Long time Sonos user here. I started in 2005 with the original CR100 now have 7 zones with a mix of S1 and S2. Using Roon for few years, and have wanted to replace sonos for a while. I find it painful to use Roon and Sonos together and fairly unreliable too, which seems well documented here.
Now’s the time, as I’m upgrading to Naim for main hifi, and there’s no way I’m running 3 separate OS’s!
Play:1, Play:3, and Play:5 will all have to go. It’s just not working out.
What about Connect (Gen 2) and Port? Is there a clean way to use these as an endpoint for roon, perhaps with a pair of active speakers?
I could retain just those 2 devices, and use them as streamers, and ditch all the old Play speakers… I think selling everything and replacing with WiiM or similar might be better. Amp where I want to use speakers I already have. Or some other Roon Ready single speaker solution.
I already swapped out Sonos Port for the 2nd hifi. That replaces 2 boxes (Sonos Port as digital transport + External DAC) with WiiM Pro Plus. I could hear the difference (Cyrus + PMC system), but it was close enough, and I prioritised having fewer boxes and cables on the desk.
No other endpoint that I’m replacing would have the resolution to hear differences DAC differences.
For those that have done sonos replacements, how’d you do it?
5 years ago I had an all Sonos household of 7 rooms. Now I have and Arc, Move and stereo Play 1s in the bedroom (as my wife will not let me replace those).
My Sonos is mostly reliable but all the main stereo systems were replaced with Room Ready components bit by bit.
All are Roon Ready, but some are streaming Amplifiers like an Arcam SA30, and others are streaming pre amplifiers (MA mini-i Pro 3 and 4) that feed power Amplifiers and I also have a Blue sound Power Node.
It’s quite possible to do this while keeping Sonos working at while you transition
I just worked out the same I think. Lots of people suggest Sonos speakers as endpoints for bedrooms and the like.
Looking closer at what I have:
Streamer/transport: Port, Connect (Gen 2)
Speakers with airplay: Play:5, One
Speakers without airplay: Play:1, Play:3
Old stuff: ZP100 amp and CR100
Airport matters. We listen to heaps of podcasts, and this is the best way.
So, I think I’ll retain the airplay speakers (main bedroom, kids bedroom), sell the rest.
The speaker in the kitchen would be the only non-airplay speaker left. I can upgrade it.
Seems like the right way to go.
I’ve got a Raspberry Pi end point at another location. Fun experiment, but I don’t really want all those boxes for every end point. Single speaker solution is definitely neat. If it can play nice with Roon, I can deal with it.
Also, how do you like the arc? Do you use it for TV?
My TV is optical into main hifi. But it sounds terrible (sibilance, it’s the TV source). I think it would improve with HDMI eArc, but my 2 channel system can’t receive it. Wonder if I’m better if the TV has it’s own half-decent speaker.
I think what you are discussing makes complete sense.
Some of the JBL speakers are starting to get Roon Ready certification which could be interesting for the future.
The ARC with subs and play 1 surrounds is great and is mainly used for TV (we have a separate music system in the room) and is connected to the Room server via HDMI for multi channel music through Roon and Tidal.