Thanks Ryan. That's a bummer. Hopefully some of these features can be added with software enhancements. Even some of the larger in ceiling or outdoor speakers I use don't have built in crossovers so the EQ setting is critical. Dropping the bass tends to pull out too much mid bass.
The only other thing I would consider for pro audio setups would be dedicated hard-wired remote that works on the Sonosnet. I usually put the Lutron Pico audio remotes in when working with Sonos amps or Connects but there is a bit of lag that users find annoying.
Even better. Make a 12 channel rack version of this amp with custom zone controls 🙂
This is the first new Sonos product since the Sub that I could see myself buying. Looks like some long standing requests such as mono output and separate left/right for Home Theater are finally getting addressed. Well done!
For any configuration where you use 2 Amps, or the Amp + Beam/Playbar/Playbase...will you be able to use 2 Subs, either Sonos or non-Sonos?
Nope. The Sub can only be bonded to a single Sonos room, If you're using it was one Amp or two, it's still one Sonos room. The Sonos Amp being used as the rear speakers doesn't have the subwoofer output enabled.
This article suggest you can use 2 subs: https://www.techhive.com/article/3301498/software-music/sonos-amp-important-new-product.html
Wow, I mangled those sentences all sorts. I've clarified the post and removed some of the typos. Thanks for pointing it out!
For projector owners - can the Sonos Amp be in the rear (powering 2 passive speakers and sub) with the HDMI plug from the source coming into the Sonos Amp.
Then ….. A playbar/beam as the front 3 speakers. No HDMI connected up front to the Beam.
When set up as a rear or surround speaker for any home theater setup, the Amp has all of the inputs and the subwoofer output disabled.
So you could get 5.0 out of it with hdmi plugged in rear. And add Sonos sub for full 5.1.
So you could get 5.0 out of it with hdmi plugged in rear. And add Sonos sub for full 5.1.
The HDMI and Analog inputs are also disabled when the Amp is used to run the rear channels. You'd need a Beam in the front for HDMI-ARC input, or using the audio input on the Playbar or Playbase.
So you could get 5.0 out of it with hdmi plugged in rear. And add Sonos sub for full 5.1.
The HDMI and Analog inputs are also disabled when the Amp is used to run the rear channels. You'd need a Beam in the front for HDMI-ARC input, or using the audio input on the Playbar or Playbase.
I kind of had a similar question as Chris. Can you connect a Sonos Amp to a TV/project through the HDMI-ARC connection and create a 5.1 setup made entirely out of Sonos speakers? No non-sonos speakers and not utilizing the Sonos Amp's built in amplifier in anyway. So for example, the Sonos Amp connect to your tv/projector, 2 Play:5s in the front, 2 Sonos Ones in the back, and Sonos Sub?
If the answer is no, can that feature be included in the next product release please?
Good question, Danny. The short answer is no.
The Amp will work just like any of our other home theater players in regards to bringing an audio source into the system. It takes the audio input, and plays the right and left audio while mixing the center channels as well. If you have surrounds bonded with it, the rear channels will be sent to those speakers.
In your example, the Play:5s would be a stereo pair, the two Ones would be another stereo pair, and the Sub would be bonded with either "room". You could alternatively have the Sonos Ones bonded as surrounds with the Amp. The Play:5s in the front would be playing stereo audio, grouped and sent from your Amp. This would work just like it would today if you had a Beam in the same place. The sync might be a little off, as grouped players don't have the same latency as bonded surrounds. And it would show up in your Sonos app as 2 or 3 separate rooms that are grouped together, depending on if you had the Ones bonded with the Amp.
I'll pass along the interest in this sort of setup to the team for you, not likely to make it into the next release though 🙂
. . .
The Sonos Amp also has the option to play mono, so you could have the same audio playing out of all of the speakers connected with it. . . .
This is a great addition that has been long requested for in-ceiling speakers when you want ambient music. Any chance of the mono feature trickling down to Connect:Amps?
Could I use this product to drive 4 in-ceiling speakers, that are all in separate rooms, and then have them each identified separately for Airplay 2 purposes?
ie, "Hey Siri, play top hits in the Bedroom.", and then "Hey Siri, play smooth jazz in the living room." And have up to 4 separate streams playing?
I'll pass along the interest in this sort of setup to the team for you, not likely to make it into the next release though :)
Well, I would speculate that means additional wifi radios, and possibly tricker to get the additional devices in sync...not something you can just change in a release. Looking at anther way.with a playbar/playbase/beam setup, the max number of devices bonded together to the room is 4...once you add it 2 surrounds and the sub. That doesn't appear to change with the Sonos amp.
No worries.
. . .
The Sonos Amp also has the option to play mono, so you could have the same audio playing out of all of the speakers connected with it. . . .
This is a great addition that has been long requested for in-ceiling speakers when you want ambient music. Any chance of the mono feature trickling down to Connect:Amps?
Good question, I believe it's only a setting for the Amp, but I'll reach out to the team and request if it's possible for the Connect:Amp to get it too. I can't speak to if it can handle that task.
Could I use this product to drive 4 in-ceiling speakers, that are all in separate rooms, and then have them each identified separately for Airplay 2 purposes?
ie, "Hey Siri, play top hits in the Bedroom.", and then "Hey Siri, play smooth jazz in the living room." And have up to 4 separate streams playing?
Each Sonos Amp (or any other Sonos player) only exists in the system as a single room. If you have one speaker or eight speakers connected to a Sonos Amp, it will still only exist as a single Sonos room, and can only play a single stream at one time. if you wanted to be able to play 4 separate streams, you'll need 4 different Sonos devices.
So you could get 5.0 out of it with hdmi plugged in rear. And add Sonos sub for full 5.1.
The HDMI and Analog inputs are also disabled when the Amp is used to run the rear channels. You'd need a Beam in the front for HDMI-ARC input, or using the audio input on the Playbar or Playbase.
Will two Amps in a Home Theatre 5.0 'bonded' setup, output the front and rear TV audio channels to a possible total of 8 connected speakers? (4 x 8 ohm speakers per Amp)?
That would be true - yes you could have 8 speakers (2 front right, 2 front left, 2 rear right, 2 rear left)
4.0 bonded setup.
Although with the phantom center I would think having 4 speakers up front would make the sound a little "Messy"
OK I reread you post ryan - so if Sonos Amp used for surrounds you can't hook anything to it like HDMI (all inputs disabled). Kinda a shame as would have been a terrific solution for projector people.
Just to clarify - with TV plugged in Sonos Amp via HDMI Arc.
? ? You can get 2.1 sound with 2 passive speakers and a subwoofer hooked to the Sonos Amp (i.e. the Sonos Amp will actually pass the the LFE discrete channel to an active subwoofer … you don't have to have a Sonos Sub to get that actual channel).
That would be true - yes you could have 8 speakers (2 front right, 2 front left, 2 rear right, 2 rear left)
4.0 bonded setup.
Although with the phantom center I would think having 4 speakers up front would make the sound a little "Messy"
Chris,
My thoughts here were, two speakers, one either side of the TV and two speakers in the ceiling just in front of the TV ... playing the front left and right channels and of course a bonded front Sonos sub... remember this setup also plays a phantom centre channel.
Then a similar setup at the rear, two speakers either side of the seating area and also two rear ceiling speakers from the second Amp. The ports are disabled so no second sub allowed, but because they are all 'bonded', the TV-audio and music-audio will now all be in sync from the entire system, with a nice centre phantom channel ... giving a 4.1.4 room setup. (or..virtual phantom 5.1.4).
As Spock would say ....
I’m just wondering if this is possible with two new Sonos Amps and therefore a 'very slight step' in the direction of an Atmos 'style' setup... though I’m not too sure how it would really sound, but it might suit some people.
Ken, if you ran each of the two Amps through speaker switches, you could maybe push 12+ speakers into the setup. And instead of using ceiling speakers, you could use upwards firing atmos speakers if wiring through the walls is not an option.
Ken, if you ran each of the two switches through speaker switches, you could maybe push 12+ speakers into the setup. And instead of using ceiling speakers, you could use upwards firing atmos speakers if wiring through the walls is not an option.
I think the neighbours would not be too happy with me having 8 x 8 ohm speakers running close to 125w pc in my lounge ? and it’s true my wife won’t let me dig out 'trenches' in the plastered lounge walls, or cut holes in the ceiling. So I need to hatch a plan where the wife runs off with the neighbour before the Amp is released in February... ha !
Upward firing 'surround' speakers are definitely the way forward for me, I think.
Ken, I'm pretty sure you're mad. But yes, the logic checks out and it should work assuming speaker requirements and all checkout.
Question : Can someone point me to a decent provider of wall mount chassis that would be suitable for a discrete kitchen install of the amp? It looks like its a standard size for home automation?
This is PERFECT timing as we are doing a big home upgrade and will be looking to install these around Feb/March, so very pleased. My other half wasn't happy with having to lose storage space to having wall mount Play 5s, so we can now properly go ceiling mount, which is great.
I have my tv connected to the current amp - will the new amp solve these two issues: 1) tv sound disappearing when movie is very silent, 2) not always 100 pct lip sync. If so I am buying!
Yes, and yes. The Amp would be best to connect to your TV with the HDMI-ARC input which is designed for TV connections, and even has CEC for controls to be sent to the TV like the Beam does.
Will it work with phono cables (no going silent an no lip sync problem) - my setup is very 'integrated' so getting a hdmi cable installed is not so easy... 🙂
What about voice control?
Any plans to enable the mics in Sonos One’s when used as rears?
If the Beam could support Atmos via eARC, could there be a route to using one or two of these with some in-ceiling speakers to create a 5.1.2 or 5.1.4 setup?
Ken, I'm pretty sure you're mad. But yes, the logic checks out and it should work assuming speaker requirements and all checkout.
Thanks (I think? ). I was just seeing if the four speakers continued to operate when the Amp is bonded, either front or rear in a HT setup. Useful for those perhaps, who have, or may like, additional TV speakers in their ceiling.
If the Beam could support Atmos via eARC, could there be a route to using one or two of these with some in-ceiling speakers to create a 5.1.2 or 5.1.4 setup?
With eARC coming to TV's in 2019, I’m thinking we may see a new gen2 PlayBar aswell ... below is a comparison between Optical/ARC/eARC... I think it could even just be a firmware update for the Beam and the new Amp due in February, but I’m not too sure?
Anyhow this chart is worth a glance, I think, as it shows what might be coming down the line for TV surround sound:
Question : Can someone point me to a decent provider of wall mount chassis that would be suitable for a discrete kitchen install of the amp? It looks like its a standard size for home automation?
This is PERFECT timing as we are doing a big home upgrade and will be looking to install these around Feb/March, so very pleased. My other half wasn't happy with having to lose storage space to having wall mount Play 5s, so we can now properly go ceiling mount, which is great.
I would bet good money that Sonos will sell wall mounts and other accessories around this off their own website when things get closer to the release date.
