Sonos1+Spotify....or?

[Matty]

My mothers trusty old stereo has given up the ghost, so looking to get her into the future with something more modern.

She's got an iPhone and an iPad, and I'm looking at buying her a Sonos1 and a sub to Spotify. She's no audiophile, just wants an easy way to listen to her music (most of which is on CD, but a streaming service will resolve that).

Question is, is the Sonos1 + Spotify the best way? Or Apple Music instead? Whats the news about not Sonos stopping support for local music except over Airplay2?
Alternatively, are there any other suggestions for something equivalent that plays well with the Apple platform? She's no audiophile, just wants to be able to pick up the iPad, find music, play.

[Jobbo]

How will she put her CDs into a streaming service? That may sound silly but people like to stick to what they know. I'd be inclined to suggest something like the Pure Evoke if she wants a device with the speakers built in - https://www.hifix.co.uk/pure-evoke-c-d6 ... sic-system - or a Denon DM41 or similar if she prefers separate speakers: https://www.richersounds.com/hi-fi/sepa ... deals.html

[DaveE]

We have the single speaker version of that Evoke in the kitchen.

It's a nice enough thing - simple to use, DAB, BT etc (plus an aux in), but the sound isn't very good - quite thin/light.

It's find for voice (Radio 4, say), but it's not exactly "entertaining" when it comes to music.

Could you just get here a battery powered BT speaker?

We have an old Bose Sound Link Mini and it's a great bit of kit - she can just stream from her phone then (Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube etc).

It's simple and cheap - see how she gets on with it?

[Matty]

Hmm...I do like idea of that Evoke. She'll probably be more interested that it looks good rather than sounds good and that fits the bill. My Dad will be happy if he can get the cricket on it too.

Might be worth looking at that. Dave, the streaming option was my preference, but now I've seen the Evoke, I think that might be better still.

[DaveE]

Hmm...I do like idea of that Evoke. She'll probably be more interested that it looks good rather than sounds good and that fits the bill. My Dad will be happy if he can get the cricket on it too.

Might be worth looking at that. Dave, the streaming option was my preference, but now I've seen the Evoke, I think that might be better still.

Ah yeah, I didn't notice it had a slot for a CD! (I'd assumed you were thinking of removing the need for CDs with a streaming service)

Being able to just use their existing CDs (and any they may buy in the future) is a much simpler & cheaper solution.

[Gwaredd]

We use two Play 1's & spofify. It works so easily & even has obscure albums on there. Nothing easier than saying 'Hey Siri, play The Carpenters on Spotify' & it playing for your Mum.

P.S. Is she?

[simon_g]

Whats the news about not Sonos stopping support for local music except over Airplay2?
Alternatively, are there any other suggestions for something equivalent that plays well with the Apple platform? She's no audiophile, just wants to be able to pick up the iPad, find music, play.

You can/could stream music stored on your iphone/ipad (as in stuff you'd synced to it via iTunes), it would read the local files and send directly the Sonos speakers.

Not really that useful because if you have a computer with your iTunes library on it, then you just run the Sonos software on there and it makes it available to the speakers (you just control what to play via your phone). Less and less relevant with streaming services these days anyway.

If you're buying Sonos 1s (not the older Play:1s) then Airplay2 is built in so you can play anything you like off your phone to them, it doesn't need to be a local file. And if you have two or more speakers grouped, then only one of them needs to be a newer one with Airplay2 and it still works.

Sonos will play any radio station that has a stream on TuneIn (so things like Radio 4 LW are no problem) and it's been really reliable for us.

[ste]

That ^

Pretty much exactly how I set my parents up.

Plus now i can just buy them more kit for other rooms as and when which is ace as I never know what to get my Dad.

[Jezh]

A friend has one of these https://www.amazon.co.uk/Majority-Oakin ... ngt&sr=8-3

For what it cost and for general listening it has all the bases covered that your mum would need. The sound quality is also pretty impressive.

[Matty]

How will she put her CDs into a streaming service? That may sound silly but people like to stick to what they know. I'd be inclined to suggest something like the Pure Evoke if she wants a device with the speakers built in - https://www.hifix.co.uk/pure-evoke-c-d6 ... sic-system - or a Denon DM41 or similar if she prefers separate speakers: https://www.richersounds.com/hi-fi/sepa ... deals.html

So, we ended up buying the Pure Evoke C-D6, and she loved it. As usual, the fact it was wood-effect and looked good amongst the oak furniture trumped sound quality, unsurprisingly....but TBH it does actually sound good. I did mention we considered the Sonos and Spotify, but got the "what about my CD's?"

So, Jobbo is once again, correct. Even when it comes to suggesting stereo systems for pensioners.

[JLv3.0]

Just add the CDs to our Spotify library and tell her you've moved them onto there, or to go live on a farm or something

I've only recently got into Spotify - it's a bit good innit! Kind of what iTunes should have been like if it had decided not to be the worst piece of software known to mankind.

[ZedLeg]

Yeah Spotify is pretty handy, it's a shame that TV/Movie people can't put their heads together and work out something similar. The idea that everyone has to have their own streaming app is moronic.

(Yes, I know there are other music streaming app but Spotify dominates the market)

[scotta]

Just add the CDs to our Spotify library and tell her you've moved them onto there, or to go live on a farm or something

I've only recently got into Spotify - it's a bit good innit! Kind of what iTunes should have been like if it had decided not to be the worst piece of software known to mankind.

it gets better also - Ive got a bit of DJ software called Algoriddm DJ Pro that connects to Spotify and allows you to use a Dj controller. It works bang on - great fun to play with.

[Simon]

Yeah Spotify is pretty handy, it's a shame that TV/Movie people can't put their heads together and work out something similar. The idea that everyone has to have their own streaming app is moronic.

(Yes, I know there are other music streaming app but Spotify dominates the market)

And it's getting more and more fragmented as each studio brings out his own app. Just FRO, really. Who wants to pay all these subs when Netflix and Amazon Prime Video _should_ have everything covered.

[Matty]

Everyone wants their piece of the pie. Lets not forget that Disney+ is on the scene soon (TBF The Mandalorian trailer looks awesome). But yeah, who wants to pay for all the different services? It'll move people back to just buying none and pirating it.

but back to music - I've tried all platforms, and much prefer Spotify. Their playlists and suggestions are awesome...but I don't listen to enough variation for me to warrant £10/month. Their free version does me fine.

[Coaster1]

Everyone wants their piece of the pie. Lets not forget that Disney+ is on the scene soon (TBF The Mandalorian trailer looks awesome). But yeah, who wants to pay for all the different services? It'll move people back to just buying none and pirating it.

It’s the same with sports, before it was free-to-air channels plus Sky, now it’s Sky, Sky F1, BT, Premier, etc.

Having said that for American Sports fans like myself, choices are great and relatively cheap.

[Ascender]

If she's comfortable using the iPad and iPhone then obviously she'll be fine with using a streaming service... in which case just get the best speaker option for the price.

A Sonos One or Apple HomePod should do the trick?