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Airplay 2 support for PLAY:1, PLAY:3, PLAYBAR - BEWARE

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Be warned about all this talk of old speaker compatibility. It is very misleading. I was advised prior to Airplay 2 release about the functionality we were likely to get. It is very limited. Based on that advise I now have mixture of compatible (SONOS ONEs) and in compatible SONOS speakers (PLAY 3, PLAY:1s, PLAYBAR). Firstly if you have ONEs set as surrounds to a PLAYBAR they will not be compatible with Airplay2 as it is a closed group and the ONEs cannot be seen, this is because the PLAYBAR is the lead speaker in that set (not compatible). This negates Airplay 2 completely. (this is what I did in an attempt to provide access to my older speakers throughout the house). The only way I can bring that theatre set into play is by having an additional play ONE (thats 3 now) to drive the airplay2 commands. Also, 'accessing' older speakers by simply having a single SONOS ONE limits your entire network of speakers as it must be part of the group. For instance if room A has a compatible SONOS ONE and room B has an in compatible PLAY:1 you cannot play music in room B without playing in room A too (as it needs to be one group/room not two), which kind of ruins the notion of multi room. Essentially you have to set up your entire multi room house as one single room/group and toggle the mute/volume on each room depending on which you want to 'hear'. This will then further restrict the beauty of airplay 2 and Siri as you will not be able to send room commands to seperate spaces. You will not be able to say 'play music in the kitchen' as the kitchen will be grouped with the rest of the house. Its a complete hack.

The ONLY way around this is to have at least one compatible speaker in each room/group. ie, ditch everything you have and start again.

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BailsAuthor

Trending Lyricist I

I get it. Appreciate the help but not the tone. Not everyone is quite the audiophile, hence why most people are on this forum.

You set the tone of the thread with your initial post.

what 'aggressive'? I think you managed that all on your own. Run along chap.

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DarwinOSX

I am not complaining about the facts, I am bringing to light the reality of attempting to activate your entire 'old speaker' network on to Airplay2 because it is not viable in the way I believe most people will anticipate.

You’re not bringing anything to light that hasn’t been thoroughly documented by Sonos and the technical press. What you believe most people will anticipate only applies to the uninformed, who are not most Sonos customers.

"only applies to the uninformed, who are not most Sonos customers."

Hilarious.

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dcgunman

Chromatic Producer I

I'm actually really impressed with the way Sonos have implemented Airplay 2. It mostly just works. You only have to look at Bose who have promising Airplay 2 for over a year and they aren't even giving their customer's an update on when they should see it. Between Airplay 2 and Sonos supporting Apple Music I've never been so reassured I chose Sonos over Bose. For what it's worth I flogged most of my Play:1's on eBay (They do fetch a good price used) and then paid the remainder to upgrade them to Sonos Ones, which meant it wasn't too expensive. Personally I think Sonos should ditch selling the Play:1 altogether, just like they did the Play:5 Gen 1.

The Playbar not having Airplay 2 is my only big disappointment, and that Sonos Ones as rears don't bring it to the system. Here's hoping Sonos work that situation out somehow. Bringing out some kind of connect like device compatible with Airplay 2 that can speak to the Playbar would probably be the most logical solution if the Playbar can't handle it natively. Buying a Sonos One just to group with the Playbar on mute is a very expensive way round.

So same goes for PlayBase? AirPlay2 is not compatible to PlayBase? Only to Beam?

Smilja

So same goes for PlayBase? AirPlay2 is not compatible to PlayBase? Only to Beam?

I've got a Playbase, it is Airplay2-enabled.

»And the world is like an apple whirling silently in space, Like the circles that you find in the windmills of your mind.« (›Windmills Of Your Mind‹ [1967]. Music by Michel Legrand ; English lyrics written by Alan & Marilyn Bergman)

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