Sonos CONNECT:AMP
I’ve been a fan of Sonos products for quite a while now. I started building my system a few years ago with a CONNECT hooked up to my Yamaha RX-V665. I then picked up a Play:5 and a handful of Play:1s to get music in to the other areas of my house. Everything was going well until I got the urge to simplify my whole-house audio even more.
This past weekend, I picked up a CONNECT:AMP hoping it would replace the CONNECT and Yamaha receiver combo. The RX-V665 pumps out 90 watts/channel, while the CONNECT:AMP delivers 55 watts/channel. The power difference was a concern before ordering, but I figured I’d give it a shot anyway.
Right off the bat I noticed there was a lack of bass in the front channels when compared to the Yamaha. The highs were great, but the sound was not as full as I was used to hearing out of my Polk RTiA3 speakers. When I added in my Outlaw Audio LFM-1 Plus sub, it filled in the missing lows, however, I don’t always run my sub so there’s definitely something missing when running a two-channel set up.
I really wanted to make the CONNECT:AMP work for me, but I can’t recommend it because of the lack of oomph. I also tested against the sound from a Pioneer VSX-456 receiver and the CONNECT:AMP lost there too. It’s just too weak to satisfy my audio tastes based on the way I use my system. If I always had the sub there to provide the low end, it might be a different story. It’s unfortunate, because it’s a great little device from a great company. Maybe Sonos will come out with a more powerful unit in the future? 🙂
Pros:
- Great design and form factor
- Good connectivity – I love the fact you can run 2.1 from this little box
- One line-in (RCA)
- Sonos software
Cons:
- Just one… it’s under-powered. It can’t replace a larger amplifier.
Hi Bryan. I am about to buy Sonos Connect to add to my Yamaha RXV665 as you have it. Do u have any schematics of what I need to do in terms of Sonos to Yamaha? Is it easy to set up? I’m not an audiophile but just wanted to add Sonos (I already have 1 Sonos speaker) to the house system without spending money to replace everything. Thanks.
Hi James. The Connect would connect to the Yamaha via analog (line level RCA) or digital (optical or coaxial). I’m not sure which has a better DAC, but I’d probably just use RCA between the two and keep it simple. Does that help?