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THW_1
Contributor I
October 31, 2013
Question

Does Playbar play well with existing AV Receivers?

  • October 31, 2013
  • 13 replies
  • 17631 views
I use a Yamaha AV receiver (RX-V2700) that I like very much. I feed my Apple TV, DVD and Cable Box to my TV by an HDMI cable providing surround sound from them all. In addition, I have a turntable that also feeds audio to my current SS speaker system. I am considering using some Sonos speakers to replace my current speakers. Can the Playbar based surround system work with the optical output from my Yamaha AV receiver, allowing me to use all of my devices?
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      The LHC
      October 19, 2016
      Two problems, Sonos have stated they're not interested in handling video. Secondly the av market particularly for those beyond basic 5.1 is really quite small, given the level of sales Sonos are achieving with the simple stereo products it almost certainly isn't worth their while going after the av market you describe.
      Stubbo
      Lyricist II
      October 20, 2016
      After a lot more reading I've decided there is no way the current Sonos products will ever replace a good AV system and reluctantly I'll stay with my wired speaker setup.

      It's a real shame, but the playbar just doesn't cut it unless you have very basic requirements.....oh well, it's a missed opportunity as over the next 6 months I'm planning a complete AV refresh, 4K HDR Dolby Vision 70" (ish) TV, 4K Bluray player and an AV receiver with all the latest connectivity standards...Sonos will be left out of the loop and be relegated to a music only system.

      I Should say I do have a pair of Play:5, 8 Play:1 a Boost and a Connect, and all of that works flawlessly, very much a part of the smart home.
      inopinatus
      inopinatus
      Prominent Collaborator I
      October 23, 2016
      @Stubbo
      I share your frustration at the lack of standards. and I too would like to see Sonos have a 7.1+ or Atmos story. It'll be some years before most consumer TVs can join a networked hi-fi mesh, though, and more years before everyone agrees on an open protocol. In the meantime it'll be a consumer-hostile competition between Sonos, Denon, Yamaha, B&W and the WiSA association.

      I just did an AV refresh too. But I chucked the receiver.
      The Samsung series 9 4K TV in the main lounge is now the HDMI switch, with optical out to a Playbar. All other audio & video around my home is now over the network (Sonos, Airplay, Plex, Apple TV, Netflix etc). Ditching the AVR has eliminated all the messing with remote controls. Compromising on 5.1 rather than 7.1+/Atmos decoding has been a big win for functionality and ease-of-use, and it sounds great anyway.

      Note re. optical & HDMI switching, you can fix many issues with one of these: http://www.octavainc.com/HDMI%20switch%204x1%20ARC%20port_pro.html but it's definitely better if the TV can be the switch. Samsung in particular have recently done a nice job of smart integration.
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