I have a fairly extensive audio setup and am looking to add support for streaming (as well as have multi room play).
My setup: Thiel speakers, B&K preamp, Marantz monoblock amplifiers, Marantz CD player.
Looks like I need to connect the audio out (either via digital coax or TOSLink) from Sonos Connect to the B&K preamp input. This will enable me to stream music onto the existing speaker setup
It is not clear (sorry, newbie here) what I need to do so that music from the CD player is streamed to the Sonos Play:3 speaker in another room.
Thanks.
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Use the analog in RCA jacks to connect the CD player to the CONNECT.
Then the PLAY:3 will be in sync with the sound on the Thiel speakers, because you'll be pushing the audio through the CONNECT before it goes to your speakers.
Then the PLAY:3 will be in sync with the sound on the Thiel speakers, because you'll be pushing the audio through the CONNECT before it goes to your speakers.
Longer term you may consider ripping your CDs and playing the music by the same route - Sonos Connect to amp - as other sources.
Thanks! Looks like I had it backwards :)
To clarify (again newbie, so pardon the ignorance). This will be a 2nd set of outputs from the CD player, but this time to the CONNECT and this will stream it to the PLAY:3
(the first set of output is the existing that goes to the preamp from the CD).
Cheers.
To clarify (again newbie, so pardon the ignorance). This will be a 2nd set of outputs from the CD player, but this time to the CONNECT and this will stream it to the PLAY:3
(the first set of output is the existing that goes to the preamp from the CD).
Cheers.
Forgot to add: what about the other way (streaming to the Thiels from the phone). Would the above setup work for this as well?
I'm not sure we have got this straight yet! Can you confirm what sources you want to play? We know you want to play from a CD player (although unless you like the experience of physical media I think you would do better to rip the CDs and sell the CD player). What else? You mention a phone, but I would not recommend that, either. If you have local digital music files to play it is better to store them on a networked drive (NAS) in a lossless format such as FLAC. The Sonos phone app is just a controller, although files on a phone can be played. Do you want to listen to internet radio and streamed music from, for example, Spotify?
The Connect is fundamentally designed to stream music FROM the Connect TO an amp and speakers, from a variety of sources. This music can be synced with other Sonos speakers. HOWEVER, one of the available sources is the Connect's own line-in, so, exactly as Bruce said, you would ALSO have a cable from the CD player to the Connect's line-in. That source is available to any Sonos player. You could play it just to the Thiel speakers (via the amp, obviously), just to the Play:3, or to both in sync. You would not need a connection directly from CD player to amp.
The Connect is fundamentally designed to stream music FROM the Connect TO an amp and speakers, from a variety of sources. This music can be synced with other Sonos speakers. HOWEVER, one of the available sources is the Connect's own line-in, so, exactly as Bruce said, you would ALSO have a cable from the CD player to the Connect's line-in. That source is available to any Sonos player. You could play it just to the Thiel speakers (via the amp, obviously), just to the Play:3, or to both in sync. You would not need a connection directly from CD player to amp.
Sorry for being imprecise. Let me try that again.
I want to do two things:
1. Multiroom setup for my existing audio equipment, so I can listen to CDs/vinyl in my upstairs office (using Play:3) even though the equipment is located downstairs.
2. Listen to Spotify/Amazon Prime in my office on the Play:3 (and eventually setup an additional speaker in the guest room)
Yes, I plan to rip the CDs.
Cheers.
I want to do two things:
1. Multiroom setup for my existing audio equipment, so I can listen to CDs/vinyl in my upstairs office (using Play:3) even though the equipment is located downstairs.
2. Listen to Spotify/Amazon Prime in my office on the Play:3 (and eventually setup an additional speaker in the guest room)
Yes, I plan to rip the CDs.
Cheers.
One more thing:
3. Listen to Spotify on the Thiels (this isn't super high priority) 🙂
3. Listen to Spotify on the Thiels (this isn't super high priority) 🙂
OK thanks. The fact that you have both vinyl and CD sources changes things a bit. But one key thing to bear in mind is that the Connect is fundamentally designed to turn a conventional hifi into a Sonos streamer (which is what you want for Spotify etc). But also important is that the Connect was equipped with a line-in precisely for your other use case of playing vinyl or CDs. The line-in is just another source that Sonos can play on the whole system, just like any other source.
If you have a 'tape out' on the amp you might try running that to the Connect's line in. However, you would have sync issues between the direct play on the hifi and the line-in feeding other speakers (which may or may not matter in your case). The best solution might be as in my previous post (and Bruce's), but just use a switch to allow you to run both the turntable and CD player directly to the Connect's line-in. This would mean that whenever you play a CD or vinyl it will go via the Connect, but I see no problem in that.
Does that make sense?
If you have a 'tape out' on the amp you might try running that to the Connect's line in. However, you would have sync issues between the direct play on the hifi and the line-in feeding other speakers (which may or may not matter in your case). The best solution might be as in my previous post (and Bruce's), but just use a switch to allow you to run both the turntable and CD player directly to the Connect's line-in. This would mean that whenever you play a CD or vinyl it will go via the Connect, but I see no problem in that.
Does that make sense?
In an attempt at further clarification....
The Connect will turn your hifi into a Sonos player that will play any source that a Play speaker can (streaming services, internet radio, music on computer, NAS or phone etc). The connection for this is from one of the three outputs on the Connect (RCA, coaxial, optical) to a suitable input on the pre-amp. Your preamp input selector must obviously then be set to play that input.
So, what about CDs and vinyl? There are two possible 'models' for this. Whether both are available to you depends on the connections you have.
Model 1. Continue to play vinyl / CD through the amp directly, with no involvement for the Connect as far as playing through the hifi is concerned. Amp input selector is set for the turntable or CD player as required. Capture the audio for other Sonos speakers using a 'REC OUT' or similar on the amp connected to the line-in on the Connect. That can then be fed to other Sonos speakers, but will not sync with the direct play on the hifi. (You cannot send this audio back to the hifi because the amp input selector has to be set to turntable or CD player to get the music in the first place.)
Model 2: Connect RCA outputs from turntable and CD player to an RCA switch, and from the switch to the line-in on the Connect. Use the switch to select which gets fed to the line in. The line in source is available to the whole Sonos system exactly as all the other sources are. On the amp the input selector is set to play whatever comes from the Connect.
Once CDs are ripped, the CD player and switch can be dropped from model 2, and the Connect line in used to capture vinyl.only.
The Connect will turn your hifi into a Sonos player that will play any source that a Play speaker can (streaming services, internet radio, music on computer, NAS or phone etc). The connection for this is from one of the three outputs on the Connect (RCA, coaxial, optical) to a suitable input on the pre-amp. Your preamp input selector must obviously then be set to play that input.
So, what about CDs and vinyl? There are two possible 'models' for this. Whether both are available to you depends on the connections you have.
Model 1. Continue to play vinyl / CD through the amp directly, with no involvement for the Connect as far as playing through the hifi is concerned. Amp input selector is set for the turntable or CD player as required. Capture the audio for other Sonos speakers using a 'REC OUT' or similar on the amp connected to the line-in on the Connect. That can then be fed to other Sonos speakers, but will not sync with the direct play on the hifi. (You cannot send this audio back to the hifi because the amp input selector has to be set to turntable or CD player to get the music in the first place.)
Model 2: Connect RCA outputs from turntable and CD player to an RCA switch, and from the switch to the line-in on the Connect. Use the switch to select which gets fed to the line in. The line in source is available to the whole Sonos system exactly as all the other sources are. On the amp the input selector is set to play whatever comes from the Connect.
Once CDs are ripped, the CD player and switch can be dropped from model 2, and the Connect line in used to capture vinyl.only.
2. Listen to Spotify/Amazon Prime in my office on the Play:3 (and eventually setup an additional speaker in the guest room)
Yes, I plan to rip the CDs.
Cheers.
How will you play the equipment downstairs while listening to its output upstairs? The way to do this is to access the ripped CDs; this can be done from upstairs/anywhere even if the server holding the ripped files in downstairs. In practice this will also mean that you will end up having no need for the CD player/CDs once the ripping is done.
While listening to Spotify does not feel like a priority just now, that too may well change once you get used to all it offers.
Something to consider while you take heed of the John B advice.
Thanks John B that was helpful.
Sync is not going to be a problem as I will be in the office upstairs and can't let if the stream is out of whack :)
How will you play the equipment downstairs while listening to its output upstairs? The way to do this is to access the ripped CDs; this can be done from upstairs/anywhere even if the server holding the ripped files in downstairs. In practice this will also mean that you will end up having no need for the CD player/CDs once the ripping is done.
While listening to Spotify does not feel like a priority just now, that too may well change once you get used to all it offers.
Something to consider while you take heed of the John B advice.
I thought CONNECT would add multiroom to the equipment I already have, from what I read:
https://www.sonos.com/en-us/shop/connect.html
Sync is not going to be a problem as I will be in the office upstairs and can't let if the stream is out of whack :)
How will you play the equipment downstairs while listening to its output upstairs? The way to do this is to access the ripped CDs; this can be done from upstairs/anywhere even if the server holding the ripped files in downstairs. In practice this will also mean that you will end up having no need for the CD player/CDs once the ripping is done.
While listening to Spotify does not feel like a priority just now, that too may well change once you get used to all it offers.
Something to consider while you take heed of the John B advice.
I thought CONNECT would add multiroom to the equipment I already have, from what I read:
https://www.sonos.com/en-us/shop/connect.html
Yes, but if the CD player is downstairs, you will need to physically be there to load/change CDs even when you want to listen to them upstairs. Ditto for the turntable. I probably didn't express this clearly.
But if your CDs are ripped to a network server, then you can wirelessly command Sonos to play music from the server. It doesn't matter where you are or where the server is as long as there is a wireless connection.
But if your CDs are ripped to a network server, then you can wirelessly command Sonos to play music from the server. It doesn't matter where you are or where the server is as long as there is a wireless connection.
Got it! It's a 5 CD changer :)
But your point is taken. I'm also looking at a network server, once I have the basic streaming sorted out.
But your point is taken. I'm also looking at a network server, once I have the basic streaming sorted out.
Sonos doesn't need much of a server, I'm using a Raspberry Pi and a Western Digital Live drive works well too.
A belated thanks to John-B and Bruce. It's been a few months now and everything works as intended 🙂
Delighted to have been of assistance. Enjoy your Sonos 🙂
Umm, sorry for the thread revival....
The author has some nice gear, including a B&K pre-amp. Most B&K pre-amps have a tape monitor function, allowing for another connection strategy that might be worth considering.
Pasting from another thread I commented on:
If you have a tape monitor feature available, connect the tape output of the pre-amp (Tape Out) to the Sonos Connect input, and the output of the Connect to the tape input (Tape In) on the pre-amp. Whatever music source you want to listen to on your Sonos system should be selected on the pre-amp (Phono, for example). Then engage the tape monitor. It's often a separate pushbutton... The signal on the Phono input will be routed to the Tape Out jacks, and the input to the receiver will come from the Tape In jacks. Since you are now listening to the delayed signal from the Connect, your speakers should all be in sync.
Turn off the tape monitor if you want to hear the audio source directly on the main system.
If you want to listen to the output of the Connect, you can either engage Tape Monitor, or select Tape as the input with the input selector. Note that If you play a source on the Sonos system and the main system at the same time without engaging the tape monitor the speakers won't be in sync (unless it is the Connect itself acting as the source).
A nice thing about this strategy is that you can leave all your gear wired to the pre-amp as before. For "critical listening" on your main system disengage the tape monitor and you can listen to your sources directly.
Good luck and happy listening.
The author has some nice gear, including a B&K pre-amp. Most B&K pre-amps have a tape monitor function, allowing for another connection strategy that might be worth considering.
Pasting from another thread I commented on:
If you have a tape monitor feature available, connect the tape output of the pre-amp (Tape Out) to the Sonos Connect input, and the output of the Connect to the tape input (Tape In) on the pre-amp. Whatever music source you want to listen to on your Sonos system should be selected on the pre-amp (Phono, for example). Then engage the tape monitor. It's often a separate pushbutton... The signal on the Phono input will be routed to the Tape Out jacks, and the input to the receiver will come from the Tape In jacks. Since you are now listening to the delayed signal from the Connect, your speakers should all be in sync.
Turn off the tape monitor if you want to hear the audio source directly on the main system.
If you want to listen to the output of the Connect, you can either engage Tape Monitor, or select Tape as the input with the input selector. Note that If you play a source on the Sonos system and the main system at the same time without engaging the tape monitor the speakers won't be in sync (unless it is the Connect itself acting as the source).
A nice thing about this strategy is that you can leave all your gear wired to the pre-amp as before. For "critical listening" on your main system disengage the tape monitor and you can listen to your sources directly.
Good luck and happy listening.
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