Playbar with Connect:Amp for surrounds

Hi DarqMan,

Yes, if you are using a CONNECT:AMP for surrounds you must have the CONNECT:AMP wired into your router, or your PLAYBAR.

Reason for this is due to the CONNECT:AMP not having the required 5GHz wireless hardware to cope with the high bandwidth of HD Digital Audio content (unfortunately due to the age of the AMP). Ethernet is more than capable and thankfully that is still supported. :)

Basically with a Home Theatre setup a separate high bandwidth 5GHz network is created specifically for the PLAYBAR and accompanying players, while leaving the standard 2.4Ghz network for all other players which are not associated with the PLAYBAR. Except for CONNECT, CONNECT:AMP, and PLAY:5, all other players contain this extra wireless hardware to allow you to run a completely wireless Home Theatre setup.

Best regards!

Okay, great! I am going to try it this weekend.

Yea you may have thought didn't require as the newest software doesn't require a hard wire connection for a Playbar setup to work.

However, the Connect:Amp is a special situation. It is older hardware and it doesn't have the proper means to communicate low latency with the Playbar via wifi. So the Connect:Amp itself needs hardwire connected to router (or to the Playbar itself).

Okay, great! I am going to try it this weekend.

Awesome!!! Hope it works! 🙂

Trying to resolve some issues and have been reading a ton on this...

So, I can hardwire (ethernet) the CONNECT.AMP to the router and that will allow the amp to power wired in ceiling rears(with 4.2update)? What I have read seems to say that BOTH the Playbar AND the CONNECT.AMP need a wired connection.... Basically, is it on or the other kind of situation? Or will hardwiring JUST the CONNECT.AMP work?

Setup -
PLAYBAR
SUB
B&W in ceiling rear (pair)

This is actually for my parents new home which we are setting up with SONOS throughout. The installer messed things up and wired everything pretty oddly, so of course I am trying to sort this all out.

Thanks for any help!

See this FAQ.

Trying to resolve some issues and have been reading a ton on this...

So, I can hardwire (ethernet) the CONNECT.AMP to the router and that will allow the amp to power wired in ceiling rears(with 4.2update)? What I have read seems to say that BOTH the Playbar AND the CONNECT.AMP need a wired connection.... Basically, is it on or the other kind of situation? Or will hardwiring JUST the CONNECT.AMP work?

Setup -
PLAYBAR
SUB
B&W in ceiling rear (pair)

This is actually for my parents new home which we are setting up with SONOS throughout. The installer messed things up and wired everything pretty oddly, so of course I am trying to sort this all out.

Thanks for any help!

In short, to use a Connect:Amp for surround duties with a Playbar there MUST be a wired connection between the Connect:Amp and the Playbar, either via a router (in which case both devices must be wired to the router, or directly between the Connect:Amp and the Playbar.

I know this is an old thread, but it describes my dilemma perfectly, so I want to make sure I understand correctly.

If I have a playbar and want to add a connect amp to incorporate the preexisting ceiling speakers as rear surrounds, do I still need to have a wired connection between the playbar and connect amp? That's going to be difficult to run that connection, so I was hoping I could hardwire the connect amp to the router, but then the wireless connection to the playbar would still be sufficient to link those in a surround scenario. I think this thread is telling me that won't work.

Can anyone confirm that for me?

The requirement hasn't changed.

You can wire the CONNECT:AMP directly to the PLAYBAR, so long as there's another Sonos component wired to the network elsewhere ('BOOST Setup').

Or you can wire the PLAYBAR and the CONNECT:AMP to the network individually.

There must be a wired path between the two units. This is needed to guarantee the low latency that the connection requires, since the CONNECT:AMP lacks a 5GHz radio.

Hi There,

Just adding my own problems to this thread, as I am also try to use the AMP for rear speakers.

I have tried to read through all the threads to understand how to deal with my situation and still at a loss to the options I have.

My current situation is:
Connect AMP: Hard wired to network
Playbar: Wireless

Physically impossible (without major expense) to:
- connect the Playbar and Connect AMP together
- wire the Playbar to the network directly.

What options am i left with?

If i connect the Playbar to a BOOST would that help? Would i need to connect both the PLaybar and AMP to a BOOST?

Any help would be appreciated.