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I'm bringing my Sonos New Amp to a cottage that has no wifi for it to connect to.



I'd like to be able to stream Spotify music to the Amp.

I believe the only way to do this is to use the line-in from my iPhone (i.e. dual RCA l/r from Amp to 3.5mm male to iPhone 3.5mm female to lightning dongle to iPhone).



As a side note, I know I could bring a little router and setup a local wifi (with no internet access), but this would only allow me to wirelessly stream the music on my phone, since my phone would be connected to this local wifi and cannot be then connected to the internet (for streaming Spotify) at the same time.



So my questions are:


  1. Can someone confirm that the line-in method is the best method for this situation to achieve my goal?
  2. In connecting in this way, would there be any compromises in terms of sound quality vs. using the amp as per normal on a wireless network connected for streaming to from the internet, etc.?
  3. Prior to leaving for this cottage, is there anything I should be setting for line-in, etc. while I still have the amp on my home wireless network and thus where I can access the Sonos app? (i.e. without wifi at the cottage, I will have no access to the Sonos app once I get there to set it up) . For example, should I be setting the Autoplay feature on? Will it work even though I wouldn't be connecting the Amp to wifi once I'm there?
  4. For Line-in Source level, which level is best to be set for an iphone connected in this way? And again, as per question 2 above, would there be any compromises in sound quality/volume?
Are you using Spotify streaming or using saved playlists? Have you considered setting up the iPhone as a hotspot?



Because if you unplug the device, it may forget that it was last set to line-in. You can turn on autoplay for that input and room so it will play once a signal is detected, but if you have any problems or need to troubleshoot, you won't be able to without wifi.
I'm usually using Spotify streaming vs saved playlists. I'd like to be able to take requests of any song from listeners in the room and be able to pull it up. If I can't get this to work, I know I can always bring a router to setup a local wifi network and just use the Sonos app to play music stored on my phone.



SO in the interest of getting to be able to stream Spotify in this situation:



If I setup my iPhone as a hotspot once I get there, will the Amp connect to it on it's own?



And, assuming it does connect on it's own, are you inferring I'd then be able to just open the Sonos app and see the Amp in the app?



If so, would I then be best to configure the line-in settings and then use line-in, or could I just stream Spotify to the Amp via the Sonos app via the hotspot connection?
Configure the Line-In Autoplay on the Amp before disconnecting it. Shut down your router and test that it works in the absence of a WiFi. Play music from your phone using the Spotify app.



A phone used as a hotspot cannot also control the Sonos system. Another device attached to the hotspot would be required.



What about speakers? Are you taking your own?
Configure the Line-In Autoplay on the Amp before disconnecting it. Shut down your router and test that it works in the absence of a WiFi. Play music from your phone using the Spotify app.



A phone used as a hotspot cannot also control the Sonos system. Another device attached to the hotspot would be required.



What about speakers? Are you taking your own?



Yes, taking my Sonance (for Sonos) outdoor speaker pair.



Ok, so few more questions:

a. if I configure line-in autoplay, and then unplug the amp and then plug it in at the cottage, it should remember that it was on autoplay line-in setting on?



b. Alternatively, if I get another phone to setup a wifi hotspot, will the Amp automatically connect to it?

c. Assuming i can get the Amp to connect to the hotspot, I can then use my phone to connect as well and have ability through the hotspot connection to stream Spotify to the amp via the Sonos app?
a. if I configure line-in autoplay, and then unplug the amp and then plug it in at the cottage, it should remember that it was on autoplay line-in setting on?

Yes. But you'd test how it behaves in the absence of a WiFi, as I suggested.



b. Alternatively, if I get another phone to setup a wifi hotspot, will the Amp automatically connect to it?


If you've set up your Sonos system to connect to your home WiFi and the hotspot is configured with the exact same network name/password as you have at home then the Amp should connect automatically. Again, try it.



c. Assuming i can get the Amp to connect to the hotspot, I can then use my phone to connect as well and have ability through the hotspot connection to stream Spotify to the amp via the Sonos app?


Yes. Strictly speaking the Sonos app is just a controller, and the Amp pulls the Spotify stream directly, but I'm just being pedantic.


a. if I configure line-in autoplay, and then unplug the amp and then plug it in at the cottage, it should remember that it was on autoplay line-in setting on?Yes. But you'd test how it behaves in the absence of a WiFi, as I suggested.





b. Alternatively, if I get another phone to setup a wifi hotspot, will the Amp automatically connect to it?
If you've set up your Sonos system to connect to your home WiFi and the hotspot is configured with the exact same network name/password as you have at home then the Amp should connect automatically. Again, try it.





c. Assuming i can get the Amp to connect to the hotspot, I can then use my phone to connect as well and have ability through the hotspot connection to stream Spotify to the amp via the Sonos app?
Yes. Strictly speaking the Sonos app is just a controller, and the Amp pulls the Spotify stream directly, but I'm just being pedantic.



a. Understood, I will test first by unplugging my home router.

b. I will test in this manner by creating hotspot with same username and password.

c. It would be great if I can get it to work like this (of course, someone else is goign to have to put up a hotspot all weekend).

So, if all that fails, and I just default to using the RCA cable method I described in my original post, what settings should I set the Line-in level at for an iPhone? Also, is there any compromises in terms of sound quality/volume using the line-in method vs. trying to stream over wifi?
So, if all that fails, and I just default to using the RCA cable method I described in my original post, what settings should I set the Line-in level at for an iPhone?

I would start with the default level (which is 2 I believe). If the iPhone is too faint then increase it. If you go too far you'll hear distortion. You can test and adjust all this with the Amp connected to the rest of the system.



Also, is there any compromises in terms of sound quality/volume using the line-in method vs. trying to stream over wifi?


Potentially, yes, but whether you'd notice is debatable. The signal has to be rendered into analog by the phone's headphone outlet, then re-digitised by the Amp. Clearly taking a digital stream directly is going to be technically superior.


So, if all that fails, and I just default to using the RCA cable method I described in my original post, what settings should I set the Line-in level at for an iPhone?I would start with the default level (which is 2 I believe). If the iPhone is too faint then increase it. If you go too far you'll hear distortion. You can test and adjust all this with the Amp connected to the rest of the system.





Also, is there any compromises in terms of sound quality/volume using the line-in method vs. trying to stream over wifi?
Potentially, yes, but whether you'd notice is debatable. The signal has to be rendered into analog by the phone's headphone outlet, then re-digitised by the Amp. Clearly taking a digital stream directly is going to be technically superior.



Ok, finally got around to testing this out, but now I'm stuck. Here's what I did:



I unplugged my home router. I put up a personal hotspot using another phone. This hotspot is named the same as my home network and I also used the exact same password.



My phone connected to the hotspot as a wifi connection no problem; however, my Sonos Amp did not.



So I went to the Sonos app on my phone while on the hotspot wifi and tried to add the Sonos Amp (as per the item in the app about how maybe my wifi/router settings may have changed).

Now here's the interesting thing, when it asks me to press the Connect button on the back of the Amp, the app immediately acts as if it finds the Amp and even shows it's MAC address in the app. But then when it starts to configure and set it up it eventually just errors out every time.



So I actually tried naming the personal hotspot put up by the other phone to another name than my home wifi, but then I couldn't even get the Sonos app to recognize the Amp when I press it's Connect button.



So I'm thinking it is somehow on the personal hotspot network, but yet it's not. Is it just a matter of leaving the hotspot on with my home router shutoff for a longer period of time and it will eventually connect to it?
I take it that you'd originally configured your home WiFi details into the Sonos system?



The hotspot would have to support 2.4GHz b/g/n WiFi. Also, some hotspots may implement client isolation, in which case the controller won't be able to talk to the Amp.



EDIT: I see you got things going eventually. https://en.community.sonos.com/components-228996/joining-a-personal-hotspot-wifi-6827985
I take it that you'd originally configured your home WiFi details into the Sonos system?



The hotspot would have to support 2.4GHz b/g/n WiFi. Also, some hotspots may implement client isolation, in which case the controller won't be able to talk to the Amp.



EDIT: I see you got things going eventually. https://en.community.sonos.com/components-228996/joining-a-personal-hotspot-wifi-6827985

Thanks. Yes I did but it was painful. Why would it take so many attempts? And as it was a test. I’m really not confident it will work when I lug this whole kit north to the remote cottage.
Some (phone) WiFis can be difficult. It's not clear whether you factory reset the Amp before attempting to connect it to the hotspot. That might conceivably have helped.



By the way, the serial number appeared in your controller because the Amp was beaconing it directly to your phone. This was prior to any network connection being established.
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