Surround Not Working (Beam (Gen2) plus 2 x Play:1)

Question

I have a new Beam (Gen 2) and two Play:1 speakers. All have been upgraded to the S2 platform.

The Play:1 speakers work fine individually, in a stereo pair, and when grouped with the Beam.

But, when I configure the Play:1 speakers as surrounds for the Beam, no sound comes from one of the Play:1’s. (Left Rear). The Beam and Play:1 Right Rear work. The light is solid white on top of all speakers.

When adding the surrounds, both Play:1’s play the test tone.

The problem occurs for all audio sources: TV input (optical + HDMI), Pandora, Music Library, Sonos Radio.

I have removed the Play:1 surrounds three times and re-added them - after testing they work independently. Still the left rear Play:1 does not have sound. (all speakers show solid white)

I have removed the Play:1 surrounds and renamed their rooms and re-added them - after testing they work independently. Still the left rear Play:1 does not have sound.

I have factory reset the (left rear) Play:1 and re-added it to my account. I tested it again independently, as a stereo pair with the other Play:1, and in a group with the Beam + Play:1 (right) + Play:1 (left). This all works.

But, when I try to setup surround again, the left rear Play:1 stops playing sound. All speakers have solid white lights. Pressing “play/pause” on the Play:1 (left) pauses the music and resumes the music.

I have checked for Sonos system update - no update available.

Sonos App Info:

Version: 15.9
Sonos OS: S2
Build: 75146030
Beam (Gen 2) Hardware Version: 1.25.1.6-1.2 (Status: Connected)
Play:1 (left + right)Hardware Version: 1.20.1.6-1-1 (Status: Connected)

icon

Best answer by tjts 1 November 2023, 02:36

View original

tjts · Accepted Answer

Based on a 45 minute call with Sonos Support. They are claiming that one of the Play:1 speakers is connecting to my Wi-Fi’s 2.4GHz channel and the other is connected to the Beam’s 5GHz channel. I was unable to fix the problem with Sonos Support, but #03 below fixed my problem.

Troubleshooting included:

01 - did not fix

unplug/turn off wi-fi router for 1 minute, plug-in
unplug each Sonos speaker for 20 seconds, plug-in, wait for solid white light

02 - did not fix

disconnect wired connection from Sonos Connect
connect wired connection to Sonos Play:3
unplug each Sonos speaker for 20 seconds, plug-in, wait for solid white light

Unfortunately, Sonos doesn’t expose diagnostic information through the Sonos apps, so I have no idea if doing anything while not on the phone with Sonos support actually changes anything.

03 - What *may* have fixed my problem:

disable wi-fi 5GHz band (wi-fi only running 2.4GHz)
disconnect wired connection from all Sonos speakers
unplug/plug-in Play:1 speakers
disconnect/reconnect Play:1 speakers as surrounds (when they appear as “WM:2” they should “work” as surrounds)
(optional) enable wi-fi 5GHz band
(optional) connect wired connection to Sonos Connect

Now, both Play:1’s show WM:2.

The key step appeared to be 03.2 (disconnect wired connection from all Sonos speakers).
After a minute of no Sonos wired connection, the rear surround speaker started working.
After a minute of the rear surround speaker working, I reconnected the wired connection on the Sonos Connect and the rear surround kept working.

Some other notes:

In the About My Sonos System, the speakers have a “WM:” entry. From this Sonos Community Link:

WM:0 - hard wired (Sonosnet)
WM:1 - wireless
WM:2 - playbar/beam surround
WM:3 - unknown (at one point a speaker was showing WM:3)

tjts · Answer

Swapping surrounds (i.e., choosing the “wrong” speaker that is playing the tone) did not work. The same Play:1 (left) speaker has no sound.Unfortunately, Sonos support is closed on the weekends.

Sign up

Login to the community

Scanning file for viruses.

This file cannot be downloaded