We’ll cover exactly what a Sonos Amp is, all the applications it could be used for, its internal and connected components, and compare it to some of its competitors for you. can determine if it is the right amp for or not friend. So let’s get started with our post of Sonos amp wireless/wired networked amplifier review below.
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Design of Sonos amp wireless/wired networked amplifier
If we take a closer look at the product, you’ll notice it’s quite a lot smaller than traditional amplifiers. That is completely intentional from Sonos. Sonos wanted to get away from having amplifiers that take up large amounts of space. As it’s controlled wirelessly through the Sonos app, the only wires you need to get this up and running is the cable from the amp to each of the speakers it’s powering and mains power for the Amp itself.
It’s also only sold in this black color, which is often referred to as stealth black.
On the front of the product, it’s quite minimalistic with a play pause button and volume controls, in case you’re near your Amp and you want quick control without needing to open the Sonos app. If we look at the back of the Amp, this is where all your connections are. The main power is the join button for connecting to wi-fi wirelessly, the speaker terminals where the speaker cable will run from, and then into each speaker terminals on the other speakers.
Sonos Amp Low-End (Bass)
The Sonos Amp features a subwoofer output for creating a full 2.1 system. You may find this useful if you want some extra bass; the Sonos Amp isn’t a particularly heavy system down low and doesn’t put out particularly punchy bass. We don’t necessarily mean this as a negative; the low-end is clear and detailed, with a good level of control. This is particularly true in the mid-bass, where you’ll find things like cellos, some guitars, and occasionally kick drums. These elements, and others in this particular region, felt competent and assured. More importantly, they were fun – controlled without being chaotic. And you can always add the aforementioned subwoofer if you want an extra kick-down low. Perhaps the Sonos Sub might be an option – right now, it’s one of the best and most accessible subs available.
The weaknesses of the Sonos Amp
It doesn’t support Bluetooth, which may be a deal-breaker for some. It gets quite costly if there is a need to use multiple amps in your home. And it does also have only one line. But of course, if you have various amps in your setup, this will eliminate this potential issue.
Their app is reliable and intuitive to use day-to-day, and their experience shows when you compare it with other similar wi-fi-based systems. It will also get better over time, unlocking software upgrades when available, which are sometimes extremely useful.
Accessories & Packaging
The Sonos Amp doesn’t come with a remote – hardly surprising, given the excellence of the app. What it does come with is a genius accessory that we wish more amp makers thought to include. The speaker connections on the back of the Amp are set up to receive banana plugs by default (these are what banana plugs are). If you don’t like using banana plugs, Sonos helpfully provide adapters that can be pushed directly into the speaker posts, and which unscrew to allow you to insert speaker wire. Once again, Sonos prove that nobody can beat them when it comes to usability and design. The inclusion of these adapters is such a simple thing, but it makes all the difference.
A Pack-in-the-Box
Here is what the Amp hardware team at Sonos did in a nutshell. They replaced the old Connect: Amp’s friendly, stubby-footed, white-and-silver case with a sleek, all-black chassis that’s shorter—it now fits in a 1 1/2 U space—but a bit wider and deeper. Gone are the Connect: Amp’s pegboard-style top and bottom panels. Instead, the top of the Amp sports a convex depression that passively (read: no fan noise) allows heat to flow out through the curved edge of the indentation. The capacitance-touch controls for volume up/down and play/pause are indicated by minimalist icons on the front panel, whereas the Connect: Amp had rubberized button caps (again, so 2005…) for the same controls. When sitting on a tabletop or shelf, the Amp’s industrial design is visually striking enough to be a conversation starter. When mounted in a rack, either singly or paired side-by-side with other Amps, its uncluttered front panel gives the impression of a mysterious piece of advanced technology.
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Sonos amp wireless/wired networked amplifier review – travelsyear.com