I have seen the future of music….
Cats: music|… and it is Sonos.
I’ve had this wireless multi-room digital music system for a couple of years now. A handset and zone player give wireless access to the music stored on your computer.
You can make playlists, listen to local radio and access 300 free internet radio stations. You can also play different music in different rooms of your house.
But the real show-stopper is this: Sonos now gives you access to a library of millions of songs, new, old, indie, jazz, blues, classical, opera, comic monologues, obscure – whatever.
The Sonos system is now integrated with subscription music services like Napster and Rhapsody. For less than ten bucks a month, you can access pretty well anything your heart desires.
Bye bye ripping, downloading, tagging, burning and hand-wringing over the ethics of peer-shared digital music.
If Jacy or Bad Tempered Zombie or Beth or TagBagger mentions some great new music, I can just listen to it instantly. If I don’t like it, I don’t have to listen again. If I love it, I can store it on a playlist and listen over and over.
This has changed everything for me. It is, in the parlance of modern economics, a disruptive technology. It has made new music easy, fast and cheap.
I don’t normally do product endorsements on GT, but this is more than just a product.
For the music lover, this is the future.
February 19th, 2008 at 12:58 pm
…if you have a decent internet connection.
I would have to decide what I want to listen to and then download while out of the house, which is what I do now.
Sounds good though for non-bandwidthly challenged.
February 19th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
It sounds awesome. I must look into this. Thanks for the tip.
February 19th, 2008 at 9:46 pm
Yes it is great – my only issue thus far is that it does drop the connection sometimes. None the less – the Napster model is so much better than some of the music purchase options where you download, but depend on an authentication key via the internet to actually play the music each time. Some of these services have gone poof over the past couple of months, along with thousands of dollars of music for some. With Sonos/Napster – nothing is lost, even if Napster craters. And I still would have Sonos/iTunes with all my own ripped music.
February 19th, 2008 at 10:52 pm
This kinda made my head explode a little, but, despite sounding too good to be true (although why would you lead me on?), it’s something I will certainly need to look into more in the future. Thanks for the heads-up!
February 19th, 2008 at 11:19 pm
Dick, that’s just shite. If they had Academy Awards for stupidity, Canada would surely win for failing to grasp the importance of universal broadband in the 21st century. In my home province, broadband is hard to come by unless you;re in a town or city. Maybe no-one’s told the dumb-ass public policy makers that we’re now into the 9th year of the 21st century.
Lori, it is. You’re welcome.
TagBagger, I figured you’d be all over this. I’ve noticed the dropped connection a few times, but you can get it back pretty easily. Are you still trialing Napster? I’d be interested to trial Zune and Rhapsody to see how they differentiate their products. Tonight I was listing to a Napster playlist of one-hit wonders: Video Killed the Radio Star? Shy shy. Remember those?
BB, that is exactly how I felt when it hit me. OMFG! This is going to change everything. It already has and I’m still trialing the service which is a cut-down version of the real thing. I wouldn’t lead you astray on this. I’ve been using Sonos for over two years and it’s superb. The Napster thing is a recent addition – an absolutely mind blowing addition
I’m chuckling at your head “exploding a little”. Ah the power of understatement.
February 20th, 2008 at 3:27 pm
Wow, this is very very cool. I’m usually a late adopter – and I guess I still would be with Sonos, seeing as it’s been available for 2 years now. I have yet to invest in a home theater system and I think incorporating Sonos would be the most efficient way to get tunes pumpin’ through the house. Thanks for the tip, GT!
February 20th, 2008 at 4:48 pm
Check out Cat Power – “The Greatest” – a little like Amy Winehouse, except she pulled out of the dive.
“Once I wanted to be the greatest….”
February 20th, 2008 at 5:35 pm
Great, just what I need another gadget that I just have to have.
February 20th, 2008 at 6:27 pm
That does look pretty cool. My current MP3 hoard is now 26,000 songs, though. So, I’m pretty well set with home music. It would be cool to have all of that functionality, though. In time, I’ll look into this.
February 20th, 2008 at 7:31 pm
Moxie, it’s still pretty new…I think the system is really coming into its own now with this Naptster integration – so maybe you aren’t a late adopter after all.
TagBagger, thanks, I get right on that. When I my trial runs out and I get all subscribed up, I’m going to post asking for songs I should listen to. So start your list…
Hey welcome to GT Chancelucky, yes, I’m afraid this is a gadget not to be missed if you’re a music lover.
Patrick, I think this is a product that will keep sprouting new functionalies. Soon it will do your dishes and organize your basement.