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March 11, 2013 - 8:07pm
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mediumrare
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Wireless???? Or not.

Has anybody had any experience with, or opinions about the SONOS wireless system or should I just get a longer and higher quality USB cable? And if so, what cable would you recommend? The Sonos looks to be about $400 when all said and done. Cheers!

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March 11, 2013 - 9:04pm
mediumrare
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Or perhaps Apple TV????

Or perhaps Apple TV????

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March 12, 2013 - 7:02am
jackfish
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Long runs of USB cables are ill-advised.

There are many successful implementations of SONOS and AppleTV, or even AirPort Express. Tell us more about your system, your listening environment, and where components will be placed.

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March 12, 2013 - 8:51am
mediumrare
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Well, my listening system is

Well, my listening system is a work in progress. As is the room.

Until I can build a proper stand for my TV, components, and audio sources, my speakers are flanking our "party speakers" (some garage sale cerwin vegas that my girlfriend and her friends like to blast dance music out of) and a small end-table that our TV sits atop.  I've used speaker placement theory that I've found online and have had good luck creating a sweet spot at the center of my couch.  My components are on a stand that sits 16 inches off the ground and to the right of the couch.  My goal is to be able to work/listen using my laptop from the sweet spot on my couch.  I have a cheap 6 foot USB cable that is currently suspended from the computer to the component stand, I was hoping to buy a long enough cable to run under the carpet, or go wireless.  When I have time to build an entertainment stand to house my components and the TV, everything will be on the opposite wall of the couch with speakers flanking.

My system includes,

Thiel CS2s

Odyssey Khartago with all of the upgrades possible

Groneberg Interconnects and speaker cable

Peachtree Decco as DAC/preamp

Musical Fidelity V-LPS MKII Phono stage

Marantz 2100 Stereophonic Tuner

A gnarly-ass Frankenstein TT that sounds great but is a work in progress.

And last but not least my MacBook with basic iTunes.

I truly am grateful for your time.  You all are an amazing wealth of practical knowledge and a pleasure to interact with.

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March 12, 2013 - 10:46am
Demondog
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Not trying dissuade you from

Not trying dissuade you from going wireless, but the USB spec provides for cables up to 15' or something. I follow the Ayre recommendations to limit USB cable length to 3 meters, or about 9 ft. You could probably go a little farther with experimentation.

http://www.ayre.com/usb-dac.htm

BTW- I'm not a big fan of expensive cables, but I'm using a 3' USB cable from Wireworld's lower range. I like the geometry, but didn't want to pay for silver plating and such from their top products. I can get away with a short cable because I control the laptop via smartphone.

BTW again- Nice system you have there.

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March 12, 2013 - 12:33pm
jackfish
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If you have a wireless network you can place the MacBook next to

the DAC and use an appropriate length USB cable and control iTunes through a smartphone. Remote with an iPad or iPhone, and other plugins for other smartphones.

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March 12, 2013 - 3:34pm
mediumrare
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Thank you fellas, using my

Thank you fellas, using my iphone as a remote is what got me looking at the apple TV.  I'm slowly strolling into the twentyfirst century.  And thanks for the compliment, I've been steered in the right direction by people like you two.  If only my Girlfriend could appreciate the peices I've collected over the past year.  Anyway, I have wireless internet but I was hoping to have the ability to use the computer to write reports and keep up with paperwork while I listen to iTunes, thus demanding a longer cable or a wireless connection. Or hell, maybe I'll see if I can get a company computer and dedicate this one to being an over-built jukebox.  Cheers.

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March 14, 2013 - 8:13pm
Bill B
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Wireless yes sure

For a good yet cheap and easy solution, buy one $99 Airport Express.  That way you can  feed anything you want from your laptop iTunes library, wirelessly, into your stereo while you work on the laptop on the sofa.  No usb cable needed.

The Airport Express plugs into an outlet near your stereo, and connects via minijack/RCA cable into your preamp, into any line input.  Or, even better, you can choose to hook it up via optical (toslink) cable into your Peachtree DAC, thus using a higher quality DAC than the basic one in the Airport Express.

That's not the only solution.  Check out the Audioengine website for good wireless solutions.  Other people will likely chime in here with other approaches that will be excellent.  You asked about Sonos and I haven't used that, but several people around here swear that that's a great way to go.

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