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Hi there, I actually work for SONOS (engineering team, down in Santa Barbara). The Connect:AMP has analog inputs, but not optical input and no outputs. So if you’re looking at the unit with the built-in amplifier, it will take an analog in and power your speakers - but you won’t get analog outputs from it.

The Connect has analog inputs and analog and optical outputs - but no optical input. So you can record from the analog outputs without a problem. It can stream its analog input to the Connect:AMP or any other SONOS product (just like the Connect:AMP).

So, in your case, since you already have an HK amp and speakers, you might want to consider the Connect - use the analog inputs from a source, or put the Connect inputs and outputs in a tape loop of your HK amp so that you can play OR record through your SONOS product.

Our customer service team is great, they’re available pretty much 24/7 as well if you have any system questions - I do technical things (acoustics), and like you I have my own audio amp and speaker system I prefer to use for my main listening system, so the Connect works great for me. I do have a Play 3 in the kitchen, and a Play 5 I use on the deck however!

Thanks for your information. The problem is my LG TV has two outputs. One is for headphone and the other is an optical output that supposed to go into these new type receivers that will put out front and rear stereo with a sub woofer. We want to keep it simple with a simple stereo with a sub woofer using my present amp. If we use the headphone output, it cuts out the TV speakers. That means unplugging the headphone jack if we want to use the TV speakers only. The optical output means we would need a optical to analog converter. I am not sure which unit will work on my LG TV. I guess I will need to make a few phone calls.

The SONOS system looks like a simple way to put music in other parts of the house without running wires and going with a special PA type amp with the correct output impedance for long speaker wire runs. I could see having the cable box in the base station SONOS sending audio content to the remote speakers in my bedroom. We could then watch the program in the bedroom with great audio. Comcast has MoCA cable boxes that play high definition DVR content to other TVs in the house while being controlled by satellite MoCA boxes in other rooms. Imagine running satellite SONOS speakers with the sound being generated by the base MoCA box.

Also, Comcast will soon be making available Skype to bring its video chat service to subscriber living rooms. It will make it easy for consumers to take advantage of high-quality video conferencing with friends and family through their HDTV sets and Comcast broadband connection. Imagine talking to your son in college and hearing the sound in high quality stereo.