Answered

Use Sonos Port to bring Airplay 2 to older Sonos speakers

  • 23 April 2022
  • 7 replies
  • 2393 views

I bought a house with some older Sonos products: Playbar and two Play:1 speakers setup as surround sound for a TV, two other Play:1 speakers each in different room, and two Connect Amps, each driving a separate set out outdoor speakers.  I added a Beam and two ONESL speakers as another surround system and another pair of ONESLs stereo paired.

Before I drop $450 on a Port, I need to understand how it would work.  I would ethernet it into my network in the equipment room where the two connect Amps are.

Can I just do that and then be able to Airplay through it to the older Sonos speakers and Connect Amps over the network?  If so, how do I do that and be able to control which speakers are used for the Airplay output from the Port?  

Or does Port need to be physically connected to an output?  Sonos support info seems to imply that but other things I read indicate the Port can play to other Sonos speakers.  If so, how?

 

icon

Best answer by John B 23 April 2022, 22:02

View original

This topic has been closed for further comments. You can use the search bar to find a similar topic, or create a new one by clicking Create Topic at the top of the page.

7 replies

Userlevel 7
Badge +23

A Roam is a much cheaper option.

Works the same though: airplay to the Roam. In the app Add whatever speaker you want to the Roam’s Group. You can mute the Roam itself if you want to.

If all your devices are presently running in the S2 Sonos app, then you don’t actually need to purchase anything further - simply Airplay your audio to your ‘Beam’ and group that to any other Sonos speakers or Connect:Amp to output the Airplay audio to those grouped rooms (you can always mute the audio on the Beam if you don’t wish to have that device outputting the audio).

If you don’t like the idea of using the Beam, you can always purchase a cheaper Airplay-compatible Sonos product too, like the Sonos Roam for example, which incidentally would also provide you with Bluetooth audio input (aswell as Airplay audio) that you could similarly group/play to all/any of your existing Sonos devices. 

Or Airplay to the One SL stereo pair and group older speakers to that.

Or Airplay to the One SL stereo pair and group older speakers to that.

Oh yes, I missed that pair when I read the OP’s post.👍

Thanks guys for the great suggestions.  Much more economical!

 

But now I’m curious.  

 

If I did use the Port, how would I use it to Airplay to the other devices?  Would it just be create a group (or groups for alternative selections) with Port and the desired Sonos output devices (speaker and/or Connect Amp) ?  And then Airplay to the Port?

 

Thanks guys for the great suggestions.  Much more economical!

 

But now I’m curious.  

 

If I did use the Port, how would I use it to Airplay to the other devices?  Would it just be create a group (or groups for alternative selections) with Port and the desired Sonos output devices (speaker and/or Connect Amp) ?  And then Airplay to the Port?

Yes, you just simply Airplay your audio source to any compatible Sonos device (like the Port/Beam/One or others etc.) …and if you want to play that audio on other rooms that are not-Airplay capable, you group those rooms with the playing device, usually from within the Sonos App.

Ignore - will post new question separately.  Sorry.