Desktop Audio with SONOS speakers?

  • 14 December 2017
  • 49 replies
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Trying to utilize a single SPEAKER to channel desktop audio(voice, music, gaming sound) and Sonos streaming music. WHat needs to be done or hooked up?

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49 replies

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Hi, dadolknees. Welcome to the community. This would depend entirely what Sonos product(s) you have. In order to do this, you would need a Sonos product that has a line-in capability. Then, of course, you are required to use an auxiliary cable to get the sound to the speaker. At this point in time, there is no "Sonos sanctioned" way to go about doing this wirelessly. Others have found some measure of success with some third-party applications, though we'd have to wait for them to chime in and provide those workarounds... As I say, those methods are not endorsed by Sonos.
Note that any analog audio input to the Sonos ecosystem also comes with at least a 70ms delay, for processing of the signal, which would likely make it unsuitable for gaming, or movie watching. There are some who say it doesn't bother them, but most seem to think it's a deal breaker.
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Ok..so If I don't uitlize the Play5, with the in-line capability, either the Play1 or 3 won't cut it, right? The Play5 speaker is just too powerful for a 10x10 room(office). So i'm WAITING to hear from the COMMUNITY, to see if there's a 3rd party application or ADAPTER that can be used to harness the sound out of the desktop amplifier.
I occasionally attach my old MacBook Pro to the line in on my PLAY:5 in order to listen to TuneIn premium. I usually group the line-in with my PLAYBAR, so the sound comes from that, rather than the PLAY:5 which is in another room with the computer. It does require me to play with the pause/play button on my DVR in order to sync them up, though.

Works fairly well. I wouldn't want to do that while playing a video game, though. Games tend to use audio cues in order to let the player know about something. I'd hate to lose the 70+ms when it might mean life or death.
I guess what I didn't make clear is 2 things. 1) I'm part of the community. If I worked for Sonos, you'd see Sonos staff next to my board name. and 2) Once the line-in is in the Sonos ecosystem, you can send it to any other Sonos speaker in your setup, which is how I group my PLAYBAR to the line-in on the PLAY:5. That's why there's that 70ms delay, it's both processing analog to digital as well as buffering so that it will play in sync across all Sonos speakers.
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I tried to run the 6 ft linefrom the Desktop CPU out to the SONOS PLAY5...I hear nothing! What did I miss or do wrong?
However, was just testing to see if that solves the desktop sound issue, but don't intend to stay with the PLAY5l it's just too big for a 100sqft room!
WHAT IS THE ANSWER? DO I need CONNECT, or is that only for streaming music. Again, I need to channel the DESKTOP SOUND out trhough SONOS speakers. Are there any hookups to go out from the desktop that can send sound through PLAY3 or PLAY1. Playbar? Anything??
Did you go in to the Sonos controller app and adjust the settings of the Line-In on the PLAY:5? It would be in that room's settings.
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I have no idea where to find the ROOM'S Settings?
Do you know where "Settings" is in the Sonos app? Unfortunately, I'm not a home, so I can't open the app to give you a fully detailed explanation. Generally, as I recall, it might be under the three dots at the bottom right of the screen. Click on Settings. Then go to Room Settings. The choose the name of the room that is your PLAY:5. Then there should be (I think, I'm hazy here, look around) either an advanced settings, or maybe just a line in settings. You need to first turn on the line in, then make adjustments to the level of the line in. Shoot, let me find the FAQ for all this, it may be better than me typing off of my faint memory.

Here you go.

https://sonos.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1091/~/using-line-in-on-sonos

Feel free to poke around in that FAQ area. They have a lot of articles that cover a majority of issues people might have.
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OKAY! I've got the Line-In working and any music service that's on my desktop plays through the SONOS system.
However, I also want to hear SOUND from the INTERNET, such as news or entertainment videos...or even sounds from the computer when my grandkids are playing games! I WANT THIS SOUND SYSTEM TO REPLACE MY little PC speakers! Am I wishing for too much??
Sonos do not make/sell computer speakers. That is the reality. Shoe horning them into that application will always involve compromises.

That said, with the line in you have set up, Sonos will play anything that the computer's built in speaker would have. Why is that not enough for you? How else are you getting sound from the net?
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For example: logging onto AOL.com...click any feature stories, enterntainment, NEWS features, etc and watch or listen! This is what I'm talking about. It come through audio sytem of desktop, along with GAMING sounds! Is that more understandable to you?
If the other end of the line in wire is plugged into your computer, as it needs to be for music services to play from the desktop, so should audio from these sources you refer to.
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That's exactly what I thought! Using a 3.5mm audio cable...Unplugged the old Speaker wire (coming from the pair of speakers) from back of CPU. What could be wrong? That's the big question.
What happens if you connect the headphone socket on the computer to the line in jack on the 5?
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I've got both Audios coming through now! However, they must be done separately. The Internet sound works fine but can't be overlapped by Sonos stream unless we change the music source each instance.
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COULD not switch to headphone socket and still get sound.
Hi, dadolknees. Welcome to the community. This would depend entirely what Sonos product(s) you have. In order to do this, you would need a Sonos product that has a line-in capability. Then, of course, you are required to use an auxiliary cable to get the sound to the speaker. At this point in time, there is no "Sonos sanctioned" way to go about doing this wirelessly. Others have found some measure of success with some third-party applications, though we'd have to wait for them to chime in and provide those workarounds... As I say, those methods are not endorsed by Sonos.

Hey Edward,

You know, your company should advertise and describe the capabilities of their products properly before selling them for incredibly expensive prices. Yes, the sound quality is good but that is if you can use it. My Sonos experience has been utterly disappointing. And, I feel completely ripped off.

I can't watch soccer games, movies, play games, etc. using my speakers after spending $500 on them. It should be a very basic fix through a better-programmed app but I think you guys want to keep what one can play in a closed circuit.

The system is completely useless the way it is and if it was explained to me before purchase I would have never spend a dime on it.

I am actually getting legal advice from my lawyer at the moment to sue your company for false advertising. And I am dedicating time to write reviews about how dysfunctional your products are any chance I get.

This kind of business mentality must be stopped. People don't earn money easily and customers deserve to properly informed about the products they purchase.
I’d be fascinated by a link to any Sonos advertising that indicates that Sonos produces speakers designed to be connected to a computer as computer speakers. I’m sure your lawyer is asking the same thing. Would you be so kind as to provide either links or images of this kind of thing?
When google searched Sonos claims, "Sonos is the ultimate home sound system: a WiFi-enabled wireless network that ... for music, TV, movies, video games, podcasts, audiobooks, radio and more." Which I am not able to do alongside with a lot of your other customers.

There is a screenshot of that google search attached here.

Anyway, your response was very quick considering that there are hundreds of comments and complaints that are unanswered on your e-community. And, all those messages make me think that I am not really alone.

I won't be engaging with you here. My lawyer is working on it.

Cheers
I wish you the best of luck. My feeling at this moment is that your lawyer is taking your money, if there was anything there, it would have been addressed years ago, and I’d expect all of Sonos’ advertising is vetted by their own lawyers. But I can’t deny your outrage.
I won't be engaging with you here. My lawyer is working on it.

Cheers

Your call. If you prefer to make a fool of yourself...
He is not taking any money until there is a case
I won't be engaging with you here. My lawyer is working on it.

Cheers

Your call. If prefer to make a fool of yourself...


funny how sensitive people can get
I won't be engaging with you here. My lawyer is working on it.

Cheers

Your call. If prefer to make a fool of yourself...


funny how sensitive people can get

It's thought-provoking. Take a closer look at the ads. "Sonos is the ultimate home sound system: a WiFi-enabled wireless network that ... for music, TV, movies, video games, podcasts, audiobooks, radio and more."

Playbar/Playbase/Beam are dedicated to TV/Movies/Video games; Play:1/Sonos ONE/Play:5 (with Line-In audio jack)/Play:3/CONNECT (with Line-In audio jack)/CONNECT:AMP (with Line-In audio jack) are designed for music, podcasts, audiobooks, radio and more. Your claim of false advertising will be smashed in court.