Question

Connect with existing Sonos 5.1 system

  • 10 April 2017
  • 3 replies
  • 430 views

I currently have a Sonos 5.1 system setup — Playbar, Sub, play:1. I'm considering purchasing a Connect to stream from a vintage amp to the existing setup.

Is this possible without breaking the 5.1 functionality? I know this seems like an obvious question, just don't want invest and find the answer the hard way. Thanks.

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3 replies

I'm not sure this is an obvious question at all. In fact, I'm not entirely sure it is a meaningful one. When you say "stream to the existing system" what do you mean? For sound to come out of the Playbar? But the Playbar is an amplified speaker, so cannot use the vintage amp's amplification. Can you explain what sources of music you want to listen to with this arrangement? Or by "stream to the existing system" do you mean that you want the Connect + amp + passive speakers to be part of the same Sonos system as your 5.1 setup?
Sorry if I wasn't clear. I'd like to line out from my vintage receiver to the Connect. Mostly likely from a line level source like Tape Monitor. That way I can listen to LPs, CDs, etc via Sonos. So Receiver > Connect > Existing Sonos.

I want to make sure this will work without having to reconfigure the system. More or less I still want to use the Sonos 5.1 with the TV and use it as a speaker system for the Connect (obviously not at the same time).

What I'm hoping is that the Connect is just treated as a new "source" within the app and doesn't require it's own speakers.
OK thanks. Yes the Connect line-in could be specified as a source for the Playbar, no need for it to have speakers. A couple of thoughts though:

1. In effect, the amp and Connect would together just be acting as a switch and an analog to digital converter. So why not, much more cheaply, get a couple of analog to digital converters and an optical switch instead?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ex-Pro-Analogue-Digital-Converter-TOSlink/dp/B009K55TJI

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/152478545185?chn=ps&adgroupid=13585920426&rlsatarget=aud-295856144804%3Apla-142405565586&abcId=&adtype=pla&merchantid=114886998&poi=&googleloc=9045713&device=c&campaignid=207297426&crdt=0

2. Personally I'd rip the CDs and just keep the turntable as analog but you may be attached to your physical CDs!

Hope that helps.