Home theater setup options
I have been an audio Sonos user for many years but have not yet started into the Sonos home theater arena. I have been offered 2 Play:5 Gen 1's from a friend who no longer wants them, and my hope is to use them as rear speakers in my "critical" audio listening room where I have a Connect. The room also has a TV, and is connected to a receiver for left, right, and sub, but I have no rears (or center). So my question is, can I set up the Play:5's as rears, and not have to add or change anything else? The room will still be used mostly for stereo audio as its main use. Thanks!
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Userlevel 4
+9
In the traditional home theatre sense, no, you can't use the Play:5s as rears...surround sound. In order for that, you would need to have a playbar or playbase connected to your tv, bonded with the Play:5s as surround sound. In that scenario, the play:5s are pretty much overkill.
However, you can place the play:5s in the back of the room, group them with the zone your connect is in and have them play in sync when using Sonos audio sources... when not using the Connect's line in as the audio source (from the receiver). If using the line in as the source, then the Play:5s will have an inherit delay, and the play:5s will then not be in sync with the speakers connected to your receiver. Probably isn't really what you want to do.
Some other options...sell the Play:5s and get regular speakers to act as surround speakers for your existing setup. Probably not what your friend had in mind when he gave the speakers to you though. Or you could sell your receiver, speakers and sub and perhaps buy a playbase/playbar and get a full setup.
Personally though, I would just wait. Sonos is announcing a new home theatre product at the beginning of June (I forget the actual date) that could very well change how you can use those play:5s in a home theatre setting. I doubt the new product is going to let you use the play:5s with your existing receiver in a more useful way, but it could allow you to replace your existing stuff in a way that interests you. In the mean time, you can use the play:5s in the rear of the same room, or maybe just temporarily use them in a different room.
However, you can place the play:5s in the back of the room, group them with the zone your connect is in and have them play in sync when using Sonos audio sources... when not using the Connect's line in as the audio source (from the receiver). If using the line in as the source, then the Play:5s will have an inherit delay, and the play:5s will then not be in sync with the speakers connected to your receiver. Probably isn't really what you want to do.
Some other options...sell the Play:5s and get regular speakers to act as surround speakers for your existing setup. Probably not what your friend had in mind when he gave the speakers to you though. Or you could sell your receiver, speakers and sub and perhaps buy a playbase/playbar and get a full setup.
Personally though, I would just wait. Sonos is announcing a new home theatre product at the beginning of June (I forget the actual date) that could very well change how you can use those play:5s in a home theatre setting. I doubt the new product is going to let you use the play:5s with your existing receiver in a more useful way, but it could allow you to replace your existing stuff in a way that interests you. In the mean time, you can use the play:5s in the rear of the same room, or maybe just temporarily use them in a different room.
Thanks! Your reply was great and on point. I will wait to see options that may make sense after the upcoming announcement, but in the meantime I will use one to setup a stereo pair in one room, and the second one will go into a spare bedroom. I will enjoy adding them to my setup, regardless.
Userlevel 7
+21
Also beware that Gen 1 Play 5s cannot be used for surround sound with the current Playbar/base and i think that would probably be the case for the new one.
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