Sonos update turns wireless S5 speaker into a premium 'stereo pair'
By Thomas Ricker 
posted May 10th 2010 4:45AM
posted May 10th 2010 4:45AM
The ZonePlayer S5 launch was an important milestone for Sonos as it attempts to bring down the cost (and raise the appeal) of its excellent whole-home music delivery system. Now we've got a bit of good news for those of you who already picked up a few of the $399 all-in-one wireless speakers we reviewed back in October. A 3.2 software update for the Sonos controller and iPod touch / iPhone apps will be released sometime this month letting you assign left and right audio channels to a pair of S5 speakers. The result should be impressive since the portable units can already easily fill the average room with sound on their own. The update will provide owners of multiple S5s with a temporary option for parties, especially if you decide to take the show outdoors... assuming you can still celebrate knowing that you're listening to two-channel audio on $800 worth of speakers. Hey, at least the software update is free.
Cool :-)
A very welcome update. Nice to see legitimate support
Just wanted to point out something that never gets mentioned about the Sonos. Sonos has a hard file limit of 65,000 files. The limit is even lower if your files have extensive tagging or long filenames, the limit can be as low as 40,000 files. The Squeezebox on the other hand has no limits whatsoever and does everything the Sonos can do for a fraction of the price.
@walkietalkie
The problem is that the squeezebox sounds like like a wounded cat and tha Sonos is only slightly better.
Since I already wasted 400 $ on one Sonos box, I'm seriously thinking of getting now a second hoping that this new update would make the first purchase worth using outside the bathroom.
In the rooms where I like to listen to music though I have already settled on a serious media extender and a decent HI-Fi set up and/or a couple of HTPCs connected to my NAS and PCs via wifi.
They all sound incomparably better than the Sonos and play vids, pics, DAB, sat & internet radio and let me also browse the webz should I get the itch and I'm also free to upgrade some of the elements whenever I get the urge.
@Plexus
How are you hooking things up? To say the sonos sounds so bad doesn't match my experience.
I have a similar set up in the lounge. A decent surround set up, with a do-all PC as well as several consoles, STBs and the (no amp) sonos, all capable of playing music.
However, I always choose the sonos box for music, cos it's silent, it has nothing in it to generate interference, and is connected to my amp's sacd digital input by a moderately expensive cable. Controlling it with the iphone is also the best remote control by far. I'm not an audiophile by any strecth, but the sonos is the perfect good-but-easy solution.
I'd also say buying the single boxes are the worse deal, and the worse intro to sonos. The bundles are better value, and give you a meaningful set up from the get-go.
The S5 would be a great addition to my 2 zone set up for the study, but it's just too expensive for what it is at the moment.
@walkietalkie I won't get into an all out argument here about Sonos vs. Squeeze, but I invite anyone to search either manufacturers forums and read some good discussions about the two products.
@walkietalkie
Haha, nice cheap shots trying to show how Sonos isn't as good as squeezebox.
I invite anyone here to do some research and compare Sonos to Squeeze, and you will see how Sonos blows everyone else away. Those two aren't even the same league.
@(Unverified)
Exactly how is the sonos better though?
Are you claiming that sonos does not have a filme limit? It does and its something that cant be upgraded via firmware and sonos has no plans to ever change it.
Squeezebox can do NAS. Squeezebox has superior sound quality.
Squeezebox has more accessory options. Squeezebox has access to the same cloud music options. Squeezebox can be used with an iphone/itouch. Squeezbox is hackable. Squeezebox costs a fraction of what the Sonos costs..... So how exactly is the Sonos better??
I'd bet money that plexus is using an S5. Frankly, I agree, they don't sound so hot. But as far as expense, it's not bad. An old Apple iPod Hifi all in one speaker performed MUCH better. The S5 just sounds muddy at higher volumes. A much better option is to get the small sound and hook up a digital audio cable to something like an iPod hifi.
@Downwithdlaw
First off, the S5 sounds fantastic, second....look at what the S5 is. It is more then just a speaker, it is a Sonos receiver and integrated speaker. Being part of the Sonos Network makes any comparison to another speaker void.
@Unverified User
hi, first off, I love my sonos system. Have it set up in most every room. But to say you can't compare the sound out of the S5 vs other speakers is incorrect. Yes the S5 is multifunctional, but that doesn't mean it's worth the trade off for good sound quality, especially when you have the option to purchase a zp150 with a better speaker. However, that said, if you need something that is all in one, the S5 does a fine job. I just wish they did a slightly better job with soun quality.
I'd check that review link in the blog entry; sends me off somewhere weird.
You are comparing the S5 to the Squeezebox. There is much more to the Sonos system than this one device. It's main function is a media distribution system. The sound part muchly falls on the individual. The zone players can be hooked to any set of speakers. The other units can be hooked into a receiver to just deliver the content. Much of the sound quality falls on the user's choice of speakers. The S5 is their only speaker they sell.
My first thought when I saw the left/right assignment option, was if there was no lag, they could make great rear wireless speakers. But i have a feeling too much monkeying around would have to take place. who knows...
I Have had my squeezebox for a year and a half and have never had any problem with functionality. It does everything I want it to do and sounds great doing it.