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TV sound with 2 One's and no playbar


My mother in law is having a mirror TV fitted and needs external speakers but doesn’t want to see a soundbar underneath the TV or have speaker cables routed around her room.

She is more concerned about how it looks rather than how it sounds and isn't after surround sound.

What is the best way to use a L & R speaker connected to the TV without a soundbar?

I guess I could use the ARC connection from the TV connected to a Connect Amp and send that to the 2 speakers but it seems like expensive overkill to use the amp for that. 

I’ve considered buying a beam to control the L & R speakers and hiding/muting it but am not sure how it would sound.  

I’ve been looking at other setups Like the Audio Pro bookshelf speakers but they need to be connected with a wire.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

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Best answer by Airgetlam 10 April 2021, 01:50

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The only Sonos set ups to connect to the TV are either one of their soundbars (Beam or Arc) of the Amp. The Amp (contrary to the Connect:amp you mention) is equipped with an HDMI connection, needed to connect to a TV. The Amp would need two cabeld speakers (L+R, with which it makes a "phantom center").

You cannot connect a Beam and L+R speakers. The Beam itself forms LF+center+FR, other speakers will only be surrounds.

Please remember even wireless speakers need electricity, so you always have at least one wire.

Thank you for your reply, If I used the AMP would I have to connect the wired speakers or could I use it just to feed the L & R speaker?

The power connections to the L & R speakers can easily be hidden so that’s not an issue and the STB and cables are housed in a small ‘TV cupboard’ in the corner of the room so its a very clean installation and she’s adamant she doesn’t want a soundbar stuck to the wall.

 

Thank you for your reply, If I used the AMP would I have to connect the wired speakers or could I use it just to feed the L & R speaker?

The power connections to the L & R speakers can easily be hidden so that’s not an issue and the STB and cables are housed in a small ‘TV cupboard’ in the corner of the room so its a very clean installation and she’s adamant she doesn’t want a soundbar stuck to the wall.

 

You could, by grouping the Amp and Ones, but that is a lot of money to pay for a line in, and audio would lag video.  An expensive way to get a bad result.

Thanks John,

I totally agree about it being an expensive solution but my MIL has spent a lot of money hiding the TV behind a mirror and doesn’t want to see a soundbar.

The other solution I’m looking at is using a Denon AV amp with a pair of HEOS speakers but again this is an expensive option.

I really like SONOS but I can’t see a way to make it work.

 

Userlevel 7
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In this case I would buy a TV with the best audio possible. Your (her) retailer can be of help..

The problem is the TV is in a recess and will be covered by a two way mirror (to hide the TV when its not in use), this causes a problem as the sound in the recess will echo and sound awful, hence the need for external speakers.

At the very least get a Port (or used gen 2 Connect) not an Amp.  At least the unsatisfactory result will cost a bit less…..

Userlevel 7
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Will the remote still operate if the tv is hidden this way?

And - dare I ask - what is the benefit of using Sonos wireless multi-room speaker technology? Can you use the headphone or other output from the tv to a more “conventional” amp/speaker unit? There’s much less network dependency that way if it’s just for the one speaker/device requirement. 

Thanks John,

I was considering that but I thought the HDMI ARC connection on the AMP would be better at preventing audio lag than the phono connectors on the PORT.

I guess I could alway try the PORT and send it back if it does’t work.

Hi, there is an IR repeater hidden at the top of the ‘mirror’ frame that allows the remote to control the TV, they are very expensive and are more to do with aesthetics than great picture or sound quality.

I’ve considered a conventional amp but there is nowhere to hide the speaker cables so I will need wireless speakers (I can hide the mains cable) 

I guess I could just use bluetooth speakers but I think the audio lag would be awful.

HDMI ARC is a digital connection, and not subject to the same delay required for an analog connection on the Port. 
 

All Sonos analog connections are subject to a minimum of around 75 ms, not only to digitize the signal, which is fairly fast, but to buffer the signal, in order to be synchronized across the many potential Sonos rooms. In fact, the digital connection on a Sonos device incurs a similar delay, once you go outside of the ‘room’ that contains that digital input, for the same synchronization across ‘rooms’ reason. But if you’re sticking with the ‘room’ that contains that digital input, you’ll have minimal delay for that room. 

HDMI ARC is a digital connection, and not subject to the same delay required for an analog connection on the Port. 
 

All Sonos analog connections are subject to a minimum of around 75 ms, not only to digitize the signal, which is fairly fast, but to buffer the signal, in order to be synchronized across the many potential Sonos rooms. In fact, the digital connection on a Sonos device incurs a similar delay, once you go outside of the ‘room’ that contains that digital input, for the same synchronization across ‘rooms’ reason. But if you’re sticking with the ‘room’ that contains that digital input, you’ll have minimal delay for that room. 

Thanks Bruce,

So if I understand correctly you would suggest the AMP would be better than the PORT for what I need?

 

Many Thanks

Simon

HDMI ARC is a digital connection, and not subject to the same delay required for an analog connection on the Port. 
 

All Sonos analog connections are subject to a minimum of around 75 ms, not only to digitize the signal, which is fairly fast, but to buffer the signal, in order to be synchronized across the many potential Sonos rooms. In fact, the digital connection on a Sonos device incurs a similar delay, once you go outside of the ‘room’ that contains that digital input, for the same synchronization across ‘rooms’ reason. But if you’re sticking with the ‘room’ that contains that digital input, you’ll have minimal delay for that room. 

Thanks Bruce,

So if I understand correctly you would suggest the AMP would be better than the PORT for what I need?

 

Many Thanks

Simon

I suspect you have not understood correctly, but I will let @Airgetlam confirm or correct.

OK I'll give my view and Bruce can agree or disagree. There would be no difference in lag between the Port and the Amp by the time the sound comes out of the Ones.

With the Port the analog line in would lag but the Ones would sync with the Port. 

With HDMI into the Amp  there would be negligible lag on the Amp but the Ones would lag the Amp.

 

Sorry, got tied up for work.

All analog inputs on a Sonos device are subject to that 75ms minimum delay. The Port, the Amp, or the Five makes no difference.

The digital input on an Amp, a Beam, or an Arc, is subject to a much lower delay (essentially undetectable)….for that room only. As soon as you ‘group’ the signal from that digital input with any other Sonos room, you’ll have that delay.

Not sure why I’d ever disagree with John B, he’s been around here longer than I, and has a better grasp of most things. 

If you’re connecting to a TV of any type, my recommendation is you stick with a Sonos digital input, on the Amp (which drives your own speakers), or either of the sound bars, the Beam or the Arc. And use the digital connection from HDMI ARC or eARC. Sonos also can sell you an optical (TOSLink) to HDMI ARC connector if your TV does not have an HDMI ARC port, but does have an optical port. You’re restricted to Dolby Digital and nothing higher across optical, so Atmos would be out if you use that option.

Essentially, to connect to a TV, you should use a device Sonos has designed for that use. You could use the other options, but there would be a high chance someone would be unhappy.