If you add a Beam, you can use the two Ones as surround speakers with the Beam for a 5.0 home theater setup. The main TV audio, including the dialog, will play out of the Beam while the Ones will play the surround channel audio.

Thanks for the reply - so they would all be in the same setup and it won't make the One’s pointless which they are now when using Tv speakers and in fact enhance the beam’s audio qualities ?

Yes, all three speakers will be in the same “room” in the Sonos app and used together as a home theater setup. The Ones will enhance the Beam’s audio by creating a more immersive audio experience especially when watching a source with 5.1 audio.

Sound advice from @GuitarSuperstar .

However, your comment that the One’s would “enhance the Beam’s audio quality” may be a bit too strong. Then again it depends upon the interpretation of your statement.

IMO it is more accurate to say that the One’s when used as surround allows a better enjoyment of 5.0 material in movies as they would handle the rear channel surround effects. By doing so one could argue that the Beam is relieved of those surround duties. That said the Beam’s is therefore more focused on center channel dialogue and front left/right channel effects. Those channels aren’t boosted; but one might say there is a measure of increased clarity.

The two Ones would be bonded to the Beam and show as a single room in the Sonos app. For TV audio, if the content you’re watching is in stereo, then essentially only the Beam will be playing.  If you are watching something that’s recorded in surround sound/atmos (assuming you get a Bean Gen 2), then the 2 Ones would also be playing.   If you are listening to a music streaming source (which also includes airplay), you have the option of playing just the Beam in stereo, or full stereo to include the ones in stereo music playback….unless you’re streaming spatial audio which will include all 3 speakers.

So, whether or not the Ones are pointless depends what content your listening to and personal opinion I guess.

@Joshmilton 

As you can see from the replies this is a community of diverse opinions (sometimes) which comes down to interpretation. IMO I’d say we all agree on what a Beam and surrounds can deliver as far as the audio content.

However, at the EOTD it all comes down to what you can HEAR as the listener. The terms of “enhancement,  improved clarity or better audio” are all just descriptive statements to be interpreted by the reader. The proof is in the hearing.

Having recently moved my somewhat neglected Play 1s to do surround duty, I can heartily recommend it. The surround sound is great, and IF your hearing is not what it used to be (!) it helps improve  dialogue greatly - much of the music and effects move away from the Beam, giving greater clarity.

Just an addition: the One’s will function as rear speakers in a surround set up. The Beam will be FL-Center-FR.