Wife wants music streaming in the kitchen: Sonos One the obvious choice?

[Participant]

Hi all

My wife is interested in playing music and radio in the kitchen. We currently just have a basic digital radio.

I'm looking at the Sonos One, however am confused about exactly what it can do without paying for a premium music subscription. It won't get used often enough to justify that (~£10 per month for unlimited services by the looks of it).

Without paying for anything other than the Sonos One and a Prime subscription, can the Sonos One:

- Play genres of music using voice commands, e.g. 'Alexa, play 80s music'
- Play any MP3s I upload to Google Music or Amazon Prime Music (using voice commands)?
- Play any given UK radio station using voice commands?

Is there anything else we should be considering for basic music and radio in (for now) a single room? Will it be seriously nerfed unless I pay a sub?

We don't have any home automation like lock, lights, etc.

Many thanks.

 

[ninezerofive]

I've got Google Home Mini in my kitchen. Don't let the size fool you, the sound is decent.

I use it mainly for weather, play spotify, timer for over, reminders for appointments, ask her to stream something on tv through youtube, need a chromecast for that.

 

[Barry Smalley]

Not sure about you uploading music as I use Apple Music, but you can definitely get it to play 80’s music (or whatever genre) you fancy using Prime via voice control and if you install the “Tune In” radio app to Sonos, it will play whatever Radio Station you want too

 

[Hades]

I think the obvious options seem to be Sonos, Amazon Echo, Google Home or a cheap tablet (possibly with a bluetooth speaker). I assume a DAB raio isn't what you're looking for?

 

[5punk3monk3y]

Hi all

My wife is interested in playing music and radio in the kitchen. We currently just have a basic digital radio.

I'm looking at the Sonos One, however am confused about exactly what it can do without paying for a premium music subscription. It won't get used often enough to justify that (~£10 per month for unlimited services by the looks of it).

Without paying for anything other than the Sonos One and a Prime subscription, can the Sonos One:

- Play genres of music using voice commands, e.g. 'Alexa, play 80s music'
- Play any MP3s I upload to Google Music or Amazon Prime Music (using voice commands)?
- Play any given UK radio station using voice commands?

Is there anything else we should be considering for basic music and radio in (for now) a single room? Will it be seriously nerfed unless I pay a sub?

We don't have any home automation like lock, lights, etc.

Many thanks.

If you go the google root as a work around to the sub with google play music you can upload up to 50k tracks to your play music account then stream them, couple this with say spotify and I think you'll be pretty much covered, oh and if you or the other half are on Facebook go to the marketplace and look up the google home you will probably find one for sale down the road for about £20 to try it out first.

 

[cheesyboy]

- Play genres of music using voice commands, e.g. 'Alexa, play 80s music'
- Play any MP3s I upload to Google Music or Amazon Prime Music (using voice commands)?
- Play any given UK radio station using voice commands?

-yes
-not sure (not tried it)
-yes

We went for Amazon's Music Unlimited subscription, but Prime music is still reasonably extensive, and playlists are available if you just want a genre or type. "alexa, play 90s acid jazz" or whatever.

Can't cast to it from android phones, which is annoying (you can browse for MP3s on your handset and play those, but can't cast your phone's audio). Airplay is there for Apple.

 

[Psycho Sonny]

google home hub

you can use it for youtube then and watch the music videos or recipes for cooking.

i can say like hey google show me youtube videos for basil pasta and it will show me them or i can wireless display from my phone.

i have nest hello so if someone rings doorbell i can see who it is from the kitchen. i can also talk to them and they talk back but they can't see me.

i would honestly go for the hub with the screen as the screen is so useful, it's also touchscreen. it's like having a tablet with a powerful speaker with voice activation.

 

[varkanoid]

I went for the Amazon offer recently of a 99p Echo Dot on the Unlimited sub as an additional one for my other son. Now both play strange youtube gaming music on them from some strange fellow who wears a Marshmellow on his head!

 

[Bluecube]

The Echo Dot is a bargain at about £30 and sound quality is surprisingly good for something so small.

 

[sHo0sH]

Sound quality on a Google home mini or hub or echo dot is going to be terrible vs a sonos. (I own all of these)
As mentioned previously - upload your tracks to google play music and then stream these via the sonos - it will be the best sound quality - they really kick out some decent low end.

 

[Webzta]

Sound quality on a Google home mini or hub or echo dot is going to be terrible vs a sonos. (I own all of these)
As mentioned previously - upload your tracks to google play music and then stream these via the sonos - it will be the best sound quality - they really kick out some decent low end.

Whilst I fully agree, some people don't really understand the difference in quality. My partner is happy with her Echo dot for music... whereas I don't use my echo because i think it sounds rubbish.

Having said that, you can't go wrong with the Sonos stuff.

 

[Yaayuh!]

I can highly recommend the Audio Pro A10, C3 or C5. C10 would be a bit too big however

 

[Buffalo2102]

If you're after a cheap option I recently bought one of these -

Ocean Digital WiFi/Bluetooth/DAB Internet Radio WR238CD Radio

Brilliant bit of kit that sounds great in my kitchen. Has DAB, FM, and hooks up to wi-fi to play internet radio and my own music off my server. It has bluetooth and an aux port for connecting to phone/ipod etc.. It's taking me a bit of time to set up playlists etc. but I'm very impressed for the price.

 

[Participant]

Hey guys, quick update.

Thanks for all the help above. I landed on the Sonos One as the right solution overall, so I've just ordered a pair of Sonos One 2nd gen using Amazon's 2 for £350 deal.

They arrive tomorrow so will report back with assessment. Hope the wife likes them!

 

[-Ad-]

Good choice.

I'm sure you already know this, but if you don't, then remember to link them as a stereo pair.

A bit light on bass, but they work incredibly well as a pair.

 

[Participant]

Good choice.

I'm sure you already know this, but if you don't, then remember to link them as a stereo pair.

A bit light on bass, but they work incredibly well as a pair.

Thanks, I had heard that, just not sure yet if they're wanted next to each other in the kitchen or in separate rooms.

 

[poosemon]

I know you have already made the purchase, however for others browsing the thread with similar questions, i'm keeping an eye on the IKEA speakers made in conjunction with SONOS (so should appear in your SONOS as another speaker), interested to see how they are priced and bang per buck in terms of sound quality.

One is going to be a Lamp with the speaker in the base of the lamp, the other is going to be a bookshelf speaker.

https://www.sonos.com/en-gb/symfonisk-by-sonos-and-ikea

I already have a sonos one in the kitchen and am looking for something upstairs, and also in the conservatory....

 

[Participant]

Got them set up as a stereo pair in the kitchen. I'm really impressed, they sound great and Amazon Music (Prime) has way more songs than I thought it would, to the point I'm not sure we need anything else.

Shame you can't stream YouTube, but I guess that would render all premium services redundant.

 

[xb8browney]

Sonos is a great product, The play 5 is a beast.

 

[Gabbatek]

If you already have prime just get one of those amazon echo things and use prime music. you can say anything like alexa play blah blah and it will.