Scratching the Itch: Diving into Vinyl with my Sonos Setup

 

I’ve had an inkling for a while now. It started as a small curiosity when seeing huge, beautiful album art in shops, and it’s grown into a full-blown itch I need to scratch. I want to get into vinyl.

There’s something about the digital music experience that, while incredibly convenient, feels a bit… disposable. I currently run my entire home audio setup on Sonos Beams. It’s fantastic for streaming Spotify instantly or watching movies, but I’m realizing I’m missing out on the ritual of music.

Here’s my journey into the world of records, what I think I’ve been missing, and the specific—and slightly complex—gear I chose to bridge analog history with my modern digital soundbar.

What Am I Missing?

Why vinyl in 2025? It’s not just about being a hipster. For me, it boils down to three things I currently don’t get from my streaming setup:

• • Intentional Listening: Vinyl requires you to commit. You have to physically pick an album, drop the needle, and listen to a whole side. No endless skipping.

• • The Tangible Art: A 12-inch album cover is a work of art you can actually hold.

• • The “Warmth”: That debateable but beloved depth of analog sound that digital sometimes strips away.

The Hurdle: The Sonos Beam Problem

Here is the first wall I hit in my research: You cannot just plug a turntable into a Sonos Beam.

The Beam is a digital fortress designed for HDMI ARC and Wi-Fi. It completely lacks the old-school RCA (red and white) jacks needed for a typical turntable. I needed a way to get that analog signal into the Sonos ecosystem wirelessly.

The Research & My Chosen Setup

I went down the rabbit hole of forums and reviews. I could have chosen an “easy” route with a turntable that has built-in Sonos streaming, but I wanted higher-quality components that I could upgrade later if I wanted to.

After much research on /r/vinyl/, here is the 3-part system I decided on to make this work:

1. The Turntable: Fluance RT85

I decided not to skimp on the actual record player. The Fluance RT85 kept coming up as the best value for serious beginners. It comes with a fantastic cartridge (the needle part) and that stunning acrylic platter looks amazing. Crucially, it does not have a built-in phono preamp, meaning it’s purely focused on the mechanics of playing the record.

2. The Boost: U-Turn Pluto 2 Preamp

Because the RT85 doesn’t have internal electronics to boost the signal, the sound it produces is incredibly quiet. I needed a dedicated preamp to bring that signal up to a listenable level. The U-Turn Pluto is simple, well-regarded, and perfect for this job.

3. The Bridge: Sonos Connect:Amp

This was the missing puzzle piece. To get the sound from the turntable to my Beam, I needed a Sonos device with analog inputs. The Sonos Connect:Amp acts as the bridge.

• • How it works: The turntable plugs into the Pluto preamp -> The Pluto plugs into the Connect:Amp -> The Connect:Amp broadcasts the music wirelessly to my Sonos Beam.

Ready to Spin

It’s a bit more gear than just buying a Bluetooth record player, but this setup gives me the best of both worlds: the tactile, high-quality analog experience of the Fluance RT85, seamlessly integrated into the whole-home digital convenience of my existing Sonos system.

Now, the only thing left to do is buy that first record.