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What speakers are considered "same model" for stereo/surround pairing?

  • October 26, 2024
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  • ExnDH
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I have Beam gen 1 and I'm looking at second hand symfonisks to add as surrounds and I'm wondering if gen 1 and 2 can be used together as surrounds or if I need to have same gen.

I read from the support page about "stereo pairing" that the speakers to be paired need to be of "same model". However, I don't quite understand the list of speakers that what are considered as "same model".

There's a foot note for Symfonisk floor lamp that it works with Symfonisk table lam gen 2. But I assume then it won't work with table lamp gen 1. And by that logic, wouldn't it mean that table lamp gen 1 and 2 don't work together? And if table lamp gen 1 and 2 don't work together then how do I know if bookshelf gen 1 will work with gen 2?

From the forums I found that apparently some speakers are compatible between different gens while others are not so I'd like to know for sure before buying.

 

Best answer by nik9669a

A Play:1 and a One are different speakers: they are different models.  Thus they cannot be stereo-paired. The One had two generations, plus a version without microphone - the One SL. ANY of those can be stereo-paired, One gen1, One gen2, One SL. They are all variants of the One model. 
 

Basically, if they are sonically different Sonos won’t allow them to be paired. The One was a new design, new circuitry, new drivers, and so not pairable with Play:1. The same fundamentals exist in One gen1 and 2, but with more memory in the gen2, and hence compatible for pairing. 

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9 replies

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  • ExnDH
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  • Contributor I
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  • October 26, 2024

I don't know how to edit the original question but thought to add that I'm asking specifically about bookshelf speakers.

Pools-3015
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  • Pools-3015
  • Prodigy I
  • 1017 replies
  • October 26, 2024
ExnDH wrote:

I have Beam gen 1 and I'm looking at second hand symfonisks to add as surrounds and I'm wondering if gen 1 and 2 can be used together as surrounds or if I need to have same gen.

I read from the support page about "stereo pairing" that the speakers to be paired need to be of "same model". However, I don't quite understand the list of speakers that what are considered as "same model".

There's a foot note for Symfonisk floor lamp that it works with Symfonisk table lam gen 2. But I assume then it won't work with table lamp gen 1. And by that logic, wouldn't it mean that table lamp gen 1 and 2 don't work together? And if table lamp gen 1 and 2 don't work together then how do I know if bookshelf gen 1 will work with gen 2?

From the forums I found that apparently some speakers are compatible between different gens while others are not so I'd like to know for sure before buying.

 

It states twice on the support page that only speakers of the SAME MODEL can be paired in stereo. So no, you cannot use a gen1 and gen2 speaker in a stereo pair. That's like trying to use a Play 1 and a One in a stereo pair.

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  • nik9669a
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  • October 26, 2024

A Play:1 and a One are different speakers: they are different models.  Thus they cannot be stereo-paired. The One had two generations, plus a version without microphone - the One SL. ANY of those can be stereo-paired, One gen1, One gen2, One SL. They are all variants of the One model. 
 

Basically, if they are sonically different Sonos won’t allow them to be paired. The One was a new design, new circuitry, new drivers, and so not pairable with Play:1. The same fundamentals exist in One gen1 and 2, but with more memory in the gen2, and hence compatible for pairing. 

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    ExnDH
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  • nik9669a
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  • October 26, 2024

And to answer the op’s question: yes, symfonisk gen1 can pair with gen2. Upgraded processor, more memory and button relocation were the main changes. 

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    ExnDH
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  • ExnDH
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  • October 26, 2024
Pools-3015 wrote:
ExnDH wrote:

I read from the support page about "stereo pairing" that the speakers to be paired need to be of "same model". However, I don't quite understand the list of speakers that what are considered as "same model"..

 

It states twice on the support page that only speakers of the SAME MODEL can be paired in stereo. So no, you cannot use a gen1 and gen2 speaker in a stereo pair. That's like trying to use a Play 1 and a One in a stereo pair.

Yes but e.g. One (Gen 1), One (Gen 2) and One SL ARE considered the SAME MODEL and you CAN pair them (according to reply from @nik9669a and other threads on this forum)

However, you CAN’T pair e.g. Sonos Five Gen 1 and Gen 2 (according to other threads on this forum)

So that list can’t be read like only each individual speaker (gen) can be used as stereo pair. Seems weird that the information isn’t readily available on the support site.

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  • nik9669a
  • Senior Virtuoso
  • 5548 replies
  • October 26, 2024
ExnDH wrote:
Pools-3015 wrote:
ExnDH wrote:

I read from the support page about "stereo pairing" that the speakers to be paired need to be of "same model". However, I don't quite understand the list of speakers that what are considered as "same model"..

 

It states twice on the support page that only speakers of the SAME MODEL can be paired in stereo. So no, you cannot use a gen1 and gen2 speaker in a stereo pair. That's like trying to use a Play 1 and a One in a stereo pair.

Yes but e.g. One (Gen 1), One (Gen 2) and One SL ARE considered the SAME MODEL and you CAN pair them (according to reply from @nik9669a and other threads on this forum)

However, you CAN’T pair e.g. Sonos Five Gen 1 and Gen 2 (according to other threads on this forum)

So that list can’t be read like only each individual speaker (gen) can be used as stereo pair. Seems weird that the information isn’t readily available on the support site.

That may be why they changed naming convention when the Play:5 gen 2 was superseded by the Five. But again, the gen1 and gen2 Play:5’s were sonically quite different and hence can’t be paired. 

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  • ExnDH
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  • October 26, 2024
nik9669a wrote:
ExnDH wrote:

However, you CAN’T pair e.g. Sonos Five Gen 1 and Gen 2 (according to other threads on this forum)

So that list can’t be read like only each individual speaker (gen) can be used as stereo pair. Seems weird that the information isn’t readily available on the support site.

That may be why they changed naming convention when the Play:5 gen 2 was superseded by the Five. But again, the gen1 and gen2 Play:5’s were sonically quite different and hence can’t be paired. 

Yeah, hopefully going forward it’s so that different generations can be paired together and when there’s a sonically meaningful difference then they change the name of the product.

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  • ExnDH
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  • October 26, 2024
nik9669a wrote:

And to answer the op’s question: yes, symfonisk gen1 can pair with gen2. Upgraded processor, more memory and button relocation were the main changes. 

I’m inclined to believe this as this was my assumption as well but to throw some doubts in Ikea customer support is actually saying that you can’t pair gen 1 and 2 bookshelf speakers...

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  • nik9669a
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  • October 26, 2024

As long as you’re running the S2 app, all should be good. 
 

FYI: https://www.theverge.com/2022/1/7/22872141/ikea-sonos-second-gen-symfonisk-bookshelf-speaker-update

 

 

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