Surround sound and Line in via Sonos Amp

@digo-BR .  To answer an earlier question, I think it would be possible to use the Arc’s HDMI port.  (It isn’t strictly speaking an HDMI input but an HDMI-ARC output, but we’ll leave that aside.) 

I think you would need a turntable with optical out, a digital optical switch, and the digital optical to HDMI-ARC converter that comes with the Arc.  You would run optical from the TV and from the turntable into the switch, and the converter to the Arc.  To play in other rooms you would have to group.  The audio would be treated as ‘TV audio’ rather than ‘music audio’.

This is all theoretical, but I think it would work.

(Further note: if your turntable had only analog RCA out then you would have to throw an RCA to optical ADC into the mix.)

I have said the above is for the Arc, but same would apply for the Beam or an Amp used for fronts.  Forget it for an Amp used for surrounds.

All of that makes sense and I understand SONOS was designed to be a wireless system from the get go.

However, many of your devices include an ethernet port or two. So if both the arc and the amp are hardwired,  why would I go wireless to my surrounds?  Wired sure beats RF in latency at any frequency.

I think you can go wired.  The nature of the connection is still master-slave.  I don’t think the route followed by the data is the real issue.  I said that in my earlier post.  In fact, the first Sonos device with a line-in that could drive surrounds was the Connect:Amp, and that HAD to be wired because it lacked a 5GHz radio.  It still had line in and subwoofer port disabled.  

Latency is unlikely to be the only issue here, and I don’t think any of us have anything remotely like sufficient knowledge and understanding of how Sonos HT works to be sure that wiring is best overall.  Sonos may prefer to use wireless over wired in this instance, even though that would not be usual in other circumstances.

You either accept that there are technical reasons why Sonos can’t do this, or you don’t.  I have reached my view, you are free to think differently.  I am at the limits of my understanding here, and it isn’t something I am personally bothered by.

Let’s be serious. The hardware in the Amp is capable of being assigned into 2 “Rooms”, one bonded to a Beam/Arc and one that’s not. The problem is the software. But it’s not a problem, it’s an intentional move by Sonos to force buyers into purchasing an extra Amp or other speakers. So the choice is $500 or $1000 to get it to work. Instead of Sonos honoring a $1000 purchase in the Amp and updating their software. 
 

Be under no illusion, this is a cruel sales tactic bordering thievery.  It is ignorant to think that Sonos want you to have the ability to use the products to their potential. They don’t. They severely limit the software in order to drive sales. The hardware is capable, the software just needs the ability to be setup as such. 

@sammutd88 . I wish I had the knowledge and understanding of the Sonos system and software that you must have to make such comments with total confidence. Thank you for providing these insights.

Hi John,

I tell it how it is. Much of the Sonos “brains” is in software. All the products have a similar hardware interface for connectivity.  By limiting the product, it drives sales of other speakers and multiple Amps. 
You either work for Sonos, or are a massive fan, which is fine, Sonos make many good products, but people also deserve to know the facts when they’ve dropped $1000 on an Amp that does very little with all it’s inputs and outputs. Rather than an attitude of “if Sonos could I’m sure they would….”. I apologise if I offended you, but maybe it’s what Sonos need to see that people are unhappy with a product that COULD offer so much flexibility. For $1000,  requesting the Amp be able to be 2 virtual “rooms” in different configurations is not a big ask when the speakers and hardware can be connected as such. 

Thanks for this thread you have all just saved me spending thousands on a Sonos setup. I too want to use my turntable in the same room with the same speakers that are being used as the surround speakers. Why would I want to buy more speakers for the same room to use my turntable because line in is disabled when speakers are set to surround? I can with my current amp this just sounds like a scam. Sorry Sonos you lost a brand new customer. I’ll be sure to pass this info onto anyone considering Sonos. All the best.