Skip to main content
tiago
Producer I
November 20, 2015
Question

[HELP] What’s the best setup for SONOS Surround 5.1? And Couple beginner questions!

  • November 20, 2015
  • 28 replies
  • 30837 views
Hi guys,

I’ve recentely heard about SONOS I wouldn’t say that I am an audiophile but I love music and speakers setup. It was very nice to see that SONOS has a very active community and I am think about building a home theater setup with SONOS speakers. So I would like to clarify couple doubts, and check whats the best setup possible, that the community would recommend.

I was thinking about using the Playbar as Center Speaker purchase to new PLAY:5 and use as left and right speaker, and two PLAY:3 or PLAY:1 as surround speakers at the back.

1 - Is this the best setup? Do I need to buy anything else? For what I read I don’t need the BRIDGE or CONNECT to make this work right, just plug an Ethernet caple to the playbar?

2 – I want to use those speakers with my TV LG 55EG9600 and I would hate having to go to the cellphone app to turn volume up and down. I will be able to control all speakers volume with the magic remote ? Anyone had any trouble doing that with NEW LG tvs?

3 – Is there a complicated setup to avoid the delays? I read that there would be a delay of 50ms with the home theater setup, that’s true? Is it easy to fix?

4 – I use AirPlay on daily basis, since I don’t know SONUS app, I am not sure I will adapt having to go to SONUS app to play Spotify or any music on my cellphone, I already have an airport express. If I plug the 3.5mm cable on any of the PLAY:5 speakers would that work on all speakers including the sound bar? What will happen if the TV is on and I do that it will play both audios, until I mute the tv, or it will do that automatically?

Sorry for all the question guys. It is a big investment and I would really appreciate any help, to understand if SONOS fits my needs.

Thanks in advance!

Tiago
    This topic has been closed for further comments. You can use the search bar to find a similar topic, or create a new one by clicking Create Topic at the top of the page.

    28 replies

    The LHC
    November 20, 2015
    You can't configure the play:5s to be front left and right, the Playbar does front and centre duties.

    1. Correct, that's the best way to do it.
    2. I don't know what a magic remote is bit the Playbar will learn ir codes from a normal remote control.
    3. The Playbar delay is 30ms. You won't notice.
    4. Yes you can run a line-in from the ae to a play:5 and then play it on any speaker (or all of them). This is the officially supported Airplay solution. What the Playbar does in that situation depends on how you configure it, there's an option to turn off auto play for tv audio.
    Catfoot
    November 20, 2015
    I'd use the Playbar + sub as 3.1 then add 2x Play 1's for surrounds. I've got that setup and can't ask for more.

    I'd then put the Play 3 or 5 in other rooms.
    tiagoAuthor
    Producer I
    November 20, 2015
    The LHC and Catfoot. Thanks for the replies. If anyone else has another insights or setups please let me know.
    What would it work to use 3x NEW PLAY:5s (one as center and other two as right and left) + 2x PLAY:3s or PLAY:1s as rear speakers + the SUB?
    When I try to Airplay from the Play:5 with in the surround system, I will have to change the option for LINE IN on the SONOS APP in order for it to capture the airplay sound? I would really want that to work automatically and avoid changing source from LINE IN – TO TV or vice-versa.
    Thanks for all the help given so far.
    Regards,
    The LHC
    November 20, 2015
    The LHC and Catfoot. Thanks for the replies. If anyone else has another insights or setups please let me know.
    What would it work to use 3x NEW PLAY:5s (one as center and other two as right and left) + 2x PLAY:3s or PLAY:1s as rear speakers + the SUB?
    When I try to Airplay from the Play:5 with in the surround system, I will have to change the option for LINE IN on the SONOS APP in order for it to capture the airplay sound? I would really want that to work automatically and avoid changing source from LINE IN – TO TV or vice-versa.
    Thanks for all the help given so far.
    Regards,

    There is no way of using individual Sonos speakers for 5.1, the Playbar is the only Sonos device that can decode surround sound.
    Gbfabiani
    Enthusiast I
    November 20, 2015
    Don't use new Play 5 as main TV speaker, you will have a delay problem and a dolby digital issue . The playbar has an optical input designed to minimize delay and to run Dolby Digital.

    Be aware many TV's doesn't pass through Dolby Digital from their HDMI inputs. So if your main DD source is your TV ( cable , netflix with its app) fine , otherwise if you rely son external devices ( apple TV, xbox etc) , be ready to buy an inexpensive optical switch to create a direct connection between above devices and the playbar.

    Concerne the smart remote command, if as I feel it is bluetooth, it will not work as volume contro for the playbar ( who requires infrared). I have a samsung, and finally to quickly control the volume of the playbar I had to copy playbar controls on the satellite remote
    regards
    tiagoAuthor
    Producer I
    November 20, 2015
    The LHC, Thx once again for the reply. Do you happen to know anything about the second question?
    When I try to Airplay from the Play:5 with in the surround system, I will have to change the option for LINE IN on the SONOS APP in order for it to capture the airplay sound? I would really want that to work automatically and avoid changing source from LINE IN – TO TV or vice-versa.
    Thanks for all the help given so far.
    Regards,
    Gbfabiani, Thanks also for the reply. My TV passes Dobly and DTS through HDMI, at least it’s what I found on my search. I didn’t test it yet. And thx for the satellite remote TIP.
    I would have delay with the PLAY:5s even if I use the LINE-IN on my tv headphone jack(3.5mm cable)?
    Ryan S
    Ryan S
    Retired Sonos Staff
    November 20, 2015
    Great answers here everyone. Just one note to add for your second question, when used as a surround speaker, the new PLAY:5 will have the line-in connection disabled. The PLAYBAR acts as the room manager and the only line-in it detects is it's own optical connection. If you go into Room Settings for a PLAYBAR with PLAY:5 surrounds the analog line-ins won't even show as options to adjust.

    Personally speaking, unless we're talking about a very large room, the new PLAY:5s would make for an extremely powerful surround experience, probably more than necessary. In most rooms a pair of PLAY:1s is great, and at times PLAY:3s for larger rooms.

    If you have a PLAY:5 or other Sonos component with a line-in in addition to the surround sound the Airplay or other line in source can be sent to any combination of your players. You'd use any of your controllers to tell the PLAYBAR to play that source of audio. There's also an Autoplay feature you could set up where if the line-in is detected, it'll automatically play to a room. You'll also probably have Autoplay setup for the PLAYBAR on the TV connection though, so there could be some dueling controls there.
    Mark good posts by pressing the like button, and select the best answer on questions you've asked to help others find solutions.
    dustin91
    Lyricist III
    January 12, 2016
    So is there *any* way of using a PLAYBAR with two PLAY:5's as main right and left, and two PLAY:1's as surround?

    We often just listen to plain old music in the family room where our home theater setup us, and we would want to be able to listen to the best PLAY:5 speakers as normal, and then utilize them in the home theater as R and L channels, with the PLAYBAR as the center. Is that possible?

    Or, does that require the CONNECT to use the 5's as R&L speakers, which are then dormant as the PLAYBAR and 1's act as the 5:1 surround sound?

    Hope this makes sense!!
    Ryan S
    Ryan S
    Retired Sonos Staff
    January 12, 2016
    So is there *any* way of using a PLAYBAR with two PLAY:5's as main right and left, and two PLAY:1's as surround?

    We often just listen to plain old music in the family room where our home theater setup us, and we would want to be able to listen to the best PLAY:5 speakers as normal, and then utilize them in the home theater as R and L channels, with the PLAYBAR as the center. Is that possible?

    Or, does that require the CONNECT to use the 5's as R&L speakers, which are then dormant as the PLAYBAR and 1's act as the 5:1 surround sound?

    Hope this makes sense!!

    What you'll wind up setting up to do this is a 5.1 setup with the PLAYBAR, 2xPLAY:1s and a SUB. Along with that, you can setup a stereo pair of PLAY:5s (or other speakers) in the same room. The 2 configurations can be grouped together though groups are temporary so you'll need to have controllers handy to group the units again if one gets rebooted, or if you have ungroup on autoplay turned on.

    In a grouped setup like this the PLAYBAR will be playing front left and right along with center channels. The PLAY:5s in the front would be functioning as a stereo pair on their own.

    For music playback you can set the surrounds to function as full stereo instead of ambient and it'll be very room filling. With the stereo pair of PLAY:5s you'll get even more. Music playback will be kept perfectly in sync.

    During TV audio playback from the PLAYBAR there may be a slight sync difference between the PLAY:5s grouped with it and the 5.1 setup. It could be about 70ms which might be noticeable at times.

    You won't need to use the CONNECT for this setup at all.

    Let us know if you have any other questions Dustin.
    Mark good posts by pressing the like button, and select the best answer on questions you've asked to help others find solutions.
    dustin91
    Lyricist III
    January 15, 2016
    What you'll wind up setting up to do this is a 5.1 setup with the PLAYBAR, 2xPLAY:1s and a SUB. Along with that, you can setup a stereo pair of PLAY:5s (or other speakers) in the same room. The 2 configurations can be grouped together though groups are temporary so you'll need to have controllers handy to group the units again if one gets rebooted, or if you have ungroup on autoplay turned on.

    In a grouped setup like this the PLAYBAR will be playing front left and right along with center channels. The PLAY:5s in the front would be functioning as a stereo pair on their own.

    For music playback you can set the surrounds to function as full stereo instead of ambient and it'll be very room filling. With the stereo pair of PLAY:5s you'll get even more. Music playback will be kept perfectly in sync.

    During TV audio playback from the PLAYBAR there may be a slight sync difference between the PLAY:5s grouped with it and the 5.1 setup. It could be about 70ms which might be noticeable at times.

    You won't need to use the CONNECT for this setup at all.

    Let us know if you have any other questions Dustin.

    Thanks much for the explanation, Ryan. I'm hardly an audiophile, but the idea of any A/V sync being off drives me nuts – that's one thing I'm just too sensitive to when it happens.

    Nevertheless, you guys *are* developing something that will bring a better home theater / music system together beyond requiring a PLAYBAR, right? RIGHT???

    (crosses fingers)
      Show more replies
      Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement