Sonos' latest device takes the company back to where it all began
Summary
At a clandestine press event in Boston, Sonos pulled the wrapping off its latest product, a “direct descendant” of the ZP100 Connect in the form of a two-channel amplifier with a whole new bag of tricks.Carved into a chic black block in Sonos’ signature minimalist style, Amp’s primary purpose is to be sold directly to dealers and installers as a rack-mountable piece of hardware.Upgrades to Amp, like its ARC-HDMI connection with CEC (Consumer Electronics Control) and a wrap-around IR repeater that sends remote-control info, make the device much more versatile for home installations than Sonos’ previous amplifier.Current upgrades include a dual mono setting in the Sonos app, allowing Amp to power multiple mono speakers where a stereo pair isn’t available, so you don’t get stuck hearing half the sound, as well as features like volume limiting and volume passthrough to allow the app to potentially control other audio devices.New partnerships with smart home companies like Crestron, Control4, Savant, and others are designed to help Sonos integrate its software into more complex smart-home systems for even more options.