Sonos Scaling Back Functionality of Discontinued Controller, Tweaks Sound of Play:1 Speaker

Sonos rolled out a software update to customers Monday that included a sound tweak to the Play:1 speaker, improvements to Google Play and Radio by TuneIn services, and a cutback in functionality for the CR200 controller. Sonos discontinued the CR200 in 2012 but continued to support it and issue software updates for the device. With the 5.4 update, users who bought the $350 Sonos CR200 touch-screen controller are no longer able to: set up a new Sonos system, add new components, change room settings, create a stereo pair or add or manage music services or libraries, Sonos said in a blog post. In a 2009 review, Gizmodo called the CR200 controller, which sold as an accessory for a hefty $350, “better” than the iPhone app for its superior user interface and more direct control with fewer steps than required through the iPhone app. Among the other Sonos updates announced Monday, the company briefly described an update to the Play:1 speaker, saying only, “We’ve enhanced the clarity and presence of the Play:1 sound." Engineers also optimized the Play:1 bass performance when paired with the Sonos Sub, the company said. Building on the Wi-Fi capability Sonos added last year (see 1409030065) the Sonos Sub and surround sound speakers can bond to a Sonos Playbar without the need for a Sonos component to be wired to a router, the company said. When Sonos first launched more than a decade ago, Wi-Fi “was not good enough,” spokesman Eric Nielsen told us last year (see 1409030065). “We wanted to have a good music experience from the beginning so we created our own proprietary mesh network to make sure the music didn’t stop,” Nielsen said. Following the update, users can set up Sonos speakers via Wi-Fi or through the Sonos network, with the Sub being the latest component to become Wi-Fi-ready. An add to the Sonos shuffle feature, meanwhile, allows users to peek at the order of songs in queue. If they don’t like the shuffle order, they can revert to the original song sequence or shuffle again to get a different mix, Sonos said.