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Xerophthalmia
Contributor III
May 30, 2017
Answered

Sonos Connect and turnable question

  • May 30, 2017
  • 9 replies
  • 736 views
I saw a video on connecting the Connect to a record player, receiver and speakers. The system was connected like this:

Record player > preamp > Connect > AV receiver > speakers

In that way he was able to broadcast the sound to sonar speakers in other rooms and also broadcast Spotify etc. to the receivers speakers.

My question is. Is the sound that goes through the Connect analog or does it get digitalized? I would like to keep the analog vinyl sound from the old system. In the video it sounded like it wasn't a compromise, but I wanted to be sure.

Here's the link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DE8r6z0-t8Y
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    Best answer by Kumar

    Record player > preamp > Connect > AV receiver > speakers

    In that way he was able to broadcast the sound to sonar speakers in other rooms and also broadcast Spotify etc. to the receivers speakers.

    My question is. Is the sound that goes through the Connect analog or does it get digitalized? I would like to keep the analog vinyl sound from the old system.
    To answer the second question: yes, it gets digitised, but that has no impact on the resultant sound that will still be "vinyl" sound.

    If the AVR has line out/tape out, that can be connected to the inputs on the Connect, so that other sources that feed the AVR can also be played through Sonos. The Record Player + preamp - if the AVR does not have one built in - will have to be wired to the receiver input jacks instead and can played directly via the receiver speakers, as well as through Sonos speakers that will get the signal from the Connect. In all cases where the Connect is supplying music from any source to/in the receiver to Sonos speakers, there will be a delayed play by Sonos, resulting in music being slightly out of sync with the receiver speakers. But the advantage is that all that the receiver can play from any source wired to its input jacks, and from any built in sources like radio, will now be available on more than just the receiver speakers, which need not even be playing.

    And wiring the Connect outputs to the receiver inputs will allow all that the Connect can play from the net, or from a NAS, to also be played on the receiver speakers. In this case, the music will all be in perfect sync.

    For what its worth, in this case the vinyl sound will be heard through the receiver speakers without any digitisation in between.

    9 replies

    jgatie
    jgatie
    May 30, 2017
    The analog line-in is converted to digital for all output. There is a setting that lets you switch between uncompressed (lossless) and compressed (lossy) conversion. Uncompressed should give you output which is indiscernible from analog in an A/B/X test.
    XerophthalmiaAuthor
    Contributor III
    May 30, 2017
    Thanks, that's good to know. The other way would be to plug the line out of the receiver to the analog-in in the Connect, right? But that gives you less options, since you can't broadcast sound to the old system. Is that correct?
    Legnum Nick
    Legnum Nick
    Prodigy III
    May 30, 2017
    It obviously depends on your receiver/component amp but personally I would connect it differently, as I have the ability to.

    My component amp has a tape loop. This has a monitor function, so I don't need to change the main source when I listen to the tape. (So when I select the tape to listen to, the output from the amp to the tape is still what I left it as.) With this ability, my Connect is wired to my tape loop, my other components to other inputs. So, I can listen to a record or CD etc direct on my hifi, or select tape and listen to the output of my Sonos Connect. My Sonos Connect gets the main source from the tape output so can feed the record or CD to the rest of the Sonos system as per the video. You can also listen to the source through the Sonos system as in your linked video, by selecting the turntable on the amp but also turning on the tape monitor - this puts the music in sync with the other zones also playing the turntable in the group.

    I hope that isn't too confusing?!
    XerophthalmiaAuthor
    Contributor III
    May 30, 2017
    A little confusing, but I will try to dissect your post. Thanks!
    Legnum Nick
    Legnum Nick
    Prodigy III
    May 30, 2017
    https://www.hifiengine.com/images/model/cambridge_audio_c70_control_amplifier.jpg
    Legnum Nick
    Legnum Nick
    Prodigy III
    May 30, 2017
    I'm not sure if that picture will help.
    If I select phono on the knob nearest the volume and source on the next knob, then I am listening to the turntable direct. My Connect is also listening to the turntable. If I select Tape and not Source then I am now listening to the Connect.

    There is a delay from any source when listening through the Connect (indeed any Sonos device with an input) so if I am listening to a record through the Connect then there is a very brief pause between the stylus hitting the vinyl and the associated click through the speakers. This isn't an issue if you are expecting it. However, if I am listening to the turntable in the whole house, I don't listen direct to the turntable in that room, I listen to the Connect in a group as per the youtube video. This is so all zones are perfectly in sync.

    Using this method of connecting it all up I can also listen to the turntable elsewhere in the house whilst the room with the turntable in is playing the radio/streaming from amazon etc.
    XerophthalmiaAuthor
    Contributor III
    May 30, 2017
    I'll have to look into that. For now it's good to know that there're options. Thanks!
    KumarAnswer
    May 31, 2017

    Record player > preamp > Connect > AV receiver > speakers

    In that way he was able to broadcast the sound to sonar speakers in other rooms and also broadcast Spotify etc. to the receivers speakers.

    My question is. Is the sound that goes through the Connect analog or does it get digitalized? I would like to keep the analog vinyl sound from the old system.
    To answer the second question: yes, it gets digitised, but that has no impact on the resultant sound that will still be "vinyl" sound.

    If the AVR has line out/tape out, that can be connected to the inputs on the Connect, so that other sources that feed the AVR can also be played through Sonos. The Record Player + preamp - if the AVR does not have one built in - will have to be wired to the receiver input jacks instead and can played directly via the receiver speakers, as well as through Sonos speakers that will get the signal from the Connect. In all cases where the Connect is supplying music from any source to/in the receiver to Sonos speakers, there will be a delayed play by Sonos, resulting in music being slightly out of sync with the receiver speakers. But the advantage is that all that the receiver can play from any source wired to its input jacks, and from any built in sources like radio, will now be available on more than just the receiver speakers, which need not even be playing.

    And wiring the Connect outputs to the receiver inputs will allow all that the Connect can play from the net, or from a NAS, to also be played on the receiver speakers. In this case, the music will all be in perfect sync.

    For what its worth, in this case the vinyl sound will be heard through the receiver speakers without any digitisation in between.
    XerophthalmiaAuthor
    Contributor III
    May 31, 2017
    Yeah, the flexibility of sending the signal out to whatever speaker you like, is probably what I would try to achieve. Thanks a lot!
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