Sonos AV Receiver

[Audacity]

While (for the most part) Sonos does a great job in the system performance and user experience department, I have two zones that are ZP90s connected to TV/multi-channel audio setups. This sound is great, but the user experience of not being able to control the zone with my CR200 until I run downstairs and manually flip the AV receiver to the input that the ZP90 is plugged into is annoying.

I'm sure I'm not the only one who is in this situation, wanting a well integrated Sonos/AV Receiver solution. There are a couple additional benefits that could be provided by this hybrid device in addition to the user experience benefits.

First, the FM tuner that most receivers have could be useful for Sonos since it would provide me with a local broadcast radio source. Sure, many (most) radio stations stream over the internet but this would be more reliable, sound better (many radio stations use a rather low bit-rate when streaming over the 'net) and use less bandwidth from your ISP (some of us have monthly bandwidth caps). Sure, I could just plug a tuner into a zone player and get this benefit, but then I wouldn't be able to control the tuner via the Sonos remote.

Second, AV receivers tend to have many AV inputs, any of which could be audio sources that one could group with other zones.

Audio components tend to be a very high-margin market, and Sonos could answer the various audio component manufacturers that are making Airplay compliant gear.

[NoBoB]

+1

Since I'm window shopping for a new, relatively high-end AV receiver anyway, I'd buy a ZoneReceiver™ in a heartbeat.

But I'd settle for a partnership with an established manufacturer to put a ZP in an existing receiver, as long as we could get the kind of control mentioned by Audacity.

[TimMeese]

Yes, I am just about to buy a receiver - sadly no Sonos option...
T.

[bleze]

Instead of building their own AV receiver they should just work with existing brands to have them add Sonos ZP90 internally. That way amp could turn on and change source automatically plus provide a direct way for the audio to limit the lag/echo currently existing with running a ZP90 through an amp.

I think most users would not replace their AV receiver with anything Sonos would produce since this is not their main focus. Leave it up to the "pros"

[sse]

Good idea on embedding a logical ZP90. Be great to get the embedded functionality with the SQ of Yamaha or Denon.

Also I think there could be mileage in adding a new form factor - a virtual 5.1 soundbar sized to suit a (say) 40-42 inch TV - and make it wall mountable! I'd buy a couple of these at least.

SSE

[andris]

I'd like to see Sonos integrated in AV receivers as well. One additional advantage would be that receivers integrate even better in the most setups. To be honest the plastic sonos stations don't look well in home setups.

Team up with Yamaha, Onkyo, Denon and spread Sonos to even more people.

[DT79]

+1, although let's not limit it to AV receivers, other manufacturers' streaming clients being able to act as a zone player would be great.

Either way zone player integration would be the most direct (and an extremely effective) answer to Apple Airplay support that seems set to proliferate.

I think it would be a very good move to tie up with some of the 'mainstream' hi-fi manufacturers and offer zoneplayer integration in their components - it's complimentary, or a possible alternative, to what i suggested in my thread asking for a 'zone transport'.

I think that if Sonos choses the manufacturers that they partner with carefully then both stand to gain hugely.

[wappinghigh]

Originally Posted by DT79

+1, although let's not limit it to AV receivers, other manufacturers' streaming clients being able to act as a zone player would be great.

Either way zone player integration would be the most direct (and an extremely effective) answer to Apple Airplay support that seems set to proliferate.

I think it would be a very good move to tie up with some of the 'mainstream' hi-fi manufacturers and offer zoneplayer integration in their components - it's complimentary, or a possible alternative, to what i suggested in my thread asking for a 'zone transport'.

I think that if Sonos choses the manufacturers that they partner with carefully then both stand to gain hugely.

Guy's, this is a great idea. But is this company big enough to do this? Quite frankly they can't even release a simple modification to their own zone player that would incorporate a 12 volt trigger. Or perhaps tie up with a universal remote company (or even make their own IR learning remote) and embed Sonos web control in a universal remote. Either of these (in particularly the first option) would go a long way to solving the problem of better Sonos<>Receiver amp functionality. And be way simpler than imbedding Sonos mesh control into other manufactures gear. Oh, and customers wouldn't have to discard their current receivers either!

A 12V trigger has been requested for as long as I can remember: probably near on 5 years now, is an absolute NO brainer, and would be incredibly easy to do....and nothing. Nothing.

Of course folk are going to want to hook up their Zoneplayers to their HT receiver: I mean this would probably be most people's first and primary listening zone....given it is likely to exist in the family room.

But sometimes I wonder if this company ever actually listens to this forum, or if the people who make decisions on the product actually use their own Sonos gear. If they did, easier HT receiver integration would have been done years ago...

In the meantime what I have done to get around this problem, is to buy a stereo Rotel power amp with line level analog autosensing and a second set of speakers (side by side with the front stereo speakers of the HT receiver), and run Sonos separate from my surround amp. I moved the better set of speakers onto the Rotel for listening to music, because stereo fronts (as you are probably all aware), aren't super important in movie soundtracks. I've done this because quite simply I'm sick of waiting for such Sonos "solutions"...

So my advice is don't die waiting for this company to "do things". Get on with your lives, upgrade your front stereo speakers and move them onto a ZP120 or ZP90/Rotel stereo power amp combo and enjoy your music more.

[rune]

Originally Posted by wappinghigh

In the meantime what I have done to get around this problem, is to buy a stereo Rotel power amp with line level analog autosensing and a second set of speakers (side by side with the front stereo speakers of the HT receiver), and run Sonos separate from my surround amp. I moved the better set of speakers onto the Rotel for listening to music, because stereo fronts (as you are probably all aware), aren't super important in movie soundtracks. I've done this because quite simply I'm sick of waiting for such Sonos "solutions"...

I'm not sure I understand what you gained by doing this? Why didn't you just hook it up to your receiver?

I have a ZP90 coax digital into my home theater receiver (Yamaha RX-A3000) and that gives great audio quality. There's the audio delay inherent in the processor which for now has pretty much ruined the multi zone experience.

I do agree that having the receiver act as a Zoneplayer Zone would be amazing!

--rune

[Audacity]

I think most users would not replace their AV receiver with anything Sonos would produce since this is not their main focus. Leave it up to the "pros"

I'm suggesting that Sonos take an "off the shelf" receiver design and add their Zone Player "special sauce" in such a way that I can control the receiver from a Sonos controller.

The additional chips required for multi channel audio decoding are available on the open market for any company to buy. IMHO, from a user interface perspective Sonos already has an edge over companies like Sony, Yamaha, Denon, etc.