New Amp for turntable but also 5.1 HT

  • 15 January 2019
  • 16 replies
  • 444 views

I currently only have two Play:1s and a single One. Over the next few months I will be purchasing new Sonos in the following order: 1. Amp, 2. Playbase, 3. a second One, and 4. a Sub.

I will be using the RCA line-in on the Amp to run a turntable. I also want to use my two Ones, Playbase, and Sub as a 5.1 HT, with my existing Play:1s off in other rooms of the house.

Is it possible to group the Playbase, Ones, and Sub as my 5.1 HT with the Playbase connected to my LAN switch, while also grouping all speakers for playing the turntable through the Amp? I don't have any passive speakers, nor do I plan on getting any.

What would be the best configuration to have both Amp turntable functionality, and 5.1 HT functionality? Would it help to have both my Playbase and my Amp connected to my Ethernet switch for this purpose? I'd like to avoid having to regroup, and reconfigure each time I switch between my HT setup, and my turntable setup.

Thanks for any guidance.

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16 replies


Is it possible to group the Playbase, Ones, and Sub as my 5.1 HT with the Playbase connected to my LAN switch, while also grouping all speakers for playing the turntable through the Amp? I don't have any passive speakers, nor do I plan on getting any.


The playbase, ones, and sub will be bonded together, technically not grouped. They'll show up as a single room in your Sonos app. And yes, that HT room can then be grouped with other speakers in your house, including the Amp. Also, if you are only interested in the line in feature of the Amp, you'd save a lot of money getting a Connect instead.


What would be the best configuration to have both Amp turntable functionality, and 5.1 HT functionality? Would it help to have both my Playbase and my Amp connected to my Ethernet switch for this purpose? I'd like to avoid having to regroup, and reconfigure each time I switch between my HT setup, and my turntable setup.


There really isn't a best confiugration, since there's essentially only one way to set it up. Grouping your different rooms together on the fly is easy in the app, as you've probably experienced with your existing speakers. How you setup your network won't have any effect on bonding the speakers for HT or any other configurations really. For more information about network setups, read here.

https://support.sonos.com/s/article/3235?language=en_US
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Personally, unless your space precludes it, I'd skip the Playbase and instead use the Amp with a pair of good passive speakers for L/R and phantom centre duties.
I don't have any passive speakers, nor do I plan on getting any. Which makes buying the Amp at all ill-advised, to put it mildly. The excellent advice in the contributions from @melvimbe and @pwt stems directly from this. Either drop the Amp or get some passive speakers for it, but please don't turn the Amp into the most expensive line-in in the history of music systems.
I don't have any passive speakers, nor do I plan on getting any. Which makes buying the Amp at all ill-advised, to put it mildly. The excellent advice in the contributions from @melvimbe and @pwt stems directly from this. Either drop the Amp or get some passive speakers for it, but please don't turn the Amp into the most expensive line-in in the history of music systems.

I would still need to buy an amp and likely an EQ. Also, I want to be able to hear my vinyl through my home, and in my backyard, and Sonos are my only speakers.
I don't have any passive speakers, nor do I plan on getting any. Which makes buying the Amp at all ill-advised, to put it mildly. The excellent advice in the contributions from @melvimbe and @pwt stems directly from this. Either drop the Amp or get some passive speakers for it, but please don't turn the Amp into the most expensive line-in in the history of music systems.

I would still need to buy an amp and likely an EQ. Also, I want to be able to hear my vinyl through my home, and in my backyard, and Sonos are my only speakers.
Why do you think you need an amp when all Sonos speakers are amplified? Why do you think a Connect will not allow you to do what you want at lower cost, as already suggested? What is the Amp going to do for you for the $599 if you don't put any passive speakers with it?
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I was wondering the same as John B, but connect and turntable would only work with a preamp, either built into the turntable or separate. But if you have a preamp and only want the amp for line-in, have you thought about a Play:5 in order to get an extra speaker for $100 less than Amp or $150 more than the Connect?
I was wondering the same as John B, but connect and turntable would only work with a preamp, either built into the turntable or separate. But if you have a preamp and only want the amp for line-in, have you thought about a Play:5 in order to get an extra speaker for $100 less than Amp or $150 more than the Connect?

I haven't used a turntable in over a decade, but you would still need preamp (whether separate or embedded in the turntable) for use with the Connect or Sonos Amp, correct? There is no reason to get an Amp if you have no intention of using it with passive speakers.
I was wondering the same as John B, but connect and turntable would only work with a preamp, either built into the turntable or separate. But if you have a preamp and only want the amp for line-in, have you thought about a Play:5 in order to get an extra speaker for $100 less than Amp or $150 more than the Connect?

I haven't used a turntable in over a decade, but you would still need preamp (whether separate or embedded in the turntable) for use with the Connect or Sonos Amp, correct? There is no reason to get an Amp if you have no intention of using it with passive speakers.
I agree entirely with @melvimbe. If using the Connect line in needs a pre-amp, so will the Amp line-in. In both cases the line-in is just a means to get a line-level analog input into Sonos. If that is only going to be played on amplified Sonos speakers, the speakers do the amplification, and the amp part of the Amp is expensively redundant.
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I was wondering the same as John B, but connect and turntable would only work with a preamp, either built into the turntable or separate. But if you have a preamp and only want the amp for line-in, have you thought about a Play:5 in order to get an extra speaker for $100 less than Amp or $150 more than the Connect?

I haven't used a turntable in over a decade, but you would still need preamp (whether separate or embedded in the turntable) for use with the Connect or Sonos Amp, correct? There is no reason to get an Amp if you have no intention of using it with passive speakers.
I agree entirely with @melvimbe. If using the Connect line in needs a pre-amp, so will the Amp line-in.


I stand corrected - preamp (separate or embedded) needed for all Sonos set-ups. All the more reason for the OP to get a Play:5 rather than an Amp (or an Connect as you get a great speaker for $150 more with a Play:5)
All the more reason for the OP to get a Play:5 rather than an Amp (or an Connect as you get a great speaker for $150 more with a Play:5)Agree entirely. If it is only used to provide a line-in, the Connect is ridiculously expensive. Just not so ridiculously expensive as the Amp would be just for a line in.

However, I think the best results acoustically would be obtained by buying the Amp and a good pair of passive speakers to use as the front of the HT setup, and for music, Don't buy the Playbase, and possibly don't buy the Sub, depending on the quality of the speakers. (If the Playbase + Sub budget went on an ex-demo pair of speakers you could get some fantastically good speakers. Probably OTT in fact!)
I didn't get the impression that cost was a big concern for OP. However, he also didn't appear to know how Sonos multiroom worked or some of the features difference Sonos devices were capable of. If cost does matter and having passive speakers was that important to him, then yes, using the Amp for TV and turntable is a great way to go. I personally wouldn't put much value on the turntable, so would opt to drop it in favor of music services or local library, and I don't want to have passive speakers with my TV anymore (accept in outdoor situations).
I didn't get the impression that cost was a big concern for OP. However, he also didn't appear to know how Sonos multiroom worked or some of the features difference Sonos devices were capable of. If cost does matter and having passive speakers was that important to him, then yes, using the Amp for TV and turntable is a great way to go. I personally wouldn't put much value on the turntable, so would opt to drop it in favor of music services or local library, and I don't want to have passive speakers with my TV anymore (accept in outdoor situations).Fair comment. The OP will have his own preferences and priorities, of course. But I think we are all agreed that using the Amp purely to provide a line-in cannot be a good way to go
I didn't get the impression that cost was a big concern for OP. However, he also didn't appear to know how Sonos multiroom worked or some of the features difference Sonos devices were capable of. If cost does matter and having passive speakers was that important to him, then yes, using the Amp for TV and turntable is a great way to go. I personally wouldn't put much value on the turntable, so would opt to drop it in favor of music services or local library, and I don't want to have passive speakers with my TV anymore (accept in outdoor situations).Fair comment. The OP will have his own preferences and priorities, of course. But I think we are all agreed that using the Amp purely to provide a line-in cannot be a good way to go

My situation has slightly changed since posting, as I uncovered a great Klipsch sub my partner had in storage. Also, looking around, I’ve noticed I can get some decent passive fronts for around the price of new Sonos Ones. So now I’m aboard the passive speaker train, and dropping the Playbase for 5.1–or target, 4.1 in this case.

As far as the turntable is concerned, is it true that when the line-in is used, the speaker outputs in the Amp are disabled?
No.
The only thing I can think of that might be similar is that when the Amp is used as a driver for surround speakers, the Sub output is disabled. But no, when the line in is used, the speakers connected to the Amp would absolutely be usable.
The only thing I can think of that might be similar is that when the Amp is used as a driver for surround speakers, the Sub output is disabled. But no, when the line in is used, the speakers connected to the Amp would absolutely be usable.

So if I am reading this correctly, I have the Amp drive two passive floor speakers--I am thinking these: https://www.crutchfield.com/p_714RP6000W/Klipsch-Reference-Premiere-RP-6000F-Walnut.html?search=1065799&skipvs=T

and also a powered sub--let's say this: https://www.klipsch.com/products/r-120sw-subwoofer

with a couple of Sonos Ones or Play:1s all connected to my TV with the HDMI out on the Amp.

Turntable is connected to the AMP through the line in, and all speakers should work whether being used for home theater, or for turntable audio?