Avid Contributor I

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Sonos Amp and High level input from Subwooder?

Forum|Forum|7 years ago
April 10, 2019
53 replies
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I have a Sonos Amp, and a Definitive Tech Sub Pro 800 that has both the mono RCA LFE option (What is connected now) and also has the option to connect via high level input. Real Subwoofers have this too.

Can this work with the Sonos Amp? I searched but did not find an answer. So basically I’d connect my Def Tech sub to the left and right speaker channels of the amp, and then I would connect my 2 front speakers to the back of the sub.

Will that work or do I have to keep using the LFE? It’s for music, so I figured using the High Level input may sound better as the sub would get the same signal as the speakers, right? Or am I mistaken?

Thanks!

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Best answer by jgatie

You are mistaken. The signal will be the same, the only difference being use of crossover on the Amp vs the crossover on the Sub (and those differences should be inaudible).

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D

Digital Music Lover 1972

Avid Contributor I

Same issue here guys, i have the Sonos AMP hooked up to 2 kef r300’s and i get decent 50hz bass, when i add the sonos sub, i find that the Sonos sub is not at all a musical sub sound, clonky. So i tried to add my ST11 Sub from Harman Kardon (200watt 10”) connected it to the purple tulip sockets. And almost no sound was coming out no matter what i played. Then i turned the crossover up a bit, to 100hz still not much. Then i turned the sub itself to the max value (analogue knob on the sub itself) then a little sound came out. I am used to play this sub with my onkyo txnr616 and i had rich bass even when the knob on the sub was set to 20%!!! So why is the sub out of the Sonos AMP so silent when it comes to outputting sub? What am i doing wrong? Sonos support doesnt know anything about this, cant help. I thought it was plug and play and bang i would have the Onkyo loud sub bass in my room, but its not even getting close!!! Its super silent... is this port not powerful enough? Am i connecting the ST11 wrongly? Who can help me out?

D

Digital Music Lover 1972

Avid Contributor I

I think i found it, sonos amp only has a single mono sub out, and the purple line in on my TS11 sub is for LFE only!! Low frequency effect, Sonos amp does not send digital processed audio through that port! The manual of the Harman TS11 Sub reads this: if the receiver has only 1 port for sub out, connect the single cable either to the left or right line in!!!

D

Digital Music Lover 1972

Avid Contributor I

Guys forget it, it was the sonos sub on 0 iso 180 so it was cancelling the other bass, loads of bass now, ao forget about the extra sub on the AMP Sonos (when in correct fase and position) is amazing

M

Music Nut

Enthusiast I

I’m having the same issue with my REL T/9i sub. When the Sonos Amp goes into standby, 60hz hum ensues. If I hit one of the Volume or Play/Pause buttons on the front of the Amp, the hum goes away for a few minutes but then returns. While streaming music, there is no hum at all and sounds beautiful.

Before the Sonus Amp, The REL was connected to a NAD D7050 (same room, same wiring) and have reconnected it to make sure I didn’t cause the issue. The issue is definitely with the way the Sonos cuts signal to the outputs when in standby. Basically, the “loop” between +/- in the high-level output is cut, so we end up with a ground loop. If Sonos could provide an option/setting to enable signal to the outputs when in standby, this would solve the issue. As the OP mentioned, using the low-level RCA connector is low gain and does not sound anywhere close to as good as using the high-level inputs on the REL.

I have a support ticket logged with Sonos to talk to an engineer. Will let everyone know how that goes. In the meantime, I have a workaround that makes the standby hum go away:

Connect the high-level wires like normal (Sonos Right-Red, Left Red, Left-Black to REL Red, Yellow and Black respectively)
Connect an RCA cable from the Sonus Sub output to the REL LFE/.1 port
Go into the Sonus App: Settings → System → <Your Room Name> Amp → Sub Audio and turn off the “Sub” selector at the top.
When listening to music, turn the LFE dial all the way down.
When not listening to music, turn the LFE selector up until the hum goes away. For me, this is 8 clicks. Note that the hum may get louder as you turn the dial until you hit the magic spot and hum will go away.

Hope this helps those with the same issue until a permanent solution is available.

S

szymonmr

Lyricist III

Hello, have you already received a reply from sonos?

M

Music Nut

Enthusiast I

Hi szymonmr,

Still working with them. I suggest you open a new case and reference my case # (01446377). The more people that log similar cases, the more likely Sonos is to take this seriously and do something about it.

They haven’t let me speak to an actual engineer, but the support rep Jaymes has been very helpful in relaying information.

At this point, we’re in wait-and-see mode. They have all the documentation to prove this is an actual issue and all I can do is hope they enable an always-on option like my NAD had (they have the NAD documentation as well). This doesn’t really consume much more power (maybe .5-1 watt). The REL sub just needs a small amount of current on the posts to complete the circuit and eliminate the hum when the Amp goes into idle mode (aka “standby”).

S

szymonmr

Lyricist III

Thank you very much, I will also report to sonos.

S

szymonmr

Lyricist III

I do not know if it works, I talked to the REL distributor today, he said to try connecting the subwoofer to a power outlet without grounding.

M

Music Nut

Enthusiast I

Yeah that does reduce the hum to where it is barely noticeable but doesn’t eliminate it completely. I haven’t yet tried just removing the ground prong from the sub’s power cable. That would accomplish the same thing. I just tried using one of these:

15 Amp Single Outlet Grounding Adapter UPC: 818897010022

It’s less than a buck if you want to give it a shot. Still doesn’t really address the root issue, though and not sure if there’s any long-term concern running the sub without a ground.

S

szymonmr

Lyricist III

thank you for the information

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