elephant wrote:

However the Apple dealer never had it wired up for demonstration so I never knew what it sounded like !!!

That is so typical.  So many times i've been in to an Apple place and asked them to demo something that wasn't standard and it's always too hard.  When ever that's the case, i just walk out and head to some where with SERVICE.  

mbee wrote:

I'm planning to create a Sonos+B&O setup on a friend's father home.

The setup will consist on Beolabs on "link rooms" connected to (hidden) ZP90 (I've seen on the Sonos forum that people connectiong Sonos to B&O never complain, on contrary to people connecting Airport Express to B&O). The remote control will be at first the Sonos software for iPod/iPhone, maybe a Sonos remote will be added later if he finds that the reconnexion time of the ipod is too long (has to be tested).

All the music will be stored in a NAS (probably a MyBook World NAS). This NAS also contains all SD and HD videos.

On the main room, a WD TV Live will allow full access to the NAS for video and audio playback. 

This setup will allow to distribute audio all around the home, and select tracks on a cool touchscreen with cover art... Everything with perfect (B&O) audio quality. What I hoped for years B&O would do, but unfortunately they are too focused on backward compatibility with Masterlink to jump to this kind of tech now...

In my "previous life" @ B&O King Street, we installed many systems that were sonos/B&O hybrids.  Very effective, and 99% of customers love the functionality.

You can use sonos with B&O in three main ways - via line in to supply single room B&O with content,  or in link systems with streamed audion and net radio - or just put Beolabxxxx on the end of a sonos distribution system, with no B&O audio/link products.

Or a mixture - I can think of several systems where we used B&O video distribution, often with a Beosound9000/4 in the living room - but that was partly as a visual or design element, to be honest.  But all the audio link rooms are controlled via sonos, using their remotes or iphones app.  The "compromise" here is that once sonos is selected as an input on the B&O audio or video products, you switch to the sonos remote in those rooms too.

It is very easy for families to pick up the operation - and by putting beolab/beovox speakers, you get B&O audio performance and design qualities in the rooms.

Beolab 4000 - wall mounted throughout a house, make for a very nice, easy to use system - with superb sound.  Seperate sources in each room is a BIG appeal - and access to napster/lastfm etc make it very user friendly.

Local line in means you can easily include video products in the set ups - and these can be accessed from any other room.

The one drawback is the "fidelity", particularly of net-sourced content - but then in a kitchen/bathroom/bedroom, for most people it is more about access to content - they just take it as a given that the sound, via beolabs, is still very good - which it is - and the reality is that unless you use Lab 9 or higher, and you're in a more critical listening envronment rather than background music, the sound of a sonos driven beloab 4000/6000/8000 is still superb. 

I think I'm right saying that King Street has the sonos fully set up at the shop - and also a "mobile" home demo kit, ready to set up on loan/demo for customers who want to try before they buy.  They certainly did up until March this year.  I'm sure they would help any beoworld callers - even if you are out of area/country, and just want a bit of advice.

We can operate the Sonos via The Beo4/Beo5 on every TV using this driver and Control4

thanks for that.

I am planning to do the same for sonos. How does:

Beolabs connect with sonos and beolink wireless in the same loudspeaker as I like beolink for video sound and sonos for wireless audio? can you switch with remote?

Can you connect sonos directly with Beovisions for control?

many thanks for your help

Vince

folkdeejay wrote:

Or a mixture - I can think of several systems where we used B&O video distribution, often with a Beosound9000/4 in the living room - but that was partly as a visual or design element, to be honest.  But all the audio link rooms are controlled via sonos, using their remotes or iphones app.  The "compromise" here is that once sonos is selected as an input on the B&O audio or video products, you switch to the sonos remote in those rooms too.

Folk DJ, could you explain exactly what happens in a hybrid B&O / sonos system? For instance, a sonos is coupled to a BC 2 through aux-in. Of course, you have to select the Aux-in function in the menu of the BC 2 to play sonos delivered content. I suppose you also have to use the Sonos remote or Iphone, Ipad, etc. to select and play songs. My question then relates to the volume: do you still have to use the beo 4 or beo 5 to set and change the volume of the speakers coupled to the BC2? Or can you also avoid that ? If not, I don't see the point of using a hybrid system ? Thanks for any feedback 

Sonos analog output can be set to variable line signal (set by default). So if you use the volume control on your Sonos remote/iPhone/iPad, the volume goes down on the system.

You can control the volume from any of your sonos devices with the sonos remote or the iphone/ipad app.  You set the volume on your B&O device, and then move it up or down from there with the Sonos. 

For example, I have my sonos plugged into the AUX on my BC9500, one to a BS1, etc.

I just set the volume to a medium and then go up/down from there.

Reading this thread I get a bit sad. The BS5 could mimic a lot of this functionality quite easily IF B&O decided to update and strengthen the software in use on the BM5/BS5 combo. Maybe this comes when the new Beo6 is released..

macjonny1 wrote:

You can control the volume from any of your sonos devices with the sonos remote or the iphone/ipad app.  You set the volume on your B&O device, and then move it up or down from there with the Sonos. 

For example, I have my sonos plugged into the AUX on my BC9500, one to a BS1, etc.

I just set the volume to a medium and then go up/down from there.

Correct - or you can set the sonos to fixed line out, and use B&O volumes locally. 

Sonos linking up with spotify too - a very powerful combination in terms of content.  How it sounds depends on what you use it with and if you have the higher rate premium service.