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mchin519
Contributor I
May 19, 2018
Answered

Connect a 1st gen play 5 to 3rd party speaker

Have a 1st generation play 5 we have been using as our "outdoor" speaker. We have built outside bar and want to know if its possible to use the play 5 and connect a 3rd party speaker to the Play 5? If possible, what do i need for equipment?
I have tge sonos sourround sound as a boost as well.
Thank in advance
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    Ryan S
    Ryan SAnswer
    Retired Sonos Staff
    May 21, 2018
    Some good suggestions from the community here. Just a note, the PLAY:5 gen1 headphone jack will turn off the speakers on the unit itself. You wouldn't be able to get both to play the same thing in sync, you'd just get the audio stream from the device connected to the headphones.

    If you're looking to use another set of speakers in sync with your PLAY:5 gen1, the best thing to do would be to use a CONNECT with the second set of speakers. This would allow you to have two Sonos rooms and each one can be independently controlled, or grouped together for simultaneous control.
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    6 replies

    John B
    May 19, 2018
    Not possible I am afraid. Why do you wish to do this?
    mchin519Author
    Contributor I
    May 19, 2018
    Just looking at options...will probaly bring our play 5gen 2 outside with the p5 gen 1.
    Airgetlam
    Airgetlam
    May 19, 2018
    If I recall, the first gen PLAY:5 has a headphone jack on it, you could potentially use that to send a signal to another company's speaker, assuming the other speaker has aan appropriate input. But I'm not recommending this, at all. Getting the levels correct so that the third party speaker sounds correct would be a challenge.

    I'd recommend sticking with either outdoor speakers that are wired to a CONNECT:AMP inside, if you need to do a Sonos installation, or if there's adequate cover, a pair of Sonos. You'll have two challenges, though. First, no Sonos speakers are rated for outside use. The PLAY:1, Sonos One, and the Gen 2 PLAY:5 are all rated for humidity resistance, but not outside use. And of course, the wifi signal might be a challenge to get outside, whether you're using Boost mode, or standard mode.
    Bruce
      Airgetlam
      Airgetlam
      May 19, 2018
      Oh, and I'm assuming that the third party speaker is a powered speaker. If it's just a normal speaker that you connect to a receiver/amplifier, then I'd certainly agree that it's not possible.
      Bruce
      Stanley_4
      Stanley_4
      Grand Maestro
      May 20, 2018
      Gen 1 Play 5 does have the headphone jack Gen 2 no jack.

      Two ways to go if you don't add another Sonos which would be my first choice.

      1. Run a long 3.5 mm headphone cable from the back of the play 5 to a powered outdoor speaker or to an amplifier hooked to a non-powered speaker. Actually I'd run two cables, a short 12 inch pigtail from the Play to your longer cable. That way when someone trips on it the connector pops open saving the Play from possible damage.

      2. Use a Bluetooth transmitter plugged into the headphone jack. Should give 20-30 feet of range BUT the sound from the Bluetooth speaker will be out of sync / behind what you hear from the Play 5. Not too bad if you can't hear one from the location of the other but a major aggravation if you can.
      Ryan S
      Ryan SAnswer
      Retired Sonos Staff
      May 21, 2018
      Some good suggestions from the community here. Just a note, the PLAY:5 gen1 headphone jack will turn off the speakers on the unit itself. You wouldn't be able to get both to play the same thing in sync, you'd just get the audio stream from the device connected to the headphones.

      If you're looking to use another set of speakers in sync with your PLAY:5 gen1, the best thing to do would be to use a CONNECT with the second set of speakers. This would allow you to have two Sonos rooms and each one can be independently controlled, or grouped together for simultaneous control.
      Mark good posts by pressing the like button, and select the best answer on questions you've asked to help others find solutions.
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