Headphones


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Is there a way I can manipulate the Sonos app so I can use my headphones -- instead of the speakers?

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18 replies

Userlevel 7
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In a word no. The Sonos app is just a controller. There used to be a headphone socket on the Gen 1 Play 5 so you could pick up one of them. I don't see the need though. Surely you have a phone or PC that you can play music to headphones from?
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Sure I have a phone (or iPad) that I can use, but it would be nice to listen to some of the playlists I have made for "my Sonos" -- using my phone.
Userlevel 7
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I see. Yes, it's annoying that there is no way to export and save playlists 😞
Userlevel 3
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Not through phone but an option for headphone use in-house is to connect the line out of a Sonos Connect to the base station of a wireless headphone.
Userlevel 7
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You could get a sonos connect and fit a Bluetooth adaptor to its output, and use wireless Bluetooth headphones.
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Paulw123 -- thanks, but I have a really good set of Bose headphones (corded), and I would like to find a way to use them either with my phone or iPad.
Userlevel 7
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oh I see.
Maybe a connect with phono male plugs lead to 3,5mm female lead.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ollivan-Universal-Stereo-Female-Adapter-Black/dp/B015446ZMI/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1528967914&sr=8-13&keywords=phono+to+3.5mm
Userlevel 7
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A gen 1 Play 5 has a headphone output and ebay has a lot of them listed.

With the Connect, the RCA outputs will drive most headphones with an RCA to 3.5 adapter.

You can also hang a Bluetooth transmitter off of either Sonos but the music in your BT phones will be out of sync with your speakers.
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To be more clear --- I'm trying to find a way to use my headphones through the Sonos app, but without using any of the Sonos speakers. Think listening to the music within Sonos without waking the baby.
Userlevel 7
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As was said, you can't do that. The controller is just a controller, it reads data from your sonos devices and sends them commands, it does not read the music data, just the tags.

If you use one of the streaming services you can stream that to your phone or tablet. You can also stream your music library, maybe using Plex?
There is a use case here that SONOS is missing and I think many spouses would buy the solution. I live in a small house and have SONOS for TV and throughout the home. If I'm listening to a movie and my wife want's to go to sleep or just not hear the sound track then the only solution is to turn it off or turn it way down....a solution that is not ideal for either of us. I would gladly switch to a set of wired or wireless headphones. I think SONOS needs to have something other than the $300+ Connect for me to use to switch to a set of headphones.
If I'm listening to a movie and my wife want's to go to sleep or just not hear the sound track then the only solution is to turn it off or turn it way down....a solution that is not ideal for either of us. I would gladly switch to a set of wired or wireless headphones.
This isn't a Sonos issue. Simply connect headphones directly to the TV. Modern TVs usually have a Bluetooth option, albeit with medium quality and perceptible latency. For a better solution wire a Bluetooth aptX Low Latency transmitter to the TV's optical out and use with a compatible receiver or headset.
Ratty, thanks for your response. This is probably a viable workaround...I still think Sonos could market a battery powered device that is the size of a deck of cards that has an audio jack to address my use case. The BT solution you propose has as you say, quality and latency issues. For hard wiring, my TV is wall mounted above the fireplace and the audio jack is not easily accessible....which could be a problem.....the jack is difficult to access so I'd want to leave headphones/radio-transmitter plugged in and usually when you plug something into the audio jack the speakers on the TV cut out which is not desirable (for me). I'll figure something out and maybe SONOS marketing will address my use case if there is enough demand. thx again for your input....jim
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I totally agree that Sonos is missing the big picture what happens in the home environment.. for example I would like to listen to TV while the speakers are on since I am hard of hearing. My wife can enjoy the Sonos sound while I listen with headsets at a higher volume. The other case is just illustrated in this topic. I would like to use one app for my music enjoyment- speakers or headset.
Userlevel 7
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I totally agree that Sonos is missing the big picture what happens in the home environment.. for example I would like to listen to TV while the speakers are on since I am hard of hearing. My wife can enjoy the Sonos sound while I listen with headsets at a higher volume. The other case is just illustrated in this topic. I would like to use one app for my music enjoyment- speakers or headset.
You could pick up a second-hand Sonos Connect from eBay; mint condition units typically sell for 2/3 new cost. It will drive most headphones directly using its analog Line-Out output and a suitable RCA to 3.5mm female cable, or you could connect a headphone amp. As with all other Sonos players, it will appear as a 'room' in the Sonos app.
Bear in mind that a Connect grouped with, say, a Playbar or Beam would be out of sync with the latter. This could upset picture lipsync and, if the headphones are not entirely closed/insulating, the leakage of sound from the main Sonos speaker could result in an appalling echo for the headphone wearer.

As I've remarked on a number of occasions, a good option is to hang a Bluetooth aptX Low Latency transmitter off the TV's optical output. As it turns out, the delay through aptX Low Latency roughly matches the audio latency through the Sonos home theatre speaker. Any echo effect would therefore be minimised and the picture lipsync would be much improved.
Userlevel 7
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As it turns out, the delay through aptX Low Latency roughly matches the audio latency through the Sonos home theatre speaker.
That's good to know.
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I already ordered an Avantree HT5009 with aptx low latency transmitter. Thanks for information as I had the same idea but now know it should work. I made sure that the Toslink output of the LG SK8500 TV was always available first. I bought the Beam, two Play 1’s and the new Smart TV to eliminate my Onkyo AV receiver, 5 speakers and one sub and LOTS of speaker cables.


I will see how it sounds on my Creative Labs Super SxFi headset. The Avantree also includes a TV headphone.

The biggest disappointment so far, aside from headphone support, is that I cannot have an all channel stereo mode to drive my two rears when there is only stereo source and the 2 Plays are quiet as a mouse. I read the workarounds on another forum and am less than impressed with having to setup a separate ‘room’ for something as basic as an all channel Stereo mode that all AV receivers have. Very basic and very missed. That is why I went for the headphone to hear more (and found that Sonos also doesn’t support). I am not the only one moving from AV receivers to Sonos.