As the undisouted leader of the multiroom music streaming market, Sonos is mainly known for its wireless speakers and soundbars, which combine wireless music reception and playback in compact all-in-one systems. But right from the start, the Americans also thought a step further and had streaming amplifiers in their range to which any speaker could be connected. But even in the last version, dubbed "Connect Amp", they were only able to convince real hi-fi fans to a limited extent - a meager 55 watts per channel were simply a bit too little, and the design in the usual Sonos white did not really go well with the other stuff in the hi-fi Rack fit.
That should change now. At IFA 2018, SONOS presented the new SONOS Amp for the first time, which already looks much more elegant at first glance: chic black housing, a little flatter than its predecessor and overall more pleasing in design. But the most important changes are, as usual, inside. The performance of the small powerhouse has been more than doubled, 125 watts into 8 ohms per channel should now be enough to drive even large floorstanding loudspeakers to volumes at which most neighbors are no longer friendly.
The Sonos AMP is not yet available, but we received a test device before the official market launch, so that we can describe our first impressions here and document them in the video at the end of the article.
Above all, the SONOS Amp was trimmed for flexibility and prepared for a wide variety of purposes. An HDMI input allows a simple, contemporary connection of a TV set in order to reproduce the TV sound through a pair of speakers. An analog input is available for hi-fi sources, and digital devices such as a CD player can also be connected using an optional adapter or external DAC. Sonos goes its own way with the connections for the speaker cables. They rely on sockets for banana plugs completely recessed in the housing and thus commendably on the best possible variant in terms of sound. However, since many Sonos customers are likely to be used to tinkering the loose cable ends into the corresponding terminals, suitable screw adapters are included in the scope of delivery.
The SONOS Amp is a stereo device, but it can be interconnected with other amps or other Sonos devices to create a full-fledged multi-channel system. For this purpose, the amp can also be used bridged in dual mono mode, a subwoofer output that can be switched and adjusted using the settings app is also available. And of course it can also be used as a zone amplifier in larger multiroom systems and, for example, drive inconspicuously integrated ceiling speakers.
The design of such a versatile device was actually a challenge, not just from an optical but also from a technical point of view. The SONOS Amp should cut a fine figure in the living room, but also work reliably hidden in the 19-inch rack without dying of heat there. Engineers and designers agreed on a housing with a minimalist front, through which air flows from bottom to top, which promises optimal cooling. And this even when two or more SONOS amps are stacked on top of each other, thanks to the special design of the circular base.
Even if the app is mainly intended for operation here, as it should be for a Sonos system, some touch sensors for play / pause and volume control have been integrated into the front of the home hi-fi system. Smart idea on the side: Not only the "buttons", but the entire front is designed to be touch-sensitive, so that you can jump to the next track or back with simple swiping gestures to the right or left.
As far as the app is concerned, this is initially used to set up the amp with the simplicity that Sonos has come to expect and to integrate it into any existing Sonos system. You have to decide on a basic configuration (stereo hi-fi, as a TV speaker or part of a multi-channel system). After the setup, the app offers further setting options for the amp, including level, phase and crossover frequency for the subwoofer and lip sync delay.
Setup and operation were absolutely simple in our first tests, and the different configuration options are integrated in a meaningful and understandable way. So far there has been no time for an extensive listening test, but hopefully we will soon be able to tell you how the SONOS Amp performs on "real" hi-fi speakers. Until then, the following video and picture gallery should at least offer a first glimpse of what you can expect from the new SONOS amp.
The SONOS Amp will cost 699 euros, unfortunately an exact availability date has not yet been determined.
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