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Non Wifi System?

L

I currently have a HEOS/Denon system that’s connected to Wifi and with 4 hardwired speakers and a Sub that is connected wirelessly (not sure how they did that. Pro install), in my outdoor patio.  I intend to keep the hardwired speakers and use a sonos sub. 

Anyway, I don’t like a wifi system.  I want to be able to play or have guests play their favorites channels via bluetooth rather than getting on my wifi system.

What do I need to accomplish this?

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Best answer by AjTrek1 2 April 2024, 00:19

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12 replies

Ken_Griffiths

I can’t see how you can connect a Sonos Sub to the existing hardware mentioned - The Sonos Sub is exclusively designed to bond with other Sonos products only. You would need to add at least a Sonos Amp, or compatible speaker, to your setup to bond the Sub to it, but even in that situation, if you retain your existing Denon System (just as an example) there isn’t anything to keep things in sync. You would likely need to replace some devices, rather than add to them if you’re determined to get a Sonos Sub into the mix. I don’t think Sonos is your best choice here for what you’re perhaps trying to achieve.

L

I am going to ditch the HEOS/Denon and go all Sonos.  I know I can hardwire 4 speakers by using the same speaker inputs on the Sonos product.  Just not sure how to add the Sonos subwoofer to the mix and MOST IMPORTANTLY, NOT have it be a wifi dependent system.  Too many issues with wifi connections.  Maybe it was just my HEOS having wifi issues??? Don’t know, don’t care. Moving on….

Ken_Griffiths

I am going to ditch the HEOS/Denon and go all Sonos.  I know I can hardwire 4 speakers by using the same speaker inputs on the Sonos product.  Just not sure how to add the Sonos subwoofer to the mix and MOST IMPORTANTLY, NOT have it be a wifi dependent system.  Too many issues with wifi connections.  Maybe it was just my HEOS having wifi issues??? Don’t know, don’t care. Moving on….

Ah I see, then just go with a Sonos Amp to drive your existing speakers… you can simply cable both the Amp and Sonos Sub back to your router/switch.

The Amp can drive speakers with nominal impedance above 4 ohms. Two pairs of 8 ohm speakers wired in parallel are also supported. Don’t wire your speakers in series because it will result in poor sound quality. - all four will output same audio in sync. 

I assume that’s what you’re looking to do?

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AjTrek1
Userlevel 7

As I interpret this post @LarryGee wants a system that is not dependent upon WiFi to function and still have a whole home system. Well…that’s not possible. 

@LarryGee you need WiFi to connect your device to your network in order to use the Sonos app to control your Sonos. You cannot as @Ken_Griffiths stated use a Sonos sub without a Sonos source device such as a soundbar, speaker or amp as the sub needs a 5GHz channel to receive the low-end frequencies. Note that the 5GHz channel is generated by the Sonos source device and not your router.

Also the Sonos sub can only bond to one Sonos source component. For example if you have a Sonos Five and a Sonos Amp the sub cannot be bonded to both at the same time. So if the sub is bonded to the Amp the enhanced low end will be exclusive to the speakers connected to the Amp. If you were to send music exclusively to the Five the sub would not participate.

The sub bonded to the amp would participate if the Five were grouped to the Amp. However, if the Five were in a different room even though it is grouped with the amp the enhanced low-end produced by the sub would have no effect on the Five.

If you want your guests to have access to your Sonos system you’ll need to add a Roam, Move 2, Era 100 or Era 300 speaker which are all BT capable. Once the BT connection is made to one of those devices you can group it to Sonos speakers that are not BT capable to enjoy the music whole home.

The alternative option is to allow guests access to your Sonos is via AirPlay 2. However, WiFi is still required as AirPlay 2 rides on your WiFi. 

I hope this makes sense to your understanding.

 

Together Everyone Achieves More = T.E.A.M.
L

I am going to ditch the HEOS/Denon and go all Sonos.  I know I can hardwire 4 speakers by using the same speaker inputs on the Sonos product.  Just not sure how to add the Sonos subwoofer to the mix and MOST IMPORTANTLY, NOT have it be a wifi dependent system.  Too many issues with wifi connections.  Maybe it was just my HEOS having wifi issues??? Don’t know, don’t care. Moving on….

Ah I see, then just go with a Sonos Amp to drive your existing speakers… you can simply cable both the Amp and Sonos Sub back to your router/switch.

The Amp can drive speakers with nominal impedance above 4 ohms. Two pairs of 8 ohm speakers wired in parallel are also supported. Don’t wire your speakers in series because it will result in poor sound quality. - all four will output same audio in sync. 

I assume that’s what you’re looking to do?

I am going to ditch the HEOS/Denon and go all Sonos.  I know I can hardwire 4 speakers by using the same speaker inputs on the Sonos product.  Just not sure how to add the Sonos subwoofer to the mix and MOST IMPORTANTLY, NOT have it be a wifi dependent system.  Too many issues with wifi connections.  Maybe it was just my HEOS having wifi issues??? Don’t know, don’t care. Moving on….

Ah I see, then just go with a Sonos Amp to drive your existing speakers… you can simply cable both the Amp and Sonos Sub back to your router/switch.

The Amp can drive speakers with nominal impedance above 4 ohms. Two pairs of 8 ohm speakers wired in parallel are also supported. Don’t wire your speakers in series because it will result in poor sound quality. - all four will output same audio in sync. 

I assume that’s what you’re looking to do?

YES.  Now just need to figure out the Sub issue. 

L

As I interpret this post @LarryGee wants a system that is not dependent upon WiFi to function and still have a whole home system. Well…that’s not possible.  

YES, that is correct and now understood.

 

The sub bonded to the amp would participate if the Five were grouped to the Amp. However, if the Five were in a different room even though it is grouped with the amp the enhanced low-end produced by the sub would have no effect on the Five.

So, if the 4 speakers and the Sonos Sub were connected to a Sonos amp AND they were in the same room/patio, then I can accomplish most of what I want. Correct?   Sonos has so many products It gets confusing.   What is the name of the amp or whatever, that all speakers and sub would “bond” to?

If you want your guests to have access to your Sonos system you’ll need to add a Roam, Move 2, Era 100 or Era 300 speaker which are all BT capable. Once the BT connection is made to one of those devices you can group it to Sonos speakers that are not BT capable to enjoy the music whole home.

That seems a little counter productive since I already will have the 4 hard wired speakers. 

The alternative option is to allow guests access to your Sonos is via AirPlay 2. However, WiFi is still required as AirPlay 2 rides on your WiFi. 

For this to work, am I correct that the guest would have to have an Apple phone and also know my wifi password?  Could I set up a “guest” wifi spot with it’s own password that blocks access to files available on my devices?

I hope this makes sense to your understanding.  Very Good explanation! Thanks. 

 

 

L

I am going to ditch the HEOS/Denon and go all Sonos.  I know I can hardwire 4 speakers by using the same speaker inputs on the Sonos product.  Just not sure how to add the Sonos subwoofer to the mix and MOST IMPORTANTLY, NOT have it be a wifi dependent system.  Too many issues with wifi connections.  Maybe it was just my HEOS having wifi issues??? Don’t know, don’t care. Moving on….

 

The Amp can drive speakers with nominal impedance above 4 ohms. Two pairs of 8 ohm speakers wired in parallel are also supported. Don’t wire your speakers in series because it will result in poor sound quality. - all four will output same audio in sync. 

I assume that’s what you’re looking to do?

Yes, That’s what I’m looking to do !  Thanks

 

AjTrek1
Userlevel 7

LarryGee wrote:

So, if the 4 speakers and the Sonos Sub were connected to a Sonos amp AND they were in the same room/patio, then I can accomplish most of what I want. Correct?  

  • Yes, The Sonos Amp is the hub (for lack of a better term) to which the speakers are wired to and the sub (in Sonos speak) is bonded to it to handle the low-end.
  • However, the sub is exclusive to the Amp and speakers wired to it.
  • No other Sonos speaker can send it’s low-end to the sub

LarryGee wrote:

What is the name of the amp or whatever, that all speakers and sub would “bond” to?

  • The Sonos Amp 😊  Click here

AjTrek1 wrote:

If you want your guests to have access to your Sonos system you’ll need to add a Roam, Move 2, Era 100 or Era 300 speaker which are all BT capable. Once the BT connection is made to one of those devices you can group it to Sonos speakers that are not BT capable to enjoy the music whole home.

LarryGee wrote:

That seems a little counter productive since I already will have the 4 hard wired speakers. 

  • Short answer is Not so. Let me explain...
  • In your original post you stated “I want to be able to play or have guests play their favorites channels via bluetooth rather than getting on my wifi system.”
  • The Sonos Amp is not a BT capable component/receiver.
  • The only Sonos speakers that are BT receivers are the Roam, Move 2, Era 100 and Era 300.
  • BT works independently of your Wi-Fi.
  • As long as an iOS or Android device can see the BT capable Sonos speaker the device owner can connect to it via BT.
  • Once connected the BT speakers can be Grouped to the Sonos Amp to play the music over the speakers connected to it

AjTrek1 wrote:

The alternative option (to BT) is to allow guests access to your Sonos is via AirPlay 2. However, WiFi is still required as AirPlay 2 rides on your WiFi. 

LarryGee wrote:

For this to work, am I correct that the guest would have to have an Apple phone and also know my wifi password?  Could I set up a “guest” wifi spot with it’s own password that blocks access to files available on my devices?

  • The Answer is...Yes...access to your network would be required and Yes an iOS device is required.
  • Unfortunately Sonos cannot run on a “guest network”.
  • Therefore BT would be the best solution for connectivity and security.

I hope this answers your questions. Feel free to come back 😊 

Together Everyone Achieves More = T.E.A.M.
Ken_Griffiths

Just to add to @AjTrek1’s post, a further option is to add a ‘long range’ Bluetooth Receiver/Transmitter to the Sonos Amp such as the 1Mii B03Pro, or similar product and the guests can also play audio to that as a BT source without the need to provide them with WiFi access.

That device can also be switched to allow you to play all your Sonos audio sources to Bluetooth headphones,  so there are some advantages in adding that type of device to the Amp’s line-in/out ports.

Airgetlam

I do have to say, it is odd, to me, to want to install a system that is designed for WiFi connectivity, and not want to use WiFi. Seems counterintuitive. 

Bruce
L

It might appear so BUT, my existing system (HEOS/Denon) works on WIFI AND Bluetooth. So, if DENON can do it, why couldn’t SONOS? It’s a “newer” product. 

Unfortunately, the receiver is my garage and the speakers/sub are in the pool/patio area.  So, the distance between the receiver and the pool is such that BT drops out frequently.  However Bruce, YOU just gave me an idea!  Why not move the DENON receiver outside, to the patio where it will be closer to people sitting by the pool?  Thank You!

I will try that first, since I was going to ditch the HEOS/DENON anyway, and see if saves me the cost of a new Sonos amp, sub and Roam.

Airgetlam

Sonos’ newer products do work on both WiFi and Bluetooth. The devices such as the Roam, the Move 2, and the Era 100 and 300 speakers all have that capability. The devices designed before the Sonos switched to this new feature don’t have that capability built in, but every indication so far is that Sonos will be including it in future products. 

Bruce

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