AirPlay 2 support (Playbar + Sonos One)


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Frustrated at the lack of clarity on the Airplay 2 rollout.

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So frustrated at the lack of correct information on the Airplay2 rollout. I just spent £2000 on a playbar, sub and surrounds and was informed that AirPlay 2 was scheduled. I was also told that even though the playbar wouldn’t directly support AirPlay the ones would act as a bridge. I don’t understand how the app wont support Scenes, ie groups of speakers within the same system. I’m a podcast addict and just want to stream via AirPlay.
So frustrated at the lack of correct information on the Airplay2 rollout. I just spent £2000 on a playbar, sub and surrounds and was informed that AirPlay 2 was scheduled. I was also told that even though the playbar wouldn’t directly support AirPlay the ones would act as a bridge. I don’t understand how the app wont support Scenes, ie groups of speakers within the same system. I’m a podcast addict and just want to stream via AirPlay.

There is no lack of information. Sonos has clearly stated what devices and/or configurations support Airplay 2. Is there something you are not understanding that we can help with?
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I was informed that AirPlay 2 would work with my Sonos one’s and playbar by both the retailer and Sonos. That’s not the case.
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This for example.
I wouldn't trust retailers with these sort of questions in general. No offense to retailers, but they are there to makes sales, not make 100% accurate statements and be experts. Sonos should be accurate, but they can make mistakes at times, or misunderstood a specific question. If you got inaccurate information from a Sonos document or through a phone conversation, Sonos typically wants to know about it so that they can get the misinformation corrected as soon as possible.
This for example.

That's an accurate statement. The issue is in what a 'group' is within Sonos terms. When you setup Sonos One as surrounds with a playbar, they are bonded to the playbar, not grouped. Grouping is the term used for linking together audio from different rooms with the app.

I get why you'd think sorrounds are grouped to a playbar, as group is a generic word in English, but it's more specific when referring to Sonos speakers.
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Sonos Has done this before. They are not honest. Changing old statements and posts. Lie just to keep selling the old stuff.
I like the speakers, but last couple of months i honesly dislike Sonos as a compagny, they are just not honest to there custumors.
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This would also make me believe it would work.
It will work, if you do as described. Unbond your Ones from the Playbar, then start them playing via Airplay 2, then group in the Playbar. Presto, Airplay 2 on the Playbar. What does not work is when you bond the Ones as surround speakers, a fact Sonos has made abundantly clear.
Again, it's a matter of understanding what Sonos means when using the word 'group'.
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Thanks for your replies. I do think it is a very confusing situation, I can see how both myself and retailers could be guilty of believing it would work. I would be happy if Sonos implementing a ‘scene’ mode to easily switch between ‘home cinema’ and ‘airplay music’ mode.
I get that. I'm rather used to Sonos terminology that I forget that other people don't see it that way sometimes.
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Hi guys, thanks for the feedback, and great discussion. As melvimbe and jgatie said, "group" is a specific Sonos action in this case, something you do within the Sonos app by pressing the group button. It's different from making a stereo pair or bonding surround speakers.

I'll make sure to pass along your feedback to the team about your confusion around the messaging. I hope you've gotten your answer at this point, but let me know if you have any more.

It is your home theater product (Playbar, Playbase or Beam) that will determine your setup’s AirPlay 2 compatibility, as that device controls the room.
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I have two Sonos setups, one at home and one at a church with no internet connection. The latter is useless – a complete waste of money since Sonos upgraded the App with a feature that forces an internet connection before it will work. Everything worked well for years and then – poof – useless!
So now I’m reading about the Airplay2 and am wondering if I may be able to get around my issue. I’m reaching out and asking the question, if I buy a Play One and connect to that and then group that (if that’s the term), with the Playbar, can I then use my iPad to play music via iTunes, which resides on a Macmini. I used to be able to do exactly this (as I said above), and I’m wondering, since I won’t be using the rubbish Sonos app any more, but the iPad, that this may be a workaround? Anyone got any clear idea please or have I got this all backwards?
No I thi nk this is misguided in many ways. The main thing is that you do not need to be connected to the internet to play locally sourced music. You DO need to be connected in order to update, and you cannot add a new speaker without updating. You could potentially use a mobile hotspot to provide a temporary link allowing you to update and just go back to doing what you did before. That might need you to reset your system and set up as a new system, which would mean losing your playlists and more. So please clarify if that would be a problem and we can consider further.
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I guess you have upgraded your sonos app at home, and hence all your sonos home products. The sonos player in your church now needs updating as well to the same release as the app you are trying to control it with. You need to bring it home where it can connect to the internet to update. Then take it back to the church again. This probably won't be a painless exercise though.....
Do you have a router at the church it connects to? or do you use the line in of a PLAY5 ?
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Been there - done that guys. Read this post of 5 months ago; you are both wrong.
https://en.community.sonos.com/setting-up-sonos-228990/get-rid-of-the-annoying-update-request-6802672
BELIEVE ME PLEASE - I'll happily pay your airfare to NZ to fix this if I thought for a nano second you could do it. It isn't possible. So, moving on...can anyone please tell me help me with my query. Thank you.
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Mr Richard, why have you jumped onto this thread. You need to start a new one and ask for a sonos employee like Ryan for help.
Have you contacted sonos support?
I do not know if sonos has changed to only work with an internet connection or not.
I do not know if sonos has changed to only work with an internet connection or not.They haven't, rest assured. I have just disconnected my router from the internet and local content played happily, as expected.
Been there - done that guys. Read this post of 5 months ago; you are both wrong.
https://en.community.sonos.com/setting-up-sonos-228990/get-rid-of-the-annoying-update-request-6802672
BELIEVE ME PLEASE - I'll happily pay your airfare to NZ to fix this if I thought for a nano second you could do it. It isn't possible. So, moving on...can anyone please tell me help me with my query. Thank you.
You are simply wrong. If there is a mobile signal you could get your system working like this:
1. Factory reset all Sonos speakers in the church setup (accepting that playlists etc will be lost)
2. Using your mobile to provide a hotspot, do a standard new Sonos system setup. You will have to use another device to act as controller, the phone cannot do this while acting as hotspot. I suggest you uninstall and reinstall the latest app version on this controller. I guess you would use the Mac, in which case your music stored there would be available.
3. Set up Sonos music library (if not done as part of system setup anyway)
4. You could then play music stored locally as before. You won't be using any mobile data when playing local content.

You could afterwards transfer the LAN responsibilities to a router. A travel router with an Ethernet port would be best. As stated in my earlier post, I have been playing local music without difficulty today, having disconnected the internet.

I am sure you will dismiss this with some sort of rude comment, but it is a genuine attempt to help.
I have two Sonos setups, one at home and one at a church with no internet connection. The latter is useless – a complete waste of money since Sonos upgraded the App with a feature that forces an internet connection before it will work. Everything worked well for years and then – poof – useless!
So now I’m reading about the Airplay2 and am wondering if I may be able to get around my issue.


Your issue is that you can't manage to upgrade your Sonos units to match the version of your controlerl. Airplay 2 support is introduced in version 9.0, which is not what your Sonos units are at. Therefore, you won't be able to use airplay until your units are updated...your original problem.

So no, airplay 2 won't work around your issue since it requires the issue to be resolved first in order to operate.
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John B - thanks for all that but...........you've obviously not read ALL of that thread from the other post. I get what you are saying. As I say, been there - done that and it won't work. I already did everything you suggested. And more. Sonos are of no help and I've tried. They are clueless and the reason is simple...what you are doing is missing a very crucial part - that you HAVE to have an internet connection before the controller will work. I don't care if yours works ok for you - FIVE technically savy ppl cannot get mine working. So, I really don't want to discuss this further as this is the wrong place for it. I will say one thing, that there is one soulution and that is for Sonos to fix their software so it does NOT look for a connection to the net before it will open. They will not do this, so consequently I have a dud system.

THIS POST was about whether I could use the new Airplay2 feature. This is what Paulw123, has missed. I have read that if I had a Play one I could get that setup and connect to the Playbar but what I'm now realising is that I'm still at square 1, in that in setting up the Play One I would need that internet connection. We are simply giving up on Sonos ad saving to buy another system. In the meantime I purchased a thrid party controller - it just connects and works (hear that Sonos!!!), but it does not have a few features that the Sonos controller has and it makes it cumbersome because of that.

Many thank for the comments from all of you.
Goodbye then and good riddance say I. Paul123
melvimbe and I did answer your question, because you would be unable to add a Sonos One to your system until you resolved the incompatible version issue. But then you would not need it.

A temporary internet connection is needed to update. A LAN is needed to play but not an internet connection. Those are facts. Goodbye.
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Don't be a baby JohnBaby. Melvimbe DID answer and you didn't. Paul made his comment before he had chance to read my Post of 5 months; so not his fault.
That's why I said this is the wrong Post and thanked you all as i got my answer....... but you whinge on.
You need to read in full - that's twice I've said that btw. Your comprehension sklls are poor. Move on..........
You DO need to be connected in order to update, and you cannot add a new speaker without updating..The implication being that you could not add Airplay to your system in its current state. And if you resolved its current state you would not need Airplay.

I have read that if I had a Play one I could get that setup and connect to the Playbar but what I'm now realising is that I'm still at square 1, in that in setting up the Play One I would need that internet connection..
Glad you got there in the end. Your comments are arrogant and ignorant. Btw, Sonos do not make a speaker called a Play One.