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Playbar/Sub addition

  • October 26, 2023
  • 6 replies
  • 181 views
M

Hi all

 

I currently have a Playbar and Sub (I assume 1st gen) and small whit Sonos bridge. What are the best speakers to pair with this set up? Playbar is above TV and I have shelves on both sides of tv with plenty of space. Went to Best Buy and they told me I could connect any of the new gen speakers with them. What speakers would I have to source to put on the sides of the tv. I have the sun set up near the couch away from the tv. 

Best answer by Airgetlam

First thing, get rid of the BRIDGE. It’s past it’s acceptable life. You can either wire a speaker, or a BOOST, or hang the system off your Wi-Fi directly (see The wireless and wired systems FAQ) 

I happen to use a pair of PLAY:1s for surrounds, but these days I’d probably go with Sonos One SLs, or the Era 100s. If money was no object, and I watched a lot of Atmos content, I’d go with the Era 300s for surrounds. 

But the Sonos PLAYBAR already has right, center, and left speakers inside it, there is no way to add additional speakers to the right and left of the TV set that are part of the Home Theater setup. I have a pair of PLAY:5s on either side, but they’re set up asa separate ‘room’ and used for music only. 

 

Edit: I’m a slower typer ;)

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6 replies

G

Your only option is to add a pair of surround speakers to complete your 5.1 setup. But they should be placed more behind your seating position rather than in front of you.

Read more about adding surround speakers here:

https://support.sonos.com/en-us/article/add-surround-speakers-to-a-sonos-home-theater


Also, you don’t need to use the Bridge anymore.

"Receive with simplicity everything that happens to you." - Rashi
M
  • melman355
  • Author
  • Contributor I
  • October 26, 2023

Your only option is to add a pair of surround speakers to complete your 5.1 setup. But they should be placed more behind your seating position rather than in front of you.

Read more about adding surround speakers here:

https://support.sonos.com/en-us/article/add-surround-speakers-to-a-sonos-home-theater


Also, you don’t need to use the Bridge anymore.


Thank you for the info! So I have ceiling mounted speakers (new house) and I am wanting to connect those as the rear speakers. Does Sonos have a gen 1 amp (like the new one out) that I could connect those ceiling speakers with along with wireless sub and shelf speakers? 

Airgetlam
  • Airgetlam
  • Answer
  • October 26, 2023

First thing, get rid of the BRIDGE. It’s past it’s acceptable life. You can either wire a speaker, or a BOOST, or hang the system off your Wi-Fi directly (see The wireless and wired systems FAQ) 

I happen to use a pair of PLAY:1s for surrounds, but these days I’d probably go with Sonos One SLs, or the Era 100s. If money was no object, and I watched a lot of Atmos content, I’d go with the Era 300s for surrounds. 

But the Sonos PLAYBAR already has right, center, and left speakers inside it, there is no way to add additional speakers to the right and left of the TV set that are part of the Home Theater setup. I have a pair of PLAY:5s on either side, but they’re set up asa separate ‘room’ and used for music only. 

 

Edit: I’m a slower typer ;)

Bruce
M
  • melman355
  • Author
  • Contributor I
  • October 26, 2023

First thing, get rid of the BRIDGE. It’s past it’s acceptable life. You can either wire a speaker, or a BOOST, or hang the system off your Wi-Fi directly (see The wireless and wired systems FAQ) 

I happen to use a pair of PLAY:1s for surrounds, but these days I’d probably go with Sonos One SLs, or the Era 100s. If money was no object, and I watched a lot of Atmos content, I’d go with the Era 300s for surrounds. 

But the Sonos PLAYBAR already has right, center, and left speakers inside it, there is no way to add additional speakers to the right and left of the TV set that are part of the Home Theater setup. I have a pair of PLAY:5s on either side, but they’re set up asa separate ‘room’ and used for music only. 

 

Edit: I’m a slower typer ;)

Thank you so much. Ok last questions. 
 

  1. Can my existing gen 1 sub be paired with the new Sonos amp. 
     
  2. If I utilize my gen 1 sub with Era 300 and use the boost to hard wire the ceiling speakers would that work. And just get rid of the play bar. 
     
  3. If the top two options won’t work, then what Sonos set up would you recommend to tie in the ceiling speakers (hard wired). 
Airgetlam
  • Airgetlam
  • October 26, 2023

     1. As long as they’re running the same OS, yes. 

  1. No. In that case you’d not have anything pushing out the front right, front center, and front left signals. There’s other issues in your statement, too. The BOOST can’t power in ceiling speakers. The BOOST is merely a bridge between your network and the Sonos signal. Like the BRIDGE, but with faster/better electronics built in. You’d need a Sonos Amp to drive in wall or ceiling speakers. And I suppose you’re thinking of the Era 300 as a front center speaker, which isn’t possible.
  2. I think I’ve at least alluded to it in the previous answer, but I’ll lay it out, lowest cost, for your setup. PLAYBAR, Sub gen 1, Sonos Amp to drive the in ceiling (bleh…I’m not fond of them not being at ear height) speakers. All of those devices get ‘bonded’ (a term that has specific meaning in the Sonos world) together to make a Home Theater setup. Any other Sonos speaker can be grouped as separate rooms, but for the TV input, there will be a slight delay between the Home Theater room and any grouped rooms, but for just streaming music, they’ll all play in sync. 
Bruce
M
  • melman355
  • Author
  • Contributor I
  • October 26, 2023

     1. As long as they’re running the same OS, yes. 

  1. No. In that case you’d not have anything pushing out the front right, front center, and front left signals. There’s other issues in your statement, too. The BOOST can’t power in ceiling speakers. The BOOST is merely a bridge between your network and the Sonos signal. Like the BRIDGE, but with faster/better electronics built in. You’d need a Sonos Amp to drive in wall or ceiling speakers. And I suppose you’re thinking of the Era 300 as a front center speaker, which isn’t possible.
  2. I think I’ve at least alluded to it in the previous answer, but I’ll lay it out, lowest cost, for your setup. PLAYBAR, Sub gen 1, Sonos Amp to drive the in ceiling (bleh…I’m not fond of them not being at ear height) speakers. All of those devices get ‘bonded’ (a term that has specific meaning in the Sonos world) together to make a Home Theater setup. Any other Sonos speaker can be grouped as separate rooms, but for the TV input, there will be a slight delay between the Home Theater room and any grouped rooms, but for just streaming music, they’ll all play in sync. 

Awesome. Thank you!

Airgetlam
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