Stereophile's visit to Sonos

[mbonsack]

Interesting read with photos:

http://www.stereophile.com/news/062606sonos/

[jimdibb]

What part turned you off? Do you think there is a difference?

On 7/7/06, Mark Lanctot <
Mark.Lanctot.2al7ab1152295501 (AT) n...limdevices.com> wrote:
>
>
> Wow, the first line jumped right out at me:
>
> > "I don't get why some audiophiles still think that saving data using a
> > lossless compression scheme like FLAC or Apple Lossless sounds any
> > different than an uncompressed CD file," says Sonos founder and VP of
> > Sales and Marketing Thomas S. Cullen between bites of white fish shish
> > kebab. "It's just mathematics, and the results are sonically identical,
> > but you save half the space on your hard drive."
>
> Sure speaks volumes about their approach and why they turned me off
> from the get-go.
>
>

[dwc]

50% compression ratio? I don't think so. Closer to 30%.

[Mark Lanctot]

Please ignore my off-the-cuff post. I deleted it
from the forum but once it's out on the mailing
list it's too late.

I thought no one would comment on it but I guess I
was wrong.

Anyway, I thought they were referring to the
difference between lossy, compressed formats like
MP3 and lossless compressed formats like FLAC. I
was going to rip them a new one if that's indeed
what they said. It wasn't.

It was in keeping with what I find about the
company though - a "we know what's best for you"
attitude.

Jim Dibb wrote:
> What part turned you off? Do you think there is a
difference?
>
> On 7/7/06, *Mark Lanctot* <
>
Mark.Lanctot.2al7ab1152295501 (AT) n...limdevices.com

>
<mailto:Mark.Lanctot.2al7ab1152295501 (AT) no-mx (DOT) forums.slimdevices.com>>
wrote:
>
>
> Wow, the first line jumped right out at me:
>
> > "I don't get why some audiophiles still
think that saving data
> using a
> > lossless compression scheme like FLAC or
Apple Lossless sounds any
> > different than an uncompressed CD file," says
Sonos founder and
> VP of
> > Sales and Marketing Thomas S. Cullen between
bites of white fish
> shish
> > kebab. "It's just mathematics, and the
results are sonically
> identical,
> > but you save half the space on your hard
drive."
>
> Sure speaks volumes about their approach and why
they turned me off
> from the get-go.
>
>
>
>
------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>

[Jez]

was the fact that Sonos seem to operate a quiet work environment. Here at Slim, there's usually music or radio of some sort going somewhere in the office at any point in time. It certainly reminds me of why we do what we do every day.

[CardinalFang]

Interesting read with photos:
http://www.stereophile.com/news/062606sonos/

I have to give it to them - the remote is the killer. Without it, they're an also-ran, with it, they have the coolest looking product. If Slim came out with something like that, I'd put them throughout my house. Without it, the rest of my family just find it too geeky and it's just me in one room.

It's the same as the iPod, other devices have more features, better sound etc., but the iPod just looks and feels the best. It's the same with cars - Mercs and BMWs have so much perceived quality that the fact that Jaguars beat them everytime on actual build quality and reliability is neither here nor there when it comes to sales. The SB3 is now a fine looking and sounding player, but the software and remote need to come up to scratch. IMHO of course :-)

[azinck3]

I have to give it to them - the remote is the killer. Without it, they're an also-ran, with it, they have the coolest looking product. If Slim came out with something like that, I'd put them throughout my house. Without it, the rest of my family just find it too geeky and it's just me in one room.

It's the same as the iPod, other devices have more features, better sound etc., but the iPod just looks and feels the best. It's the same with cars - Mercs and BMWs have so much perceived quality that the fact that Jaguars beat them everytime on actual build quality and reliability is neither here nor there when it comes to sales. The SB3 is now a fine looking and sounding player, but the software and remote need to come up to scratch. IMHO of course :-)

Haha, so I was with you 'til the bit about the Jags...

[CardinalFang]

Haha, so I was with you 'til the bit about the Jags...

Thats's what I always believed, but look at the Top Gear surveys, they're at the top and the German brands are way down - Jaguar have reversed their bad reputation. I have a Merc and I followed a new XK today, I'd swap in a nanosecond...for a DB9! Hey, they may be tops in reliability, but they're still a poor-man's Aston :-)

Seriously though, if Slim would switch to Flash for the server interface, we could all be using PSPs and other devices for a really cool experience that cost less than a Sonus remote.

[Skunk]

Sonos reminds us that the Sonos warranty is void if you open up any of the Sonos hardware.

The fact that the Slim Dev CEO regularly contributes to modification discussions gives them the edge in audiophile credibility- IMHO.

[Michaelwagner]

if Slim would switch to Flash for the server interface

Oh, please, not flash. I thought the web interface was bad enough, but flash on top of it? gag me with a spoon!