Airplay 2 on Sonos

  • 2 January 2018
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71 replies

Userlevel 7
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You can safely assume Play 5 gens 1 will not work. It works much the same as Spotify. On the Sonos music app under the volume bar there is an airplay button which will find any airplay compatible devices in the vicinity and you can select that device. Compatible Sonos units will appear on that list if you are on that wifi network
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But a compatible unit (Sonos One) won't make the incompatible ones also appear by bridging to them?
Userlevel 7
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I don't think so. It's not that clear but I am assuming that you can group compatible with non compatible, but in the Sonos app. Interested to know how volume control would work, again assume it will control the group volume set in Sonos and not just the compatible speaker otherwise it would be annoying.
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Well, sort of annoying. I think we're going to have to wait and see.

I was just thinking how the grouping could be done without being a real pain. You'd still have to go into the Sonos App which already makes it clunky but if the volume could be off on the Sonos One then at least it could almost be a "behind the scenes" thing to get it coming out of the incompatible speakers via a grouping. Imagine if the volume on the Sonos One has to be the same as the rest of the group and someone is sat next to it when you start your streaming from a different room. That's going to make them jump!

PS: It's bad enough when I start some music in the living room from being sat at my computer. Nearly always makes the wife jump out of her skin because I didn't say I was putting some music on 😛
Userlevel 1
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Thank you for your reply. I have now registered to be informed when Airplay 2 is available.
I was under the impression that the details explained in the link you sent to me are relevant IF you want to play via Airplay NOW, but thought that when Airplay 2 is released and Sonos have offered the system update, that Airplay would work without the need for extra 3.5mm audio cables into a Play 5 or Playbase and Connect ot Connect Amp. I thought it would work directly to the speaker (as it does with current Apple products)
Userlevel 7
After reading the link again you may be correct. After the update AirPlay 2 on Sonos may be native. Sweet!
Userlevel 1
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After reading the link again you may be correct. After the update AirPlay 2 on Sonos may be native. Sweet!
Fingers crossed.
If I knew either way, I would buy straight away, either a Sonos One or a Play 1. As I mentioned, I have no interest in voice control so would buy a Play 1 if I could, but if that won’t support Airplay 2 when it is released I would be very “P”,d off. I ask the question because there are some very good prices around for a few more days And see no point buying a Sonos One only to have the mic’s permenantly turned off.
Since they haven't finished implementation and released it, we don't know if a PLAY:1 will be an airplay 2 receiver. We do know that if you have one speaker/Sonos device that is a receiver, any and all of your Sonos devices will play the airplay 2'd content, since at that point, it's just another stream in the ecosystem.
Userlevel 7
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Current thought is that you will need at least one Play:5 gen 2, Playbase, or Sonos One to receive the input for airplay2
Userlevel 1
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Thanks Chris
Any idea when it will be arriving. Would really love airplay functionality especially for the BBC radio player app.
Userlevel 7
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I would make a guess that if Airplay2 launches in January. If Sonos went to beta in February .... maybe final public release April? I haven't normally seen Sonos move much faster then that.
Userlevel 7
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While those are some good suggestions from Chris, officially, we're not ready to share a more specific timeline just yet. As soon as we can share more we will.
Interesting, I hadn't heard any rumblings from Apple that they'd launch in January. Not that I've been paying particular attention, mind you, but usually those things surface on places like Engadget or 9to5 Mac, or even The Loop.

I'll have to start paying closer attention.
Heh. I've just not been paying attention. Just read an article from 9to5Mac that said it would be launching by the end of 2017. 🙂
Do you know if i could connect an apple tv with two sonos one after the implementation? Today i need a playbar or a playbase.
Userlevel 4
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As others have said, we're not sharing too much while development is ongoing. 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.

If that's the case I will be selling my Play:1's. I think we all know the underlying hardware is there and is capable of supporting it. What a terrible and user-hostile choice.
Userlevel 7
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I think we all know the underlying hardware is there and is capable of supporting it. What a terrible and user-hostile choice.
How do you know that? Please share.
Userlevel 7
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Yea we have no idea if the Play:1 has or has not the necessary hardware to support it. All we know is that if the hardware supports it then Sonos will make it available for. We currently think, with no information from Sonos to support it, that only the Gen:2 devices will support Airplay2.

As in Gen:2 mean:
Play:5 (actually called Play:5 gen2)
Playbase (actually a Playbar gen2)
Sonos One (actually a Play:1 gen2)

So making some arbitrary assumption that we know the Play:1 hardware will support it is completely unfounded. Such statements are misleading with not a hint of actual knowledge. And calling Sonos customer hostile (a company that hasn't obsoleted a piece of equipment in its 10 year history) is unfounded as well. Airplay2 didn't exist until 2018 and making the assumption that equipment purchased prior to Airplay2 ever being developed would be compatible isn't comprehendible. I'm very excited we actually are going to get Airplay2 compatibility for our system and if for some reason I had to buy 1 new speaker to make my whole system compatible I would be jumping for joy (I don't have to purchase as I have a Sonos One which I know will be compatible).

The thing is you should only need one of these speakers above to be able then to play airplay2 throughout your home (even onto legacy speakers via grouping with at minimum).
Userlevel 7
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Because AirPlay 2 is a software protocol. They should be able to add it to the app.
https://developer.apple.com/documentation/avfoundation/airplay_2/getting_airplay_2_into_your_app

It should not require new hardware. Sonos One and Play:1 both have Wi-Fi. My understanding is that the One only added microphones and a different driver.

I use AirSonos now it AirPlay to my Play:1's now.

I'd love to hear their explanation why it won't work on Play:1.

As a software 'protocol', Airplay 2 will depend on having a sufficiently powerful CPU and enough memory. The One is different to the PLAY:1 in almost every respect, and certainly in terms of its processing power.
Userlevel 7
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Air sonos only works because the server computer is doing the processing and routing. It is also unlicensed and not apple approved method that sonos could take advantage of.