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For those of you who hate having to use the sonos app, here's a useful alternative

Of you're like me and despise the Sonos app and the inability to use apps like you tube (well technically any app since the Sonos app only works 1 out 20 times). I've found this app called Air Music, that allows you to cast audio to your Sonos speakers using any music service or app/player/webpage that produces audio for Android, it's basically the closest thing to Apple Airplay that if found. I can just launch you tube or spotify or my local file player and cast the audio without having the headaches of being forced to you use Sonos beyond terrible interface, highly recommend it, it's been total ges changer for me and actually makes Sonos products useable. 

 

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=app.airmusic.trial

44 replies

press250
Userlevel 7
Badge +14

This is beyond me! Can someone with a better brain than mine tell me please

Does this APK thing work on a Windows laptop - I looked at the FAQs and couldn’t find an answer.

I feel your pain, this update has been rough for many of us!

Using APKMiror to revert to the v16.1 app is strictly an Android thing. It is a little tricky, so I think you’ll have better luck (as a first step) with your Windows laptop. The Sonos Windows desktop client is still on the ‘old’ codebase, so it is much more stable and reliable.

Once you get your laptop up and running, here are the steps for your Android tablet …

  • Uninstall the Sonos app
  • Visit the website APKMirror from the browser
  • Search for the Sonos S2 app, specifically version 16.1
  • Download the apk file and install it (click ‘OK’ on the notifications)
  • Turn off automatic app updates in the Google Play store
A
Userlevel 2
Badge

Whats the best previous version of Sonos app that supports older Sonos 1 hardware??

J

What a mess!

Like many of you, I have 1000s of tracks running off a NAS. I use Amazon music a little, to review an album and if I like it enough I will buy the cd and rip it to the NAS.

Does anyone at Sonos actually read the community posts?

They often talk about how the app is changing, 'thanks to customer feedback'. Do they really do that or just think 'users will really like this, I'm sure'

I'm looking at the Brennan B3,  has anyone used one of their products with Sonos?

E
Userlevel 2
Badge

Hello again - I was away last week, talking to real humans. I see Sonos has done nothing to rectify their disaster! I emailed the CEO before I went away and got a list of all the woopy-doo things they propose for the rest of the month but nothing - nothing about the current state of affairs. 

 

So press250 - you advised the old Sonos 

This is beyond me! Can someone with a better brain than mine tell me please

Does this APK thing work on a Windows laptop - I looked at the FAQs and couldn’t find an answer.

I feel your pain, this update has been rough for many of us!

Using APKMiror to revert to the v16.1 app is strictly an Android thing. It is a little tricky, so I think you’ll have better luck (as a first step) with your Windows laptop. The Sonos Windows desktop client is still on the ‘old’ codebase, so it is much more stable and reliable.

Once you get your laptop up and running, here are the steps for your Android tablet …

  • Uninstall the Sonos app
  • Visit the website APKMirror from the browser
  • Search for the Sonos S2 app, specifically version 16.1
  • Download the apk file and install it (click ‘OK’ on the notifications)
  • Turn off automatic app updates in the Google Play store

I was away last week, talking to proper humans in language I understand. The situation is still the same, and an email I sent to the CEO gives me a lot of woopy-doo things they propose for later this month but nothing nothing about the current issue of not being able to access my favourite radio stations, though I can still access BBC through Sounds, and Spotify. Had to turn off the alarms - at least they are still visible on laptop as the one for a Dutch radio station just got the appalling Sonos chime. 

In short press250 where do I find the “Windows desktop client…. on the ‘old’ codebase”? Uninstalling the app on Windows and reinstalling did B all! but I’d be glad of clarification if you’d be so kind.

 

Best regards,

Essex Girl.

press250
Userlevel 7
Badge +14

In short press250 where do I find the “Windows desktop client…. on the ‘old’ codebase”? Uninstalling the app on Windows and reinstalling did B all! but I’d be glad of clarification if you’d be so kind.

Happy to help! Download the Windows desktop client here …

https://support.sonos.com/en-us/downloads

While the above app has been updated quite recently, it is still on the old codebase and is quite a bit more stable (and functional) than the new mobile apps.

E
Userlevel 2
Badge

Well, you are a star! And here's a thing, I've just had a long online chat with customer support, tried a few things on Android, bits of Amazon work, bits don't, then lightbulb moment, pretty much all my favourite stations are myTuner so asked if that could be it. Turns out it could and technicians are working on it, but no ETA!

So, I've suggested they might like to put something prominently on their website and message people so we stop wasting our time trying to resolve things that are beyond our control. Doesn't explain why there are alarms on laptop but not android. 

I shall try the link for the laptop, but maybe not tonight, and not tomorrow, Pilates and a D-Day dinner to go to. But thank you, and customer services have said they'll keep the ticket open for a remote access to the computer, though that won't fix the myTuner issue.

Onward and upward!

Essex Girl

K

Simply just garbage since update came out and made the whole Sonos app unusable !!!!

G0atHax0r
Userlevel 4
Badge +3

It actually works!

A bit scary though, as it has to have full access, and warns that the app can see everything (including passwords)….  Does that not concern you?

It just needs Microphone and notifications (on a non-root phone). It doesn't have access to passwords.

E
Userlevel 2
Badge

In short press250 where do I find the “Windows desktop client…. on the ‘old’ codebase”? Uninstalling the app on Windows and reinstalling did B all! but I’d be glad of clarification if you’d be so kind.

Happy to help! Download the Windows desktop client here …

https://support.sonos.com/en-us/downloads

While the above app has been updated quite recently, it is still on the old codebase and is quite a bit more stable (and functional) than the new mobile apps.

Well, I tried it - sad to say, it didn’t work - trying a MyTuner station still shows ‘playing’ but it’s not. Thanks for trying. The update shows it’s from April so not the May one but no difference at all. 

I give up. 

Essex Girl

G0atHax0r
Userlevel 4
Badge +3

In short press250 where do I find the “Windows desktop client…. on the ‘old’ codebase”? Uninstalling the app on Windows and reinstalling did B all! but I’d be glad of clarification if you’d be so kind.

Happy to help! Download the Windows desktop client here …

https://support.sonos.com/en-us/downloads

While the above app has been updated quite recently, it is still on the old codebase and is quite a bit more stable (and functional) than the new mobile apps.

Well, I tried it - sad to say, it didn’t work - trying a MyTuner station still shows ‘playing’ but it’s not. Thanks for trying. The update shows it’s from April so not the May one but no difference at all. 

I give up. 

Essex Girl

Give “Roon” a whirl.  It's pretty good and plays over your Sonos equipment

 

I just got some “WiiM” equipment in. It's also really good, but it would replace Sonos. I'm heading down this path I'm thinking.

 

Both actually have functional local library options.

M

Having laboured to put all my music on my NAS (LaCie Cloudbox EK) the updated Sonos app will no longer access it. Apparently this is due to the LaCie Drive using the SMBV1 file transfer protocol whereas the App uses V2 or 3. This was done, according to Sonos, to keep my data safe!

Will the AirMusic app on an iPhone 11 be able to access my LaCie drive and send it to play thru my Sonos speakers (Play 3 & Play 5)?

 I’d be very grateful for advice as Sonos have effectively said “hard luck”

D
Userlevel 3
Badge

Having laboured to put all my music on my NAS (LaCie Cloudbox EK) the updated Sonos app will no longer access it. Apparently this is due to the LaCie Drive using the SMBV1 file transfer protocol whereas the App uses V2 or 3. This was done, according to Sonos, to keep my data safe!

Will the AirMusic app on an iPhone 11 be able to access my LaCie drive and send it to play thru my Sonos speakers (Play 3 & Play 5)?

 I’d be very grateful for advice as Sonos have effectively said “hard luck”

I agree with your sentiment.  But I changed my NAS to SMBV2 and got it working again.  I don’t recall exactly how, but you can search on the web how to do it.  I don’t know what a LaCie is though...

M

I’ve tried to update the LaCie drive to SMBV2 for ages without success. It was a French company taken over by Seagate and there is no support for the drive.

 Do l does anyone know the answer to the first part of my problem: will AirMusic access an NAS and send it to my Sonos speakers?

D
Userlevel 3
Badge

I’ve tried to update the LaCie drive to SMBV2 for ages without success. It was a French company taken over by Seagate and there is no support for the drive.

 Do l does anyone know the answer to the first part of my problem: will AirMusic access an NAS and send it to my Sonos speakers?

AFAIK, AirMusic will play to your sonos whatever you can play (on virtually any app) on your phone.

PS: When I enabled SMBv2, it was purely a windows challenge, not specific to drive hardware.

M

You can reinstall the previous Android app, the one that allows playlist editing, shows every song in your playlist without cutting it off partway along, has convenient navigation buttons at the bottom to navigate around, all the stuff that they didn’t put into their newest pile of crap app.  Here’s a repost of the link to the old install hosted on an archive site: <https://www.apkmirror.com/apk/sonos-inc/sonos-for-android/sonos-for-android-16-1-release/> 

 

You must uninstall the new, next to useless app that they just updated to, install the one from the archive site, then change your Sonos system settings to never update automatically.  This will buy you some time to find a way to move playlists over to a service that will support your playlists, you know, not Sonos. 

Absolutely top man! Thank you SO much, I have my system back! 

M

That sounds very promising. My main Sonos app is on my iPhone 11 running IOS 17.5.1

Do you know how / where I can install earlier versions of the IOS app from?

F
Userlevel 4
Badge +6

This is the first I’ve heard of Air Music.  The page doesn’t have any contact information and I’m not even sure this is opensource, but it’s specifically for the Android platform.    Anyone have more information?  For example, porting this to Linux and/or MacOS would be great.

D
Userlevel 3
Badge

PS: When I enabled SMBv2, it was purely a windows challenge, not specific to drive hardware.

 

Here is the link I used, for those who want to get their systems going with SMBv2

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/storage/file-server/troubleshoot/detect-enable-and-disable-smbv1-v2-v3?tabs=server

 

T

I’m using a Play:5 Gen 1 with a esinkin BT adapter I bought off Amazon for like $20 (more like $24 now).  It’s a small box with power in and a line out.  Ran it into the line in on my old Play:5 and set the line-in as the source in the Sonos Connect app.  Works great and no Sonos software necessary after initial setup.  If I turn off the Play:5 it still defaults to the line in when turned back on.  I set the volume all the way up on the Play:5 and can then controll volume on my iPhone.  The volume control and pause have some lag but otherwise they work fine.The lag seems somewhere around 3 seconds which makes video sync pretty bad but that’s not a use case that concerns me.

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