Why it's noth worth the bluetooth on sonos ?

  • 15 April 2019
  • 9 replies
  • 1014 views

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Sonos may play music streaming and music stored on your pc and smathphone through the wi fiSo you will not spend a lot of battery and the quality of sound is much better
many peolpe prefer speaker that have bliuetooth like bose ( i did that but i was not satisfied.
But i think it's worth to explein that if you have a sonos one you don't need bluetooth
Do you agree on that?
thank you

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9 replies

Userlevel 7
Hi melines

I'll agree that BT is not needed to enjoy music with Sonos and the sound quality is much better. Streaming services would be further degraded over BT (however some do offer BT streaming).

To play the devils advocate...Sonos will most likely never incorporate BT into their speakers (with the exception of Bluetooth Low Energy_BLE found in the Sonos One Gen2 to aid with in faster setup). However, although not native to Sonos...BT using a trans/receive module is possible with Sonos via line-in on the Play 5, Connect and Sonos Amp.

Using BT in the manner described above will allow guests to play their music through Sonos without accessing your Wi-Fi. Some find that aspect pleasing.

Here's another interesting point...Unlike Wi-fi whose improvements focus primarily upon faster speeds, penetration through walls and clients handled very little has to do with improved acoustic transmissions.

BT on the other hand has not only improved data tramsmsion speeds but also the quality of data packets sent for better sound. BT is still not as good as Wi-Fi for music but IMO it is improving in quality. I personally believe that one day BT will equal if not surpass that of a Wi-Fi transmission for data in certain aspects.

Cheers!
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Hi melines

However, although not native to Sonos...BT using a trans/receive module is possible with Sonos via line-in on the Play 5, Connect and Sonos Amp.

Using BT in the manner described above will allow guests to play their music through Sonos without accessing your Wi-Fi. Some find that aspect pleasing.

Cheers!


Does this result in any form of audio delay? Don't own any of the components (yet) that would utilize this tech, just curious.
IMO, the play 1 units and as a corollary, Sonos One units would go from good to great if they just had line in jacks, by the versatility these confer. I have enough Sonos kit with line in jacks, and the Echo Dot also works as a bluetooth receiver, making my Sonos units that they are wired to, bluetooth capable. I find nothing audible with respect to sound quality loss, and if used within the boundaries of the room, range is not an issue, nor is music play interrupted.
But I am not able use my four play 1 units in this manner, which is something I miss at times.
Userlevel 7
Hi melines

However, although not native to Sonos...BT using a trans/receive module is possible with Sonos via line-in on the Play 5, Connect and Sonos Amp.

Using BT in the manner described above will allow guests to play their music through Sonos without accessing your Wi-Fi. Some find that aspect pleasing.

Cheers!


Does this result in any form of audio delay? Don't own any of the components (yet) that would utilize this tech, just curious.



No, at least not to the primary speaker(s)_stand-alone or stereo paired. I can't speak to speakers that are grouped; but I seriously doubt it.
Hi melines

However, although not native to Sonos...BT using a trans/receive module is possible with Sonos via line-in on the Play 5, Connect and Sonos Amp.

Using BT in the manner described above will allow guests to play their music through Sonos without accessing your Wi-Fi. Some find that aspect pleasing.

Cheers!


Does this result in any form of audio delay? Don't own any of the components (yet) that would utilize this tech, just curious.

The transmission delay for the standard Bluetooth SBC codec is ~220ms. This can be reduced -- and quality made more acceptable -- by using different flavours of the aptX codec. However the mobile and the receiver must both be compliant.

Plus of course there's the standard Line-In delay for Sonos, which is about 75ms.
I could be wrong about this, but I think bluetooth and airplay have the advantage of specifying the buffer/delay involved so that both the source and destination are aware of the destination. Since the delay is known, the source system can match the delay for video or perhaps a second audio destination. As I think about this a bit more, I'm probably wrong on bluetooth, at least in it's current version. However, the potential is there given the nature of the 2 way connection.

In contrast, this would not be possible with RCA, optical, or coaxial wired connections. It would be with HDMI-ARC connections, again, because it's a 2-way connection.

IMO, the play 1 units and as a corollary, Sonos One units would go from good to great if they just had line in jacks, by the versatility these confer. I have enough Sonos kit with line in jacks, and the Echo Dot also works as a bluetooth receiver, making my Sonos units that they are wired to, bluetooth capable.


A few problems with that thought though. It makes sense in your location where Sonos Alexa integration is not currently supportted, but totally unneeded for other locations. The Sonos Alexa integration provides much greater flexibility than a wired connection.

I'm not saying that I would have issues with Sonos adding bluetooth or a line in to Sonos devices like the play:1. I don't know if the term "worth it" really applies, as I don't see that there would be any cost or lost functionality associated with that from a customer perspective. I do think it could cause confusion with customers as to what Sonos is and the advantages of wifi streaming over bluetooth or line in. I also wonder how adding bluetooth/line in would impact over all sales. Perhaps there was a time when Sonos didn't want to be thought of as just a line of expensive bluetooth speakers. I'm not sure that really applies that well anymore.
I did not once say that Sonos needs to add bluetooth, you are putting words in my mouth; all I said is that the play 1 units are missing an essential feature - line in jacks, for the versatility these provide. Someone may use them to make them bluetooth capable, another may use them to add a turn table. Yet another, to use them as computer speakers, another commonly expressed grief about these, that they cannot be so used. This versatility would make the play 1 a great speaker product opposed to merely a good one, without Sonos having to seem to be "giving in" to bluetooth as many here claim adding bluetooth capability would be doing, as something demeaning to Sonos, an amusing thought.

The Echo Dot is also versatile+cheap and even cheaper if bought on offers. It can be used as just a good quality bluetooth receiver, wired to the line in, with the mic even left permanently disabled if voice control is anathema. Or, it can be used for voice as well. Mine work both ways, so I have bluetooth on my Sonos, as well as voice control with the latest features. I no longer care about what Sonos does or does not do with voice in India or globally. But this because I have enough Sonos line in jacks around the house.
I did not once say that Sonos needs to add bluetooth, you are putting words in my mouth;

Am I the "you" you're refering to? I never said that, and didn't mean to imply it. The thread title is about bluetooth, and quite fair to talk about the question raised by the OP as well as your comments about line-in.


all I said is that the play 1 units are missing an essential feature - line in jacks, for the versatility these provide. Someone may use them to make them bluetooth capable, another may use them to add a turn table. Yet another, to use them as computer speakers, another commonly expressed grief about these, that they cannot be so used.


They would work in the the cases you mention accept when the audio is to be matched to video. So turntable would be fine, but bluetooth and computer speakers often would not, since these often will have video on the computer/phone/tablet screen. Perhaps not an issue for users who understand what it is they're getting, but could end up frustrating more customers, who just wanted a good computer speaker and not a streaming multiroom audio system.

And Granted, the line in jack is on the play:5, Connect, and Connect:amp/Sonos Amp, and there are going to be customers who get these more expensive products with the intent of using them for their line in connections and expecting to sync with audio. I'd think there would be more customer frustration though if the line in was on the one.

I also don't think this is the only reason, but it really doesn't matter. Sonos has their reasons. I am not against adding a line or bluetooth (which I know you didn't say) at all, just playing a little devil's advocate.
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IMO, the play 1 units and as a corollary, Sonos One units would go from good to great if they just had line in jacks, by the versatility these confer. I have enough Sonos kit with line in jacks, and the Echo Dot also works as a bluetooth receiver, making my Sonos units that they are wired to, bluetooth capable. I find nothing audible with respect to sound quality loss, and if used within the boundaries of the room, range is not an issue, nor is music play interrupted.
But I am not able use my four play 1 units in this manner, which is something I miss at times.


i full agree sonos one should have line in jack