Best Sonos ZP-80 Mod?

Marty,

You can still use the Sonos volume when it is connected to an external DAC. I have mine connected to the digital input of a GNSC moded Opus 21 with good results and almost no loss of convenience (the only think you have to do is turn on the Opus 21, but I have to turn on the rest of the equipment anyway,… that is bearable, I do it while the Sonos control wakes up!). I also pop in a CD when I want quality,…. that is why I’m really interested on this Sonos mods,… I hope that eventually I could achieve the same sound quality from the Sonos (to a DAC) as I get from my CD player.

BTW, the ZP100 solution is not listenable to me, IMHO it is much better to connect the ZP80 direct to a cheap amplifier (let’s say a $500 one used). My ZP100 is used now only to drive my cheap patio speakers.

Marty,

The digital output is variable. The volume control affedts all the outputs. You can check this in the Sonos website forums. One tread claims that this does not degrades sound quality unless you reduce the volume more than, I think, 48dB.

It's great that you are happy with all your ZP100s. My only point is that you can significantly increase the quality without loosing convenience by using a ZP80 feeding an amplifier. In my experience, the quality jump going form ZP100 to ZP80+amplifier is significantly larger than going form ZP80+amplifier to ZP80+DAC+Pre+Amp. BTW, I also have different horses for different courses :-)