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So I thought I understood how to take an S2-updated device back to S1, but it is not working for me.

I am in my vacation home which has a Symfonisk setup on S1 and works fine.

I brought a Sonos One with me, which had been upgraded to S2 at home. I factory reset it, then attempted to Add it to my Symfonisk system here, but the S1 app refuses. I get this screen:

I have done this before, has something changed now and it is no longer possible to go-back, even when you have a working S1 system? (And I am well aware that the One is both S1 and S2 compatible).

I really don’t want to move my vacation system to S2.

That’s the process to downgrade as I understood it.  However, that’s several months ago, and things could have changed by then.

Another possibility, is the Sonos One new, purchased after S2 went live?  Perhaps the process only works if a factory reset devices resets back to S1 firmware, while a recently purchased speaker would factory reset to an S2 firmware.

I seem to recall that the mentioned process was never technically supported by Sonos, and not laid out on their FAQs. I wonder I recent changes in the S2 software no longer allow the ‘hack’ to work. 

Another possibility, is the Sonos One new, purchased after S2 went live?  Perhaps the process only works if a factory reset devices resets back to S1 firmware, while a recently purchased speaker would factory reset to an S2 firmware.

That is a fine theory, but this One was definitely originally on S1, I haven’t bought anything new since S2 was a thing except my Five.

I’ll see if Sonos respond, and if not then I’ll bite the bullet and jump this setup to S2. I’ll also be a lot more cautious about moving anything else to S2 if the process is no longer reversible.

It says it’s officially supported. 

https://support.sonos.com/s/article/4845

Is this process reversible?
While we don’t recommend downgrading your products to S1 after updating to S2, it is possible to downgrade by resetting the S2 products to their factory settings and adding them to an existing S1 system. 

Thanks Ratty, I’ll give it another try. There is a lot of tequila usage down here at the moment, could have an affect on my Sonos skills. Though it was like 8am...

OK so I tried again after more tequila and same result; not working.

Sonos Support: diagnostic 145235622 taken after attempting to add my One.

So this looks impossible now. My factory-reset One reports this:

 

<minCompatibleVersion>60.0-00000</minCompatibleVersion>
<legacyCompatibleVersion>58.0-00000</legacyCompatibleVersion>

 

The legacy setting is 58.0, which is the original S2 release. It needs to be 57 to be S1 compatible.

It is no longer possible to go back to S1 with this device.

So, that minCompatibleVersion flag is set only when the device is first set up? Or can you no longer add a new Sonos One to an S1 system at all?

@controlav, Even if you create a new S1 system? Note that you’d lose settings and all entries in “My System”.

 

  1. Power off all Sonos components but one S1 unit
  2. Remove the S2 app from mobile device
  3. Perform a factory reset on this S1 unit
  4. Reset the S1 app and choose ‘Set up a new Sonos system’
  5. Add said S1 unit to the system
  6. Once it shows up in the S1 app, add the other components by resetting them one by one

OK so I tried fresh S1 system with the One: failed

I tried a fresh S2 system with it: failed (differently)

I again tried to add the One to the S1 system, failed at the point of pressing the button to find it - button press never registered.

So I gave up, and upgraded to S2 then added the One to that. It all worked fine.

Disappointing.

The first unit to be added to a fresh S1 system must be an S1 unit, otherwise it’s doomed to fail.

The first unit to be added to a fresh S1 system must be an S1 unit, otherwise it’s doomed to fail.

I know, but I was desperate. Ah well, now at least we can enjoy our music.

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