Couple of (cheaper) alternatives to Sonos

In an earlier post (click here to read), I discussed the features I would enjoy with the Sonos Multi-Room Music System.

Update: I forgot to mention that Sonos also scans all the free Internet Radio Channels and allows you to listen to them just like any files stored on a Network Attached Storage (NAS) device.

If you are not willing and/or able to acquire a Sonos system, here are a couple of cheaper alternatives. Unfortunately you'll need to weigh the costs, benefits and downsides for these options.

Option #1: One or more MP3 players.

For this example, I will use the iPod classics on Amazon.com. For around $249 retail ($229 on Amazon) and a memory capacity of 160GB, it would easily hold most music collections. There are other manufacturer and storage size options for MP3 players.

Benefits:

• You can take the iPod with you. Sonos stays at home.
• Cost. You can buy four iPods (not counting speakers) for the price of the entry package Sonos system which only gives you rooms.
• 160GB device holds more than 30,000 songs (per Apple's website).
• Can also hold pictures and video.
• Can use for portable storage of files.

Downsides:

• No Internet Radio Stations.
• Limited storage for music collections that aren't compressed and/or are very large.
• Need to purchase one iPod for each room you want to hear music.
• Need to purchase speakers (or equivalent) for each iPod.
• Unable to synchronize playback on all iPods like Sonos. Sonos can play a single MP3 in all rooms. Think of "piping" music throughout the whole house.

Option #2: vtech Wi-Fi Internet Radio
Initially I was very excited to hear about this device until I reviewed the features a little more closely. Click here to check it out. For retail $199 ($138 on Amazon.com), you get a radio that will connect via your wireless Wi-Fi internet connection and allow you to tune in to the free radio stations. It also has RCA and phono input jacks.
Benefits:

• Cost. $199 is cheap for a ton of radio stations (their website lists 11,000 stations). If radio is all you need (or want) then you could get five of these for the price of the Sonos entry-level system.
• Built-in FM tuner.
• Clock with alarm.
• Fairly small at around 6"x12"x3.5"
• Battery operated so that it can be moved around the house or outside. It still needs to be within range of the Wi-Fi connection
• Can plug in an external MP3 player.

Downsides:

• 2x3W speakers plus a 10W subwoofer may not satisfy some who want to pump up the volume.
• Cannot connect to an NAS device.
• Able to connect to files on a PC or Mac. This means that the computer needs to be left on for the files to be played (read: energy use).
• Not portable (beyond Wi-Fi). Sonos isn't either.

Option #3: MP3 player + vtech Internet Radio
This would mean purchasing one MP3 player and one vtech Internet Radio.
Key Benefits (look above too):

• Can take MP3 outside of the house.
• Device can store pictures and video.

Key Downsides (look above too):

• At about $450 or each combination, the cost for two (2) sets is very close to the Sonos entry-level set which also gives you the ability to play in two rooms.
• More electrical plugs and power cables (sometimes they seem to be everywhere!)
• 6W (3Wx2) + 10W subwoofer output is nothing compared to Sonos 110W (55Wx2) output.

Bottom line: it all comes down to weighing needs vs. wants and then costs for certain features.

Competitor to Sonos
Note also that Linksys by Cisco has a system very similar to Sonos called "Wireless Home Audio." You can read more by clicking here: Cisco Linksys Wireless Home Audio Executive Kit--Includes One Director with IR Remote and One Set of Speakers. Sonos had their product out first. Maybe for an upcoming post, I'll do a more direct comparison. The retail pricing is very similar to Sonos at $999 for a two room system.

Disclosure: at the time of this post, I did not directly control shares of Apple or Cisco.