Question

Add front speakers to Playbase home theatre

  • 15 October 2020
  • 1 reply
  • 279 views

My existing setup is a 5.1 channel system which is pretty straight forward-

  1. Playbase
  2. Sonos Sub
  3. 2 One SLs for surround

I am looking to add a pair of Ascendo c8-c’s to my setup which I have been using separately as stereo.

I have a Sonos connect s15, a bel canto s300i integrated amp and 2 d-sonic monoblock amps for each of the Ascendos which I intend on using in order to integrate with the Playbase home theatre system.

Following is what I have tried-

Sonos Connect s15

  • L&R Output to L&R monoblocks each bi-wired into the Ascendos
  • Optical Out to Home theatre system (into playbase and hence the  5.1 channel setup)

I have not hooked up my TV out to the connect yet, I’ll set that up later.

The Sonos Controller cannot add the playbase and connect in one room, it adds separate rooms for each.

The connect room is called “Ascendo-Connect” and the home theatre set up is called “Playbase”.

Following are the challenges I am facing-

  1. When I use the party mode in the Sonos Controller everything plays beautifully and as per my expectation(Playbase + Ascendo-Connect).
  2. Connect does not support airplay, streaming directly from a music app only streams to the Playbase.
  3. Using Sonos controller with the following settings in the rooms:
    Ascendo-Connect input method streaming music
    Playbase input method TV(optical in from connect)
    There is a lag in the sound out from the playbase. Unfortunately, the only place I can increase the delay is in the playbase setup which is already delayed.

Scenario 3 is my ideal scenario as I intend to have multiple inputs (Media/Streaming Box, TV, etc) going into the Sonos connect and that is giving me a hard time with the delay!

The solution I am looking for is to integrate Playbase home theatre system integrated with Sonos Connect so that it works as one system. Any help is appreciated. Thank you fellow audiophiles :)


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1 reply

Userlevel 7
Badge +18

You are one of many wanting a wider front soundstage than the Playbase or Beam can offer. Unfortunately, as things are currently and AIUI, it cannot be done. There is a 70msec buffering delay when speakers/rooms are grouped with the TV device, whether to Amp, Connect or other Sonos speakers such as the One. The “echo” effect from speakers in the same room, together with the picture/sound out of sync, makes this unviable. 

 

My “want” to fix it is a Sonos “centre speaker” which also has the sound processing capabilities, to which you add your choice of front and rear speakers, pairing from the Sonos range. Front Left and Right Five’s would be  great, both for HT and stereo purposes, with One’s at the rear. But, I don’t expect it to happen ☹️