A Sonos 1 and Omni 10 were placed in a approx.28 sqm room next to each other and a number of songs were played over Wifi alternately on the one or on the other speaker. I was surprised how different the two systems reproduce the sound.
The Sonos sound a bit warmer, but also much duller (particularly at high frequencies). The Omni is much stronger in the bass and treble sound their metal, but much clearer. The central area was a bit "colorless". The volume can be regulated much finer at Omni. The controls of both are within easy reach, but you have to use more force when Omni to press the buttons, what I felt as uncomfortable as the Omni is round and not quite stable. The Omni has an external power supply, the Sonos it is integrated, which I think is better if you want to mount the unit on the wall.
All in all, I find the Harman-Kardon Omni 10 in the sound in some situations actually a kick better than the Sonos Play-1 because of clear. It's probably a matter of taste what you ultimately preferred. This test has been shown in any case that the Sonos Play-1 are not the non plus ultra in sound.
But what did not go at the Omni, is the current software configuration. Dear Marketing, with this software scope should not go to the market easily. I know there is pressure everywhere, but this just is not mature software is the reason the Omni to return again. So you make yourselves no favors.
It lacks an equalizer, it lacks a search function, it takes min. 5 sec. Until the song in the first place begins to play, the device via WPS did not go, everything is hakelig. A Deezer connection I did not get about, there always comes the error message "Title can not be played." It is a tragedy - really. It just is not fun to spend hours scrolling through the library to use his music. iTunes Match titles that exist only in the cloud, will be displayed but can not be played, you can see that but nowhere, and, and ... and.
Here Sonos has a clear edge in experience, though there is not all super-perfect, but what Harman-Kardon delivers here is just not ready, and that's a shame, because when the software would be better, then this system would be a good alternative to Sonos and due to its diverse input options (Bluetooth and audio in) and good sound reproduction may be better even in the entrance area for one or the other.
