I really do enjoy my iPods (I have 3: a 30GB black iPod Video, a 4GB first gen nano, and a second gen shuffle). They each have a place in my life as I listen to music almost every chance I get.

There is one place where listening to my music collection should be the easiest, yet it is the toughest for me: in my home. I have a decent sound setup and music played through it is wonderful. The only way I could play music stored in iTunes, however, was to either sync it to one of my iPods and use the AUX input on my receiver, or burn a CD and play it through my DVD player.

Neither solution was adequately geeky enough for me. I mean, come on, I’m a tech-guy; I should have some cool high-tech way of getting my tunes from iTunes to my family room without having to sneaker-net it over.

Yes, of course, I could simply buy Apple TV and the problem would be solved. But what if I wanted music to play in my bedroom, out on the deck, or in the living room? Apple TV just won’t cut much mustard it this case and I have to look elsewhere for a solution, and that elsewhere is Sonos.

Sonos has been around for some time now, offering the means to play the music stored in your computer in any room in your home.

"So what," you say. "Big deal. There lots of systems that play music in any room in your home."

True enough. I have an old NuTone system in my house with tinny sounding speakers in every room and the ability to play FM. Newer systems let you play CDs and in stereo. I could also put one of those neat little desktop stereos in every room I want to hear music in, but doing so only increases the size of my sneaker-net, and none of these solutions are a match for Sonos.

Sonos ZP80 Bundle

You see, with Sonos, not only can you play music is rich stereo, using any type of speakers you want, in any room in your home, you can play different tunes in each room if you wanted to, up to 32 rooms, and control it all no matter where you are in your home.

Play Sting’s It’s Probably Me in the master bath, Chris Isaak’s Wicked Game in the bedroom, Michael Jackson’s Thriller on the patio, and Fifth Dimension’s Aquarius/Let The Sun Shine In out by the pool. It’s all wireless, all fed from your computer or a network drive, and all controlled from a cool RF remote.

Generally, Sonos works like this: You get software, the Sonos Desktop Controller, (Mac or PC) that lets Sonos sync with your music library and control the entire system from a simple user interface.

The software allows you to set up music zones, which can be controlled separately from or in unison with other zones.

My Precious Sonos

Each zone has to have a Zone Player, which is a wireless node to which you can attach speakers or plug it into your home hi-fi set up. At least one Zone Player has to be plugged into your home network, that player acts as the hub for your Sonos system and connects the system to your music repository.

Last, but certainly not least is the Sonos Controller which lets you control all the zones in your home as well as review your music library. The Controller has big, colorful 3.5-inch LCD display on which you can view album cover art and scan through you entire music collection. It also has a very iPod-esque scroll-wheel, so iPod users will feel right at home using the Sonos Controller.

The software on your computer does not have to be running for Sonos to access your library - in fact, if you have you library stored on a network drive your computer doesn’t have to be on. The Controller serves as your interface into your music.

Set up is falling-off-a-log simple; load up the software, set up your zones, plug in your Zone Players and Controller, then wait for everything to sync up. After that you are good to go. The Zone Players find each other and the Controller using a proprietary encrypted wireless mesh network. So you won’t get interference from the neighbor’s ham radio set.

Zone Player setup with One Controller to Rule Them All

I’m not going to go deeply into all the technical hows because all you probably want to know is if, and how well, it works. After playing with Sonos for a month I can tell you emphatically that it works and works wonderfully.

Most of my iTunes library sounds great coming out on my receiver, as do net radio stations and podcasts. What doesn’t sound so great are tunes I purchased from the iTunes Store. They don’t sound good because I can’t hear them; Sonos can’t play DRM encrypted music; they don’t even show up on the Sonos library listing. Of course, you can do the DRM Two-Step (record you DRM tunes onto a CD or DVD then rip them back into iTunes), but when Apple starts selling DRM-free tunes from EMI and, eventually, others record companies this problem will be remedied.

That Sonos is not Apple-DRM compatible doesn’t mean you are stuck with your current music library, Sonos lets you subscribe to Rhapsody and eMusic. Sonos comes with a 30-day free trial of Rhapsody so you can listen to new music right away. And eMusic lets you download up to 90 tunes a month in MP3 format, and they are yours to keep.

If audiobooks are an interest to you then you are in luck as well; you can subscribe to Audible Listener and hear audiobook and periodicals like the Wall Street Journal. Imagine waking up (using the Sonos built-in alarm function) fresh news or music that can be heard anywhere in your home.

Sonos also does not do video, however, though that can’t be long in coming. What Sonos will do is let you set up playlists on the fly. In fact, creating a playlist on the Controller is actually enjoyable; when you select a song to include you have the option of playing it now, appending it to the end of your list, or play it next, which is really handy. Of course you can rearrange the order of tunes in your list at anytime, either through the software on your computer or through the Controller.

Did I mention how easy the Controller is to use? OK, I won’t mention it again, but you should know that the Controller is every bit as useable as an iPod.

There is nothing cheap about any of the Sonos components; the Controller is a weighty piece of technology that feels like it can be handled roughly without flinching, and the Zone Players are designed to be inconspicuous, even out in the open. The Sonos system is a class act.

Bottom Line: I have the basic ZP80 Bundle, which consists of 2 ZP80 Zone Players and a Controller. After using it for just a little while I found myself wishing I had a bigger house so that I can put Zone Players in more rooms, it’s just that cool.

At US$999 for the basic 2-node plus controller system, the Sonos will leave your wallet somewhat lighter, but it is my humble opinion that it is well worth every cent. You can have your Sonos system out of the box and playing music in about 15 minutes, with no tools or heavy lifting required.

Folks with apartments or smaller homes might do better to buy an AppleTV, but if you have a home that is large enough for at least 2 music zones then I think you’ll find buying a Sonos system a worthy investment.

The iPod has made music take-anywhere fun again, but in your home it’s Sonos that can truly liberate your music.

I highly recommend the Sonos ZP80 system.

Vern Seward is a writer who currently lives in Orlando, FL. He’s been a Mac fan since Atari Computers folded, but has worked with computers of nearly every type for 20 years.