Question

Playbar with 2 Play 3 added as front speakers for TV?

  • 11 May 2017
  • 4 replies
  • 1739 views

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I have a playbar that I have to place behind my TV due to its location above a mantel. There is a 2 inch gap below the TV so some sound comes through, but I am not ecstatic about the sound quality.

I was planning on adding 2 play 3s essentially as front bookshelf speakers -- one on either side of the TV. The point was to augment the sound coming from the playbar in front, not to create surround.

As best I can tell, I can bond the 2 play 3s to the playbar but then they will act as surround. Is that right? If so, can I play with the surround volume to try to achieve what I want -- more front sound?

I think I can also group them with the playbar as a stereo pair, but then it sounds like there will be a delay in the sound. Is that right? Is the only way to eliminate the delay bond rather than group?

I guess I could get rid of the playbar and just run the two play 3s as front speakers off a connect or connect:amp, is that right?

Any other thoughts?

Thanks so so much :)

Scott

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4 replies

Userlevel 4
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Your solution here is to either move your TV or put the PlayBar above it, if no space below.

You can't add the Play 3's as supplementary front speakers, and you're right in your assumption that removing the PlayBar and having just Play 3's as front speakers will produce lag issues.
Userlevel 6
Badge +3
Hi Scott_135




I have a playbar that I have to place behind my TV due to its location above a mantel. There is a 2 inch gap below the TV so some sound comes through, but I am not ecstatic about the sound quality.

I was planning on adding 2 play 3s essentially as front bookshelf speakers -- one on either side of the TV. The point was to augment the sound coming from the playbar in front, not to create surround.


As best I can tell, I can bond the 2 play 3s to the playbar but then they will act as surround. Is that right?


Yes, you can "Bond" them as rear speakers only. It will not help with what you want to do. The rears do not throw out a lot of sound in 5.1

If so, can I play with the surround volume to try to achieve what I want -- more front sound?

No

I think I can also group them with the playbar as a stereo pair,

Yes and it will sound great and in sync

but then it sounds like there will be a delay in the sound. Is that right? Is the only way to eliminate the delay bond rather than group?

Yes but as above you can only "bond" them aa rears

I guess I could get rid of the playbar and just run the two play 3s as front speakers off a connect or connect:amp, is that right?


No, The Play3 will do not have an input for Aux in.

Any other thoughts?

You could add a Sub but that will not help the PlayBar. If the PlayBar is above the TV, is it upside down? It should be.

Thanks so so much :)

Scott
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Now that is a thought -- playbar above tv installed downward. I'll take a look at the space when I get home.

Regarding grouping a stereo pair of play3s with the playbar -- will the tv sound be in sync between the playbar and the play 3s or will there be a lag? I couldn't tell from the answers -- in one it seemed like yes and in the other no.

Thanks

Scott
Userlevel 6
Badge +3
When you "bond" your speakers, PlayBar, 2X Play1 or 2X Play3 and a Sub all will be in sync for TV and Music. If you "Group" them with the "Bonded" speakers the other speakers will have a lag while watching TV but no with music.

For example: I have PlayBar and 2X Play1s and a Sub all is well with the TV and no lag. If I add the reset of the house to this the other Sonos speakers will have a lag when watching TV but not with music.

Hope this helps

Have a look at the links below

Bond

Group

pair