Can anyone confirm whether you will need a Sonos One or a Sonos Play 1 to be able to play content from Apple products using Airplay?
I know that Playbase and Play 5 will support it, but don’t have either of them. I currently have a Playbar, a Sub, and 6 Play 1’s, (in a 5.1 configuration, a Stereo Pair and 2 seperate rooms with a single Play 1 in). I want to add one more speaker, would prefer a Play 1 as I have absolutely no interest in voice control, but would buy a Sonos One if that is the Only way to add Airplay to my system.
Thank you in anticipation.
Airplay 2 on Sonos
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I’m actually scooping up more play 1’s since they are still discounted. Just bought 2 more. Knowing that adding just one gen. 2 speaker to my existing system gets AirPlay 2 capability is really pretty amazing. I can’t think of any other tech gear I have that is 10 years old and still performs without any issues with updated functionality. I have a iMac from 2008 which is unable to update to the latest Mac OS and is now painfully slow trying to run software it was never designed to run in its current state. I think the ability of legacy Sonos gear to be plugged in and work no matter the age is incredible.
The fact is, Sonos has not yet said that Airplay 2 will not work on a PLAY:1. They've only said, and I quote Ryan S here: " For now, I'm happy to confirm that the Sonos One will be able to receive an Airplay2 signal and play it. Beyond that, you'll have to stay tuned for the future.
There's nothing in that statement that says the PLAY:1 will not work. What I interpret out of that is something along the lines of "We're still working on the implementation, and don't really know what the end will be yet".
I can only imagine that if they're able to make it work on a wide variety of their speakers and other hardware, they'll certainly do it. I would suspect the request to the engineering team is exactly that.
There's nothing in that statement that says the PLAY:1 will not work. What I interpret out of that is something along the lines of "We're still working on the implementation, and don't really know what the end will be yet".
I can only imagine that if they're able to make it work on a wide variety of their speakers and other hardware, they'll certainly do it. I would suspect the request to the engineering team is exactly that.
I'm interested in using this as a cobbled return to Audible (audiobook) capability. Will Airplay2 bring this back?
+22Timeline: I would expect actual Audible support withing next 30 days. I wouldn't expect Airplay2 until the spring.
While I would generally agree with the Audible timeline, based on Sonos' own marketing materials, I'd actually be surprised if Airplay 2 came out that early. But since they don't give timelines to us riff-raff, we'll find out when they actually release it. I certainly hope Chris is right, and I'm wrong. 🙂
I have a gut feeling that Audible support will be via casting to Sonos from the Audible app, like Spotify, Google, Pandora and Tidal do now, in addition to via Alexa. The Amazon Music app quietly added ChromeCast support to Android not long ago; it’s also a likely candidate for Sonos Direct Control.
+22Yes. I officially adjust my airplay 2 prediction to — between Spring and thanksgiving.
+22Airplay 2 arriving to Apple with Homepod - but as far as to Sonos. I would expect Sonos launch about 3 months after Apple Launch.
Sounds about right. Although you would hope Sonos has been working on this already. #wishfulthinking?
+22I'm sure they have done some preliminary work (if they hadn't I don't think they would have mentioned supporting yet). But Sonos seems to normally require fairly extensive beta testing before they release new firmware. And until the public actually has access to Airplay2 they can't really beta test. That's why I think about 3 months from Airplay 2 release sounds like a normal cycle for them.
I really hope AirPlay will be supported on all Sonos devices. I have a e-mail confirmation from the Danish Sonos technical support team, that all will support AirPlay. That’s the only reason why I invested in Sonos.
+22All we do know is that if you have a Sonos One it will receive airplay 2. Of course if the Sonos One receives the signal then you can play it to any Sonos unit.
That is as far as we know.
There is possibility play:5 gen2 and Playbase May also serve that receiving role.
That is as far as we know.
There is possibility play:5 gen2 and Playbase May also serve that receiving role.
I do hope you are right Dinnsen. I have no interest in voice control and am not confident with the way that the Sonos One fits onto a wall bracket. The Play 1 is attached with a screw so there is no chance that it will get knocked off.
I need one more speaker, would prefer the Play 1, but am holding out until it is clear before I buy.
+22If all you have is a play:1 I doubt it Alone will work with airplay2. You are most likely goi g to need to also get a Sonos One.
Can you setup a Sonos One without setting up Alexa? It seems that so many people have problems with the Alexa integration.
For interest, I have a Playbar, a Sub and a pair on Play 1’s as a 5.1 room setup. A pair of Play 1’s in another room as a stereo pair and 3 other rooms all with a Play 1 in. I just need 1 more speaker to finish my setup - looking like it might have to be a Sonos One to give me the ability to Airplay to my system.
For interest, I have a Playbar, a Sub and a pair on Play 1’s as a 5.1 room setup. A pair of Play 1’s in another room as a stereo pair and 3 other rooms all with a Play 1 in. I just need 1 more speaker to finish my setup - looking like it might have to be a Sonos One to give me the ability to Airplay to my system.
+21No need to configure Alexa, it’s optional.
Airplay 2 is a way off yet, Apple needs to get it working first but it’s happening.
Airplay 2 is a way off yet, Apple needs to get it working first but it’s happening.
IOS 11.3 beta was released and has airplay 2 support so it looks like it Apple will release it with iOS 11.3
+21Just for anyone reading this Apple only released Airplay 2 yesterday 24th Jan 2018 in Beta for iOS devices. It has been in the TVOs beta a little while now.
As Pereo says.. it will be in iOS 11.3
Exciting times ahead! So if Airplay 2 will work the second gen of sonos devices....does that mean that we could probably pair it with appletv too?
+21In theory you will indeed be able to send the Audio from an Apple TV to Sonos, in fact I am really hoping this will work.
Currently using AirPlay 2 on my iOS devices (11.3 BETA1) and tvOS (11.3 BETA1) and I have to say this is so much better and more convenient compared to using the Sonos-app.
Don't get me wrong. I love Sonos, and I love what the app is capable doing but its so fiddly and the app itself cluttered and the UX-design isn't all that great and using Apple Music through the Sonos-app compared to using actual Apple Music-app is two very different things and in order to playback audio that is not supported in the app I have to AirPlay (v1) to my AirPort Express connected to line-in on a Sonos Play:5 Gen2 which then sends the audio to whatever speaker og speaker group I choose. The functionality is great, but having to AirPlay to the Express, then going into the Sonos-app to select the correct speakers and to have volume control in iOS controlling AirPlay and another in the Sonos-app controlling the actual speakers etc is making for a really cluttered user-experience.
With AirPlay 2 (I can only AirPlay 2 to my three Apple TV's so I still can't directly AirPlay to my Sonos Play:5 Gen2 in my hallway, living room and bathroom) its so darn easy to just click AirPlay and select the speakers you want and you're golden. Volume control is all done directly on iOS so the volume up/down always works, you get access to now playing on the lock screen etc.. And it doesn't kill my battery life like the Sonos-app, especially if you have hardware and lock screen controls enabled.
Its even better when playing back podcasts.. No more AirPlay to the Express, then into the Sonos-app and whatnot. Just click AirPlay, select the speakers/rooms I want and its working. I can even do everything directly on the Apple TV which is great for parties.
I can't wait for all of this to be embedded directly into my Sonos speakers so I can have it on all of them, in every room and to be able to actually not having to power on the Apple TV's for it to work.
I guess I'm somewhat lucky as I the following speakers;
Living Room:
1x Play Base
1x Play Sub
2x Sonos One
1x Play 5 Gen2 (separate, for when we use the surround system for TV audio but want music playback in the bakground)
Bedroom:
1x Play Bar
2x Play 3
Bathroom:
Play 5 Gen2
Hallway:
Play 5 Gen2
The only room being problematic would be the bedroom as it only has the Play Bar and Play 3's? I could always swap so the Sonos One's are the surround speakers in the bedroom and the Play 3's are the surrounds in the living room but I guess that wouldn't help much as its the Play Bar that is the "hub" in a surround system so I guess you need to have AirPlay 2 support in this device so whatever the surrounds supports doesn't really matter?
I can't wait for AirPlay 2 support to arrive.
Don't get me wrong. I love Sonos, and I love what the app is capable doing but its so fiddly and the app itself cluttered and the UX-design isn't all that great and using Apple Music through the Sonos-app compared to using actual Apple Music-app is two very different things and in order to playback audio that is not supported in the app I have to AirPlay (v1) to my AirPort Express connected to line-in on a Sonos Play:5 Gen2 which then sends the audio to whatever speaker og speaker group I choose. The functionality is great, but having to AirPlay to the Express, then going into the Sonos-app to select the correct speakers and to have volume control in iOS controlling AirPlay and another in the Sonos-app controlling the actual speakers etc is making for a really cluttered user-experience.
With AirPlay 2 (I can only AirPlay 2 to my three Apple TV's so I still can't directly AirPlay to my Sonos Play:5 Gen2 in my hallway, living room and bathroom) its so darn easy to just click AirPlay and select the speakers you want and you're golden. Volume control is all done directly on iOS so the volume up/down always works, you get access to now playing on the lock screen etc.. And it doesn't kill my battery life like the Sonos-app, especially if you have hardware and lock screen controls enabled.
Its even better when playing back podcasts.. No more AirPlay to the Express, then into the Sonos-app and whatnot. Just click AirPlay, select the speakers/rooms I want and its working. I can even do everything directly on the Apple TV which is great for parties.
I can't wait for all of this to be embedded directly into my Sonos speakers so I can have it on all of them, in every room and to be able to actually not having to power on the Apple TV's for it to work.
I guess I'm somewhat lucky as I the following speakers;
Living Room:
1x Play Base
1x Play Sub
2x Sonos One
1x Play 5 Gen2 (separate, for when we use the surround system for TV audio but want music playback in the bakground)
Bedroom:
1x Play Bar
2x Play 3
Bathroom:
Play 5 Gen2
Hallway:
Play 5 Gen2
The only room being problematic would be the bedroom as it only has the Play Bar and Play 3's? I could always swap so the Sonos One's are the surround speakers in the bedroom and the Play 3's are the surrounds in the living room but I guess that wouldn't help much as its the Play Bar that is the "hub" in a surround system so I guess you need to have AirPlay 2 support in this device so whatever the surrounds supports doesn't really matter?
I can't wait for AirPlay 2 support to arrive.
In theory you will indeed be able to send the Audio from an Apple TV to Sonos, in fact I am really hoping this will work.
That works perfectly, I'm doing it right now. But you loose some of the "ease of use" as with AirPlay 2 on the speakers you can control everything directly within iOS using AirPlay 2. By using AirPlay 2 to the Apple TV and from there do the grouping towards your other Sonos-speakers you will have the same situation as with AirPlay 1 today where you have to start AirPlay and then head to the Sonos-app and do all the grouping and volume controls etc..
With AirPlay 2 embedded in the speakers you simply do and control everything directly using AirPlay no need for the Sonos-app. With the Apple TV you also get the same situation with 2x volume controls as the Apple TV is incapable of knowing or controlling your Sonos Play Bar / Play Base volume so you still end up with having one volume control for AirPlay and another for the speaker itself.
+21Hi RamGuy, thanks for chiming in. As you say its Airplay 2 that I am really getting excited about.
Okay okay.... with all this air play 2 talk... will this integrate into home kit? What’s the thought in this?
My hope is to create scenes with music along with lights, window Shades etc...
My hope is to create scenes with music along with lights, window Shades etc...
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