "bright" sound is just a reputation that has already stuck to this thing. Unless you are using the sub output. In that case the amp's crossover is automatically engaged, so maybe that would cause a brighter sound.
I can't help but wonder if the "bright" sound is just a reputation that has already stuck to this thing. Unless you are using the sub output. In that case the amp's crossover is automatically engaged, so maybe that would cause a brighter sound.
If all production samples follow the one tested here it looks be a left channel bright problem or say signature as seen below relinked from post 1, should be easy enough oneself perform a diy test to see where we are in that for example free REW should could do it in offline mode for digital input. To be constructive for case first in REW "Generator" create a measurement sweep at a prefered sample rate that is played back in systems player while recording sweep with for example free Audacity and then import both reference sweep plus recording into REW whereafter its engine extract the difference into graphs and should reveal ifs a left channel brightness that go again as in below.Yeah I dunno, I think I'm pretty sensitive to high treble and not hearing it with my Revel M16 speakers.
Is that rise in the L channel always present or only with analog input in through AD converter?If all production samples follow the one tested here it looks be a left channel bright problem or say signature as seen below relinked from post 1, should be easy enough oneself perform a diy test to see where we are in that for example free REW should could do it in offline mode for digital input. To be constructive for case first in REW "Generator" create a measurement sweep at a prefered sample rate that is played back in systems player while recording sweep with for example free Audacity and then import both reference sweep plus recording into REW whereafter its engine extract the difference into graphs and should reveal ifs a left channel brightness that go again as in below.
Is that rise in the L channel always present or only with analog input in through AD converter?
Random thoughts:
- They engineered a proprietary power cord so we have to buy replacements from them. It's called business. (See also: Apple)
- The line in is most likely a "just in case someone needs it" feature hence not much care was put in its implementation. It was mainly intended to be a "connected amp" (or whatever you call these things)
- Not recommended huh? Can we at least give it some credit for value (i.e. Watts per $)?
- I have no grasp of the "connected amp" market so I wonder how it compares to competing products, if any
- Yes, a teardown would be nice. Mainly curious as to what amp module (ICEPower, Hypex or other) and DAC chip it has.
- Audio Science dudes/dudettes aren't the market for this product.
- Amir seems to have achieved influencer status. Folks dislike something he does not recommend and vice versa. That said, thank you sir for taking time to do this review.
There was no obvious way to open it. So I packed and sent it back. Some has post a picture of it though:- Yes, a teardown would be nice. Mainly curious as to what amp module (ICEPower, Hypex or other) and DAC chip it has.
It uses Qualcomm DDFA. I can't find info on whether it is Qualcomm's newest generation or something older.Mainly curious as to what amp module (ICEPower, Hypex or other) and DAC chip it has.
There are a bunch of places that sell that power cord or knockoffs of it cheaply. Look on Amazon. Not to mention how often do you need to replace it.
Sonos makes a big deal out of the line in a and especially for use with a Turntable. I'm not sure how many people will actually use it for that.
I'm an audio science "dude" and I have one and I'm sure others here do too. Maybe the audiophile snob appeal isn't high enough. I'm getting that vibe.
A teardown would be really great.
Darwin, I understand you are streaming multiroom with a mixture of homepods and sonos devices (including the sonos amp)? How is it working out for you? is it stable and reliable with airplay 2? Cheers