Move or roam as surround speakers


Userlevel 4
Badge

Dear all, just a quick suggestion: wouldn’t it be possible to use roam or move speakers as surround spekers for 5.1 systems? Taht would give even greater flexibility and eliminate the need to find a plug in the right location. Usually, you don’t see a picture or a 5.1 program longer than the 10 hours of autonomy of those products, and the design would become cleaner without any wire!

 

Is there any technical questio that prevents this? Are you planning to solve it out at some point?


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.

85 replies

I thought I saw somebody say 10 hours for the roams… I have a move it’s 3-4 hours tops 

I helped out at a 6 hour outdoor family children's party during the summer months with two Moves stereo-paired, off their charger loop, running on a 5G Mobile WiFi device.

Starting at full charge, both speakers had quite a bit of charge left in both of them at the end of the party. I can’t be precise now about their battery levels post-party (it was some months ago), but from memory it was at least 30%+ charge remaining and they had been playing quite loudly too around the 70-80% volume level throughout.

I’ve had the two Moves since the speakers were first released. I find them a great portable speaker to take outdoors and the charge in my own case held well on both devices for that family party.

Userlevel 2
Badge

Happy new year, best wishes!!!

...and same wish :)

Please please, Sonos, let's have the surround mode on the Roams and on the Moves !

Userlevel 1

Please count my vote for truly wireless rear surrounds in enabling Sonos Move and Roam for rear surround speakers.

 

We just bought an Arc, and are now interested in rear surrounds.  We don’t have the proper space nor power receptacle in place for dedicated and stationary rear surround speakers.  Plus we rather place the rears when needed, then return back to their proper place after the show is done.  Rather than leave in place, permanently. 

 

I would go out right now and buy two Roam speakers if i can use them as rear surrounds.

 

Enabling the Move and Roam for rear surround speakers just makes too much sense!!!!

 

 

Please upgrade to include this. I have 2 roams 2 moves and an arc. Roams as surrounds would be the best 

I feel so duped! I bought two Roams thinking they would just work, like the rest of the Sonos system. I’d happily take restrictions or requirements to ensure performance but when you buy Sonos and pay the premium it is shocking to see these restrictions. 

Userlevel 7
Badge +17

The fact you cannot use two portable Sonos speakers as surrounds is not a secret. Do yo not read up on things before buying expensive gear?

The fact you cannot use two portable Sonos speakers as surrounds is not a secret. Do yo not read up on things before buying expensive gear?

I agree. At least it is a useful lesson.  Never assume, always check. Or prepare for a lifetime of frustration and disappointment. 

Wow. How unkind your words and self-important your written demeanor. I’m sorry to have crossed paths.

Wow. How unkind your words and self-important your written demeanor. I’m sorry to have crossed paths.

 

It would be polite to reference who and what comments you are specifically referring too.

Wow. How unkind your words and self-important your written demeanor. I’m sorry to have crossed paths.

 

It would be polite to reference who and what comments you are specifically referring too.

I think there is little doubt....

@SoquelSkye . I am not sure in what sense we have crossed paths? Or is @SkyeDub also you? 

Just a coincidence in the names, or was I correct to suspect trolling in the first place? You didn't even join the forum until after my post.

Userlevel 2
Badge

Back to the business…

No news or update from Sonos?

Back to the business…

No news or update from Sonos?

 

Sonos never gives news or updates on things like this.

I wouldn’t expect this to be an ‘easy’ thing to do, as in just a software change. I would expect there is electrical components that would be needed to be added to both devices, beyond the complex issues around programming how the Sonos system reacts to a device missing/out of power in a system. I’d suppose there would need to be a rewrite of the entire TruePlay system as well….and there are likely issues I’m not even aware of.

But @jgatie  is right, Sonos doesn’t discuss these decisions/changes in advance, we only find out when/if they’re released. 

Definitely a vote from me as well. I had both indoor and outdoor needs for speakers which is why I decided to get the roams. Disappointing that the roams can be used the same as the Ones. Especially since the speakers definitely can play music together, so it’s proven that the speakers can perform dynamic sound

 

FYI, when Sonos speakers are grouped together, the audio is significantly buffered to make sure it’s able to play in sync.  This done via your WiFi network and/or Sonosnet, 2.4 Ghz.  When speakers are bonded together in a home theatre setup, 2.4 Ghz is not fast enough for the audio to play immediately and match the audio on the TV, so 5.0 Ghz in a closed setup just involving the bonded speakers is used.  There’s a significant difference.  

Great point. Then Sonos should make a speaker that is: 1) wireless and battery powered, and 2) can switch between TV mode (5Ghz) and audio streaming mode (2.4GHz).

Definitely a vote from me as well. I had both indoor and outdoor needs for speakers which is why I decided to get the roams. Disappointing that the roams can be used the same as the Ones. Especially since the speakers definitely can play music together, so it’s proven that the speakers can perform dynamic sound

 

FYI, when Sonos speakers are grouped together, the audio is significantly buffered to make sure it’s able to play in sync.  This done via your WiFi network and/or Sonosnet, 2.4 Ghz.  When speakers are bonded together in a home theatre setup, 2.4 Ghz is not fast enough for the audio to play immediately and match the audio on the TV, so 5.0 Ghz in a closed setup just involving the bonded speakers is used.  There’s a significant difference.  

Great point. Then Sonos should make a speaker that is: 1) wireless and battery powered, and 2) can switch between TV mode (5Ghz) and audio streaming mode (2.4GHz).

 

Not sure what you mean by ‘switch’ here.  I believe the portable speakers already can do 5 or 2.4 GHz, as do all the current Sonos speakers.  Ones, for example, can be setup as stand alone speakers or configured to be surround sound, but it’s not a simple matter of flipping a switch, as it takes a couple minutes for a One to go from doing surround duty to a stand alone Sonos room, and vice versa.  And Trueplay tuning is lost in the process.

Really, if Sonos were to make a portable speaker like this, I think it would be a case where it’s set for surround duty, and can be switched to bluetooth mode (but not share the bluetooth).  I’m not against this, but I really don’t think it’s going to happen any time soon.

 

Userlevel 1

Please count my vote for truly wireless rear surrounds in enabling Sonos Move and Roam for rear surround speakers.

 

We just bought an Arc, and are now interested in rear surrounds.  We don’t have the proper space nor power receptacle in place for dedicated and stationary rear surround speakers.  Plus we rather place the rears when needed, then return back to their proper place after the show is done.  Rather than leave in place, permanently. 

 

I would go out right now and buy two Roam speakers if i can use them as rear surrounds.

 

Enabling the Move and Roam for rear surround speakers just makes too much sense!!!!

 

 

Bump

Hello Sonos,
Same, I wait to have this feature to buy two Roam SL to add them as surround in  my SONOS TV system.
(My 2 existing One will be better in an other place - ideally in front for a true 5.1 config ;) )

Userlevel 1

I was watching a movie the other night with my Sonos beam gen 2. Would love to add some surrounds but don’t have anywhere they could live permanently as I live in a small apartment and my couch backs up to our kitchen/dining area. Being able to put a couple Roams on either side of the kitchen table for when I’m watching movies would be the perfect solution - really wish Sonos would develop this feature. I’d buy another Roam the day it launched. Also eagerly awaiting a sub that’s smaller than the current one...

We need this please!

I also would really love this. 
i have a arc with the sub which I love and just ordered a roam. Mostly for the garden and upstairs.

i know that it doesn’t work as surrounds but I don’t want the ones because of the cables so being able to use two roams as surrounds, even though they probably don’t sound as nice as the one’s, will make me buy an extra roam in a heartbeat. 

Hi Sonos experts! Any news on that?

None. I wouldn’t be expecting a change in stance on that, surround speakers that may or may not be there, and randomly change position would make for a poor experience. 

Userlevel 1
Badge +1

Come on Sonos team, my new arc is asking for that, you can do it! ;)

It would be really a nice feature!

Userlevel 2
Badge

Going late…
Sony has just done it with their new wireless with built-in battery and Atmos SA-RS5 surround speakers !

They work with their 5000 and 7000 series soundbars. They even use the sphere sound mapping of the innovative HT-A9 !

Please Sonos, make us proud to keep your system and be fast on providing for such a solution. Even without the Atmos up firing speaker but able to use the Roams/Moves would be enough…