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Rikrok
Contributor I
February 5, 2015

Auto power on amp

I have a Sonos Connect connected to an amp (more accurately a pair of active studio monitors, but effectively the same). Every time I start playing music for that room I need switch the power socket on for the multiplug that they're powered from. Other people may have amps that auto switch on when they detect an input signal but that's not an option for me.

I would have thought its fairly common issue but I'm really struggling to find a solution.

There's this discontinued product, the Parasound SCAMP:
parasound.com/pdfs/vintage/scampom.pdf
(Sorry, this forum won't let me post clickable links until I've posted 3 times!)
Which while being on ebay is expensive, but more importantly the wrong voltage (and ideally would be better with kettle style power outputs, or at least UK sockets).

I also found this, the ST-ACR2:
rdlnet.com/product.php?page=278

But I have no idea how to hook this up, and even if I could I'd up up which a bunch of exposed wires on the shelf.

Can anyone guide me to an elegant solution? I know flipping a switch on (and remembering to turn it off again) isn't the biggest hardship in the world but I'm trying to get a simple and seamless system as possible running, especially for other people to use when I'm not there.
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    13 replies

    Thunderbyte
    Thunderbyte
    Prominent Collaborator I
    February 5, 2015
    Well, the most "elegant" solution is certainly a Sonos AMP. :D

    Why not switch out the Connect vs an AMP?
    1 Playbar | 1 Sub | 2x Play:5 | 1x Play:3 | 2x Play:1 | 1x Sonos One
      Kumar
      February 5, 2015
      I have a Sonos Connect connected to an amp (more accurately a pair of active studio monitors, but effectively the same). Every time I start playing music for that room I need switch the power socket on for the multiplug that they're powered from. Other people may have amps that auto switch on when they detect an input signal but that's not an option for me.

      Why do you need to turn off the power to the actives? Most modern ones go to low power consumption - 0.5w - standby mode after some time of no signal and sense incoming signal to turn themselves on again.
      Seems to me that if your model doesn't do that, exchanging it out for a pair that does is the simplest solution. If leaving the ones you have always on isn't an option.
      Thunderbyte
      Thunderbyte
      Prominent Collaborator I
      February 5, 2015
      Oh, should have read the "active monitors". In that case the AMP does not make sense. 😮
      1 Playbar | 1 Sub | 2x Play:5 | 1x Play:3 | 2x Play:1 | 1x Sonos One
      RikrokAuthor
      Contributor I
      February 5, 2015
      Why do you need to turn off the power to the actives? Most modern ones go to low power consumption - 0.5w - standby mode after some time of no signal and sense incoming signal to turn themselves on again.
      Seems to me that if your model doesn't do that, exchanging it out for a pair that does is the simplest solution. If leaving the ones you have always on isn't an option.

      They are not low power consumption. They are worth a couple of grand so "exchanging it out" is not an option!
      ratty
      ratty
      February 5, 2015
      I have AVI actives plus subwoofer and there's a hefty switch-on current. I'd never use anything other than a fully rated mains switch to isolate them. That ST-ACR2 looks much too puny.

      And no, they don't go into standby.
      Thunderbyte
      Thunderbyte
      Prominent Collaborator I
      February 5, 2015
      They are worth a couple of grand so "exchanging it out" is not an option!

      And paying the electricity is not in the budget then? :D

      Back to topic: what about a simple power plug with timer? So you could power the speakers down at times they are not used. Another solution would be a RF controlled power switch, there are even "app controllable" power switches. There are even IR controllable power switches, which you could integrate in a Logitech Harmony startup sequence.
      1 Playbar | 1 Sub | 2x Play:5 | 1x Play:3 | 2x Play:1 | 1x Sonos One
      jishi
      Headliner II
      February 5, 2015
      There are a few other threads in this topic:

      http://forums.sonos.com/showthread.php?t=16545
      http://forums.sonos.com/showthread.php?t=18630
      http://forums.sonos.com/showthread.php?t=30273

      There are current-sensing power strips as well, but they will probably not work because the difference on a CONNECT between playing music and not, is slim.

      Depending on your DIY skills, another solution would be a power strip or relay driven outlet controlled by a networked device (a raspberry pi for instance), or an audio sensing device with adequate delay. However, it might be difficult to identify low-level signals (line-out) compared to speaker level output (which is more common, I think). Some basic ideas can be seen here:

      http://geraldnaveen.blogspot.se/2013/04/diy-raspberry-pi-controlled-power-strip.html
      http://tech.iprock.com/?p=10030

      However, I do not recommend these solutions unless you are very experienced with electric circuits and know some basic programming. You should at least use some pre-made, isolated relay controller like this:

      http://www.adafruit.com/products/268


      Which in theory should be controllable directly from the GPIO pins from a raspberry pi. The pre-made one seems to be for 120V, for a 240V you need to build it yourself using their kit.

      http://www.powerswitchtail.com/Pages/PowerSwitchTail240vackit.aspx
      ratty
      ratty
      February 5, 2015
      Frankly I'd prefer RF-controlled mains power switches, and forget all the auto-sensing hassle. It's not hard to press a button on a remote when you actually want to fire up the serious HiFi gear.

      With two grand's worth of kit you don't want the power-amps flicking on and off when spurious audio signals are detected, perhaps by someone somewhere with a Sonos controller who accidentally taps Play in that room.
      biggetje
      biggetje
      Enthusiast I
      February 5, 2015
      I have AVI actives plus subwoofer and there's a hefty switch-on current. I'd never use anything other than a fully rated mains switch to isolate them.

      Same situation here. Exactly the same situation to be honest if you're talking about the ADM 9.1 plus sub :)
      Or maybe even the new DM10?:rolleyes:

      Anyway, I'm using one powerswitch to switch on/off the connected active monitors.
      Priyan
      Lyricist I
      April 8, 2015
      Hello Everyone
      I was pondering on the same matter for months now.
      My main criteria were:
      1. to get a good power amp (100W-8 Ohm / 150W-4 Ohm) under 1000 Swiss francs to power my Q-Acoustic i2050
      2. Auto standby less than 1 Hour when music stops
      3. Auto power on when music starts playing from Sonos connect

      The only amp I could found in the market was Cambridge Audio Azur 651W. It sense the source music from it's audio in and turn itself on. After inactivity of 30 min it goes to standby.

      Works like a charm.
      Show more replies
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