The Sonos Music System allows you to easily play music in different rooms of your house and control it with your iPhone or other mobile device. This overview will show you how I am using the Sonos Music System and give you an idea what you need to get started. You have many choices when it comes to configuring Sonos. This is one of the many features I like about Sonos...you get to decide exactly how to use the system.
The idea behind this music system is to create "Zones" in your house where you want to hear music. Once you have a zone setup, you can control that zone with your Sonos Controller. I currently have 4 Sonos Zones configured in my house. This allows me to control the music in my kitchen, on my patio, by the swimming pool and in my office. With Sonos, I have access to over 100,000 internet radio stations and can even play my personal music library. The Sonos Controller allows me to play whatever I want...wherever I want. If I want to listen to my favorite station on the patio, I just pull out my iPhone, choose the patio zone, pick the station and press play.
To create a "Zone" in your house you will need a Sonos Zoneplayer. You have 3 choices when it comes to ZonePlayers...the Sonos S5, the ZonePlayer 120 and the ZonePlayer 90. Each of these will allow you to play music but they all work a little differently...depending on your needs.
The Sonos S5 ZonePlayer is a portable speaker. This is the first ZonePlayer I purchased and is the quickest way to get started with Sonos. This ZonePlayer uses your homes internet to play audio. Just plug it in and you can use your Sonos Controller to play music through this speaker-all wirelessly. The cool thing about this speaker is you can move it around anywhere in your house and stream internet music.
The ZonePlayer 120 is where the Sonos Music System shines. This ZonePlayer is for a more advanced setup. The ZP120 is not a speaker but is an amplifier. You would use the ZP120 to power a set of speakers. For example, I have speakers built into the ceiling of my kitchen. The wires of the kitchen speakers run back to my media cabinet in my living room. The ZP120 resides in my media cabinet and hooks to my kitchen speakers. This creates a Sonos Zone in my kitchen. I have a total of 3 ZP120s all wired to different speakers around my house...the kitchen, the patio and swimming pool. This allows me to use my iPhone to play music to each of these zones. Again, the ZP120 uses your homes internet to play music through the speakers attached.
Last but not least, is the ZonePlayer 90. This ZonePlayer allows you to create a Sonos Zone on audio equipment you already own. For example, you could use the ZP90 with your favorite stereo system. The ZP90 is not an amplifier but will use the stereos power to play Sonos through your stereo speakers. Just plug the 90 into your stereo and you have a Sonos Zone. This would then allow you to control your stereo wirelessly with your Sonos Controller.
If you're looking for a flexible home audio solution then you should definitely check out the Sonos Music System. This system is very easy to setup and allows you to get the most out your music.
