Old Sony Amp - no line out

Hello JJKB.....

You have a lot going on. LOL. Assuming I understood everything correctly here's my suggestion.....

1. Exchange the Connect for a Connect:Amp - $150 (USD) up cost
2. Setup the Play 5 in Boost mode to establish Sonos Wireless Mesh - name it as a Zone
3. Setup the Connect:Amp as a Zone

Equipment Connections
1.Connect all audio sources to respective inputs on Sony TA-A200
2.Rec-Out from TA-A200 to Analog In on Connect:AMP
3.Wire Speakers to Connect:AMP

With this setup The Play 5 and TA-A200 can operate independently or grouped. You will have to start sources connected to the Sony TA-A200 manually then adjust volume via the Sonos Controller. As the Connect:AMP is always on you can turn the Sony TA-A200 off when playing tracks or music services resident on your tablet or Computer

A note of Caution: You'll have to find a balance between the volume control on the Sony TA-A200 and the Sonos Controller App when playing connected sources.

Alternate setup
If the router is hidden or too far away use the optional Sonos Boost component ($99-USD) to establish the Sonos Wireless Mesh then setup the Play 5 and Connect:AMP as Zones.

Here's a link on Boost mode setup:
https://sonos.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/3463?_ga=1.22613043.946089682.1474263

Here's a link on the Sonos Boost (optional component)
http://www.sonos.com/en-us/shop/boost.html?_ga=1.104777736.946089682.1474263267

Please post back with your decision and/or results. Cheers!

I don't understand why the current setup should not work. You can select "line-in" as a source for the "room" that is your Connect, or the room that is your Play:5. If you select it for the Connect and then group rooms you can play through both. Perhaps you have set an Autoplay room and would be better not to?

Maybe I'm missing something, but this seems simply resolvable without a change of equipment. In effect, TapeRec is a form of line out. It may not be ideal but if it works over one Sonos device it should work over all.

Here is a guide to using line-in:

https://sonos.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1091/~/using-line-in-on-sonos

Thank you both.

Indeed I have considered the CONNECTAMP but it is still 150 Euro. And I thought the Sony amp could run two outputs simaltanously --> so for example the RecOut and speakers. But it seems that as soon I hit the recout button, the signal is only going via recout and no longer thru the speakerwire output.

I am aware of the grouping function and I tried this. But I think the problem is in the hardware (i could be wrong).

Let's put it differently. Assume I have no recout on the sony amp. Can I use the speakerwire output and connect this to the line in of the CONNECT?
This way I can connect different audio sources to my sony amp (cd, turntable, tape) and when I play something i get sound on the speakers (A output) and via the CONNECT (B output) streaming it to the play5.
I am just not sure if a speaker wire output can be converted to the line in safely.

@John B I used the recout and it works fine for getting sound on the play5. But I want speakers + play5. I am going to try it again because I can't believe the amp can not play music and record at the same time, essantially what I want.

Rgds,
Jelle

Deleted as not helpful!

I honestly don't know if you can convert a speaker wire output to give a line-in but I'd be sceptical of the quality of the result at the very least. I think the more common and a better way all round for this would be:

1. Rip your CDs to lossless and sell the CD player
2. Run the turntable into the Connect line-in (using a suitable phono pre-amp if not built-in)
3. Get the tapes digitised and lose the tape player too! Or get a switch that would allow you to use the tape and turntable through the Connect line in.

There are numerous advantages to this for quality and ease of use.

I hit the recout button, the signal is only going via recout and no longer thru the speakerwire output.

Hi Jelle (aka JJKB)

Whew!! I think I understand why the issues 🆒

You do not need to SELECT Tape Monitor which is what I assume you mean by "hit Recout button". Record Out (on rear panel of Tape 1 - for example) is always active waiting to capture whatever audio source is being used.

All you need do is...
1. Record Out from TA-A200 (Tape 1) to Analog Audio IN on Connect
2. Set up Connect as a Zone
3. Select input source (on Sony TA-A200) CD, Tuner, Aux, Phono or whatever source you have connected to Tape 2 - input
4. Group the Play 5 and Connect to listen to input source (Sony TA-A200) on both systems
5. You will still have to reach a volume balance between the Play 5 and Sony TA-200 volume levels as the Sony TA-A200 attenuator can be controlled independently.

Speakers connected to the Sony TA-A200 will only be active when playing a source connected to it. Streaming a music service or tracks from your tablet or computer will only be heard thru the Play 5. The only way to get your 3rd party speakers to play regardless of the source is to invest in the Connect:AMP as I suggested in my previous post and follow that setup.

Good Luck..Cheers!

I hit the recout button, the signal is only going via recout and no longer thru the speakerwire output.

You do not need to SELECT Tape Monitor which is what I assume you mean by "hit Recout button". Record Out (on rear panel of Tape 1 - for example) is always active waiting to capture whatever audio source is being used. All you need do is...
1. Record Out from TA-A200 (Tape 1) to Analog Audio IN on Connect
2. Set up Connect as a Zone
3. Select input source (on Sony TA-A200) CD, Tuner, Aux, Phono or whatever source you have connected to Tape 2 - input
4. Group the Play 5 and Connect to listen to input source (Sony TA-A200) on both systems
5. You will still have to reach a volume balance between the Play 5 and Sony TA-200 volume levels as the Sony TA-A200 attenuator can be controlled independently.Speakers connected to the Sony TA-A200 will only be active when playing a source connected to it. Streaming a music service or tracks from your tablet or computer will only be heard thru the Play 5. The only way to get your 3rd party speakers to play regardless of the source is to invest in the Connect:AMP as I suggested in my previous post and follow that setup.

Hi Jelle (aka JJKB)

Correction to my quoted Post :(- Maybe John B can delete it. Here are my corrections:

You Do Not need to SELECT Tape Monitor which is what I assume you mean by "hit Recout button". Record Out (on rear panel of Tape 1 - for example) is always active waiting to capture whatever audio source is being used.

All you need do is...
1. Record Out from TA-A200 (Tape 1) to Analog Audio IN on Connect
2. Analog Out from Connect to Aux in on Sony TA-A200
3. Set up Connect as a Zone
4. Select input source (on Sony TA-A200) CD, Tuner, Phono or whatever source you have connected to Tape 2 – input
5. Select Aux when streaming a music service or playing tracks from your Tablet or computer
6. Group the Play 5 and Connect to listen to input source (Sony TA-A200) on both systems
7. You will still have to reach a volume balance between the Play 5 and Sony TA-200 volume levels as the Sony TA-A200 attenuator can be controlled independently.

I believe this is what John B was getting at :)

Good Luck..Cheers!

@AjTrek1. I think your suggestion is probably like my original suggestion, but I now don't think it will work, hence the change of tack in my subsequent post. I wouldn't say I was totally confident either way.

I think the fundamental problem is that the various devices (CD player, turntable, etc) AND the Connect feed into the amp. To play a CD and get any sound in the first place, you have to select the CD player as the input source for the amp. But then you can't select the Connect as an input source as well and so cannot play from Sonos back through the amp.

We have to bear in mind that Sonos is designed to play music files not physical CDs, and that's why I made the suggestions in my previous post.

One modification to my eventual suggestion above. OP could use the Play:5 line-in for one of the devices.

@John B

I see your point. I was thinking that with the Connect using its Analog Input plugged into Tape 1 Output the Connect would basically act like a recorder for a selected source (so to speak) and send the music over the SonosNet to allow the Play 5 to output the same. In essence the Connect would capture the audio as well as the wired speakers.

On the reverse if the OP streamed music or tracks from his/her tablet or computer over the SonosNet the Connect would capture it and play it back through the Sony TA-A200 speakers by having the Connects Analog Output into the Aux input. Then the OP would select AUX as the source. The OP would never select Tape 1 as a Audio (playback) source.

That was my thinking as twisted as it may sound ???

PS
I have a CD player plugged into a Connect in my Sonos Setup. Sometimes I get a slight bump as they are not files as you say in the strict sense of the term but overall the sound is OK.

Cheers!

Thanks Guys,
Fyi - At this moment the line out from the CONNECT is linked to the line in (aux) on the amp. This is already working -> i have sound on my play5 and on my speakers via the amp. I select aux input on the amp.

I also have the recout from the amp connect to the line in on the CONNECT. My idea was that when I play a cd This could be heared via the speakers (as normal) and via the recout-linein CONNECT-stream to play5.
I can select the CD as input on the amp and click on the REC tape button. My idea was this would start the rec out line. And it does, but it stops the output on the speakers.

Above option by the way would in theorie result in a vicous circle when I play radio via SONOS and select AUX on the amp and the rec tape button???

Your tips are highly appriciated. Indeed digitalizing the CDs is the best my folks can do. But this is a lot of work. I already suggested to just use spotify or something.

I also just like it to get this working...and experiment a little bit.