Sonos Connect bit perfect?

Hello everyone

I am new to these forums and to the Roon world of audio. Myself and a few others have expressed concerns over one sonos members finding that the Sonos connect is not outputing a bit perfect signal over there digital outputs. I am not a software or hardware expert but others are saying it is just a software upgrade to correct the problem as the connect used to be bit perfect.

It is my understanding that Roon developed this Sonos 1.3 interface without Sonos help.

My question is:

Will using a Sonos connect as an output device with Roon 1.3 allow for bit perfect output from the Sonos Connect.

It apppears Sonos is not interested in correcting their own software. I hope Roon is able to and has corrected this problem. If they have I will be purchacing Roon software as apposed to new hardware.

At 44.1kHz/16-bit: yes.

HIgher resolutions will be downsampled – I believe the Sonos maxes out at 48/16. That’s a hardware limitation – not much Roon can do about it.

I think the OP is referring to a recent issue with the SONOS Connect firmware that makes it not even bit perfect at 16/44.1. There’s a thread on this over at the SONOS forums.

Hmmm… Must be this. Misty business - especially the absence of a substantive reply by Sonos

I think the only one who can shed a light on this is @ben – though I would not blame him for staying out of it. :wink:

I general we use the same mechanism to control Sonos hardware that the official apps do. In practice this means that as @RBM says we downsample to 48kHz/16bit if required and then send the music over the network. After that point I no longer have any control over what the device does with it. I can’t comment on what the Connect may or may not do with the signal after it gets there, and have no special knowledge or control one way or the other.

In fact, we developed this Sonos support without a lot of hardware. I’ve actually never seen a Connect in person, let alone listened to one.

I’m happy to answer any other questions or concerns you might have with our Sonos support, let me know if I can help.

I agree. I was not trying to bring in trouble from another forum. Sorry for that if that is what I did.

I was just hoping that the Roon software would have a little more control over the sonos connect.

I realize 16/48 is all we are going to get out of this hardware. I realize down sampling is a reality with this device.

I was hoping for a digital bit perfect output at 16/44.1 to feed my external dac.

Thanks everyone.

Lucky me, both of mine are the older hardware. 1.1.16.4-1 :grin:

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That I understand. Then again – these are times where you get much better quality out of a Raspberry Pi + Digi+ board, enabling up to 192/24 bit perfect goodness for <$100. Use it with Roon & RoonBridge in your main system – and let the less critical zones remain Sonos. :smiley:

Thanks for your suggestion. I am going to take your advice and run with it. If i am going to spend the money for 1 or 2 streamers for critical listening, are there others that I should be looking at besides the Pi?

Again my knowledge is limited on what what sounds the best. If a device outputs bit perfect are they not all the same?

Bluesound Node 2 , redu, and Auralic Mini are others I am considering.

I have a couple for Schiit Yggdrasils dacs that I would be feeding.

A Pi+Digi+ Pro is excellent when you need SPDIF (optical or coaxial).

For USB it is a different matter: if you want to follow the SBC route, an Odroid C2 or a Cubox would be better choices.

Upping the game a bit: Sonore’s MicroRendu is supposed to be very good (if not the best) at what it does. Don’t know the Node2 – it has just become RoonReady as of last week. The Auralic mini is not Roon compatible – and from what Auralic tells us, it will probably never be.

Hi RBM

Thanks very much for your help. To start playing how do you get Spdif outputs onto a Pi computer?

What software do you run on the PI?

Is there a way to get AES output from a PI computer?

Is there a special power supply that one would use on the PI for sound quality?

Sorry to be so green.

  1. Hifiberry Digi+ Pro HAT
  2. DietPi is excellent. Install RoonBridge from the software menu.
  3. AES requires soldering and handiwork on the Hifiberry. Not for the fainthearted. :wink:
  4. I use an Aqvox LPSU. It works – make of that as you will :slight_smile:

There’s a few threads in the Pi subforum about this.

Thanks Rene

I will start my reading. I might have to end up buying completed streamer if this is all above me:)

If you leave out AES for now and start out with a standard PSU – the rest is like LEGO. :wink:

I could do that:)

Do you know who sells this eqipment in Canada including a nice enclosure?

I’m running a microRendu with a Schiit Gumby. Works great. Also the Rendu is NAA compatible if you want to go the HQPlayer route.

Hi Robert

Are you confident this seup would sound better than a Sonos Connect?

I have both devices. The Connect setup with Roon is new. I’ve had the Sonos equipment around five years. It is dependable, and more versatile output wise than the mRendu, but is limited to 16/48. The mRendu is a really slick device, but is designed as USB out only - plays hi-res files too. I was on the first run of devices made by Sonore. I added a Channel Islands Audio PS. It has excellent quality sound, and a simple user interface. Below are two llnks from Computer Audiophile. Those articles will yield some good information.


http://www.computeraudiophile.com/content/705-sonore-microrendu-review-part-2/

Lots of user feedback out there on the microRendu as well. I would be confident the mR is an upgrade to the Sonos gear.

Mine does output bitperfect, no problems as far as i’m concerned.

There is a discussion about this in the Sonos community, including claims that recently manufactured Connects are not bitperfect.