Can I combine different Sonos speakers in vaious combinations?

  • 9 April 2019
  • 5 replies
  • 551 views

I read that I can combine 2 Play:1 as a stereo pair. If I had 4 Play:1 can I create 4 stereo pairs, meaning each Play:1 appears in 2 stereo pairs? Or can each speaker just be part of a single configuration? Can I add the same sub to each of these 4 configurations?
Probably I later choose to by a playbase and want to combine it with the sub and 2 Play:1 to a 5.1 system. Is this possible while retaining the stereo configurations?

BR. - nieroster

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5 replies

I read that I can combine 2 Play:1 as a stereo pair. If I had 4 Play:1 can I create 4 stereo pairs, meaning each Play:1 appears in 2 stereo pairs? Or can each speaker just be part of a single configuration?
You'll be able to create 2 stereo pairs. Wouldn't make sense otherwise.
https://support.sonos.com/s/article/1066?language=en


Can I add the same sub to each of these 4 configurations?
No. You would have to determine to which stereo pair you'll bond the SUB.


Probably I later choose to by a playbase and want to combine it with the sub and 2 Play:1 to a 5.1 system. Is this possible while retaining the stereo configurations?
No. Perhaps at a later point in time.
https://support.sonos.com/s/article/2927?language=en
You'll be able to create 2 stereo pairs. Wouldn't make sense otherwise.If I put a speaker in each corner of the room and want to select the two speakers for a stereo pair I am currently facing? Why wouldn't this make sense?

No. You would have to determine to which stereo pair you'll bond the SUB.So I understand that every speaker can just be part of one "room", right? This seems like an arbitrary limitation. It just would need a definition of exclusive rooms (rooms that cannot be used concurrently). Can this be supported by a future release of the app?
Yes, software can be arbitrary, depending on the logic used to express the requirements, as well as the potential market needs of the company writing and selling the software/devices that run the software.

Anything might be possible in software. Does it make sense for the company to do so? Based on the fact that it's been asked for over several years in this forum, and yet not implemented, I'd suggest there's either a technical, or financial reason as to why Sonos hasn't implemented it to this point.
I'm not sure quick switching of bonded pairs/Subs/etc. is actually possible in software. SonoSequncr has many features that the Sonos app doesn't have, including un-like pairs/surrounds, predefined groups, etc. However, they have never been able to quick switch the Sub from one room to the next, and given their implementation of many things Sonos doesn't do, I have to assume it is not possible.
If I put a speaker in each corner of the room and want to select the two speakers for a stereo pair I am currently facing? Why wouldn't this make sense?


When you create a stereo pair, your bonding the two speakers together. That'a configuration that can't be changed on the fly, as in whatever direction you are currently facing. You could create 2 sets of stereo pairs, place them in the same room,group them and play them. No problem there. But you can't select "just the speakers on the north wall" or "just the speakers on the east wall". You could setup each speaker as a separate mono speaker, and thus 4 virtual rooms in the same physically. you could have only the speakers your facing play, but it would be mono, not stereo. Or you could get 8 speakers, a pair for each wall, 4 virtual rooms in the same physical room...in stereo, but obviously overkill.