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An easy method to stream Windows PC audio wirelessly to Sonos, using a third-party app

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There are tons of posts about how to stream computer audio to Sonos, almost all of which say you can't, or that you have to use a line-in approach with a Connect. I just did it wirelessly in less than five minutes and $0. Note this is only for Windows, and has a several-second delay, so it won't help with video or games, but audio is just fine. I know there is something similar for Mac, but I have not tried it, and have heard it might have issues.
 

  1. Download and install Stream What You Hear (https://www.streamwhatyouhear.com/download/).
  2. Launch the app using the Start menu shortcut.
  3. Right-click on the app’s icon in the system tray.
  4. Go to Tools > HTTP Live Streaming.
  5. Copy the on-screen URL.
  6. Open the Sonos app.
  7. Go to Manage > Add Radio Station.
  8. Paste in the URL and give the link a name.
  9. Click OK.


(Full details from a site I found on Google;
https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/stream-computer-audio-output-sonos/).

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    12 replies

    Chris
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    • Chris
    • Lead Maestro
    • 17598 replies
    • August 17, 2019
    Has it gotten better than it used to be.... audio quality when I used to use it wasn't the best.

    I have long since just connected my computer to a Sonos with input (currently a Play:5 … used to be a Connect).

    But great post though!
    Respect the Queue (2)Move (3)Beam (1) Era100 (2)ARC (1)SonosOne (1)Playbar (4)Play5 (4)Play1 (3)Play3 (1)Port (2)Connect (1) Roam (2) Ace (1)Connect:Amp (4)Sonos Amp (1)Sub + (9) Echo + Smartthings
    T
    I can't complain about the audio quality with the method I described, but then again, I only use it when playing YouTube on Sonos. There is some music I like on YouTube and this way I can get it onto Sonos. And YouTube's audio quality is pretty much always going to lag behind Sonos.
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    • M.Wan
    • Contributor I
    • 1 reply
    • December 24, 2019

    The latest version can right click and stream to the Sonos immediately. Great piece of infomation!

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    • Richard L
    • Lyricist I
    • 1 reply
    • February 20, 2020

    Hi, thecoolestusernameever!

    My SONOS disconnects and reconnects to the WiFi network intermittently.  Other streaming services have adequate buffering to maintain continuous playback, but  [stream what you hear] apparently doesn't, resulting in start-and-stop playback.

    Based on symptoms reported by others, this seems to be a common problem.

    Since you are a happy user of [stream what you hear], can you tell us what your secret of success is?  Tweaking parameters on  [stream what you hear], perhaps?

    Thanks!

    RL

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    thecoolestusernameever wrote:

    There are tons of posts about how to stream computer audio to Sonos, almost all of which say you can't, or that you have to use a line-in approach with a Connect. I just did it wirelessly in less than five minutes and $0. Note this is only for Windows, and has a several-second delay, so it won't help with video or games, but audio is just fine. I know there is something similar for Mac, but I have not tried it, and have heard it might have issues.
     

    1. Download and install Stream What You Hear (https://www.streamwhatyouhear.com/download/).
    2. Launch the app using the Start menu shortcut.
    3. Right-click on the app’s icon in the system tray.
    4. Go to Tools > HTTP Live Streaming.
    5. Copy the on-screen URL.
    6. Open the Sonos app.
    7. Go to Manage > Add Radio Station.
    8. Paste in the URL and give the link a name.
    9. Click OK.


    (Full details from a site I found on Google;
    https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/stream-computer-audio-output-sonos/).

    I’ve been using these steps over the last week as a workaround to not having airplay/line in on any of my Sonos speakers (2017 Sonos home theater w/ play 3’s and a pair of 2017 play 1’s in separate bedrooms). It’s been great for all the artist streams on various platforms. YouTube audio has been by far the best - twitch still sounds like a tin can.

    Chris
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    • Chris
      Chris
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    • annanemas
    • Contributor II
    • 8 replies
    • April 18, 2020

    Is there a fix for web videos out of sync? Whenever I play something on YouTube or any other web video, the SWYH sound lags enough to be visibly out of sync with the video and makes it very unpleasant to watch. Is there some way to adjust for this, or is it just an inherent limitation that makes SWYH suitable for listening but not for viewing?

    J
    • John B
    • 19684 replies
    • April 18, 2020
    annanemas wrote:

    Is there a fix for web videos out of sync? Whenever I play something on YouTube or any other web video, the SWYH sound lags enough to be visibly out of sync with the video and makes it very unpleasant to watch. Is there some way to adjust for this, or is it just an inherent limitation that makes SWYH suitable for listening but not for viewing?

    Not that I am aware of. You might get a much reduced lag if your PC has Bluetooth by getting a compatible Bluetooth receiver and plugging it into your Play:5 line in. 

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    • Strongparm
    • Lyricist I
    • 1 reply
    • May 17, 2020

    It would be nice to have this natively supported within the Sono app right?

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    • NO MORE SONOS
    • Trending Lyricist I
    • 12 replies
    • August 2, 2020
    Strongparm wrote:

    It would be nice to have this natively supported within the Sono app right?


    Never going to happen.

    Sonos want you to spend money on something with a line-in to get this functionality. Notice none of their cheaper products have it.

    They probably have an agreement with their music services to not do this via software. A lot of people wouldn’t bother using a music service either if they can stream it from YouTube etc.

     

    It’s designed this way for a reason. $$$$$

     

    Atleast they let us use this half-baked solution.

    #BoycottSonos
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    • John B
    • 19684 replies
    • August 2, 2020
    NO MORE SONOS wrote:
    Strongparm wrote:

    It would be nice to have this natively supported within the Sono app right?


    Never going to happen.

    Sonos want you to spend money on something with a line-in to get this functionality. Notice none of their cheaper products have it.

    They probably have an agreement with their music services to not do this via software. A lot of people wouldn’t bother using a music service either if they can stream it from YouTube etc.

     

    It’s designed this way for a reason. $$$$$

     

    Atleast they let us use this half-baked solution.

    By this logic, Sonos would never have implemented Airplay 2.  Except there is no logic in this post. No evidence, no sense, no thought.

    #BoycottStupidity

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    • wheatism
    • Lyricist I
    • 1 reply
    • November 8, 2020

    Another solution is to use Airfoil for Windows. Unfortunately it’s no longer in active development since December 2019 but the last version 5.7.0 supports streaming Windows system audio or any app audio to Airplay and Sonos speakers. I’m listening on my Sonos One as I type this reply :joy:

     

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    • Enrico37
    • Lyricist I
    • 1 reply
    • December 5, 2020

    The solution works on my system, thank you very much for the hint. But I was disappointed by the audio quality, if I play Youtube on my PC Speakers (high quality) it’s much better than on the Sonos One. It must be something bad with the transmission because I don’t complain at all about the Sonos audio quality in general. Any idea why the quality sucks via swyh?

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