![]() It's clear that Sonos spent a great deal of time trying to achieve the level of user friendliness that Apple is known for, because setup was a breeze. For instance, after we frequently used the remote for one day, its battery charge was nearly halfway depleted. But with no front panel controls on the ZonePlayers, the system will live or die by the controller's battery life. For its part, Sonos insists that the battery will last at least five years. One other nitpick: the controller's built-in rechargeable battery isn't removable, which could spell trouble down the road. Likewise, the iPod-white color scheme may be stylish, but we'd love to see a basic black version. For instance, both the ZP80 and ZP100 base stations are unusually boxy-they won't match the any of the other components in your home audio system. The overall look and feel of the Sonos is great, and the controller's interface is downright superlative. The ZP80s, which retail for $349 each, can be connected to any device with auxiliary inputs, and-unlike the analog-only ZP100-they'll connect via coaxial and optical digital inputs as well. It's worth repeating our aforementioned advice: If you plan on installing a ZonePlayer where you already have an acceptable amplifier-an A/V receiver, stereo, or even a tabletop radio-you should consider the $1,000 Z80 bundle, which includes the same excellent wireless remote but pairs it with two smaller ZP80 base stations. ![]() It sports two pairs of high-quality speaker binding posts, analog stereo inputs and outputs (plus a subwoofer output), and a built-in four-port Ethernet switch. About the size of an Xbox, Sonos designed it to be smaller than a typical stereo component (it measures 10.2 by 8.2 by 4.4 inches), so it would fit into spots that a typical component won't. The nearly button-free ZonePlayer, which houses a full-fledged 50-watt-per-channel amplifier and weighs 10 pounds with a die-cast, matte-aluminum enclosure, feels like a mini tank. Take one look at the silver-and-white color scheme (and that scroll wheel on the remote), and you get the idea that Sonos wants you to think that its understatedly sleek components would fit right into Apple's iPod line-and they would. (The bundle price of $1,200 represents a savings of about $200 over the cost of purchasing them separately.) The components aren't cheap-a single ZonePlayer goes for $499, while the remote comes in at $399-but they definitely have solid build quality. The original one, reviewed here, consists of two ZP100 ZonePlayers and the CR100 controller, a high-tech wireless remote with a sharp color screen and a touch-pad scroll wheel that's the secret sauce in this package. The Sonos Digital Music System is available in multiple configurations. But there are still plenty of folks out there who like the idea of having a ZonePlayer that can be connected to-and will power-a pair of speakers on its own. For that crowd, Sonos now offers the Z80 bundle (a.k.a. If this system has a weakness, it's that that the company's original ZonePlayer, the ZP100-two of which are included with this bundle along with a CR100 remote-has a built-in amp that's overkill for buyers who already count an amplifier or an A/V receiver as part of their existing music systems. So why has little Sonos, a start-up based in Santa Barbara, managed to attract so much attention for its relatively expensive audio-only Digital Music System? Well, because it's essentially the product everybody's been hoping Apple would make: a simple, elegant solution to streaming hard-drive-based music to multiple rooms via a series of networked ZonePlayer base stations and a sleek command module. In the last couple of years, several companies have introduced digital audio receivers or media servers that enable you to stream music-and sometimes images and video-from your PC or Mac to a stereo, a TV, or a set of speakers in another room. But if you already count an amplifier or an A/V receiver as part of your existing music system, the ampless Sonos ZP80 bundle is a better bet. This, the original Sonos Digital Music System, is still a very slick solution for affordably distributing your music throughout your house.
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