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Rather than buy a Sub Gen 3 can I use Sonos Amp with my existing sub to get 5.1 with my Sonos Arc?

H
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  • h3m
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I have an ARC and have an existing B&W subwoofer and want to move to a 5.1 setup.  I’m also planning to buy a couple of One SL’s as surrounds but wondering if I can buy an Sonos Amp and use that as the .1 (with my B&W sub).  I’d rather not have to buy a Sonus sub

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Best answer by Paul A 10 July 2020, 00:33

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10 replies

Paul A
Userlevel 6
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Hi @h3m,

Welcome to the Sonos community and thanks for reaching out to us.

I would like to advise that the Sub Line in option on a Sonos Amp or Sonos Connect Amp is disabled if they are bonded as surrounds. Please check this guide for your reference. The sub line in option on the Sonos Amp and Connect Amp is only active when not in surrounds.

Please let us know if you still have further questions or concerns.

Thanks,

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I
Userlevel 2
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I have an ARC and have an existing B&W subwoofer and want to move to a 5.1 setup.  I’m also planning to buy a couple of One SL’s as surrounds but wondering if I can buy an Sonos Amp and use that as the .1 (with my B&W sub).  I’d rather not have to buy a Sonus sub

maybe I don’t understand something… I’m pretty new to Sonos, but isnt the amp just a means to connect passive speakers?  The amp is like $650 and has you tied to wires.  Why would you just get a Sonos sub?

 

 

AjTrek1
Userlevel 7

@h3m

Here’s the short answer…

  1. What you would like to do can’t be acomplished.
  2. If you want to use a sub with the Arc you’ll have to purchase a Sonos sub

@Immersive 

  1. The Sonos Amp can be used to drive 3rd party speakers to create the left and right front channels. In that configuration the 3rd party speakers also create a “phantom” center channel
  2. The Sonos Amp when used in conjunctions with Arc, Playbar, Playbase or Beam can be used to drive 3rd party speakers as surrounds.
  3. A 2nd Sonos Amp can also be used to drive 3rd party speakers as surrounds inconjuction with a Sonos Amp used to create the front channels. You are using two Sonos Amps...one for front channels and one for rear surround channels

I hope this answers all questions. Cheers!

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S
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You can do this with a receiver and external sub if you get a high quality HDMI splitter and the new hdfury arcana device shipping by October.

H
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Thanks for your responses. I may have to consider getting the sub or returning the arc. 
 

Has anyone had any experience with the Gen 3 sub? How does it sound and compared to other subs on the market (the non wireless ones)?

 

What I’m trying to get to in terms of an ideal setup for my hole would be a Sonos arc with 2 SL ones as surrounds for movies and gaming, then a separate Sonos amp with passive speakers for music. At the moment I have some old kef satellite speakers that I’d like to reuse. However I’d need a sub to support this setup.


Actually. If I get a gen 3 sub will that also work with the Sonos amp in a 2.1 setup?
 

 

I
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I have the Gen 3.  I like it, it is reasonably small, looks nice, get no vibration from the sub itself so it doesn’t move on the floor, packs a pretty good punch.  Movies sound great! I do not game so I can’t speak for that.

I will say… this isn’t my Klipsch quintet/sub setup the Sonos just replaced.  But I didn’t expect it to be.  That set up had a pioneer elite amp/receiver pushing it.  But I went for a simpler cleaner setup.

if you haven’t seen Peter Pee channel on YouTube… he has really good reviews on Sonos.. to include several on the sub itself. highly recommended.

melvimbe

What I’m trying to get to in terms of an ideal setup for my hole would be a Sonos arc with 2 SL ones as surrounds for movies and gaming, then a separate Sonos amp with passive speakers for music. At the moment I have some old kef satellite speakers that I’d like to reuse. However I’d need a sub to support this setup.

 

 

This would actually be two setups, two separate Sonos rooms, that happen to be in the same physical room. Your Arc + SLs + Sonos sub would be one room.  The Sonos amp would be another.  The Sonos sub can’t be shared across rooms.  You can remove it from one room and add to another, but that takes a couple minutes to do, and wipes out any trueplay tuning you have on both rooms.  As I think you already understand, you could opt to use the Sonos sub with your Arc, and then use a 3rd party passive sub with the Sonos amp.

 

One thing to consider is that you can use the Arc for music as well.  It does have a wide stance for a soundbar, so you may find that it meets the need without having to setup an amp for music.  Another option is to use the Sonos amp for both TV and music.  Obviously, you won’t have atmos and be limited to DD, instead of DD+ or TrueHD) but it is an option.

 

 


Actually. If I get a gen 3 sub will that also work with the Sonos amp in a 2.1 setup?
 

 

 

Danny
H
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I think the 2 setups 2 rooms in one room is the way I’m going to go. 
 

How are the SL ones as satellites? 

melvimbe

Most people feel SLs are perfect for rear audio.  More than that is overkill.

Danny
I
Userlevel 2
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Most people feel SLs are perfect for rear audio.  More than that is overkill.

I agree with that.  The surrounds are tied to the theater setup and can’t be separated on there own…. I have seen setups where they are using   The Play:5 as surrounds… which seems like a waste of speaker power, let alone a lot more money...

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