I just added my second Sonos room, and have had something of an enlightenment. Previously I had only a Playbar 5.1 system, and I have been concerned with how I will be able to add it to AirPlay (yes, I know I can use AppleTV on the input, but I can't get full stereo sound on the rear surrounds with thie method). I was a bit disheartened reading about how only players that are grouped with the newer speakers will be able to AirPlay. But I believe I have mistaken grouping for some sort of permanent arrangement. But it appears grouping is a temporary construct, similar to how you can select multiple sources from within iTunes? The Sonos controller does physically combine the players (i.e. Office + Laundry Room), but functionally it seems like it's just a player selector. I'm not sure I'm as concerned with the implementation, seeing how easy it is to add an remove a speaker from the group. There's still the issue of having music play somewhere that maybe I (or rather, my wife!) doesn't really want it playing if, for example, I group the Playbar with a new ONE in like the kitchen. But that's a minor issue for me to be able to create a group to use with AirPlay and leave it there. I know the Playbar leaves a group by default when it gets TV input, but that can be changed in the room settings if desired.
So I'm sharing this first to make sure I'm not mistaken about how grouping works, and how we expect AirPlay 2 to work in conjunction with it based on the assumption that simply grouping is all that is required.
Second, if I'm on the right track here I think this will help others who have or are considering buying older Sonos speakers that won't support AirPlay 2 natively.
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Your understanding of grouping is correct. It's temporary, not permanent or semi permanent. I'm not an Apple user so can't confirm it works like iTunes does.
Volume control will playing a group can be done for the whole group and at the individual room level. In other words, you could have the audio muted in the kitchen (where the wife should be 😉 ) while it's loud in the living room.
Volume control will playing a group can be done for the whole group and at the individual room level. In other words, you could have the audio muted in the kitchen (where the wife should be 😉 ) while it's loud in the living room.
So I'm sharing this first to make sure I'm not mistaken about how grouping works, and how we expect AirPlay 2 to work in conjunction with it based on the assumption that simply grouping is all that is required.
Second, if I'm on the right track here I think this will help others who have or are considering buying older Sonos speakers that won't support AirPlay 2 natively.
I had the same unfortunate enlightenment. Airplay 2 via Apple Music will override the grouping - total deal breaker if you want to add airplay functionality to an old speaker via a new airplay enabled speaker. It's great if you only have 1 single room. But as soon as you have more rooms, airplay grouping wipes out your sonos groupings.
I am total annoyed by this because I only bought into the Sonos experience believing it would work as you thought. That is you can group 2 speakers (playbar + One) together and have them show up as one room in airplay and multiple room selection not disabling that.
I sure hope this will be able to be addressed. I also think this should be addressed on the website as saying - hey, how awesome, you can add airplay 2 functionality to all old speakers via grouping is completely misleading.
I sure hope this will be able to be addressed. I also think this should be addressed on the website as saying - hey, how awesome, you can add airplay 2 functionality to all old speakers via grouping is completely misleading.
But you can play on old speakers via Sonos groups. Airplay to the airplay compatible speaker than group with non-compatible speakers. I understand that you want to be able to create the Sonos group first, than setup airplay, but it doesn't mean the website statement is incorrect.
It's not incorrect but misleading. Here is why:
You don't need Airplay with Sonos. You can just use the Sonos app and apple music from within the Sonos app. It works just fine.
But if somebody is interested in AIRPLAY 2 then that pretty much means they don't want to do that workflow. They want to use Apple Music and Airplay. And have the ability to control the setup via that. It has SIRI voice control (which works beautifully) , integrates with home kit and all other home automation gadgets.
The website should say - you can add airplay to an old speaker via a new speaker BUT you have to to use the SONOS app to do the grouping. Airplay choice will override the grouping. Not necessarily what most people are after if they want airplay functionality.
Apple should just buy Sonos! 🙂
You don't need Airplay with Sonos. You can just use the Sonos app and apple music from within the Sonos app. It works just fine.
Irrelevant to your point, but airplay can send audio to Sonos that you cannot directly stream. I believe things like netflix and youtube would be a good example. Still though, I imagine people often use airplay regardless of other methods because it's what they know and are comfortable with...which is what you were getting at.
But if somebody is interested in AIRPLAY 2 then that pretty much means they don't want to do that workflow. They want to use Apple Music and Airplay. And have the ability to control the setup via that. It has SIRI voice control (which works beautifully) , integrates with home kit and all other home automation gadgets.
The website should say - you can add airplay to an old speaker via a new speaker BUT you have to to use the SONOS app to do the grouping. Airplay choice will override the grouping. Not necessarily what most people are after if they want airplay functionality.
Not exactly true, as you can 'long press' the play button on a speaker to have it join a group currently playing, but you are correct that grouping has to be done through the functionality that Sonos provides. It can't be done through siri, or an apple tool. I really don't think it was misleading to the average customer, and this is the first complaint I've seen about it honestly. The fact that the old speaker won't be listed as a target for airplay implies that grouping has to be done through Sonos functionality.
Apple should just buy Sonos! :)
Aww hell naw.
Not exactly true, as you can 'long press' the play button on a speaker to have it join a group currently playing, but you are correct that grouping has to be done through the functionality that Sonos provides. It can't be done through siri, or an apple tool. I really don't think it was misleading to the average customer, and this is the first complaint I've seen about it honestly. The fact that the old speaker won't be listed as a target for airplay implies that grouping has to be done through Sonos functionality.
Sure, you can long press the play button to join it - but airplay will still override it.
The point is that an elegant solution is being able to open apple music and airplay to all rooms and use SIRI and be able to control volume from right there without going into another app or walking around the whole house to "long press" speakers that are 10 feet high on bookshelves.
I waited this long to get my Sonos speakers only because of Airplay. I was never interested in the Sonos app. I have a huge custom music library that I started building when iTunes first showed up. I know dozens of people that do exactly the same. Unfortunately, I didn't like the sound of the playbase - and the reps told me that I can easily add airplay functionality to the playbar with grouping. My bad not to think ahead and realize that Airplay would override that grouping and that it means - no go via apple music and airplay if you have multiple rooms and want to control them via airplay and not bother with Sonos app.
Remember, just because you don't hear anyone complaining doesn't mean people out there are frustrated with it. I already saw numerous social media posts about it. And it's all sort of new still. You will hear about it. Trust me.
What I am trying to do is not really that special or unique or complicated, quite the opposite. It's what anyone that uses Apple Music via Airplay would like.
Not to switch subject, but it's just like the issue that you cannot share a sub quickly between a set of speakers without having to go thru true play again.
I am going to solve my problem by adding a second system to the TV playbar JUST for music. If the Sub that I am using with the playbar could easily be moved to a pair of ONES (or Play 5's even) that stand right next to the TV then that would be the best solution although unnecessary $$. Home pods are another solution.
- The fix for all this would be a way to "hard connect" 2 speakers - just like it works with stereo pairs. For example pair a playbar with a ONE and call that room "XYZ". Then on Airplay XYZ should show up and voila! you can now use SIRI and Airplay to XYZ and all other rooms and control volume via AIRPLAY separately to all rooms without going into the Sonos app again.
- The next thing is to be able to add a sub to some speakers - save the true play setting - add the sub to another pair of speakers (in same location/room) and save that true play setting. Then be able to "move" the sub to whichever pair you are using. Watching a movie - use it with the playbar. Listening to music - use it with the Play5's or a pair of ONEs.
Both solutions aren't possible right now and I am baffled by it. All I am saying is that I wish it would be possible. And I hope they will consider it.
Apple is massively expanding Airplay - coming to a vast number of TV's. Would only be smart for Sonos to find a solution to the above mentioned problems.
I could be wrong - but the stock stuck at $10.50 (coming from 20) tells me that there is room for improvement 🙂
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