Sonos connect sound through receiver

  • 18 May 2018
  • 6 replies
  • 2888 views

I’ve connected my new Sonos Connect to an old Yamaha receiver through the CD input in order to play music on an old pair of Klipsch speakers. When I play streaming music through the Sonos Connect, it sounds dramatically softer and less clear than the music that plays through the receiver’s tuner. I’ve tried connecting through various inputs (cd, dvd, etc), but the Sonos connect always sounds muffled compared to the the tuner. The receiver is a home theater 5.1 system. The only difference is the source (tuner versus Sonos connect). Any thought why the sound quaility would be so dramatically different? Thanks

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6 replies

Userlevel 5
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Try adjusting the setting of the CD on receiver. I have a Yamaha AV receiver connect with a sonos connect and getting the right audio setting it sound great.
Is the Connect set to variable or fixed level output?
John B: it was set to variable. I changed it to fixed, and the sound level was equal to sound from the tuner. But then I couldn’t control the sound level through the app, only through the receiver.

Shoturtle: i’ve tried to adjust the receiver settings, but to no avail. Though I need to brush up on how to adjust the settings in my manual...it’s not very intuitive!
Essentially you have been combining low volume on the Connect output with low volume on the receiver. One of them has to be fixed and high, with the other controlling the volume. (Fixed on the Connect means max.) I choose to have my amp turned up high and the Connect on variable. That is fine for me as the Connect is my only input. Your problem would be forgetting to turn down the receiver when you switched to the tuner. So maybe abandon the tuner and use TuneIn?
Userlevel 5
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I set the connect to fixed. And control the receiver volume with the native remote. In variable i had similar issues.
Set the Connect on 75-80% volume levels in variable mode. Set the receiver volume level to that needed to then get the desired sound levels in the room. Change the sound levels if needed to be occasionally tweaked via the Sonos controller around the 75% level. Used in this manner, my amp is in a ventilated box that hasn't been opened for years.

The problem as John points out is that this may not work if you want to also use the tuner, hence the suggestion to use Tune In on the Connect for radio in its place.