Sonos BOOST vs Sonos BRIDGE
by Volker Weber
There is a new Sonos bridge available and it's called BOOST. It has exactly the same function as BRIDGE, but it has updated networking hardware and is supposed to give you 50% better coverage.
Q: Do I need BRIDGE/BOOST?
A: Only if (a) you cannot run an Ethernet wire from your router to any Sonos component in your home and (b) connecting via Wifi isn't good enough.
Q: When is Wifi not good enough?
A: For everything beyond simple music streaming. If you want to run PLAYBAR with SUB and two PLAY:1 or PLAY:3 for instance.
Q: I have BRIDGE. Do I want to upgrade to BOOST?
A: If everything is working OK, no. If you have dropouts due to bad wireless coverage, yes. Let Sonos support check.
Q: Does BOOST replace BRIDGE?
A: After Sonos sold their stock of BRIDGE, yes. For now they still have BRIDGE and you can buy two of them for one BOOST.
Comments
Thank you. If only their own marketing was so succinct!
My SONOS play back often stutters. I currently use a bridge, actually 2, but it seems that I cannot tell SONOS what player should use what bridge and it does this "smartly". Unfortunately it is not smart and the only way I can influence to use better connections is to turn on the players and bridges in the right order, which is a huge PITA.
Since the introduction of using WiFi I am not using the bridges anymore. This works a little better.
Now I am wondering if the BOOST would help me to get my issue fixed. I only have one internet wire in my place however. That's were the WiFi router is connected.
So my question is does the BOOST need to be wired or can I put it in the middle of my apartment wireless, so that it may help with the stuttering playback?
Also does the BOOST extend the SONOS proprietary network? Because what came as a surprise to me was when switching to WiFi that I could not use the CR200 anymore, which is a headache for us. Now on the day our cleaner comes we have to remember to "pre-program" the radio, so that she can start playback by pressing the vowe Button.
Any insights into what this forthcoming PLAYBASE is? Just asking...
Andy, I have never, not even once, speculated on anything unreleased or unannounced. I feel there are two things missing from the line-up: a weather-resistant player to be used close to the house and a really LOUD player like a Marshall Woburn.
Mariano, ja, der BOOST kann in der Mitte stehen.
Danke Volker - bestellt. Bin gespannt.
Volker, just got the BOOST. But how do I deploy it wirelessly?
To set it up it seem I need to put it on a wire, which I did. When I then unwire it and move it to the spot in the middle of my apartment, Sonos doesn't see it anymore. At least it says so in the Mac Controller settings.
If you don't know right now, never mind. I will contact the Sonos support.
