Connect Sub to Multiple Groups?

Hey there, amfnyc. If you have two separate zones (TV - Beam & Living Room - 2x Play:5) your assumption would be correct. There can only be one device that has control over the Sub. A few users in the past have requested "scenes" in Sonos that would act as configuration presets. If you'd like, I'd be happy to add your name to the list for this feature request.

Yes, assuming they are Play 5 (gen2) speakers and not gen1. You can create a 5.1 (Dolby Digital) 'bonded' surround sound system...

The Beam will be front left/right and center and the two Play 5’s will be the two rears which you can either set to 'Ambient' or 'Full' for music purposes. Then add the sonos sub to the room to handle the Bass.

That’s how I would personally choose to set things up... great for 5.1 TV surround sound too.

I wouldn’t choose to set things up as separate rooms and go onto group things, as you may find you encounter TV audio lip-sync issues... but it is fine to have such groups for playing music, that’s if you prefer not to use a 'bonded' surround setup. You will then only be able to add the sub to either the Beam (Room) or the Play 5 (Room) and not both.

When you 'bond' all speakers into one 5.1 sonos room there will not be any TV lip-sync issues.

Thanks guys. Keith - sure, that sounds like it would be a good feature. I won't hold my breath, though ;-(

Ken - My Play5s are gen 2, but I don't plan to bond them as surrounds for the Beam since I don't want them in the back of the room. They are my primary stereo music listening speakers, so they need to be up front.

Essentially, I plan to use the stereo Play 5s (maybe plus sub) for music listening and the Beam (maybe plus sub) for TV/movies. Obviously the Play5s cannot be used for TV, and I imagine the Beam is not as good for music as the 2 Play5s?

I'm definitely open to suggestion for a better setup, but that's what I was thinking.

Get the Sub and try it on both the Beam and 5s, decide if you like it one place or the other more or if you really want a second one.

Hey there, amfnyc. If you have two separate zones (TV - Beam & Living Room - 2x Play:5) your assumption would be correct. There can only be one device that has control over the Sub. A few users in the past have requested "scenes" in Sonos that would act as configuration presets. If you'd like, I'd be happy to add your name to the list for this feature request.

Please add my name to the list as well: I wish to have a TV setup using a Beam and a Sub in the same room as a pure audio setup using 2 x Play 5 and the same Sub? Obviously not playing at the same time. Sounds (pun intended) quite reasonable, right?

Add me to this list as well. I have a PlayBase for my TV, and two Play5’s (gen 2) for audio only (mostly turntable). Thinking of getting a sub to “share” between the two setups.

An update on my setup...I had the sub connected to the two Play5s for a few months. It sounded good, but as I read on other threads, the sub did not add a tremendous amount to the Play5s. I was a little disappointed honestly.

A few weeks ago (for the season premier of GOT 😉 I "moved" the sub to be connected to the Beam. WOW! It made a huge difference for the Beam. Even shows without big bass are clearer, and it is fantastic for epic battle scenes. I'm finally glad I bought the sub.

I still wish it were easier to switch the sub between groups, but at least it has proven its worth.

Having the sub being able to be paired to multiple groups would be a really nice differentiator. I could see this pushing someone from buying a different sound bar and sub because then they could use it as a multi purpose sub.

I just ordered the in ceiling speakers with the sonos amp. I plan on using it for music. I’m going to see how it sounds for tv speakers paired with the sub. If not ideal I’d plan on getting a sound bar and with the feature of pairing the sub to multiple groups would have me consider getting the beam over another sound bar.

I too would like to be added the the list for notification when this feature is available.

While it makes sense for those who want to have a stereo pair for music and soundbar for TV, it's not a good fit if your rooms are actually different rooms physically. I can see people trying to 'cheat' by buying one sub and moving it around all the time to whatever room they feel like having a sub in. There is also the problem whenever a person decides wants to play the stereo pair and soundbar separately...which one gets the sub? I suppose you'd have to build in a mechanism for that.

Maybe the best solution would be to allow a single room setup where when music is requested, the stereo pair + sub play automatically. When TV audio is requested, the soundbar + rears + sub play automatically. This way, they system will play as the user wants without having to change any settings at all.

I can see two problems with this though. Although it could bring in more sales for Sonos, it may also give the impression that the soundbars don't play music very well. The other is that it seems like it's just a stop gap solution. For those who would go with this option, what they really want is a 5.1 setup with stereo and channel separation.(separate speakers for all 3 channels). If this were an actual option, no one would be trying to use 2 logical Sonos rooms into the same physical room. Or maybe it's just may.

Although, I am happy with my playbar setup, I'd seriously consider adding 2 play:5s to the room if this was an option.

One more vote for this functionality. I have an open plan house with in-ceiling speakers on one amp for kitchen and another amp plus in-ceiling speakers for the dining and connecting the two room at right angles is the tv room with a play bar, sub and two ones for surround. It would be great if the sub could join the dining for dinner or the TV when watching or the kitchen when cooking. So please add a vote for me. 😁👍