Sonos marketing? What does this mean?

[Nikhil]

From this article:

http://www.courant.com/business/cust...,602447.column

"We never bring it into the analog domain like Squeezebox and Bose," Kallai says, "which move sound from digital to analog to digital to analog. That creates a lot of artifacts."

[andynormancx]

I'm not sure exactly what they mean, but you probably want the previous paragraph as well for context:

"Sonos' software designers preserved the digital signal through every step, from the computer to the S5's processors to the digital amplifiers to the speakers, where it is for the first and only time converted to an analog signal detectable by the human ear."

[jo-wie]

I guess he's pointing to the Boom DSP -> DAC -> Class-D Amplifier signal path.

[Aslak3]

I'm not sure exactly what they mean, but you probably want the previous paragraph as well for context:

"Sonos' software designers preserved the digital signal through every step, from the computer to the S5's processors to the digital amplifiers to the speakers, where it is for the first and only time converted to an analog signal detectable by the human ear."

I'd love to know what a "digital amplifier" is, though. Sounds like a non-sequitur.

Lawrence

[andynormancx]

I'd love to know what a "digital amplifier" is, though. Sounds like a non-sequitur.

D Class amps are often referred to as digital amps, because of the way they control the volume by switching the output of a transistor on and off.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Class_D_Amplifier

I guess maybe Sonos are switching their D Class amps directly from the digital signal. It is clear what benefit that would provide, though I can't claim to understand DAC/D-Class amps etc in any great detail.

[peterw]

I'm not sure exactly what they mean, but you probably want the previous paragraph as well for context:

"Sonos' software designers preserved the digital signal through every step, from the computer to the S5's processors to the digital amplifiers to the speakers, where it is for the first and only time converted to an analog signal detectable by the human ear."

They're sending digital signals from the amplifiers to the speakers???

[m1abrams]

They're sending digital signals from the amplifiers to the speakers???

I bet that sounds wonderful

Seriously WTF does that mean? Speakers do NOT like a digital signal.

[pippin]

Each speaker has it's own DAC and amp? Have seen this being done in some automotive prototypes 10 years ago, maybe it's economically feasible now?

[pfarrell]

m1abrams wrote:
> Seriously WTF does that mean? Speakers do NOT like a digital signal.

There are exceptions to prove the rule. I know Meridian has sold
speakers that accept a digital feed, they have a DAC, and amp, in the
speaker housing. They were very expensive.

But for 99% of all speakers, @m1abrams is right, they expect and require
analog signals.

--
Pat Farrell
http://www.pfarrell.com/

[m1abrams]

m1abrams wrote:
> Seriously WTF does that mean? Speakers do NOT like a digital signal.

There are exceptions to prove the rule. I know Meridian has sold
speakers that accept a digital feed, they have a DAC, and amp, in the
speaker housing. They were very expensive.

But for 99% of all speakers, @m1abrams is right, they expect and require
analog signals.

--
Pat Farrell
http://www.pfarrell.com/

Even the Meridian speakers are what I would refer to as powered speakers that have a builtin DAC. I would not call them digital speakers that is just wrong. The speaker driver REQUIRES an analog signal, it may have a DAC/AMP bolted right to it but the speaker is still analog and SONOS statement is borderline false advertising.