Sonos compared with my cyrus

I am not an expert, but if you run your Cyrus CD Player via analogue out-put to your A/V Receiver (which means that your Cyrus's internal Digital-to-Analogue Converter( is being utilised), then the sound quality should be far superior than through a Sonos system.

Is there anyway of improving the sonos sound then get is as close as possible to the cyrus? Using a dac? Would appreciate any advice. Thanks

Please don't take what I say as gospel, but yes, an out-board DAC will significantly improve performance. However, an uncompressed CD via a dedicated CD Player with its own DAC will still sound better, but I do realise that you will be downloading the best quality you can to minimise the loss of performance.

I am not sure if the Chord Cordette DAC might be able to be used in conjunction with a Sonos. I am not familiar with items like this, but it might be worth asking your local retailer.

dantan:

However, an uncompressed CD via a dedicated CD Player with its own DAC will still sound better

Come on.ÿ

dantan:

Please don't take what I say as gospel, but yes, an out-board DAC will significantly improve performance. However, an uncompressed CD via a dedicated CD Player with its own DAC will still sound better, but I do realise that you will be downloading the best quality you can to minimise the loss of performance.

I think it more likely that the OP would be ripping his CDs using a loseless format, so there's no real difference there between that and "uncompressed CD".

I am not sure if the Chord Cordette DAC might be able to be used in conjunction with a Sonos. I am not familiar with items like this, but it might be worth asking your local retailer.

provided the Chord can accept either coaxial or optical digital input then it'll be fine, the Sonos ZP90 has both.

Flairdj, I don't there is a straightforward answer to your question.

For Cyrus:

Right off the bat, for pure stereo listening your Onkyo is a weak link (as are most A/V amps). Now since you have a pretty high-end CD player, I can't say whether getting a decent outboard DAC (you'd have to spend well over 300 quid IMO) is gonna give you much improvement, considering it's still going into the Onkyo.

Alternatively connecting your Cyrus to your Onk's digital input is a no no, I doubt the Onk's DAC is as good as the built-in Cyrus for pure music.

For Sonos:

IMO, getting a Sonos Zone Player, connecting it to a decent DAC (say the inexpensive Beresford or 200 quid Cambridge Audio DACMagic) and into your Onkyo might actually give you decent results.

Sum-up:

I would say get a dealer home and audition the Sonos, this is the best way forward IMO. Plus you if you won't use it you can flog your Cyrus for a tidy sum.