Future of Sonos - Custom Install Sonos Amp

Cheaper for customers -  This would only be the case if you need exactly 4 or more zones.  If you need 2 or 3 , then it would be cheaper to buy the individual amps. As well, Sonos could just offer a bulk discount on a purchase of 4 amps if they wanted to incentivize buying more uniits.

Reduce shipping costs by sending a single box (rather than 4x Sonos Amps) -  Slightly cheaper in packaging, but from what I’ve seen Sonos has larger boxes to accommodate purchases of more than one speaker.  I can’t imagine that whatever cost savings is worth it considering the extra cost in developing, manufacturing and support of the product, creating the new packaging, etc.

-Possibility of a Sonos Amp CI Pro (adding more digital inputs, more analogue inputs, sub out, 6x speaker zones, additional ethernet)  -This would have any even smaller market than the ‘CI’.  And I’m not sure why you wouldn’t want the additional inputs on your new device so that it’s similar to buying the devices separately.

-4x speaker zones from a single unit - Why is this better than 4 zones from 4 units?  With separate units, you do not have to wire all your speakers centrally.  You also can easily connect 4 separate 3rd party subs or Sonos Subs.  Your device wouldn’t allow any 3rd party subs, based on drawing, and would be more complicated to set up Sonos subs.

-Network boards internally bridged to allow a single ethernet connection (wi-fi not available due to bandwidth limitations) - You can already daisy chain the amps together if you have WiFi constraints or missing the required ports on a network switch/router.

-Out the box the CI Amp would appear as 4 separate zones within the app - I assume that would mean the device would have 4 different IP addresses so that each zone be independently controlled and communicate with other smart home devices and controllers?

-Inputs can be assigned / locked to specific zones - You can already setup inputs to autoplay on specific zones in your system.  I’m not sure why you would want to lock them to a specific zone, since grouping and changing what audio plays in which zones is a core feature of the Sonos system.

-Rack mountable - The existing amps are already rack mountable, although this would take up space.

-Zones can be ‘permanently’ linked together, appearing as one zone within the Sonos App - I like this feature, but you wouldn’t need new hardware to do it.  It could be done with software.  You can sort of doing this already with Sonos named groups, with the ability to change volume in each zone and break up the group rather easily.   You can also bond two amps together in a home theatre configuration with one amp playing the front, a 2nd amp playing the rear.  For music, they can be set to play stereo in both sets of speakers.  And since you can technically connect two pairs of speakers to each amp, you can have 4 pairs of speakers acting as one zone.

How would this new device handle TV input?

I know it sounds like I’m just trashing your idea.  I actually would like to see a new Sonos amp, just not as ambitious as your version.  Why not a $1000 version of the amp that has 4 speaker outputs, but still acts as a single zone and all the other features of a regular amp.  This would be useful for those with larger spaces that can’t be properly handled by a single pair of speakers.  Many customers already run 2 pair off a single amp, this would just make it an easier setup, and not complicating the power to the speakers.

Or, just do a firmware update so that you can bond 2 or more amps to act as a single zone.  Essentially, one amp is the master, while the others are slaves, with thier inputs turned off, volume control set by the master etc.   It would accomplish the same thing as a new device without Sonos having to build new hardware.  It could also allow bonding amps together in the quantities needed, rather than locked into 4 or 6, etc.

Thanks for you input Danny. If I’m honest, I just like thinking of ways that Sonos can expand!
 

Cheaper for customers - This would only be the case if you need exactly 4 or more zones. If you need 2 or 3, then it would be cheaper to buy the individual amps. As well, Sonos could just offer a bulk discount on a purchase of 4 amps if they wanted to incentivize buying more units.

On our install jobs we often have customers with 7+ zones (Sonos Amps). For example, 2 Sonos Amp CI’s would be considerably cheaper than 7 Amps and also allows a free zone to be used in the future. Sonos don’t currently offer bulk discount that I know of.

Reduce shipping costs by sending a single box (rather than 4x Sonos Amps) -  Slightly cheaper in packaging, but from what I’ve seen Sonos has larger boxes to accommodate purchases of more than one speaker.  I can’t imagine that whatever cost savings is worth it considering the extra cost in developing, manufacturing and support of the product, creating the new packaging, etc.

Sonos in the UK is distributed by a company called Exertis, admittedly they aren't great at at the packaging side of things (tiny boxes within massive outer cartons). I was more thinking the weight side of things and number of units that could be fitted within a single container.

Possibility of a Sonos Amp CI Pro (adding more digital inputs, more analogue inputs, sub out, 6x speaker zones, additional ethernet)  -This would have any even smaller market than the ‘CI’.  And I’m not sure why you wouldn’t want the additional inputs on your new device so that it’s similar to buying the devices separately.

Agreed it would have a smaller market, probably not even feasible. But by splitting a CI range into a ‘Lite’ and ‘Pro’ means the ‘Lite’ can be more budget friendly and the ‘Pro’ having additional features that the average consumer wouldn’t need.

4x speaker zones from a single unit - Why is this better than 4 zones from 4 units?  With separate units, you do not have to wire all your speakers centrally.  You also can easily connect 4 separate 3rd party subs or Sonos Subs.  Your device wouldn’t allow any 3rd party subs, based on drawing, and would be more complicated to set up Sonos subs.

It’s not better as such but a good solution with in a single unit. From experience the sub port is more often not used, than used.

Network boards internally bridged to allow a single ethernet connection (wi-fi not available due to bandwidth limitations) - You can already daisy chain the amps together if you have WiFi constraints or missing the required ports on a network switch/router.

Yes, this is what we currently do. If the CI was internally bridged it reduces some cables in the rack (and every cable helps. The less the better)

Out the box the CI Amp would appear as 4 separate zones within the app - I assume that would mean the device would have 4 different IP addresses so that each zone be independently controlled and communicate with other smart home devices and controllers?

Yes, 4 different IP’s as 4 network boards. Network control would work as does currently.

Inputs can be assigned / locked to specific zones - You can already setup inputs to autoplay on specific zones in your system.  I’m not sure why you would want to lock them to a specific zone, since grouping and changing what audio plays in which zones is a core feature of the Sonos system.

If you had a TV in one Zone (lets say the Living Room), you could lock the TV audio source within Sonos to only show that source within the Living Room zone. Hard to explain in writing 🤣

Rack mountable - The existing amps are already rack mountable, although this would take up space.

Existing Sonos Amps are not rack mountable out the box. You need to purchase a rack shelf designed for the Sonos Amp. An extra £95 - £250 per shelf!

Zones can be ‘permanently’ linked together, appearing as one zone within the Sonos App - I like this feature, but you wouldn’t need new hardware to do it.  It could be done with software.  You can sort of doing this already with Sonos named groups, with the ability to change volume in each zone and break up the group rather easily.   You can also bond two amps together in a home theatre configuration with one amp playing the front, a 2nd amp playing the rear.  For music, they can be set to play stereo in both sets of speakers.  And since you can technically connect two pairs of speakers to each amp, you can have 4 pairs of speakers acting as one zone.

Yes, no new hardware needed but a feature that becomes increasingly needed for if you had multiple pairs of speakers within the same room. Personally I think this feature needs to be within the app already!

How would this new device handle TV input?

Audio sources would plug into the CI Amp as normal. Input sources could be locked to a specific zone.
I.e:

• TV (HDMI) source could only show in Living Room zone if desired
• CD (Analogue) source could only show in Study if desired

Here you go… 😂

https://www.bluesoundprofessional.com

I don’t think they offer bulk discounts either, but seems like it would be a good way to win these sort of projects.

I hadn’t considered the weight factor.  Still, I’m doubtful that it would be a cost savings after Sonos development, manufacturing, and support costs of a new product.

I still think you can accomplish the majority of your feature requirement just through firmware.  You would also cover some other requests I’ve seen here, such as customers who want to use their surround speakers to play the same front stereo channels.  Essentially, if Sonos allows you to bond  an amp/beam/arc with surround speakers (amp/ones/fives) to always play stereo audio on all 4 channels, you’ve covered a lot more ground, while using existing products.

True.  I have had a couple Connect:amps and Amps and never used a sub with that.  I think that tends if you’re looking to setup a whole home solution or single room.  I can see where a multizone device could get away without the sub output, and maybe just a single input.

I get what you’re saying, but I just wouldn’t call that ‘locking’.  A signal coming from that HDMI-ARC port could be set to autoplay to living room.  But you would still have the ability to play the audio elsewhere or group as you wish.  And presumably across all the zones this CI devices owns without any buffering delays.

Ok.  I knew they were rack mounbtable, just need no additial brackets (or what have you) were required.

Agreed.   This would be ideal for outdoors, I think.  For me personally, I have 2 amps and a total of 6 speakers outdoors, and I’d like to add 2 more pairs.  The main reason I don’t is that there is an outdoor TV out there, and the delay between zones could potentially be a problem.  Well, the cost of amps and speakers is also a deterrent.  And the ‘fun’ of doing all the wiring.

Not sure what specifically you were pointing out, but the multizone amp listed there did not have streaming capabilities.  If you want to do go that route, there are plenty of options to chose from.  You would just need to add your audio sources (Ports, bluesound equivalent, or whatever) as needed.  I need see a single zone amp/streamer combination listed...but that’s not an advantage over the Sonos Amp.

Just need to look a little harder, sorry should have posted a direct link. Mix and match, multizone streamers and amps or a streamer amp… six in a 3U

https://www.bluesoundprofessional.com/product/b160s-streaming-amplifier/

Custom Integration, drivers for a few major players.

https://www.bluesoundprofessional.com/av-system-integrators/

I saw that one.  It’s a single zone device, not multizone.  I’ll grant you that they likely fit into a rack better, and the 60W/channel may be a better fit that the Sonos Amp 125W/channel.  I don’t see a price on these, but since bluesound’s powernode is listed at $900 (80W/channel), I’m guessing this around the same price as a Sonos Amp at best.

I’m not quite seeing how this is a better option given the feature requirements asked for, but perhaps I’m missing the point.