Short answer. No, it is not possible to set up your Roam using the S1 app in any way, you must use the S2 app. 

Here is the S1/S2 compatibility guide.

In my opinion MOVE would be a better “fit” in your environment, but it is obviously more expensive and MOVE will not fit as easily into a backpack.

If you decide to go with ROAM, note that it is S2 only. As you setup ROAM, power down all of your S1 units and install the S2 controller.  You’ll then be able to switch between controllers, but the ROAM will not interact in any way with the S1 controller. You would be able to Bluetooth to ROAM.

Just curious, and totally unrelated to your problem, so feel free to not answer. What features did you lose over the years on S1?

Thanks for taking the time to reply guys...based upon the above it seems like the much anticipated Roam is not for me then?

I wonder why Sonos couldn’t just give the option to ‘dumb it down’ to make it an easy fit into an existing S1 system for those longstanding customers who are firmly entrenched in the S1 camp?

You know keep us loyal, dangle the S2 cherry in front of us and make the sale.

I get that progress marches on and all that but to alienate yourself from sales does not make much sense to me although I guess they know their market much better than I do...although not in this case it would seem.

Ah well it was a nice idea why it lasted…

I already have a Roam I use mainly for the hot tub but also in the garden so I could just use that in the motorhome I guess.

Thanks & kind regards,

-=Glyn=-

Happy to answer but please bear in mind this is my perception and may not be factually correct as I’m not a heavy user of Sonos despite buying my first one of seven devices over 12 years ago now, recommending them to friends of mine and even buying some as presents but from memory;

1. Removed the lock screen controls on iPhone and Watch. These used to be really handy and are still present for things like Apple Music, Amazon Prime, YouTube, Spotify etc.
2. Removed the Management setup and configuration functions from the desktop app so unable to setup or transfer a Sonos system, add a new device, create or separate stereo pairs, register players, setup a TV, enable parental controls, manage network settings, adjust line-in settings, opt in or out of beta programs, or change Sonos account passwords etc.
3. Removed the physical volume & mute buttons along with the optical output from the Port.
4. Killed their own Controller & Dock. I can understand devices such as these being obsoleted as far as support goes but maybe they could have still allowed them to work until they mechanically/electrically/physically died? This didn’t affect me though unlike the other reasons listed.

I was also disappointed with how some of these updates that took away functionality seemed to be forced upon me without being open and up front about what features they were taking away. Disingenuous at best...downright deceitful at worst IMHO.

Then there was the S1/S2 fiasco that was mismanaged from the outset. That caused a lot of upset and went a long way to discourage me from upgrading from S1 to S2 if that was how they were going to treat their customers. Well that and the fact that 6 of my 7 devices are S1 only so would have to spend @£2,300 just to move a perfectly working system from S1 to S2! I’m not in that league any more.

It still irks me that most times when I open the app I get a banner at the top of the screen telling me; ‘The Sonos S2 app is now available. Check compatibility No thanks...I already know the S2 app is available and that 6 out of my 7 devices are incompatible with S2. I don’t need to be reminded when all I want to do is fire up a Sonos device to play music!

I had a Playbar on demo when they first came out but their decision to omit the HDMI port was a dealbreaker for me unfortunately. I still have a brand new, boxed Playbar wall bracket kicking around in my loft somewhere.

Oh and while I’m on a roll Sonos should win a prize for the most drab, boring, unimaginative and uninspiring app icon out of the 200+ icons on my iPhone! 

I know it doesn’t sound like it but despite all of the above I still love my Sonos system and would have happily continued to buy into it as I tried to with the Playbar & Roam but it seems to me I am being actively discouraged from doing so...

Thanks & kind regards,

-=Glyn=-

I have both S1/S2 systems which run happily side-by-side. If you are an Apple iOS (compatible) device owner, you can always use Airplay to play audio to either, or both, systems.

Anyhow I have a couple of Roams and love the little speaker - amazing sound from such a small device (and their sound goes to a much higher level when used as a stereo-pair).

I can’t find it at the moment, but there is an option to suppress those upgrade messages in S1. I managed to do this a while back.

And, I prefer to use the desktop controller and regret that it has “stalled”.

I can follow Sonos’ reasons behind the split. I seem to remember lock screen controls relate to having other Airplay compatible devices around, so maybe more Apple-related than Sonos. I agree a setting up a system from my desktop would be still be nice, though I would nit  know a time I could have used it. My phone’s always near me. The only real case of mismanagement in my opinion was the bricking of upgraded equipment, but that only lasted a couple of weeks. After which Sonos reacted to pressure/public opinion.