Several Detailed Technical Questions: Sonos Playbase + 2 x Play:5s in One System
Hello SONOS Community,
After much deliberation on what to get for a new system I decided it could perhaps help if I cleared up some matters first on questions I couldn't find clear direct answers to for my usage scenario or via the retailer.
I want to get a Playbase plus two Play:5 Gen 2s and set them up in a single system. The Playbase would go underneath my TV and I have room for the new Play:5s besides the TV. This is the only type of setup I am considering. And if I understand this correctly, this is perfectly possible. The fact that SONOS has the ability to connect 3 speakers this way is the very reason I'm considering a SONOS system to begin with. I actually have a huge budget to spend but despite that if a SONOS system could do the preferred things below while being the usual self-contained-self-powered units I don't think there'd be a clear alternative out there anyway on any budget.
The only thing is, my source would primarily be my computer connected over Optical TOSLINK (either through my TV which is also connected to the computer, or if I get a desktop with optical support directly linked to the PC itself). So despite using 3 SONOS devices I am not looking to connect it to a surround receiver or even use any surround sources at all. Every source will just be stereo. I don't much care for surround.
How will the system handle this (in detail)? As I understand, it's only possible to get no latency issues when connected over digital TOSLINK. Which is why I don't want to deal with the analog input. So there would be no latency issue and therefore perfectly usable in this scenario.
- But how will the setup deal with stereo imaging? Will the right and left Play:5 function as normal in stereo but the Playbase just plays the full source in mono? Or will the Playbase also be creating stereo separation by itself? There'd be better stereo imaging if the latter were the case. I'm not entirely sure how Playbase Mono + 2 Play:5s in stereo would sound like in terms of pure separation. After all, I am looking at these specific units because they'll be able to create the most low end for each channel so I'd have bass stereo imaging as well.
- How will the system handle the frequencies via crossover between each unit? Will all 3 system play the full signal, or will the Playbase act like a subwoofer with its built-in large driver? I'd like every speaker to playback full-range. And if so, what would happen if I were to add the SONOS subwoofer? I'd still prefer it if every speaker played back everything and not isolated to the subwoofer only.
- If the Playbase also creates stereo separation just by itself, is it known what the approximate internal crossover frequency is between its mid-frequency drivers and the low-end drivers? Just curious because I want to get as much low-end stereo separation as possible, so as close as it could get to 80Hz would be the best (below which I guess the effects start to diminish) considering the Playbase only has one low end driver.
- Is setting up the system like this entirely reliant on Android or iOS, or can this be done in Windows too? Just curious because I'd like to use this system as long as I possibly can. And if support for any system would be dropped that would be a shame.
- Once the system is set up, will it be permanent (unless undone)? I.e., it no longer needs your phone or other software every time to keep them working in tandem? What if there's a power outage?
- I believe there is a "lossless" or "uncompressed" setting somewhere. I'd like this to be enabled. Where and how could I find it?
- From what I can gather, volume control will not be possible via the physical buttons on the units themselves. Then what's the best way to control volume? I would be using a Windows system so would I be looking at the Windows software, the built-in Windows volume of the computer, the TV's volume (if used), or maybe even with my phone? I would like to be able to adjust the volume while in-game or watching a movie.
- Can the individual volume, bass, and treble levels between each unit be adjusted in the Windows software application or do you need a phone for that?
- If you turn the system on and off, will the volume level be reset?
- How do you turn off/wake the entire system at once?
Thanks in advance!
After much deliberation on what to get for a new system I decided it could perhaps help if I cleared up some matters first on questions I couldn't find clear direct answers to for my usage scenario or via the retailer.
I want to get a Playbase plus two Play:5 Gen 2s and set them up in a single system. The Playbase would go underneath my TV and I have room for the new Play:5s besides the TV. This is the only type of setup I am considering. And if I understand this correctly, this is perfectly possible. The fact that SONOS has the ability to connect 3 speakers this way is the very reason I'm considering a SONOS system to begin with. I actually have a huge budget to spend but despite that if a SONOS system could do the preferred things below while being the usual self-contained-self-powered units I don't think there'd be a clear alternative out there anyway on any budget.
The only thing is, my source would primarily be my computer connected over Optical TOSLINK (either through my TV which is also connected to the computer, or if I get a desktop with optical support directly linked to the PC itself). So despite using 3 SONOS devices I am not looking to connect it to a surround receiver or even use any surround sources at all. Every source will just be stereo. I don't much care for surround.
How will the system handle this (in detail)? As I understand, it's only possible to get no latency issues when connected over digital TOSLINK. Which is why I don't want to deal with the analog input. So there would be no latency issue and therefore perfectly usable in this scenario.
- But how will the setup deal with stereo imaging? Will the right and left Play:5 function as normal in stereo but the Playbase just plays the full source in mono? Or will the Playbase also be creating stereo separation by itself? There'd be better stereo imaging if the latter were the case. I'm not entirely sure how Playbase Mono + 2 Play:5s in stereo would sound like in terms of pure separation. After all, I am looking at these specific units because they'll be able to create the most low end for each channel so I'd have bass stereo imaging as well.
- How will the system handle the frequencies via crossover between each unit? Will all 3 system play the full signal, or will the Playbase act like a subwoofer with its built-in large driver? I'd like every speaker to playback full-range. And if so, what would happen if I were to add the SONOS subwoofer? I'd still prefer it if every speaker played back everything and not isolated to the subwoofer only.
- If the Playbase also creates stereo separation just by itself, is it known what the approximate internal crossover frequency is between its mid-frequency drivers and the low-end drivers? Just curious because I want to get as much low-end stereo separation as possible, so as close as it could get to 80Hz would be the best (below which I guess the effects start to diminish) considering the Playbase only has one low end driver.
- Is setting up the system like this entirely reliant on Android or iOS, or can this be done in Windows too? Just curious because I'd like to use this system as long as I possibly can. And if support for any system would be dropped that would be a shame.
- Once the system is set up, will it be permanent (unless undone)? I.e., it no longer needs your phone or other software every time to keep them working in tandem? What if there's a power outage?
- I believe there is a "lossless" or "uncompressed" setting somewhere. I'd like this to be enabled. Where and how could I find it?
- From what I can gather, volume control will not be possible via the physical buttons on the units themselves. Then what's the best way to control volume? I would be using a Windows system so would I be looking at the Windows software, the built-in Windows volume of the computer, the TV's volume (if used), or maybe even with my phone? I would like to be able to adjust the volume while in-game or watching a movie.
- Can the individual volume, bass, and treble levels between each unit be adjusted in the Windows software application or do you need a phone for that?
- If you turn the system on and off, will the volume level be reset?
- How do you turn off/wake the entire system at once?
Thanks in advance!