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Is it possible to have a 7.1 setup containing all Sonos components?

  • 4 January 2018
  • 15 replies
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I have tried researching this but have found very little info that wasn't very helpful. I have Playbar, Sub, and two Play 1s in rear. (5.1) I would like to add two Play 3s on either side of my Playbar to widen the origin of sound in front of me. The only way that I see to add speakers is for surround, but these Play 3s would need to play L&R sound. Is 7.1 sound supported by Sonos, or is there a way around this? I wanted to ask someone on here before I go blow $500 only to find out it doesn't work. - Thanks
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Best answer by Stuart_W 4 January 2018, 17:40

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15 replies

Userlevel 7
Badge +22
No that isn't possible. Neither is their any indication it would ever be possible
That seems ridiculous that you can add up to a crazy amount of speakers that all play the same music but couldn't work together as a sound system. Come on Sonos!
I wonder if any of Sonos competitors offer 7.1 support. Does anyone know if Bose is doing this in their wireless product? If enough demand then maybe Sonos would find a way to make it work.
Another question would be, will Tv's pass a 7.1 through the optical. It wasn't long ago and only Sony and a few others even supported 5.1.
I think you are correct that demand is a key factor here. I also wouldn't be surprised if those who really want 7.1 are more willing to consider wired solutions.
No multi-room competitor offers a soundbar with 7.1. Any H/T aficionado who worries about 7.1 isn't using a soundbar in the first place.
Userlevel 1
Badge +4
For á company like Sonos this could be a relatively easy fix. An HDMI equippped unit would serve as an av processor and send wirelessly to a 7.2.4 sonos speaker system of choice. Two subs and a speaker setup according to customers budget. Now that would be the ultimate home solution and I would gladly pay $ 3000 for said unit. Love my sonos but now I want a home theater setup and playbar/play base +sub and 2x play one is just not that. A good tv setup but not a home theater.
In this regard Denon is stealing customers left and right from Sonos.
You’ve got plenty of money so please start thinking big and address this minor detail or in the near future you will see a significant rise in used Sonos speakers for sale.
In today’s market audio is equally important to video.
For á company like Sonos this could be a relatively easy fix.

Why is this assumed to be easy? I'm not an expert on wireless tech or digital processing of audio, but this doesn't sound easy to me. The current system keeps up to 4 speakers in sync with no time to buffer since it must also be in sync with video. You're saying it's easy to bump that up 13 speakers? Maybe it is, but I have my doubts.


An HDMI equippped unit would serve as an av processor and send wirelessly to a 7.2.4 sonos speaker system of choice. Two subs and a speaker setup according to customers budget. Now that would be the ultimate home solution and I would gladly pay $ 3000 for said unit.


I believe you. I'm doubtful that there's a big enough market overall for that. If I've got $3000 to spend for that part of a HT, I'm spending $1000 on a regular receiver. and $2000 on tearing down the walls to put in speaker wire to the right locations. I'll even save some money on the speakers, since they don't need to be wireless or Sonos brand, nor do I need to have power cords to the right location. I won't have to deal with any potential wireless interference either.

That said though, I doubt such a unit would cost $3000, so it's all conjecture.



Love my sonos but now I want a home theater setup and playbar/play base +sub and 2x play one is just not that. A good tv setup but not a home theater.
In this regard Denon is stealing customers left and right from Sonos.
You’ve got plenty of money so please start thinking big and address this minor detail or in the near future you will see a significant rise in used Sonos speakers for sale.
In today’s market audio is equally important to video.


From what I can tell, the market is currently being driven by low cost echo dots and soundbars. Not high end systems.
And isn't Denon paying a settlement to Sonos for infringing on Sonos' patents?
And isn't Denon paying a settlement to Sonos for infringing on Sonos' patents?

And Denon only does 5.1 (soundbar, surrounds and sub), just like Sonos. So I don't know where the "In this regard Denon is stealing customers left and right from Sonos" comes from. Though they may be stealing customers from Sonos for other reasons . . .


Except, not really.

https://www.amazon.com/Best-Sellers-Electronics-Wireless-Multiroom-Digital-Music-Systems/zgbs/electronics/12097482011

Sonos: 11 of the top 20, including #1-5, and the top selling soundbar.

Denon: 3 out of 20, none higher than #14. And as always, Sonos is broken down by color, so the individual black and white models beat the all black Denons/Bose/etc.

So I'm sure Sonos is real worried about Denon.
Userlevel 1
Badge +4
Yes and yes. The market is budget driven with emphasis on high tech gadgetry at the cost of audio quality. Sonos is the answer for that. Awesome audio and brilliant tech as is but can get better. Denon is paying I believe. They have their HEOS avr which is a brilliant idea but poorly implemented.
Yes and yes. The market is budget driven with emphasis on high tech gadgetry at the cost of audio quality. Sonos is the answer for that. Awesome audio and brilliant tech as is but can get better. Denon is paying I believe. They have their HEOS avr which is a brilliant idea but poorly implemented.

When Denon occupies the top 5 best sellers in the market, hell when they crack the top 10, then we can talk about "Denon is stealing customers left and right from Sonos."
Userlevel 1
Badge +4
Ok maybe an overstatement on my part.
But now I’m looking for a home theater set up.
1. Good sound.
2. Simple and easy to use.
3. Discreet speakers.
4. 5.1 is all I want.

Looking at this list one would think that the playbar/playbase 5.1 would be it.
But due to the optical shenanigans of tv makers it’s not so straight forward.
I currently have a Bose soundtouch 130 which I bought
over the sonos a couple of years ago. Big mistake music vise but pretty darn good for tv and movies.
I want to upgrade from that system and get a full 5.1.
The aforementioned systems are an upgrade in some respect and a downgrade in other.
So far the new sonos amp might be the light in the dark with two play5’s in the front with pseudo center channel and two play1’s for surrounds.
Epic, right ?
Despite having an HDMI we’re still listening to DD.

But these are my feelings after doing to much research and overthinking this into oblivion.
To be honest I don’t own a blue ray player and 90% of my use is Netflix.

Sorry for the rambling but I’m trying to not getting sucked into buying some ridiculous system that will be used to about 12% of it’s full potential.

Like I said, I love my play5 gen2 pair in stereo so why would I not like the Sonos way for movies ?
You cannot use two Play:5's for fronts. There must be a unit capable of processing TV sound in the front, i.e. an Amp, Playbar, Playbase, or Beam. From there you can use an Amp or Play:5/3/1/One for surrounds.
Userlevel 1
Badge +4
Dang it 😞 but then again playbar is still a viable option