We test drive the Sonos Zoneplayer S5 multi-room audio system, to find out how it stacks up against professionally wired multi-room options.
When people think about multi-room audio, many make the mistake of believing it’s not possible because they didn’t run the appropriate cables while they were building.
Others think they need to tear holes in their walls to string wires where they want to enjoy their music.
The good news is that retrofitting a home to support multi-room audio is quite a simple task. And you can achieve it without a single hole in their wall.
I am, of course, talking about the multi-room audio system created by Sonos.
The main component of the Sonos system is the Zoneplayer S5. It is a five-driver speaker system that is powered by five dedicated digital amplifiers. Also on board are two tweeters, two mid-range drivers and subwoofer.
It is about 37cm wide and has a rounded design that makes it an attractive addition to any room where you’d like to hear your favourite tunes.
The resulting audio will please even the fussiest listeners with crisp sound reproduction and satisfying bass.
For our review we used two S5s along with a Sonos Zonebridge 100.
This Zonebridge is only 11cm wide and 4.5cm high and can act as a primary link to your client’s home network router and created a secure SonosNet.
From here, users can connect to the other S5s scattered around their home wirelessly.
It is also possible to do away with the Zonebridge completely if at least one of the S5s is physically connected to a router. And it is still just as easy to connect other S5s to the SonosNet.
For our set-up the Zonebridge established our SonosNet and the two S5s were positioned in a lounge room and another upstairs in a bedroom.
The Zonebridge has no speakers so obviously can’t be used to listen to music but, at a cost of $169, it makes it makes it easier and cheaper to expand a multi-room music network.
Each S5 speaker system is priced at $599 and the only cable in sight is the one that connects the device to a power point.
But as impressive as the sound that pumps out of each Zoneplayer S5 is the ease in which the system can be set up.
The thought of hooking up multiple devices to access music across a network is intimidating enough for some of your client’s to form beads of sweat on their brow.
But not so with the Sonos system.
There were printed step by step instructions which were easy to follow. The first step was installing the Sonos Desktop Controller software.
Once this was completed the software the guided as the rest of the way. We decided to use the Zonebridge 100 to connect to our router but we ran into a roadblock right out of the gate because there were no ports left on the router.
But it turned out this wasn’t a problem because the device had two Ethernet ports on the rear panel. So we simply took the Ethernet cable connected from the router to the back to our iMac and plugged it directly into the Zonebridge.
Next we took the Ethernet cable which came with the Zonebridge and connected it from the device to the back of the iMac. We achieved our direct router connection by running the iMac’s connection through the Zonebridge. The iMac was still connected to the router and connected to the internet in exactly the same way and speed as it did before.
One press of the connect button – the only button on the Zonebridge – and the software looks for the device and initiates the connection.
Our next step was to connect the S5s in the other rooms. They were plugged in and powered up and it was time to link the zones. A simultaneous press of the mute and volume up keys completed the connection.
After the S5s were linked in their zones we were able to give them names based in their location from a drop down menu to easily identify them.
All of the gear was set up and connected but the devices are nothing without music to share on them.
Like many others our digital music was stored in our iTunes library and it took a click of the mouse for that library to be accessible by the Sonos Desktop Controller and therefore able to be distributed to the other S5s in the house.
Using the Sonos Desktop Controller software we were able to select the music we wanted to hear by artist or album.
We were even able to create and save playlists which can be used as the soundtrack for your next dinner party, celebration or period of relaxation.
Users are also able to choose which S5 where the music will be wirelessly streamed. It is possible to stream the same music to both or the number you happen to have in your home.
Of course listeners can hear different music on each of the S5s in the house as well which the software provided in a single click.
Now the whole idea of having a multi-room audio system is to actually be in one of those rooms listening to music rather than just directing traffic at your computer. In other words what you need is a controller.
A Sonos dedicated touchscreen controller is priced at $550 and, when it joins the other devices on the same network, can provide precisely the same choices and controls as if you’re sitting in front of the computer.
Alternatively iPad and iPhone owners can download the Sonos Controller app for free and take the same level of control, see their entire music library right down to the album art and chose exactly what album or playlist is heard and even choose the device in the home it is heard on.
Android smartphone owners also have the same opportunity by downloading the Android version of the Sonos Controller app which was recently released.
And it’s not just your own music you can listen to. Because the system has a direct link to your internet connection, users also have the choice of listening to one of more than 100,000 internet radio stations and also tapping into music streaming services like Rhapsody, anubis.fm and Last.fm.
The Sonos Multi-room System is one of the best music systems we’ve seen for sharing your tunes around your home.
The Sonos solution offers easy set-up, expansion and value for money and can deliver a decent quality version of a professionally wired multi-room audio system for a fraction of the price.
Product: Zoneplayer S5
Manufacturer: Sonos
Distributor: Playback Systems
Contact: 03 9874 0800, www.playback.com.au
