Connected Home, Music

How To: Sonos Amp Review & Configuration

Having found an ideal whole home audio solution in Sonos, the missing link in our home was how to power our passive in-wall and ceiling speakers as well as our patio speakers. While it was possible to use the Sonos Connect:Amp for this, the Connect:Amp design was almost a decade-old (a rebranded ZP120), relatively low-powered, and not suited for a centralized, rack-mounted installation. Sonos now brands itself as “the easy-to-use wireless home sound system.” But, clearly there is still a need to connect passive, wired speakers to that whole home system. Continue reading How To: Sonos Amp Review & Configuration

Mike Connelly
Connected Home, Music

How To: Advanced Sonos Wireless Network Configuration Using Sonos Beams

Here, I describe an advanced network topology that uses Ethernet-connected Sonos Beam soundbars for better Sonos wireless coverage in your home. This approach: (1) provides significantly greater wired line backhaul to your SonosNet network, and (2) shifts the majority of your Sonos speakers to 5Ghz, freeing spectrum in 2.4Ghz for your remaining Sonos speakers. It is also possible to use either the Sonos PLAYBAR or PLAYBASE instead of the Beam, for example in your home theater. However, the Sonos Beam is a much more cost-effective solution, particularly for secondary rooms in a whole home deployment. Continue reading How To: Advanced Sonos Wireless Network Configuration Using Sonos Beams

Mike Connelly
Connected Home, Music

How To: Advanced Sonos Wireless Network Configuration Using Sonos BOOST Updated

Even if you have a Wave 2 Wireless AC WiFi network, I recommend connecting your Sonos speakers as follows: Ethernet, else SonosNet 2.0 (“BOOST” mode), else your existing WiFi network (“Standard” mode). This will reduce the likelihood of audio drop outs, particularly as you connect more Sonos speakers and/or run them in pairs. This article describes Boost mode and how to configure up to three Boost hardware devices. Continue reading How To: Advanced Sonos Wireless Network Configuration Using Sonos BOOST Updated

Mike Connelly
Connected Home, Music

Sonos One & Sonos Beam (Part 2): Review of Voice Services Including Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant & Apple Airplay 2 Updated

Sonos speakers will be able to bridge the gaps between Amazon, Apple, and Google’s smart home ecosystems. Sonos owners will be in the unique position of choosing their preferred voice assistant for a task, independent from the music source, method of streaming, or smart home control. For example, a Sonos owner could maintain their music library in iTunes, their music subscription service on YouTube or Amazon, their home control on Apple HomeKit, and ask general knowledge questions to Google Assistant or Alexa. Similarly, Sonos consumers could control Nest and HomeKit devices from a single smart speaker. Continue reading Sonos One & Sonos Beam (Part 2): Review of Voice Services Including Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant & Apple Airplay 2 Updated

Mike Connelly
Connected Home, Music

Sonos One & Sonos Beam (Part 1): The State of Smart Speakers Updated

Amazon Echo’s primary function appears to be extending Amazon’s ecosystem including e-commerce and advertising. Like Amazon, Google Home’s primary goal appears to be lowering the price of its devices so that users will install multiple devices in their homes, generating more user data for Google’s advertising business. Apple’s product design treats smart speakers as a relatively dumb and local extension of the iPhone. The Sonos One hits the price-performance sweet spot: although it costs nearly twice what an Echo or Home does, it provides significantly better sound. Continue reading Sonos One & Sonos Beam (Part 1): The State of Smart Speakers Updated

Mike Connelly
Guitars

How To: Using a Line 6 FBV 3 Pedalboard with an Amplifi Guitar Amplifier

The Line 6 FBV 3 Pedalboard is an advanced foot controller that is designed for hands-free control of Line 6’s Firehawk, Amplifi, and Spider lines of guitar amplifiers as well as POD. It is also possible to use the FBV 3 to control Mac or PC MIDI apps via USB, using the Line 6 FBV Control application. I just upgraded my first generation FBV Express to an FBV 3, for use with my Amplifi 150. Continue reading How To: Using a Line 6 FBV 3 Pedalboard with an Amplifi Guitar Amplifier

Mike Connelly
Guitars

Epiphone ES-339 P-90 PRO Semi-hollowbody Electric Guitar Review

The Epiphone ES-339 P-90 PRO is a limited edition, reduced size archtop. The body is constructed from maple with a solid center block. The neck is from mahagony. The fingerboard is rosewood with mother-of-pearl dot inlays. I bought a cherry color guitar, which not coincidentally is my wife’s favorite color. Continue reading Epiphone ES-339 P-90 PRO Semi-hollowbody Electric Guitar Review

Mike Connelly
Guitars

How To: Playing a USB-connected Guitar in GarageBand for Your Mobile Studio

I am going to focus on how I jam when I’m not in my home studio. Because the Ultra-III has a USB jack built into the guitar, no separate interface box is required. I couldn’t find a non-proprietary male USB Type-B to Lightning adapter cable. The Epiphone comes with a heavy-duty male USB Type-A to male USB Type-B cable. If you prefer a similar but shorter cable, you can order one from Amazon here.  You then need a female USB Type-A to male Lightning adapter cable. Continue reading How To: Playing a USB-connected Guitar in GarageBand for Your Mobile Studio

Mike Connelly
Guitars

Epiphone Les Paul Ultra-III Guitar Review Updated

Like its predecessor Ultra models, the Epiphone Les Paul Ultra-III is a hybrid electric+acoustic guitar. It preserves the look of a traditional Les Paul guitar. It possesses a rosewood fingerboard and mahogany neck. The back of the neck has a satin finish. The Ultra-III has a chambered body, which makes it much lighter and gives it more acoustic overtones. Like the Ultra-II, it has Grover tuners and a Tune-o-matic bridge with a stopbar tailpiece. The Midnight Ebony version of the Epiphone Ultra-III has nickel hardware, which I prefer over the gold hardware on the Ultra-II. Continue reading Epiphone Les Paul Ultra-III Guitar Review Updated

Mike Connelly
Guitars

Line 6 Amplifi 150 Guitar Amplifier Review Updated

The number one selling point for me is the ease of selecting different guitar tones on the Amplifi. Before the Amplifi, I owned a Line 6 Spider IV amplifier. Although my old Line 6 Spider IV amp also supported a variety of tones, it forced the guitarist to memorize obscure memory banks and read a very small LCD screen. With the Amplifi, I use my iPad as my user interface. I can quickly select over 70+ guitar amps, 100+ effects and 20+ speaker cabinets from the Amplifi Remote app. Additionally, I can layer up to eight simultaneous effects. Continue reading Line 6 Amplifi 150 Guitar Amplifier Review Updated

Mike Connelly
Autos, Connected Home, Music

How To: Listening to your iTunes Music Collection in Lossless Format in Your Car Updated

Export for iTunes does a great job of exporting your iTunes collection to a USB stick but it assumes either (1) that you wish to transcode your music collection to a lossy format like MP3 or AAC, or (2) that your music player can play Apple Lossless format. Continue reading How To: Listening to your iTunes Music Collection in Lossless Format in Your Car Updated

Mike Connelly
Connected Home, Motorcycles, Music

How To: Listening to Your iTunes Music Collection on Your Android Phone While Motorcycling

Yes, it’s possible to import all your iTunes collection into Google Play and then stream those songs on your Android phone. But since I use my motorcycle on back country roads and 128GB SD cards are ridiculously cheap, I just copied my entire collection to the local SD card. Continue reading How To: Listening to Your iTunes Music Collection on Your Android Phone While Motorcycling

Mike Connelly
Guitars

Epiphone Les Paul Ultra-II Guitar Review Updated

The Epiphone Les Paul Ultra-II is a hybrid electric+acoustic guitar. It preserves the look of a traditional Les Paul guitar. It possesses the traditional Les Paul sound, captured by a pair of Alnico Classic humbucker pickups. But, it can also generate a clean, shimmering, “acoustic-like” tone. The acoustic sound is captured by the Nanomag pickup, designed by German acoustic pickup maker Shadow. The Nanomag is embedded in the fingerboard after the 22nd fret. The inside of the Ulltra-II is chambered both to reduce weight and enhance the acoustic overtones. Continue reading Epiphone Les Paul Ultra-II Guitar Review Updated

Mike Connelly