music server

[crytklmass]

I believe 2uberoller and other's mentioned the sonos music server. Someone mentioned pool, so many threads. Anyways. I have a hot tub with outdoor speakers. I normally take a little boom box outside and plug it in for music. The Speakers are not wireless, but the threads got me thinking. If It can do separate zones. I could place one in the house and play music from my p.c. and place 1 zone outside for my hottub. Can I connect it outside to wired speakers? I'm not that familiar with music servers. I've been debating buying a new cd player vs. a music server with thousands of songs on my hard drive.
If I purchased the sonos would I still need a cd drive inside? I could buy an mvp831 for $700 an mcd500 still around $4000.00 or can I just use the sonos and keep my cheap sony 5 disc carousel for cd's. (I was thinking of the new Oppo or Denon for an all in one unit). but back on subject. Can I place a wireless sonos outside or would it need to remain indoors with wireless speakers? and then of course, how could I change tracks from the hottub.
I guess im wondering if I require a cd player in the home or a dac unit to convert and plug into my mx-136, or can i plug in directly from the sonos and bypass my cd player in the house. I need to do more research. if some one has time, can you give me a step by step? example
#1 buy sonos
#2 buy wireless speakers (if needed)
#3 buy a panel to access hard drive via infrared red? from my hottub
#4 buy a new cd/dac player to plug sonos into
#5 connect new dac to mx-136
#6 enjoy music .

Can I bypass any of these steps. I already have a wireless router for my laptop, so that wont be an issue. Just trying to save money and not spend it un wisely if possible. Ie. a mac music server, when I could spend $400 for a sonos and be done.

again, thank you everyone for your vast knowledge and support

[Still-One]

To answer the main quetion. The Sonos is very good at distributing music wirelessly but it needs to be able to access music files from somewhere it does not have the capability to store its own. You can save them on a PC/Mac, a music server like a 300/750, a networked accessible server, or play from the internet like Rhapsody.

If you have your music on one of the above then you could purchase a SonoS bundle which would include a powered and unpowered unit. You could put the powered unit outside hook up a set of speakers to that unit and wirelessly send your music to that location.

One of the SonoS units needs to be wired to the internet and your network. I can be one 1 foot to a SonoS wireless bridge which is about $100 , then the rest of your system can talk wirelessly to that bridge.

Do you have your music on a PC or Mac. If so we can walk you thru whole process of hooking it up.
Jim

[crytklmass]

My music is on a p.c. I also have a backup on a external hard drive. I would access the files through a wireless network. I already have a wireless router set up for my laptop. My main reason would be to sit in my hot tub outside and be able to change/select music without the need to get out and adjust the volume of cd from my boombox.
If I could use a wireless controller from the hot tub that would be great. I have outdoor wired speakers. Could I keep those or would I need wireless speakers?
secondly would be use for indoor, ie. music server. Instead of changing dd's it would be nice to select a song from my computer and be able to listen to music in my room (more zones) so that Im not disturbing my parents watching t.v. I didn't know if I purchased the sonos if I still needed a secondary device (mac dac) or other device to connect to or If I could connect the sonos directly to my mx136 output. Each of us have different music tastes so rather than changing cd's, my dad could select his source while he's in the computer room, my mom while she's in the living room and me while im in the bedroom or outside in the hottub. Is that enough info. to make a decision?
I dont want to purchase the wrong item or equipment I dont need, as you can see by my pictures (mac forum) I dont have alot of room.
Thanks for your help Stillone.

[jdandy]

crytklmass.......Take a look at the Sonos Bundle 150 here: http://www.sonos.com/whattobuy/bundl...&LangType=1033 . You can cntrol with entire systen, both zones, from an iPhone, and iPod Touch or Sonos own CR100 Zone Controller.

[1KW]

Last summer I used a $99 airport express attached to a old pioneer receiver to play music outside. I used my iphone as a remote to control the music in my itunes library. It was fine for outside. This year, I have a sonos set up for my outdoor jacuzzi/swimming pool area. This gives me more options then just my itunes library and I can sync the zones on the inside and outside when I entertain.

Easiest cheapest solution is run outdoor speaker wire from your house to your spa, wire will be around $100 for 100 feet regular 16 gauge at best buy. I assume since you have the noise from the Jacuzzi this is not critical listening. Next if you have a old receiver hook a apple airport express up to it $99 and you have a wireless music server for your hot tub. You can use a ipod touch or iphone as the remote as it is a free application you can download in itunes called apple remote.

Option 2, next cheapest buy a sonos Zp120 and hook that to a pair of outdoor speakers. You can also just get a zp90, hook it up to a amp. or receiver, again you can use the ipod or iphone as a remote using another free application called sonos in the application downloads on itunes. You will need to have the sonos either hard wired to your router or have a airport express or zone bridge for this. In my system I use my airport express to hook up to one of my sonos units; it acts like a sonos bridge. david