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In celling speakers

  • 3 January 2021
  • 5 replies
  • 99 views

Hi 

If I connect tree pairs if in ceiling speakers to one amp, is it possible to make each pair play by them selves or will all of them always play at the same time? 
 

thanks 

 

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Best answer by AjTrek1 3 January 2021, 20:46

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5 replies

Userlevel 5
Badge +9

You’ll need to be careful with this. The Amp has two sets of speaker terminals which allow two sets of speakers to be connected in parallel - Sonos do not recommend connecting speakers in series. In this situation, both speakers will play the same thing at the same time (there is no switching of the outputs in the Amp).

Unfortunately if the ceiling speakers are a (usually) standard 8 ohm impedance, you cannot connect three pairs in parallel - this would take the overall impedance below the minimum of 4 ohms that Sonos specify.

You could achieve some of what you want by using an external speaker switching box, but you need to be very careful with those too. Some amplifiers do not tolerate being disconnected from the speaker load while playing, and you can damage the output stage if you do. As far as I can see, Sonos do not make any statements about this in the product manual, so this could represent an unknown risk of damage to the amplifier.

Userlevel 7

Hi @StefanLofstrom 

Direct answer to your question is… all 3 pairs of speakers will play the same audio. You cannot designation each pair as a separate room. 

 Note: All speakers must be Sonos In-Ceiling Speakers by Sonance. You can’t use 3rd party speakers in the arrangement you are considering.

Additional note. All three pairs of speakers must not only be from Sonance, but also must be from their Architectural line of speakers. Not all lines of Sonance speakers have the ability to have three pairs run by the Sonos Amp.

Userlevel 7

Additional note. All three pairs of speakers must not only be from Sonance, but also must be from their Architectural line of speakers. Not all lines of Sonance speakers have the ability to have three pairs run by the Sonos Amp.

Good point.  However, I took it for granted that s/he wouldn’t mistake Sonos Outdoor speakers by Sonance for Sonos In-ceiling by Sonance in the Architectural line as those are the only (in ceiling) speakers by Sonos on its website. Although people have been known to go directly to the Sonance website to purchase speakers to use in a Sonos setup. So confusing 🤷...LOL 😂 

Userlevel 5
Badge +9

Apologies to the OP - I was answering from a generic hi-fi perspective, but I should have realised that in this context you would have been referring to Sonos’s own products.

If you weren’t, and were thinking of non-Sonos branded ceiling speakers then please do pay attention to total impedance, and please avoid speaker switches if at all possible!