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5.1 Setup with Wired Setup and Ceiling Speakers

  • 28 January 2017
  • 6 replies
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Building a house and I'm currently running ethernet cord throughout the house. I am hardwiring all of my Sonos throughout the house into my network to increase reliability...but I am not quite sure exactly how to wire my Sonos in the living room. I want to have 5.1 surround sound (Playbar, Subwoofer, Connect:Amp, rear ceiling speakers). The Playbar has two ethernet ports. I will have one ethernet port from a switch to the Playbar. And the other will go from Playbar to the Connect:Amp. (My understanding is I need to hardwire the Playbar and Connect:Amp, correct me please if that information is not true anymore). FYI, my network does allow for spanning tree protocol to be enabled (Google Wifi routers, unmanaged switches)

Do I hardwire the subwoofer to the switch or do I need to have the subwoofer connect wirelessly via Sonosnet?

Also, my wife has given me the following choices for location of the subwoofer 1) inside cabinetry underneath TV, 2) underneath couch facing TV, or 3) underneath couch on side of TV). Which do you think is best?

thanks in advance and please point out any errors you see. I'm getting more confident with my setup the more I nread on this forum, but doesn't mean I'm right
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Best answer by John B 29 January 2017, 00:26

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6 replies

Connections sound fine to me and it is still necessary to have a wired path from the Playbar to the C:A. You also need to to have a Sonos component wired to your network so that you are in Boost setup, but it sounds like your scheme will accomplish that.

The Sub can connect wirelessly although in fact it is not over SonosNet but directly over 5GHz radios in the Playbarr and Sub to minimise latency.
Thanks John B. Would you say it would be pointless for me to run an Ethernet connection to the subwoofer since the playbar and subwoofer communicate directly via the 5GHz radios?

Also, since the playbar and connect amp will be wired together, would it be pointless, redundant, or harmful to have the connect amp also wired directly to the network?

Thanks
A wired connection is always preferable to a wirrless one, although my Sonos wirelless setup is rock solid. But I would try without a wired connection to the Sub, assuming it could be added later without difficulty.

With Playbar wired to network and to CA, i think wiring CA directly to network is effectively redundant. I think STP should prevent it causing problems but i am not totally sure on that
Thanks again John B. I was debating putting an Ethernet connection in with the floor plug that would be going to the subwoofer that is under a couch. But I will just let it be wireless.
The recommended setup for a 5.1 sonos surround is a hard wire to the playbar, and a hard wire to the connect Amp that you will be using for your in ceiling rear speakers. Out don't necessarily need to go from the playbar to the connect Amp but you will have to wire it to the network for optimal setup. I am a tech and usually use the other network port on the playbar as a jumper to the tv. The. There is a certain way to setup the tests using a connect Amp. You will need to find out your playbars IP. There are several ways of doing this, pick one. Then you will need to use this during setup. .....http://Playbar IP:1400/wiredsat.htm

Hope this is helpful
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(My understanding is I need to hardwire the Playbar and Connect:Amp, correct me please if that information is not true anymore)


You are correct... (I also understand they can be connected together without going through a switch.. but for what you are doing I suspect that isn't helpful). I understand that the Connect:Amp does not have a 5Ghz radio... so can't connect to the PlayBar on the 5Ghz channel to stay in Sync with the video without the physical connection between them.



Also, my wife has given me the following choices for location of the subwoofer 1) inside cabinetry underneath TV, 2) underneath couch facing TV, or 3) underneath couch on side of TV). Which do you think is best?


I'd be more of a fan to have the SUB have an open access to the room and not be buried behind something.... anything you can do to open up the access of the sub to the room space is good... While it is true that Low-frequency sound in an open space essentially loses the concept of stereo separation, so its location in the room isn't critical for "stereo separation and it can be placed with a fair bit of flexibility, "you should expect that barriers, particularly dependant on their materials, etc... will still impact the clarity of the audio and quality of the sound you experience.