help me make sonos better

Kbar, thanks for your response. I do have a zp100 (had Sonos since the time it came out). Looks like I will have to get a new one with digital outs...

Pjohri, I think I'm pretty much where you want to be when you say

[I have a tube integrated Jolida and want to make my Sonos source sound at least as good as the cdp.]

Cullen mod to the Sonos, Monarchy DIP, cheap Dacmagic DAC, into an integrated Jolida. That's ~$1100 of tweakery, but it sounds wonderful with lossless files.

Sorry Pjohri. I do remember the ZP100 now. I thought they all had digital outs since the first generation. Guess you learn new things every day!

looks like it is either:

sonos-> bryston bda-1 dac -> pre/amp

OR

sonos-> (cullen mod)-> monarchy dip -> dacmagic -> pre/amp

i'll have to start with getting a zp90 with digital outs first!

I am a little late on this thread but have some experience with SONOS + DAC.

I have two SONOS systems, one in our CT condo and a 2nd in our FL place.

In CT I have a Cullen modded ZP90 into N.Star 192 DAC (SPDIF input) into CJ tube pre and Krell SS amp. My iTunes library is on a NAS. Most all cables are Furutech. I believe the SONOS system sounds as good as my Marantz SA11S1, when both play the same track.

In FL, I have a stock ZP90 into Benchmark DAC1 (same cables) also into CJ tube pre and a Parasound SS amp. Music library also on a NAS. I thought it sounded as good as my Marantz SA11S2. Then I bought a Esoteric SA-50 and used its internal DAC, everything else the same. Now I thought the music sounded better. I have no idea why...but the sound was great (after breakin of course). My friend, a serious classical buff, thought the same.

I'm not sure what I have proved, except the Esoteric SA-50 DAC is pretty good. I also have a Benchmark USB DAC, and I plan to experiment with this new DAC1 vs. the SA-50 when we go back to FL in November.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Glenn