Sonos BU130 Digital Music System Bundle Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This is the absolute best digital jukebox out there, period. As an added bonus, it's flexible, scalable, multizone, wireless... and systems costing twenty times as much do not even come close the ease of use: Sonos currently has the highest Wife Acceptance Factor of any techno-gadget out there, only equaled by TiVo.
Although some amount of technical savvy is required for the initial setup, anybody can pick up the beautiful remote and immediately figure out how to use it (it's a bit like an iPod).
This bundle contains the wireless controller and its charger (but no charging cradle, more on this later), a ZP80 and a ZP100. The main difference between the two zone players is the ZP100 has a built-in amplifier so you can hook up speakers directly to it, whereas the ZP80 doesn't but it offers digital output (coax and optical) which the ZP100 lacks. Both zone players feature an analog input (you could use it for a TV or a satellite radio receiver, for instance) as well as analog line output. It's the perfect starter kit for a two-zone system; you can always add more controllers and zone players later as needed, and seamlessly integrate them into your system.
Sonos has been relentlessly adding features since its initial release: Rhapsody, Pandora, Napster, Sirius Satellite Radio (no antenna needed, you get the feed over the internet). Reliability has been exemplary.
The price may seem a little steep for a music system, but the nearest competitor (Logitech Squeezebox Duet Network Music System) is nowhere near as fully featured (no amplifier, no audio input, no Sirius) and doesn't cost much less for a two zone system. It also seems to be a lot more complicated to setup and use, but I must admit not having any first-hand experience with it.
The only blemish on the Sonos is that they sell the charging cradle separately for a ridiculous amount of money (it's just a dumb piece of plastic) when it's an indispensable part of the system. Considering the fairly high price of the system, I fail to see the rationale behind excluding it from the bundle... It must be the brainchild of some marketing moron. Other than this minor but irritating point... This is just the most enjoyable, reliable, easiest to use system out there.
This NAS box is a perfect complement to your Sonos system and will host the music files so you can turn off your computer and keep the music going: D-Link DNS-323 2-Bay Network Storage Enclosure
The infamous cradle (don't forget to order it): Sonos CC100 Charging Cradle for Sonos CR100 Controller
Edit: the Logitech Squeezebox Duet now supports Sirius.
[Edit August 2008] Sonos released new ZonePlayers, ZP90 and ZP120, part of the new BU150 bundle which replaces the BU130. Don't buy the now obsolete BU130 bundle unless you can get it at a significant discount over the BU150.

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Sonos BU130

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Sonos ZonePlayer ZP80 Add-On Player Review

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(More customer reviews)Great add-on device to my music system, bringing internet music and digital music from my computer to my theater system. It seems expensive for for merely converting wifi radio frequency to RCA inputs to the home theater system. Especially when I realized I needed to buy another bridge device to connect this unit to the home network. But it is simple to install and use. It is unobtrusive and clean.

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For those looking for a simple, powerful, and stylish way to play all your favorite music, all over your house, here's the answer: the Sonos ZonePlayer 80 (ZP80), which is part of the complete Sonos Digital Music System. With the ZP80 you can wirelessly stream the music you have stored on your PC or Mac to your home audio equipment -- your home theater receiver, stereo system, powered speakers, and more. Just connect a ZP80 to any amplified audio device in any room, and that device is instantly and seamlessly part of a wireless, multi-room digital music system. You can even play the same song in different rooms or different songs in different rooms.
Watch a demo of the Sonos Digital Music System.
With up to 32 ZP80s set up in your home, you can use the full-color Sonos Controller to wirelessly control all those devices from the palm of your hand. Sonos liberates the digital music that's stored on your PC, Mac or network attached storage (NAS) box and wirelessly streams it to any ZonePlayer in any room. You can access music stored on up to 16 devices on your home network, plus Internet radio, subscriptions to online audio services like Rhapsody and Audible.com, and even music coming from an external audio source, like your favorite CD player.
You can also use a ZP80 to retrofit a conventional multi-room audio system with home-run speakers or as a wireless extender to increase the wireless range of your Sonos system. No matter where or how you use the amazingly compact ZP80, the digital and analog outputs will deliver superior sound to every room. And because it's designed to minimize noise and distortion, the music you hear will sound virtually identical to the original.
The ZP80 features optical and coax digital outputs for superior audio quality, so it's ready to connect to your high-end home theater or stereo system. There's even an analog audio input for connecting a CD or MP3 player directly to the ZP80, and you can listen to that music on all the other ZonePlayers in your house.
Sonos In Depth The ZP80 is just one part of a complete Sonos Digital Music System. To make your system complete, you'll also need the Sonos Controller. With a wireless Sonos Controller in hand, you'll have instant access to all your digital music, plus Internet radio, subscriptions to online audio services, and even music from your favorite CD or MP3 player. Use the Sonos Controller to access your entire digital music collection and Internet radio from the palm of your hand. Turn off the upstairs music while you're downstairs. Change the song in the kitchen from the den. The Controller's full-color 3.5-inch screen lets you see album art, browse playlists, get detailed track info, and more. To start listening, just pick a room, pick a song, and hit play. The Controller also allows you to queue the right tunes for the right moment; you can build, edit, and save playlists right from the palm of your hand.
With Sonos ZonePlayers in the rooms of your choice, you can play the same song in different rooms, or different songs in different rooms. As mentioned, you can have up to 32 Sonos ZonePlayers throughout your house -- from the bedroom to the backyard. Connect your first ZonePlayer to your router and all the others work wirelessly. Choose between the ZP80 featured on this page, which connects directly to your home theater or stereo, or the ZP100, which features its own built-in amplifier. Or better yet, choose both for the ultimate in multi-room music.
If you choose to extend your system with a ZP100 you can use your own speakers with it, or connect a pair of Sonos SP100 Loudspeakers, which are aesthetically and acoustically designed to look great with your Sonos Digital Music System.
If you're just getting started with your Sonos system, you'll want to check out Sonos' ZP80 and ZP100 Digital Music System Bundles, which combine two ZP80 or ZP100 units respectively with a Sonos Controller. The bundles offer an easy, economical way to get in on the Sonos action. Then, when you're ready to expand you can purchase a ZP80 or ZP100 for more rooms in your home.
Sonos Setup You don't need to be a professional installer to set up a Sonos system, or a technical wizard to use it. Sonos was designed to work right out of the box. All you need is a high-speed Internet connection and a router to get started. Then, unpack your components, lay them out in your home, and the result will be music to your ears.
Software Sonos offers desktop software for PC and Mac that's as simple to use as the Sonos controller. Designed with a user interface to accommodate a larger screen, the Sonos Desktop Controller software for PC and Mac will guide you through both set up and music sharing. It offers all the same functionality as the Sonos Controller, but instead of being in the palm of your hand, it's all on your desktop.
Use the software to set up your system, as well as music sharing. It also helps you set up music folders on your hard drive so they can be shared across all ZonePlayers. The software provides control of your Sonos Digital Music System from your desktop, and you can use it to add and edit your choice of Internet radio stations.
What's in the Box Sonos ZonePlayer ZP80, power cord, ethernet cable, Sonos System Setup software CD-ROM (Windows 2000, Windows XP SP2 or Mac OS X v10.3 and v10.4), and Sonos Digital Music System Documentation.

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