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Contributor I
December 25, 2013
Answered

Creating 5.1 with non-Sonos Subwoofer

Sub disabled when Setting up SONOS CONNECT:AMP as Surround Rears Why are you disabling the subwoofer out when configuring the Connect Amp to drive non-Sonos rear speakers with a Playbar? I have a my own sub that i want to connect to the Connect Amp so that it can be driven along with the rest of the system. I do not want to buy another Sonos sub. Surely this would just be a software or firmware update that is easily achievable.
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Chris
ChrisAnswer
Lead Maestro
March 14, 2018
It's not possible. A 5.1 system has a discrete .1 channel.

The Connect:Amp is only able to receive a stereo signal (R/L). In this case the R/L is the right and left surround sound. There is no dedicated chanel to send to the Subwoofer.

The original design of the Connect:Amp was not to be used in the manner of surrounds. Its original hardware takes a stereo signal. Filters it through a crossover - sending higher frequencies to left/right channel speakers and the lower range to the subwoofer output. So the subwoofer output sits between the stereo input and the speaker output (just as a normal sub would). There is no direct channel to the subwoofer just a processing of the stereo signal.

Therefore, there is no reason to have the subwoofer active. There is no reason to filter out the low end output from the surround sound mix (as the surround sound mix doesn't have the LFE channel or really any low end to speak of).

It is an internal hardware issue that makes it impossible for the Connect:Amp to pass a discrete LFE channel in the form of the .1 signal from a surround sound setup. It just physically is not built to do that - so no asking for it will solve the issue.

A new Connect:Amp model designed to pass a discrete signal would be required.

Hope this makes sense as Sonos has no way to add this ability to the current model.
Respect the Queue (2)Move (3)Beam (1) Era100 (2)ARC (1)SonosOne (1)Playbar (4)Play5 (4)Play1 (3)Play3 (1)Port (2)Connect (1) Roam (2) Ace (1)Connect:Amp (4)Sonos Amp (1)Sub + (9) Echo + Smartthings; (2)Play)

66 replies

Lyricist II
December 11, 2017
Add my vote to drive a third party sub. I'd even buy a connect:amp to drive the .1 channel and nothing else.
Lyricist I
January 5, 2018
Count me in to want third party sub support. C'mon, Sonos.
Lyricist II
March 13, 2018
Add me as well. We have a Playbar and Connect Amp in our Great Room and Connect Amp and Subwoofer in our kitchen which is basically the same room. I'd rather attach the sub to the Great Room Connect Amp rather than the Kitchen and Great room Grouped.
Chris
ChrisAnswer
Lead Maestro
March 14, 2018
It's not possible. A 5.1 system has a discrete .1 channel.

The Connect:Amp is only able to receive a stereo signal (R/L). In this case the R/L is the right and left surround sound. There is no dedicated chanel to send to the Subwoofer.

The original design of the Connect:Amp was not to be used in the manner of surrounds. Its original hardware takes a stereo signal. Filters it through a crossover - sending higher frequencies to left/right channel speakers and the lower range to the subwoofer output. So the subwoofer output sits between the stereo input and the speaker output (just as a normal sub would). There is no direct channel to the subwoofer just a processing of the stereo signal.

Therefore, there is no reason to have the subwoofer active. There is no reason to filter out the low end output from the surround sound mix (as the surround sound mix doesn't have the LFE channel or really any low end to speak of).

It is an internal hardware issue that makes it impossible for the Connect:Amp to pass a discrete LFE channel in the form of the .1 signal from a surround sound setup. It just physically is not built to do that - so no asking for it will solve the issue.

A new Connect:Amp model designed to pass a discrete signal would be required.

Hope this makes sense as Sonos has no way to add this ability to the current model.
Respect the Queue (2)Move (3)Beam (1) Era100 (2)ARC (1)SonosOne (1)Playbar (4)Play5 (4)Play1 (3)Play3 (1)Port (2)Connect (1) Roam (2) Ace (1)Connect:Amp (4)Sonos Amp (1)Sub + (9) Echo + Smartthings; (2)Play)
Lyricist I
December 5, 2018
hi Chris! I think I understand this answer you gave on COnnect:amp. If I proceed with a connect (non amp) and connect that either direct to my powered sub, or to a receiver that is connected to my sub, would that sort the channels correctly?
Chris
Lead Maestro
December 5, 2018
No. You have no way to get the .1 signal to a connect.
Respect the Queue (2)Move (3)Beam (1) Era100 (2)ARC (1)SonosOne (1)Playbar (4)Play5 (4)Play1 (3)Play3 (1)Port (2)Connect (1) Roam (2) Ace (1)Connect:Amp (4)Sonos Amp (1)Sub + (9) Echo + Smartthings; (2)Play)