Please make a sonos multi zone amp!
I really like my sonos equipment. However, my whole house was wired for speakers in every room (ceiling, walls, patio) with the wiring centralized in a wiring closet/built in audio rack. Instead of purchasing a separate zone amp for every room/speaker pair, I would much rather buy one or two multi zone amps from Sonos. Any chance there is a multi zone amp on the horizon? Please, please, please!!!!
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How is a play unit, wired to the mains socket in a room, clutter?
I don't think people really want tech lying all over the house, especially in places like bathrooms.
The equipment attracts dust, meddling kids, water, etc (I.e just waiting for stuff to happen).
People who buy new places or are willing to remodel their house don't want the equipment cluttering every room in their house.
Sonos might think that their typical "customer" is an audiophile who doesn't mind the tech clutter, but what they don't realize is that most of these customers are married to those who are not down with having tech clutter residing outside the "man cave" lol.
And now all that clutter is scattered All. Around. The. House!
The equipment attracts dust, meddling kids, water, etc (I.e just waiting for stuff to happen).
People who buy new places or are willing to remodel their house don't want the equipment cluttering every room in their house.
Sonos might think that their typical "customer" is an audiophile who doesn't mind the tech clutter, but what they don't realize is that most of these customers are married to those who are not down with having tech clutter residing outside the "man cave" lol.
And now all that clutter is scattered All. Around. The. House!
If I want to have music in half a dozen rooms/outside do I really want 6 non stacking pieces of equipment (in an earthquake zone) on top of all my other IoT systems.
The Sonos response to this question seems to be that for such a situation, the play units are its solution.
For sound quality, they will always trump ceiling speakers. And the only place where current model play units can't work is in shower cubicles or outdoors; third party speakers driven by Connect Amp is the solution for these.
The market for cases where these Sonos solutions are not appropriate may be one that Sonos isn't targeting at this time.
Why is it that Sonos thinks everyone wants tech clutter in every room?
Yea, people accept it if they have no choice, but any new house these days gets built prewired with cat6 and speakers in the ceiling and nearly every "remodel to the studs" project as well.
So why wouldn't Sonia think that is a big enough market for them? Obviously Verizon thinks it's big enough with its FIOS fiber optic system (which is a way bigger investment than Sonos putting together a multi zone amp. If anything they should at least make the amps stackable.
5 years from now most houses will have a tech closet with a rack of stackable tech equipment. Having the equivalent of a 90's style network for sound equipment seems pretty ridiculous these days. Anyone remember when DIRECTV required an individual satalite dish for every concurrent tv wanting to watch a separate channel? They don't do that any more, lol!
If I want to have music in half a dozen rooms/outside do I really want 6 non stacking pieces of equipment (in an earthquake zone) on top of all my other IoT systems.
Everyone's response is that this is what Sonos has done for years. It's pretty obvious that they've been doing it this way for 5 years too long!
Yea, people accept it if they have no choice, but any new house these days gets built prewired with cat6 and speakers in the ceiling and nearly every "remodel to the studs" project as well.
So why wouldn't Sonia think that is a big enough market for them? Obviously Verizon thinks it's big enough with its FIOS fiber optic system (which is a way bigger investment than Sonos putting together a multi zone amp. If anything they should at least make the amps stackable.
5 years from now most houses will have a tech closet with a rack of stackable tech equipment. Having the equivalent of a 90's style network for sound equipment seems pretty ridiculous these days. Anyone remember when DIRECTV required an individual satalite dish for every concurrent tv wanting to watch a separate channel? They don't do that any more, lol!
If I want to have music in half a dozen rooms/outside do I really want 6 non stacking pieces of equipment (in an earthquake zone) on top of all my other IoT systems.
Everyone's response is that this is what Sonos has done for years. It's pretty obvious that they've been doing it this way for 5 years too long!
Man, that's cool! I've got a chromecast video and assumed that was it. That is a pretty sweet setup! I can't wait to get my connect:amp now!
The Connect:AMP has Auto-detecting analog (RCA) line-in connections.
The Chromecast video has only an HDMI out.
The Chromecast audio supports RCA, 3.5mm, and optical.
The Chromecast video has only an HDMI out.
The Chromecast audio supports RCA, 3.5mm, and optical.
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The new chromecast audio doesn't use USB. I have one connected currently to my play:5 (which has same 3.5mm input as the connect:amp). https://store.google.com/product/chromecast_audio?utm_source=en-ha-na-us-sem&utm_medium=desktop&utm_content=plas&utm_campaign=Chromecastaudio?gl=us&gclid=Cj0KEQiA4LCyBRCY0N7Oy-mSgNIBEiQAyg39tuoHp10ovS0Qt57jPGWICzDagZuheHKkPA6sIC12NAEaApHx8P8HAQ
Sorry, but I was looking at the Connect:Amp page and it doesn't look like there's a USB port to plug in the Chromecast: http://www.sonos.com/en-ca/shop/connectamp
In case it isn't clear, Sonos Play5, Connect, and Connect:AMP all have inputs that you could attach a bluetooth dongle, chrome case, or airport express to.
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Once you attach the chromecast dongle to a single Sonos unit all Sonos units will have access to it.
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Actually either or will work. Both have an input so you can add a chromecast audio $40 dongle to either and you will have full chromecast ability.
So I'll need to buy a Play:5 and a Connect:amp to use Chromecast?
Userlevel 7
+22
If your buying a new Play:5 with input it pretty simple and under $40 to add the dongle for either of these options. We actually are hoping sonos adds chromecast natively. But it's a new standard so too early to tell yet.
Chromecast or Bluetooth would work, but I need another device for that? That's unfortunate.
Userlevel 7
+22
You can play sources within the Sonos app. Not programs outside Sonos app. Only way to play sources outside app right now is via AirPlay, Google chromecast, or Bluetooth. Each of those require a single attached to a Singke Sonos unit (like play:5) to input as source into Sonos.
Whoa! That is perfect! Do you know if there are limitations on what Sonos can use as a source? Say I'm playing a video (whatever app, doesn't matter) on my mobile device, can I send it to the Sonos to play through my speakers? I'd like to know what the limits are (make sure that it doesn't only support Spotify or iTunes as a source) before I put down over $500 bones. 😃
Any Sonos unit can be Grouped with any and all other Sonos units (up to 32 total), with all units playing the same source. This can be done in WiFi mode or Sonosnet mode, though Sonosnet mode is better for larger installations. And yes, you can connect up to 4 speakers (must be 8 Ohm speakers) per Connect:Amp. Each pair will play the same source at the same volume. If you wish separate volume controls, you have to wire in manual wall controls.
It can be done whether you're using sonosnet, direct Wi-Fi access or completely wired. Perfectly synced audio across any and all zones is Sonos' raison d'être, it was their usp for years and arguably still is! Up to 32 zones, all playing exactly in sync, nobody else can do that.
I could get away with just buying a CONNECT:AMP for each zone, but then I wouldn't be able to do the same feed to multiple zones (and would cost a fortune!).
Don't know where you got the idea that a Connect:Amp for each zone wouldn't let you do the same feed to multiple zones. That is exactly what you can do using Connect:Amp for each zone. Simply Group all your Zones together and they all play the same source. In addition, you can also have every zone playing a different source, if you wish.
As to it costing a fortune, the same functionality in a multi zone amp wouldn't be much less, if at all. The most expensive components, the amps and wireless, would have to be duplicated for each multi-zone, bringing the cost of production to about equal and, given the small demand; the lack of economics of scale means it just may cost more than the same number of Connect:Amps when all is said and done.
Sorry, jgatie, I read your reply last.
Hmm, from what I read on the website a few months back, I got the impression that you couldn't do the same feed through multiple CONNNECT:AMPS, now that I read the page again, it looks like it can be done with "SonosNet". I'll have to look into this (do you know if zones can be grouped on the fly, using the app depending on where you are in the house?). Also, reading further I see they can do up to 4 speakers! Jeeze, I don't know what page I was reading as I got completely wrong information. So really, all I would be getting is having them all into one unit rather than a large bank. I think I'm ok with that (as they'll be buried in the basement).
Thanks guys!
As jgatie said - what functionality to you get by having them all in one box vs. multiple boxes?
Being able to have the same feed going to multiple zones. That's really my main goal. The lower cost of having everything in one unit (8 zones per box or whatever it could be) would just be a huge bonus.
If I bought a CONNECT:AMP for each room, it would be fine (they would be tucked in the basement, out of the way), but I wouldn't be able to have the same feed going to multiple zones. Plus, it might be nice to put more than two speakers on an amp. I'm wondering about putting 4 or more in one zone.
Userlevel 7
+22
Others who have done a multi-zone amp tend to be more expensive (do to lesser sales volume) than just using multiple single zone units.
As jgatie said - what functionality to you get by having them all in one box vs. multiple boxes?
As jgatie said - what functionality to you get by having them all in one box vs. multiple boxes?
I could get away with just buying a CONNECT:AMP for each zone, but then I wouldn't be able to do the same feed to multiple zones (and would cost a fortune!).
Don't know where you got the idea that a Connect:Amp for each zone wouldn't let you do the same feed to multiple zones. That is exactly what you can do using Connect:Amp for each zone. Simply Group all your Zones together and they all play the same source. In addition, you can also have every zone playing a different source, if you wish.
As to it costing a fortune, the same functionality in a multi zone amp wouldn't be much less, if at all. The most expensive components, the amps and wireless, would have to be duplicated for each multi-zone, bringing the cost of production to about equal and, given the small demand; the lack of economics of scale means it just may cost more than the same number of Connect:Amps when all is said and done.
Well, I'm renovating my house, so I have the opportunity to wire in some speakers in each room. I like the fact that I can have some nice, sleek, flush high-quality speakers in each room (plus, a lot of new homes offer pre-installed in-ceiling sound systems with a custom build. A lot of my family went with this option).
Also, I'm not a fan of dropping bulky speakers and equipment in each room, and I prefer wired over wireless (usually more reliable and better quality) for everything.
This way, I can wire everything to a small closet in the basement, and control everything through our devices and not have anything visible. Also, by having all of the speakers going through one device, I was hoping that it would allow for the same feed to go to multiple zones. For example, you're having a house party, you could have the same songs go to the living room, kitchen, and basement. Right now, Sonos only option is dropping shelf speakers and a sonos box in each room and having a different feed coming through each one. I suppose an all-in-one amp may not have a huge need, but I know a lot of people that might buy it and people seem to keep asking for it in these forums.
I could get away with just buying a CONNECT:AMP for each zone, but then I wouldn't be able to do the same feed to multiple zones (and would cost a fortune!).
Not saying the Custom Integrator market is all that big. Just answering the question of why the request makes sense to some folks.
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