Contributor I

Need Help, Clunky utilization of New Sonos AMP :(

Forum|Forum|7 years ago
December 29, 2018
24 replies
858 views

Hello all - I know the AMP is new, so I'm hoping someone can help here. I don't know if I have things set up optimally, so please bare with me as I describe my setup and issues.

Current Room Setups - multiple Sonos One's thoughout the house (dining, kitchen, bathroom, and Beam+Sub in bedroom.
Room in Question - Living Room
- 2 Play 5's functioning as L/R channel pair, plus 1 Sub
- 1 New AMP as Line In Selector for:
- 1 ARC from TV
- 1 Line input from Record player (not yet connected)
- Note* I'm not using the AMP for any traditional speakers, so nothing is hooked up to the banana plugs

Configuration:
- I created a "room" for the Play 5's and the Sub, and a separate room for the AMP. I did not find anyway to add to Play 5's as Stereo mains in the AMP setup, only configurable as surrounds or a sub. Due to this, I'm playing the AMP room, and the Play 5's room grouped together.

Here are my questions:
- TV Volume control: When I use the remote on the TV to toggle the volume coming from the system, nothing happens. I can see on the app that the volume control of the AMP is going up or down, but it's not syncing with the grouped room of Play 5's. Essentially, if I had wired speakers to the amp, the volume would work as intended. But because I have a separate room created for the Play 5's, I have to use the Sonos App to modulate the volume going through the system.
- Possible solution: Should I attempt to hook up the Play 5's as "surrounds" to the AMP, as well as the sub? Will I still get stereo sound, or will it be discreet channels intended for decoded surround audio only?

- Input switching: This one is rather annoying. When I turn on my TV, the AMP automatically switches to that input. However, if I switch the speakers to music for a while, and then want to go back to the TV (for example, pausing a TV show for dinner and wanting to turn on music then, and then after dinner return and resume watching TV show), I have to turn the TV off and then on again for the AMP to recognize the need to switch sources.
- Is there no manual way to select which input?
- Does this problem get compounded when I add the record player (just not set up yet) and need to switch to the analog line in? I can see this becoming a major pain, do I have this setup configured wrong?

Thanks in advance for your help/input/opinions!

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ratty

Using the P:5s for TV is sub-optimal anyway, because of the lag.

This can in fact be mitigated to a degree with some TVs, by pulling the optical output a few 10s of ms ahead of the picture.

Ken_Griffiths

Using the P:5s for TV is sub-optimal anyway, because of the lag.

This can in fact be mitigated to a degree with some TVs, by pulling the optical output a few 10s of ms ahead of the picture.Yes, I can vouch for this working, as I have that setup in my living room with a 30ms lip-sync delay (set in my Home Theatre Receiver) It works a treat and lip-sync is fine.. so much so it’s really not noticeable. I will add the line in audio is set to 'uncompressed' (obviously) and not a hint of any echo.

M

mattyjmanAuthor

Contributor I

Ok, let me make sure I have this right. One room, with 2 P5's and Sub. TV Optical out into a DAC (will have to learn about these and what's good/not good) and into one P5 input. Record player to phono amp, and then line level into the other P5. With this config, the TV will be able to control volume of the speakers, and I'll be able to switch between either line-in or audio, without any funky needing to turn TV off, then on again type stuff?

Is this correct?

edit: Also need to check on the TV (new LGUK6500 series) to see if the audio delay can be adjusted. This seems to be the linchpin to this whole idea.

Ken_Griffiths

Ok, let me make sure I have this right. One room, with 2 P5's and Sub. TV Optical out into a DAC (will have to learn about these and what's good/not good) and into one P5 input. Record player to phono amp, and then line level into the other P5. With this config, the TV will be able to control volume of the speakers, and I'll be able to switch between either line-in or audio, without any funky needing to turn TV off, then on again type stuff?

Is this correct?

edit: Also need to check on the TV (new LGUK6500 series) to see if the audio delay can be adjusted. This seems to be the linchpin to this whole idea.I will say that such things are not really ideal and I’m perhaps lucky that my TV setup works for me. However, all it really does is to fill the Living room, mostly with mixed TV sound from both the HT speakers and 4 Sonos speakers (two stereo pairs grouped).

As soon as the next generation PlayBar emerges, I intend to swap my HT setup for that new Sonos setup immediately. Just wish I knew when that was going to be. I’m not sure your TV supports a lip-sync function, looking briefly through the online manual, so you will probably not achieve the success you’re hoping for here. I would perhaps look at the alternative suggestions mentioned.

J

John B

That seems an accurate summary to me, except I have my doubts about the remote controlling volume.

For the avoidance of doubt, the lag on the P:5s that you would need to adjust for would be the same for your current setup and for the P:5 line in.

J

John B

FWIW, once the Amp is available in the UK I shall be trying it out with my floorstanders. Plus Play:1s as surrounds. I hope that this will replace both my Connect + hifi set up and my Playbar.

M

mattyjmanAuthor

Contributor I

Thank you all - I'm awaiting delivery of a optical converter and will try to P5's first. If that doesn't work, I'll think about the other solutions. Appreciate all your insight!

S

SOCalistic

Renowned Enthusiast I

DAC technology, at least for sensible content (i.e. 24-bit and 48kHz max), hasn't advanced significantly in years. If you want to keep the Amp for future use, all well and good, but I'd go with John B's suggestion of twin Line-Ins on the P:5s for convenience. Pop a cheap DAC on the TV's optical out and tell the TV to downmix to stereo.
.

Disagree. The Dac and amp were badly in need of an upgrade and it has been years..
That's why products like this exist.
https://wyred4sound.com/products/upgrades-and-mods/sonos-connect-modified

ratty

DAC technology, at least for sensible content (i.e. 24-bit and 48kHz max), hasn't advanced significantly in years. If you want to keep the Amp for future use, all well and good, but I'd go with John B's suggestion of twin Line-Ins on the P:5s for convenience. Pop a cheap DAC on the TV's optical out and tell the TV to downmix to stereo.
.

Disagree. The Dac and amp were badly in need of an upgrade and it has been years..
That's why products like this exist.
https://wyred4sound.com/products/upgrades-and-mods/sonos-connect-modified

https://numeralnine.wordpress.com/2013/10/09/a-brief-guide-to-audio-for-the-skeptical-consumer/
Item 2.

S

SOCalistic

Renowned Enthusiast I

DAC technology, at least for sensible content (i.e. 24-bit and 48kHz max), hasn't advanced significantly in years. If you want to keep the Amp for future use, all well and good, but I'd go with John B's suggestion of twin Line-Ins on the P:5s for convenience. Pop a cheap DAC on the TV's optical out and tell the TV to downmix to stereo.
.

Disagree. The Dac and amp were badly in need of an upgrade and it has been years..
That's why products like this exist.
https://wyred4sound.com/products/upgrades-and-mods/sonos-connect-modified

https://numeralnine.wordpress.com/2013/10/09/a-brief-guide-to-audio-for-the-skeptical-consumer/
Item 2.

I can post 100 articles saying the opposite plus more importantly many complaints about sq with the old connect and how badly both the dac and amp need to be updated.

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