Contributor I

Answered

Sonos 32 Device Limit

10 replies
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Are there plans for Sonos to go beyond the 32 device limitation? I'm looking to set up a large Sonos network of possibly 50+ components.

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rattyAnswer

Sonos don't routinely comment on future developments.

The 32 device limit was presumably not unconnected with the capacity of the SonosNet wireless mesh, and the vast majority of users wouldn't come close to that figure. Your situation must be a distant outlier.

It's always possible to run multiple Sonos households (systems) on the same network, with the 32 device limit applying to each household.

rattyAnswer

Sonos don't routinely comment on future developments.

The 32 device limit was presumably not unconnected with the capacity of the SonosNet wireless mesh, and the vast majority of users wouldn't come close to that figure. Your situation must be a distant outlier.

It's always possible to run multiple Sonos households (systems) on the same network, with the 32 device limit applying to each household.

C

CAW

Collaborator II

I'd wager 32 devices is extremely uncommon, never mind 50. Those kinds of numbers generally indicate a commercial installation, such as a restaurant. Do you really need 50 fully independent zones? Seems to me with that many devices, you're better off getting some number of CONNECTs to feed into distribution amplifiers that are designed to power many speakers (again, aimed at commercial installations).

M

manilatechnologyAuthor

Contributor I

Thanks for the replies. This setup is for a super huge residence with no wall or ceiling speakers. The homeowner likes Sonos very much.

J

JeffWScott

Lyricist I

We have a massive install to do. 52 devices in total, multiple rooms and buildings.

Can I get some guidelines on how Sonos would recommend we approach this? It it at all possible, through network configuration or something to have more than 32 devices?

ratty

You'll need to split the install into two or more systems ('households').

There's recent official comment here.

J

JeffWScott

Lyricist I

So the customer would have to keep switching back and forth? Are the two setups completely separate or can they talk to each other?

ratty

The two households would, by definition, be separate. Controllers would have to be dedicated to one or the other. How long have you been installing Sonos?

U

upstatemike

Most of the systems I work with have between 16 and 20 zones of Connects and/or Connect Amps relatively local to the rooms they serve and a dozen CR100s and/or CR200s all operating on Sonosnet. Usually at least half of the players are wired to Ethernet and using Sonosnet instead of Wi-Fi for both the controllers and the players makes everything pretty reliable.

That said, I feel like these systems are operating right on the edge sometimes and I'm not sure I would want to push things all the way to 32 zones let alone more than that. If you start to add pairs of Play units to the mix or start relying on Wi-Fi for music or control transport then you increase the risk of support challenges even further.

I'm not saying a super sized multi-household pure Sonos system would not work but I sure wouldn't want to be on the hook to manage and support such a beast.

Local music library with carefully constructed playlists - no shuffling!, Integration with Homeseer Automation, No touch screen devices, No streaming services, No Apple products ever

I

imperion

Lyricist III

Well, you can use two connects or a connect and a device with aux-in, and aditional router in order to make two sets of zones
[Set A=(Device 1,....,connect-line out ) -> (line in-connect, Device 1,...., ..)=Set B ]
In set A you choose the source, and in Set B you can automatize zones for line in in settings, if you want to get the whole SetB +connect as a single zone.

ratty

Well, you can use two connects or a connect and a device with aux-in, and aditional router in order to make two sets of zones
[Set A=(Device 1,....,connect-line out ) -> (line in-connect, Device 1,...., ..)=Set B ]
In set A you choose the source, and in Set B you can automatize zones for line in in settings, if you want to get the whole SetB +connect as a single zone.

You're talking about splitting the system into two separate 'Households', each with 32 devices or less. In fact you don't need an additional router to do this. There can be more than one Sonos Household on a single IP subnet.

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