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thedonva
Contributor I
February 2, 2021
Answered

Bought a Sonos Amp, have no real practical use for it, need to sell it I think

  • February 2, 2021
  • 28 replies
  • 650 views

I bought a Sonos Amp, really should’ve bought a Port for what my intended setup.  I am not even sure what I can use the Amp for since there is no audio out.  Probably going to just have to sell it.  Right now I have a connect for my in celling speakers, I guess I could use the amp for a couple of those.

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Best answer by buzz

Let’s be careful about definitions. “Amp” is a SONOS product capable of driving traditional passive speakers and “amp” is slang for a generic “amplifier” that is also capable of driving traditional passive speakers. A stereo or A/V receiver contains an amplifier. “CONNECT” or “PORT” are SONOS products that function similarly to a traditional cassette deck. PORT or CONNECT could be used as an input source to the Aton system, traditional amplifier or receiver.

I’ll agree with thedonva that the SONOS Amp has no function unless a seventh zone is needed. Even then CONNECT or PORT would be required for input to the Aton.

In any case, you would want to use a y-connection to send CONNECT’s audio to the receiver. This would allow SONOS audio to play through the receiver and Aton.

 

28 replies

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Kumar
February 5, 2021

 I bought the SONOS Amp thinking I could replace my connect, should’ve bought a Port. 

Are you out of the Sonos return window - 100 days, if I recall? You could get a full refund..

thedonvaAuthor
Contributor I
February 5, 2021

Best Buy, there return window is not so generous...

timc995
Prominent Collaborator I
February 6, 2021

I was really trying to see if there is / was a creative way to use the Amp instead of my Connect.  After reading several articles I realize that is not an option.

There is one way, but it requires some DIY wiring and a few resistors.

The speaker out expects to see a very low resistance (4-8 ohms) and will deliver a lot of current to the terminals.

If you insert three resistors in series between the terminals, and then connect an rca output across the middle one, then the high current will be dramatically reduced due to the resistors in the path between the amp and the RCA out.  Try something like 50k-100k-50k for the three resistors.  You retain volume control via the amp.

 

 

timc995
Prominent Collaborator I
February 6, 2021

I was really trying to see if there is / was a creative way to use the Amp instead of my Connect.  After reading several articles I realize that is not an option.

There is one way, but it requires some DIY wiring and a few resistors.

The speaker out expects to see a very low resistance (4-8 ohms) and will deliver a lot of current to the terminals.

If you insert three resistors in series between the terminals, and then connect an rca output across the middle one, then the high current will be dramatically reduced due to the resistors in the path between the amp and the RCA out.  Try something like 50k-100k-50k for the three resistors.  You retain volume control via the amp.

I just did the math for this to be sure, and would use different resistor values.

125 watts per channel into 8 ohms means that the voltage out at the terminals is up to 4 volts.  (Square root of 125/8).  Line level outputs are around 0.3 Volts.  So we need to drop the output voltage from 4v to 0.3V.  this can be done with resistors of 470k-68k-470k.  The RCA jack will be at a maximum voltage of 68/(470+68+470)*4V, or 0.27V

 

thedonvaAuthor
Contributor I
February 9, 2021

Wow, I would need to see a diagram for this.  Are we talking soldering (DIY wiring) or something simpler?  

Kumar
February 9, 2021

Instead of making convoluted expansions of the signal path, which, at best, will delivery equal SQ compared to the Connect, think of adding a pair of VFM HiFi speakers to create another HiFi zone in the home.

    thedonvaAuthor
    Contributor I
    February 10, 2021

    Instead of making convoluted expansions of the signal path, which, at best, will delivery equal SQ compared to the Connect, think of adding a pair of VFM HiFi speakers to create another HiFi zone in the home.

    Any speakers in particular? I do think that may be the best option for my sun room...

    Kumar
    February 11, 2021

    My experience is limited to UK/EU makes like Dali/Q Acoustics/Quad, but I believe these are sold for silly prices in the US and are not value for money there. US makes like Klipsch or Polk make similar ones, but I have not used these; in any case the best thing to do is buy after a listen, because speaker preferences can be subjective and change from one person to the next.

     

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