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Ryan S
Ryan S
Retired Sonos Staff
August 29, 2018

Introducing Sonos Amp

Related content:Hardware



Available starting February 2019, Sonos Amp is the all-new, versatile amplifier to power all your entertainment and bring the sonic content you love to every room of your home. The Amp has been redesigned with more than twice the power of the original Connect:Amp, with more versatility, and will enable new experiences through the platform.

Play your favorite streaming content on Sonos, connect to your TV through HDMI-ARC, or plug into any audio device, including a turntable to power your vinyl collection.

Sonos Amp will fit in any home environment, whether as a compact and elegant solution for in-rack AV installations, wall mounted, tucked under furniture, or on display in a room.

Details and Specs





Physical Specs Amp comes in Matte black with black and silver banana plugs all in a standard rack fit size. The dimensions are 8.54 x 8.54 x 2.52 in. (217 mm (w) x 217 mm (d) x 64 mm (h)) and it weighs 4.6 lbs. (2.1 kg). Custom banana plugs that accept 10 - 18 AWG speaker wire and the Class-D digital amplifier sends a maximum of 125W per channel at 8 Ohms.

The subwoofer output is auto-detecting RCA with adjustable crossover (50 to 110Hz).

Capable of using two line-in sources, analog RCA audio input, and HDMI-ARC inputs. Amp plays Dolby Digital 5.1 or PCM stereo sound over HDMI-ARC.

Versatile Design



Use Sonos Amp to power your installed speakers as a separate Sonos room, or bond it with a pair of Sonos Ones, Play:1s, Play:3s, or Play:5s to become a surround sound setup that you can use with your TV. You can also use Amp to add your speakers as rears to a Sonos home-theater setup (by wirelessly bonding an Amp with Beam, Playbar, or Playbase) or use two Sonos Amps (one for the front right and left channels, the other for the rear channels) for surround sound.

The Sonos Amp drives left and right speakers, and it will create a phantom center channel when sent discrete audio for that channel.

Sonos Amp has all the features of Sonos in a powerful package:
  • Sonos supports over 100 services. Choose the ones you want and listen to music, podcasts, radio, and audiobooks. You can also play all the music stored on your computer or other devices.
  • Sonos has built a software platform that enables hundreds of partners and gives our customers unparalleled freedom of choice. Amp features AirPlay 2, access to home automation partners, and voice control when wirelessly connected with Amazon Echo or Alexa-enabled devices, including Sonos One and Beam.
  • Use the Sonos app on your phone or tablet, your TV remote, keypads, AirPlay 2, or your voice with Amazon Echo and Alexa-enabled devices.
  • New APIs and deeper integrations with our platform partners let you create seamless smart home control.
  • Sonos is a system. Start with Amp and expand into more rooms with additional speakers through WiFi.
  • Sonos regularly updates with new features, voice services, and API integrations, so your options are always up to date and improving.


Availability


General availability on February 5, 2019 for $599 USD (£599 GBP, €699 EUR). Early access for installed solutions professionals on December 1 in the United States and Canada. Sign up to be notified of availability on Sonos.com.

For more details, check out our blog post on the Sonos Amp here.

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    364 replies

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    Ryan S
    Ryan SAuthor
    Retired Sonos Staff
    October 24, 2018
    LPCM or Linear PCM isn't supported by the Amp (or any Sonos devices), and it is the uncompressed multi-channel PCM format.

    This may help answer most of your questions:

    Over HDMI-ARC CEC, the Amp is going to let the device it's connected with know what formats it can take, DD 5.1 and Stereo PCM. After that handshake, the TV will automatically make sure to send only those formats to the Amp. If you're sending LPCM Stereo from your Blu-ray disc to your TV, the TV should convert it automatically to Stereo PCM to be sent to your Amp (it's possible you can tell your TV to instead send Dolby Digital 5.1 but I don't know off hand what TVs might have this as an option).
    Mark good posts by pressing the like button, and select the best answer on questions you've asked to help others find solutions.
    adam2434
    Avid Contributor I
    October 25, 2018
    LPCM or Linear PCM isn't supported by the Amp (or any Sonos devices), and it is the uncompressed multi-channel PCM format.

    This may help answer most of your questions:

    Over HDMI-ARC CEC, the Amp is going to let the device it's connected with know what formats it can take, DD 5.1 and Stereo PCM. After that handshake, the TV will automatically make sure to send only those formats to the Amp. If you're sending LPCM Stereo from your Blu-ray disc to your TV, the TV should convert it automatically to Stereo PCM to be sent to your Amp (it's possible you can tell your TV to instead send Dolby Digital 5.1 but I don't know off hand what TVs might have this as an option).

    From what I've read and understand, the PCM format standard on CD, DVD, and Blu-ray is actually LPCM, independent of whether its 2-channel stereo or multi-channel. LPCM is a more accurate/descriptive term, but some equipment and disc manufacturers use PCM and LPCM interchangeably.

    Points 2,6, and 7 in the "Implementations" section:
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulse-code_modulation

    Net, a 2-channel stereo PCM track on a DVD or Blu-ray is actually LPCM. LPCM is the standard on discs and HDMI, so there should be no need for a LPCM to PCM conversion of a 2-channel stereo LPCM track.
    jdurango
    Lyricist II
    October 26, 2018
    @adam2434, the replies from the community here have been spot on. The HDMI-ARC input on the new Amp will support Dolby Digital 5.1 and Stereo PCM (16-bit). The main screen won't show what format is playing, but you can see that in the Settings > About Sonos. And the details on the phantom center is the same as above, it's only going to show up when there is a center channel that's looking to be played. It can't be "turned off", but music won't have it, neither will stereo signals.



    hello ryan, i just read all post and replys, I was wondering if you can help me figure this out.
    I have 19 speakers total at my house( in-ceillings, standings, and outdoors) and I really like loud music.
    How many amps do you think i need? i forgot to tell you that i wish to have 5 zones
    At a minimum, you need 5 of them in order to have 5 zones. Each Amp can put one pair of 4 Ohm speakers, or 2 pairs of 8 Ohm. If you're using 2 pairs each, you could get a total of 4 speakers on each unit, and 5 will get you 20. That said, if the speakers in your house are set up as stereo pairs, and not mono speakers, you'll likely need to have more Amps there.

    The requirements of what speakers you need will come down to the specifications of those speakers you have.

    than you very much i will wait until febraury i hope they will come out sooner
    Chris
    Chris
    Lead Maestro
    October 26, 2018
    Inwould check with your local (non-chain boutique style show) dealer in late november as they are supposed to possibly get in December.
    Respect the Queue (2)Move (3)Beam (1) Era100 (2)ARC (1)SonosOne (1)Playbar (4)Play5 (4)Play1 (3)Play3 (1)Port (2)Connect (1) Roam (2) Ace (1)Connect:Amp (4)Sonos Amp (1)Sub + (9) Echo + Smartthings; (2)Play)
    joedavis44
    Contributor I
    October 31, 2018
    Am i reading this right? Only one HDMI input? Really surprised by this. This seemed like the perfect device to replace all my bulky Denon Recievers. But I have a TV box, Apple TV and a PS4 that need to get routed to the TV. With only one HDMI input, the Sonos Amp is a non starter. Too bad. I love all my Sonos products and wish this had been a new option for me.
    jgatie
    jgatie
    October 31, 2018
    Am i reading this right? Only one HDMI input? Really surprised by this. This seemed like the perfect device to replace all my bulky Denon Recievers. But I have a TV box, Apple TV and a PS4 that need to get routed to the TV. With only one HDMI input, the Sonos Amp is a non starter. Too bad. I love all my Sonos products and wish this had been a new option for me.

    You misunderstand the configuration. The Amp is designed to receive the HDMI-ARC (Audio Return Channel) from the TV. You connect your devices to the TV, and the TV audio is sent to the Amp via HDMI-ARC (or optical if your TV doesn't have HDMI-ARC).
    melvimbe
    melvimbe
    October 31, 2018
    Am i reading this right? Only one HDMI input? Really surprised by this. This seemed like the perfect device to replace all my bulky Denon Recievers. But I have a TV box, Apple TV and a PS4 that need to get routed to the TV. With only one HDMI input, the Sonos Amp is a non starter. Too bad. I love all my Sonos products and wish this had been a new option for me.

    It's an HDMI-ARC input, not an HDMI input. To explain further, your receiver takes in multiple HDMI inputs, you chose the input you want with the receiver, and then pass the video (HMDI out) to the TV. The amp, and all the other Sonos HT products, don't work like a receiver. Your inputs will go directly to the TV, and you'll use your TV to chose the input you want. The audio is then passed from the TV to the amp through the HDMI-ARC port. (or optical output as the case may be).

    So yes, assuming your TV has the right capabilities as most modern TVs do, the Sonos amp can replace your receiver.
    Danny
    joedavis44
    Contributor I
    October 31, 2018
    But then doesn't this require routing three HDMI cables from my devices to the TV, and then another one back from the TV to the Sonos Amp? That would have been easy when I built the house, but good luck doing that now without ripping up a lot of drywall and hardwood flooring. Two of my TVs have no place anywhere near them to place components.
    Chris
    Chris
    Lead Maestro
    October 31, 2018
    It is an arc hdmi input meaning it is only meant to connect to tv. All your devices hook to the hdmi inputs on tv. Then the tv outputs audio to the hdmi arc input of the amp. Same as with Beam.
    Respect the Queue (2)Move (3)Beam (1) Era100 (2)ARC (1)SonosOne (1)Playbar (4)Play5 (4)Play1 (3)Play3 (1)Port (2)Connect (1) Roam (2) Ace (1)Connect:Amp (4)Sonos Amp (1)Sub + (9) Echo + Smartthings; (2)Play)
    jgatie
    jgatie
    October 31, 2018
    But then doesn't this require routing three HDMI cables from my devices to the TV, and then another one back from the TV to the Sonos Amp? That would have been easy when I built the house, but good luck doing that now without ripping up a lot of drywall and hardwood flooring. Two of my TVs have no place anywhere near them to place components.

    Then the item is not for you. Horses for courses.
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