“Can the Apple TV box do what the Sonos-connect wireless component do?”
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I have Apple TV and Sonos Connect. I added Sonos because it is superior with music. I keep Apple TV for serving video and for casual gaming. Apple TV can do some of what the Sonos-connect wireless component can do. Sonos never drops, Apple TV drops. Apple TV has gotten better, Sonos has better control features for your music. If you wish to expand to multi-room options, Sonos is by far superior.
Sorry, there was a problem. Please try again later.Yes and no. Apple TV works via AirPlay. I have found a couple of issues with this that Sonos addresses: 1) AirPlay streams over your network from a device (like an iPhone) to your Apple TV. From the Apple TV, you can then send the digital signal to an amp via an optical audio output (Gen3 or earlier). I found this to be "glitchy". My music would sometimes cut out or have occasional "clicks" in it. Since I am looking for HiFi sound, these annoyances are not optimal. Sonos never cuts out, is never "glitchy" and I have heard zero clicks in my music. Audio quality is perfect. 2) AirPlay requires the device be constantly connected. You are streaming to the device first and then to Apple TV from the device. If you drop your AirPlay connection, you drop your audio feed. Sonos streams the music directly from the device itself to whatever audio device you are using (amp, speaker, etc.). Your phone, tablet, or pc is used only to control what Sonos is playing. Once a playlist is kicked off, Sonos continues to play even if the initiating device is turned off. Sonos also gives ample connectivity in both analog and digital. I am using the digital output via optical out. My amp serves as the DAC (Digital Audio Converter). My recommendation depends on what your needs may be. If you are wanting to stream quality audio (e.g. HiFi from Tidal, or high quality compressed audio from Amazon Music, Spotify, Pandora, or other services) to an amp or avr, then I highly recommend Sonos over Apple TV. If, however, you need Apple TV for the "Smart TV" capabilities, and you are not necessarily an audiophile, then you will be well served with Apple TV. However, please note that the latest gen Apple TVs don't have the audio out port. You should make sure you know how to use Apple TV to stream audio before going that route.
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