Sonos ZonePlayer S5

Fluid music streaming

FOR the uninitiated, Sonos ZonePlayers are wireless music devices that stream music from the Internet or from your computer.

Previous ZonePlayers required you to plug in your own speakers or any amplified audio device in order to play music. But with the Sonos ZonePlayer S5 ($694), you no longer need to do that, as it is an all-in-one system with five dedicated digital amplifiers that includes two high-frequency drivers, two mid-range drivers and a subwoofer.

Other than a headphone jack and two Ethernet ports, the S5 also has an audio line-in port if you prefer to connect your media player to the speaker.

Its clean and elegant design is a boon for the minimalist. But at 217x365x123mm, the S5 takes up quite a hefty desktop space. It weighs 4.15kg.

Note that one Sonos device has to be wired to your wireless router in order for the streaming to work. This is because Sonos devices use their own proprietary wireless network. Thus, if you own only one S5, you cannot place it, say, in the living room when your router is in the study room. Luckily, there is a cheaper alternative - the Sonos ZoneBridge 100 ($172) connects one or several ZonePlayers to the wireless network by being wired to the router.

Either way, installation is a breeze. Simply connect the S5 or the ZoneBridge to an Ethernet port on your router, install the Sonos Desktop Controller software (for both Mac and PC) on your computer, add your music library and you are good to go.

You can control music playback on the S5 from your computer via the rather expensive wireless Sonos Controller 200 ($607), which comes with a charging cradle. If you have an iPhone or iPod Touch, you can download the free Sonos Controller app instead.

The app has the same intuitive interface as the Sonos Controller 200 but it lacks some features like Repeat or Crossfade. You can exit the app to receive calls or send SMSes without interrupting the music.

Other than streaming music from your computer or network-attached storage, it can also stream music from more than 25,000 Internet radio stations across the world. In addition, it can connect to popular music services like Napster or Rhapsody.

Music streaming is excellent, and feels almost as though music were played from a built-in hard drive in the S5. Except for a slight pause before music starts when you tap the Play button on the Controller, there is no lag during streaming.

The S5's audio quality is remarkable for a single-unit speaker. It is loud enough to fill the living room for your weekend house party when you crank the volume up to 50 per cent.

While the audio separation might pale in comparison to that of a full stereo system, it does well emanating the high frequencies while preserving the mid-range. The bass does go a tad "thumpy" when you crank up the volume, but there isn't much audio distortion.

If you want to stream music in your house and are willing to pay the price, the Sonos ZonePlayer S5 is a good choice. Do budget a little more for the useful Sonos ZoneBridge 100 though. TREVOR TAN


Network Speaker Review: Sonos ZonePlayer S5
by Trevor Tan
05:55 AM Jul 02, 2010

http://www.todayonline.com/Tech/Techreviews/EDC100702-0000045/Fluid-music-streaming