I have owned a Sonos wireless music system since 2008 and have found it's performance overall to be nearly flawless. However, options for easily and conveniently accessing your music library with the Sonos system have, until now, been limited to three.....using the Sonos Desktop software from a PC or Mac, using the stand-alone (dated and somewhat clunky) Sonos Controller 100, or using the Sonos free software controller running on an iPhone or iPod Touch.
I have used all three of these options. Each has its limitations. The Sonos Desktop software requires you to be sitting at a computer. The Sonos Controller 100 is a rather unwieldy white slab with several hard buttons and an iPod-like trackwheel...using it is a two-handed task. (The charger for the 100 is optional and costs another 35 bucks) The 100 goes to "sleep" when not used for awhile and when you pick it up to use it, there is a delay while the device "awakens". The iPod/iPhone option running Sonos' software is quite good once it's actually running - but you need to first turn on the device, then slide the ON switch, then select the Sonos software (after you quit whatever other app was running), then wait until the wireless connection is made, and then you are ready to use the controller, which DOES make good use of the touch screen interface. But if you just want to make a quick change to "what's playing", or if you're like me and make many changes throughout a listening session - surely there is a simpler way.
Enter the Sonos Controller 200, and after living with it for several weeks, I believe it is simply the best way to manage your Sonos system. The 200 is roughly the size of a deck of cards. An anodized aluminum bezel frames a crystal clear 3X5" colour VGA touchscreen, that is easily visible indoors or out due to a sensor-controlled LED backlight. The glass-covered onscreen interface is similar to that of the Sonos iTouch software only tweaked with several more options. Only 4 hard buttons grace the front.....mute, volume up and down, and a zone selector. A tiny light sensor sits in the upper left corner. The back is covered with a rubber-like coating that feels good in the hand.
UNBOXING
The 200 comes in typical Sonos-style premium packaging, with an excellent hard-copy instruction manual, and a charger which (unlike the older 100 controller) is included.
Following the instructions, I plugged-in the charger and then dropped the 200 into the cradle. A small chime sounds to confirm the charging contacts have made their connection.....a nice touch. The manual advises charging for two hours first, but my unit was almost fully charged out of the box. The battery looks not unlike the thin, flat style popular in cellphones. It is user-replaceable - simply slide the panel upward and lift-out the battery pack. This is an improvement over the older 100 which had to be returned to Sonos for replacement at a cost of about $100.
PERFORMANCE
The first thing you notice, especially if you have used one of the other Sonos control options mentioned earlier, is THIS THING IS FAST. Pick up the 200 from its cradle, the bulit-in motion sensor triggers and the display instantly comes alive. The 200 connects immediately to your MESH network and the device is now ready for your commands. Compare this to the much slower "wake from sleep" behaviour of the older 100 controller or having to perform multiple steps on an iTouch just to get to the Sonos software to launch it. (You don't have to remove the 200 from the cradle to use it though - just touch the screen to bring it to life.)
Holding the 200 in my hand, I was surprised at its weight.....almost 7oz., which is about twice the weight of an iTouch! But with the 200, this extra weight has two very nice benefits: first, the unit feels very substantial and high-quality in your grasp - it's unlikely you would fumble it; and second, the extra weight combined with the flat bottom of the case means you can easily stand the unit on its end if you wish, perhaps on the arm of your chair. Of course you can lie the 200 flat on its back too and the rubber backing and rubber feet will protect your furnishings.
The touchscreen is very snappy and responds well to commands. Compared to the Sonos iTouch software, this unit seems noticeably more responsive.
In dim lighting, the hard buttons are illuminated via soft white variable-brightness LED backlighting, controlled by the built-in light sensor.
Those familiar with how Sonos works already know about the menu selections, etc . It's all here in the 200, only faster, brighter, handier and more responsive.
CONCLUSION
The Sonos Controller 200 replaces the older 100 model which is no longer commonly available and is no longer on Sonos' online store. If you currently own a Controller 100, the 200 bests it in terms of convenience, smaller form factor, better display using a touchscreen instead of a clickwheel, faster connection to your network, instant-on out of the cradle, and a user-replaceable battery. Clearly the 200 reflects more modern technology over the now-dated 100. If you are looking for a handheld dedicated Sonos controller, your ONLY option now is the 200.
But do you NEED a DEDICATED controller? Does it make sense to lay out $350 for the Cadillac of Sonos controllers if you can purchase an iTouch for $199 and simply load the Sonos free software controller onto it? As mentioned, it all comes down to speed and convenience. The Sonos Controller 200 is simply the fastest and most convenient method of accessing your music library. If that is of paramount importance to you, then the 200 is the controller you want. If you don't mind clicking through various steps to launch the software, the iTouch/iPhone option is cheaper.
Also note that the 200, as good as it is, is a one-trick pony. It does not play videos. Or games. Or display photos. Or anything else other than deftly controlling a Sonos music system.
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