Overall I still like them a lot, and I've had fewer problems lately. I don't know if the app has improved or my network has gotten more stable or what. In the beginning, my phone would lose connection to the Chromecast or the group all the freaking time. I'd go in to skip a track on the current playlist or add a new one, and it would say I wasn't connected even though the music was still playing (the devices stream from the web and not your phone so they'll keep going for a while after the phone disconnects).

Recently it's been better, but it still happens. Sometimes I also have trouble getting the music to start, and my wife experiences that even more on her iPhone.

In the end, I was able to repurpose two speaker sets I already had in the house, and for $35 I had a Sonos-like experience. It's not as polished, but it's way cheaper.

The biggest advantage Chromecast Audio has over Sonos isn't the price, IMO. It's the capabilities. With Chromecast Audio I can use any Chromecast-capable app on my phone and play it across any speakers in my house. This becomes key if you're a podcast listener. As far as I'm concerned, Sonos is completely incapable of playing Podcasts. There are ways, but they're all so inconvenient as to not be worth it. I want my own podcast app with the same feeds I listen to elsewhere and I want it to know where I've left off in an episode I'm already listening to. You can't do this with Sonos.

My take: Sonos is a $200 minimum investment, and that gets you one speaker. Chromecast is a $35 minimum investment, and $70 gets you two zones (this is provided you have speakers already, but since you're a long-time member of this board I assume you do ). $35 is practically in impulse purchase. If you don't end up liking it, you could return it or give it to a friend. So give it a try!