Feature Request - Sonos Amp Centre Channel

That’s more than a “feature” request. Adding a true center channel would require designing a new Amp with posts to wire a 3rd speaker. Not the same as adding surrounds. 

I like the idea, but I suspect it would be pretty expensive to do. You’d need (probably) additional electronics to separate out the center channel, rather than combining it as it does currently with the existing channels, and then a separate amplifier built in for that center channel, and posts for connection. Not sure how much that would cost, but I’d guess a much higher price point than the current Amp. 

It would certainly be nice if Sonos had something beyond their soundbars that allowed three separate front channels…either signals for their own separate speakers, or for third party wired speakers. 

Edit: ​@AjTrek1 types faster than I ;)

I see both of your points, but as it's possible to wirelessly add/pair Sonos speakers as rear surrounds, could this not also be an option to wirelessly pair a Sonos speaker as a dedicated centre channel (removing the need for additional speaker posts/amps)?

If so, I would've thought this achievable through a software update that enables pairing an additional Sonos speaker as centre (similar to how surrounds are added in the sonos app) - and likely some additional audio decoding to allow it to function as so.

Adding a wireless connection for a center SONOS speaker would not be too expensive. However, for the best imaging all of the front speakers should have very similar tonal balance. This would not likely be the case with mixed manufacturers across the front. Yes, TruePlay might be able to help, but this would not be an option for Android users.

I'd love a modern Amp replacement, one fully supporting Atmos.

Left and right channels as we have now, add a powered center channel (as requested many times) and at least two, L/R Atmos height amplified channels, maybe a center height channel too. Five or 6 powered channels.

Let it bond with Era 300s for surrounds or 100s for spaces not supporting 300 placement.

Give us a choice of bonding with one or two Sonos Subs or using a powered sub. 

Maybe base it off the 8 channel Pro Amp, that would give us 2 spare powered channels to bi-amp the L/R channels or for passive/wired side channels or surrounds.

The Sonos Amp isn’t  built to support a pair of third party ‘rear’ speakers in addition to driving front speakers, other than sending a line level output via WiFi to support Sonos speakers that can accept that signal . It can’t support third party speakers while driving front speakers, there aren’t enough posts (outputs) or sufficient amplification in it. If you wanted a true 5.1 or 5.0 device, there would be a lot you’d (or Sonos would) need to add to it. A different thing altogether to add a center speaker and surrounds (with amplifiers, posts, maybe software support).

Edit: corrected my previous incorrect edit which was a change in the original wording of the post.

Got the name wrong, 8 channel Amp Multi.

https://www.sonos.com/en-us/shop/amp-multi

While we are dreaming, add a couple more USB C analog inputs to it using the existing Sonos 3.5 mm dongle.

Maybe even a build new dongle that is a TOS to USB C input. Folks could use that for 100/300/Play speakers too.

Yeah I agree it could be a less expensive option, though wouldn’t be a “perfect” solution, and achieving true 5.1 would be a lot more complex, or just require different hardware (Sonos or not) - but I do feel that sofware support for an additional Sonos speaker to act as a dedicated centre would be some way towards making 5.1 work with the Sonos Amp as it currently exists.

In general, it would be nice. Given the fact that Sonos hasn’t done so yet, despite the Amp being released in February of 2019, it seems like it may not be as ‘easy’ as we want.