Surround setup with single Sonos Amp

  • 8 February 2019
  • 6 replies
  • 16411 views

Is the following setup possible with a single Sonos Amp? From press releases about the Amp I thought it was, but I find it strange that it's not mentioned in the online manual (https://www.sonos.com/support/en/sonos-user-guide/index.html#t=sonos-user-guide%2Famp%2Famp.htm):

- TV connected to Sonos Amp via HDMI arc.
- Passive wired speakers connected to the Sonos Amp wired terminals, providing two front channels + phantom center.
- Sonos Sub connected to the sub terminal, providing the .1.
- Two Sonos wireless speakers connected wirelessly to the Amp, providing the rear channels.

I know is otherwise possible to get surround sound with two Amps or with a Playbar/Beam + Amp, but I would like to avoid that (both for price reasons and because I prefer rear speakers to be wireless, so as not to have visible cables through the room). So I was hyped on the possibility of the above setup. I hope it's possible even if it doesn't appear in the manual.

Also another question (secondary): the Amp's manual says "Your speakers’ power rating should be at least 125W for 8 ohm speakers". But I understand that connecting 80 W speakers should be OK as long as I don't crank up the Amp's volume too much, right? I understand that I could fry it if I set the volume to maximum, but I can just not do that.

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6 replies

Is the following setup possible with a single Sonos Amp? From press releases about the Amp I thought it was, but I find it strange that it's not mentioned in the online manual (https://www.sonos.com/support/en/sonos-user-guide/index.html#t=sonos-user-guide%2Famp%2Famp.htm):
Well it's pretty much covered here, but specifically:

- TV connected to Sonos Amp via HDMI arc.
- Passive wired speakers connected to the Sonos Amp wired terminals, providing two front channels + phantom center.
- Sonos Sub connected to the sub terminal, providing the .1.
- Two Sonos wireless speakers connected wirelessly to the Amp, providing the rear channels.

All yes, apart from the bolded bit. The Sonos Sub connects wirelessly, same as the surrounds. The outlet on the Amp is for third party powered subwoofers only.
Amazing, even more flexible than I thought then. Thanks!
Hi Kalikrates, have you installed this setup since your message ?

I am looking to put in place a similar setup without the subwoofer and I am interested by the surround and room settings.

Once you connect all the devices are they all part of the same "room" or do you need to pair multiple "room" ?

If they are all part of the same "room" are you able to dissociate them to play different audio sources on the two play Ones for example ?
Is the following setup possible with a single Sonos Amp? From press releases about the Amp I thought it was, but I find it strange that it's not mentioned in the online manual (https://www.sonos.com/support/en/sonos-user-guide/index.html#t=sonos-user-guide%2Famp%2Famp.htm):

- TV connected to Sonos Amp via HDMI arc.
- Passive wired speakers connected to the Sonos Amp wired terminals, providing two front channels + phantom center.
- Sonos Sub connected to the sub terminal, providing the .1.
- Two Sonos wireless speakers connected wirelessly to the Amp, providing the rear channels.


This is all true, except the Sonos sub actually connects wirelessly, not through the terminal.


Also another question (secondary): the Amp's manual says "Your speakers’ power rating should be at least 125W for 8 ohm speakers". But I understand that connecting 80 W speakers should be OK as long as I don't crank up the Amp's volume too much, right? I understand that I could fry it if I set the volume to maximum, but I can just not do that.


You can actually configure a volume limit on the amp. However, if your going to spend the money for the amp, I think it's worth splurging on the speakers a little bit to get the full benefit. Particularly if you're also going to get the sub and surrounds.
Apologies if this is covered above, but the only surround configuration I've seen used as an example has the Amp driving the front speakers. Is it a viable setup to have a Beam used as the front three channels and the Amp driving two passive speakers as the rear surrounds?

I'm also curious about the connection order in that case -- TV usually goes directly to Beam via the HDMI/Arc. If TV is connected to Amp via this connection, what then connects to the Beam?

Thanks,
Jeff
Apologies if this is covered above, but the only surround configuration I've seen used as an example has the Amp driving the front speakers. Is it a viable setup to have a Beam used as the front three channels and the Amp driving two passive speakers as the rear surrounds?

Yes.

I'm also curious about the connection order in that case -- TV usually goes directly to Beam via the HDMI/Arc. If TV is connected to Amp via this connection, what then connects to the Beam?


You won't connect the TV to the Amp in this situation, it will be connected to the Beam. Whatever speaker/amp is running the front channels will be connected to the TV. For your scenario, the amp gets the surround signals from the beam, same as other speakers would get the surround signal.