Multiple Groups

  • 12 September 2020
  • 11 replies
  • 920 views

Dear Sonos,

As of now I know there are only the below grouping possible with the Sonos Arc and play 5s:

In total you can either have any of the following set up:

  • (Sonos Arc+ Sub) , (Play 5), and (Play 5).
  • (Sonos Arc+ Sub) and (stereo paired PLay 5s)
  • (Sonos Arc +Sub+ Play 5 (RS) + Play 5 (LS)

Is it possible you will add options to create mutiple groups with the Sonos Arc so you can setup for the two play 5’s as a seperate group? I’m intersted in purchasing the system but it seems so expensive when some of the features for grouping aren’t possible. From a customer standpoint you are paying so much but the grouping is lacking.

From a future customer.

Regards


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11 replies

SnarfxxxSnarf,
 

I’m slightly confused by your post, as you mention three different ‘room‘ options (all of which are possible) ...and there are other options if you wish to shift the sub to other ‘sonos rooms’, but what I’m not sure of here, is what type of setup you are actually looking for with the 4 Sonos devices mentioned, as you can have the ‘Fives’ set as a separate stereo group.

Hello.  I think you have misunderstood things here.  There are only certain combinations of speakers possible that will function as a home theatre system handling multichannel sound.  Sonos does not call this ‘grouping’.  Surrounds and Sub are ‘bonded’ to an Arc to form a single ‘room’ in Sonos terminology.  A stereo pair of speakers would constitute another room, as would any single speakers.

Now here is the important bit - Sonos ‘rooms’ can be grouped in whatever combinations you like.  For music playback the speakers will sync perfectly.

Is it possible Sonos will add the options to create mutliple groups:

 

Example

  • (Sonos Arc +Sub+ Play 5 (RS) + Play 5 (LS)

and also Play 5 (RS) + Play 5 (LS) + Sub

 

So you can switch between the groups for example you want to watch a movie you use: (Sonos Arc +Sub+ Play 5 (RS) + Play 5 (LS)

Then if you want to listen to music you can switch to: Play 5 (RS) + Play 5 (LS) + Sub

Customers are paying so much for these devices it seems like more features like this should be added to get more out of the speakers

This is nothing to do with grouping.  Both of those are possible, but you need to unbond from the Arc and rebond.   That is a bit of a hassle, but the HT setuo is designed to be semi-permanent.  This is not grouping it is reconfiguration.

You have moved the goalposts from your original question.

SnarfxxxSnarf,

Ah I think I see, you want the option to play TV 5.1 surround sound ...and then when playing music audio you want to be able to ‘mute’ the Arc and just let the two ‘rears‘ and sub behave as your stereo pair - is that what you mean?

In my own personal view, it is just as easy (and much better) to spend a little extra and use two SL’s as the two rear surrounds (they sound and work great in that role) and put the two ‘Fives‘ out in front (rather than behind you) and just use those for music and sit in the ‘sweet spot’. The only issue is it takes about 8-10 seconds to transfer the sub in the S2 App between the ‘rooms’, but I find that setup works much better than having the ‘Fives’ set behind.

SnarfxxxSnarf,

Ah I think I see, you want the option to play TV 5.1 surround sound ...and then when playing music audio you want to be able to ‘mute’ the Arc and just let the two ‘rears‘ and sub behave as your stereo pair - is that what you mean?

In my own personal view, it is just as easy (and much better) to spend a little extra and use two SL’s as the two rear surrounds (they sound and work great in that role) and put the two ‘Fives‘ out in front (rather than behind you) and just use those for music and sit in the ‘sweet spot’. The only issue is it takes about 8-10 seconds to transfer the sub in the S2 App between the ‘rooms’, but I find that setup works much better than having the ‘Fives’ set behind.

I was thinking about that but to invest another $360 when they can have software engineers come up with a solution. It seems as another way for the company to push you to get more money out of you.

I was thinking about that but to invest another $360 when they can have software engineers come up with a solution. It seems as another way for the company to push you to get more money out of you.

If having the music coming from the ‘Fives‘ behind you, is not any cause for concern, then you may just aswell leave the Arc with its side firing speakers in the mix on your soundstage anyway. I don’t think you would be too disappointed with the full stereo sound produced by the ‘full music audio’ features available - and most likely the setup might one day switch to Atmos immersive music audio anyway, as the music streaming services are beginning to support that audio format.

I was thinking about that but to invest another $360 when they can have software engineers come up with a solution. It seems as another way for the company to push you to get more money out of you.

If having the music coming from the ‘Fives‘ behind you, is not any cause for concern, then you may just aswell leave the Arc with its side firing speakers in the mix on your soundstage anyway. I don’t think you would be too disappointed with the full stereo sound produced by the ‘full music audio’ features available - and most likely the setup might one day switch to Atmos immersive music audio anyway, as the music streaming services are beginning to support that audio format.

Thanks I’m sure there will be more changes with this as Sonos has been evolving their software wishing Sonos would create more options of course even DTS support, and options to calibrate via an Android phone, however I doubt they will ever add those options.

Thanks I’m sure there will be more changes with this as Sonos has been evolving their software wishing Sonos would create more options of course even DTS support, and options to calibrate via an Android phone, however I doubt they will ever add those options.

I don’t personally think DTS will be an option, as not only would it mean licensing issues with existing users,  but most modern Blu-ray Discs are moving towards Dolby TrueHD (Atmos) anyway, which the Arc does support and of course the popular home streaming services (Netflix & others) do not support DTS either.

The issue with android mobile devices supporting TruePlay tuning is the fact, unlike Apple, the hardware is made by different manufacturers, even for the same models of many mobile devices and that means the microphones standards (apparently0 vary quite considerably and so it makes it difficult to use their mic for room-tuning purposes. The only reason Apple is supported is the mic hardware is predetermined.

I guess it’s not possible to support every mic out there, but maybe if the android manufacturers were to come together and agree certain standards for the mic hardware, there might be some progress in this area, but I guess that’s out of the hands of the Sonos developers.

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...Surrounds and Sub are ‘bonded’ to an Arc to form a single ‘room’ in Sonos terminology.  A stereo pair of speakers would constitute another room, as would any single speakers.

...Sonos ‘rooms’ can be grouped in whatever combinations you like.  For music playback the speakers will sync perfectly.

@John B - so a couple questions for clarification purposes on your statements.  If I have multiple, single Sonos speakers each constituting their own room and grouped into Group A, can I make my “TV” room (that includes a bonded Arc and Sub) part of Group A, having that bonded set act as any other room in Group A and listen to synchronized music while I am not listening to TV?  And if so, is there any config/reconfig needed to do this other than the standard grouping action?

Hi.  A Home Theatre ‘room’ can be grouped just like any other ‘room’ and behaves just the same in respect of grouping (and everything else I can think of).