A number of consumers in the past few years have initiated class action lawsuits against SONOS, the company that brings us plug-and-play wireless audio distribution throughout the home. The most recent lawsuit claims that certain speakers have failed for all users simultaneously and lost all product support, allegedly because the company wants to force consumers to upgrade to newer, more expensive speakers. A few months ago there was a class action initiated by irate customers when SONOS released a new app with so many glitches that users could no longer access features on their system.
A Unique Audio Ecosystem
These consumer revolts are partly the result of the fact that SONOS has created a unique approach to wireless audio systems that, when it works, is a joy to use for who prefer Internet streaming as their primary music source. A SONOS speaker or other component can connect to its proprietary Wi-Fi simply by plugging it in to a power outlet and controlling it with a phone app. That means you can have speakers in several rooms that play the same song but can be individually adjusted for volume and even equalization. You can arrange five speakers in your home theatre for wireless surround sound, and even add two more for ATMOS effects. They make a sound bar that can simulate surround sound from a single location while it takes advantage of the other perks of a SONOS system.
Who Can Complete With Sonos?
The speakers are expensive but they provide good quality sound and the ease of use is addictive – when it works. The trouble is that when it doesn’t work you have no option. The only solid connection is the power cord; everything else comes from pushing virtual buttons on your phone or tablet. That’s why when a customer wants to hear music and the app’s not doing what it should they become aggravated enough to start talking about litigation. SONOS has been the only game in town that can provide this type of system. A disappointed consumer can’t easily find a competitor that offers the same flexibility. There is one, but it is not marketed in the massive way that SONOS is. It’s called Bluesound.
Bluetooth, a wireless transmission system that allows high density data streams between devices, has been developing and improving for years. Affordable portable Bluetooth speakers of all stylistic and quality varieties now abound on the market. Most homes now have something that works with Bluetooth. Any system that can offer a network ecosystem for streaming that utilizies Bluetooth along with your home Wi-Fi network is able to compete with SONOS if it can handle all the different ways that people want to set up their audio systems.
The Bluesound Ecosystem Comes With A Pedigree
On its website Bluesound touts its emphasis on audiophile quality sound from a streaming source, saying “here at Bluesound we are passionate about musical detail, texture and volume”. Born from collaboration between brands like NAD Electronics, PSB Speakers, Bluesound Professional and the BluOS operating system, the brand comes with an industry pedigree.
The Bluesound system includes speakers, soundbars and wireless nodes with cable inputs and outputs that include RCA, Optical, and even XLR balanced inputs. It can integrate with existing audio systems while accessing the streaming services. Along with the phone app, Bluesound can be operated by third party smart home systems like Control 4, Crestron, and Lutron, for audiophiles who want to integrate their streaming into their home automation.
Reliability And Audio Quality
Many of the consumer backlash faced by SONOS seems to be the result of their constant innovation, sometimes rushing a technology to market before they are ready. If so, the Bluesound ecosystem might be less prone to that danger based on its evolution from the ground up through high resolution audio brands. Their dependence on Bluetooth means they are using the same technology that is already at work in millions of homes.
Cable Prewire Still Provides The Most Robust and Futureproof Distributed Audio
In my view there is still a place for hard-wired multi-room and surround sound audio systems. They have the disadvantage of requiring a solid cable connection between components, controllers and speakers but that can easily be taken care of in the construction stage of any new home. They have the solid advantage of always being there, not subject to a fluctuating environment of radio waves. With the speakers getting their power from the cables, there is no need to strategize placement around the availability of electrical outlets. And upgraded components can be easily introduced into the system without affecting the infrastructure so the sky is the limit when it comes to audio quality.