Sonos Connect digital out sound quality (bit-perfect?)

Seems like making it slightly less than bit perfect would be more difficult than bit perfect. How would this impact you unless you bought a post 2011 connect? (Your post suggests the hardware has changed)

Hi Kevin

From what I read in the sonos forum the change was firmware based but only applied to post 2011 devices (mine is 2013). The reasons are hinted to be a move towards homogenisation of sound to match the rest of Sonos products. 

Not sure that I like this idea to be honest..

Have you tried the bit perfect test tracks? I can't remember if they only work with USB. Worth a try.

I am not 100% sure but I think they only work with USB unfortunately. The person who investigated captured the digital output and compared with the original track. Technically way more advanced than my present skills

Is there a digital volume control in the Sonos and if so can it be bypassed?

Hi Eloise, 

The Sonos volume control can indeed be set to 'fixed output'. Until recently that seemed to ensure bit perfect output. The thread in the sonos forum mentions that the tests were done with this fixed output set. The person who conducted the test managed to capture the digital output from the Sonos Connect and then compared that to the original. My technical knowledge does not go that deep as to be able to critique the method used but the ensuing discussion appears to accept and confirm the test outcome (including Sonos staff). My concern is simply one of 'fidelity'. I have been using the Sonos Connect with my Naim system for a long time and I am used to depend on this. Over time (past two years) I have picked up some slight changes to how it sounds (towards negative). I initially attributed this to firmware changes etc. I am just a bit more unhappy with the prospect of feeding my Naim with a non bit perfect stream.

It might be time to drop Sonos and move to a Naim streamer... 

Cheers

YiannisK posted:

It might be time to drop Sonos and move to a Naim streamer... 

Better late than never 

Make sure your network is rock solid, though.....

Will do :-) Shame about the Sonos though. It has been with me for so long it feels sad to part ways.

It is interesting how many companies that sells modification&upgrades to Sonos, in terms of better power supply and better spdif   output. However it seems that the Sonos way of handling local network is much much better than Naim and probably most other. A plug & play network solution.  

I did not go for Sonos as an extra streamer but got a cheap Bluesond node1 for the streaming services that the original Naim servers do not support.

Claus

YiannisK posted:

Hi Eloise, 

The Sonos volume control can indeed be set to 'fixed output'. Until recently that seemed to ensure bit perfect output. The thread in the sonos forum mentions that the tests were done with this fixed output set. The person who conducted the test managed to capture the digital output from the Sonos Connect and then compared that to the original. My technical knowledge does not go that deep as to be able to critique the method used but the ensuing discussion appears to accept and confirm the test outcome (including Sonos staff). My concern is simply one of 'fidelity'. I have been using the Sonos Connect with my Naim system for a long time and I am used to depend on this. Over time (past two years) I have picked up some slight changes to how it sounds (towards negative). I initially attributed this to firmware changes etc. I am just a bit more unhappy with the prospect of feeding my Naim with a non bit perfect stream.

It might be time to drop Sonos and move to a Naim streamer... 

Cheers

Would you still use the V1? I've done a bit of A/B on the V1 inputs and the USB sounds the best to my ears .

Planning to keep the V1 for the time being and totally agree with you... USB sounds the best. I will move it to desktop duty at some point.

Cheers