I would like to setup two Sonos speakers in my office in a stereo configuration. In addition to listening to music wirelessly, I'd also like to connect the line out from my PC to *both* of the Sonos speakers and play stereo sound from my PC. Is this possible? What would I need?
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Tough one. Sonos does not make for a good computer speaker. There is at least a 1/2 second delay (up to 2 seconds depending on software settings) between signal hitting the line in, and sound coming out of the speaker. This is for Play 5 or the connect series. The newer hardware designed for home theater will be better, but this introduces other issues. This is why I went with a Bose system for my daughter's desk instead of Sonos like we have in the rest of the house. The input on the Bose cannot be shared around the house, but there is no delay to process the signal. I don't know what Sonos hardware you have, but a play base or playbar could work if you have HDMI out from your computer and your don't mind a Sonos designed for TV plugged into your computer. There are better, non-Sonos solutions out there.
Thanks for the reply. I don't have the Sonos speakers yet for the setup I'm describing. Was hoping it was possible but it sounds like not so much.
Would I actually configure two Sonos speakers in a stereo pair and connect the line in to only one of them? In a setup like this I could understand how there would be a lag.
I have a first gen Play 5 connected in another room now, also with a line in from a PC, but it's just a single speaker. I don't perceive any lag when playing PC sound through the line in. Perhaps it's different if I were to configure two Sonos speakers in a stereo pair, with the line in going to only one of them?
Incorrect. The delay in Uncompressed mode for Line In is 70ms (not 500ms). While a Sonos system does not make for ideal PC speakers, I use it very successfully with a Connect between my Mac’s output & a good quality 2.1 PC speaker system.
You could buy one or two Play:5 speakers, and connect your PC to one them via its Line In. Works fine with a single speaker, or with two as a stereo pair, or with two grouped. You can also push the audio to any other Sonos device.
I stand corrected on the input lag. 70ms is what the SONOS site states. When I tried this setup, I found the lag unacceptable. Your use may be different. Watching videos had poor lip sync to me. The number of speakers you use should not effect this, so I would try to experiment with your current play 5. If it is acceptable to you with your 5, then using other speakers should be fine. Another issue is that the smaller speakers (1, 3) do not have a line in. You need a connect or 5, or play series to get a line input. You could use a pair of play 5 in stereo...would sound good as long as you find the slight delay tolerable. Again, depends on what you use your computer for.
Yes, 70ms delay is in the range where lip sync is just detectable. I find it acceptable for casual video watching on the PC, but wouldn’t put up with it for my main TV. For audio-only applications, however — including audioconferencing — it’s not detectable.
So if not Sonos, who makes the best product to do what I want? That is:
- Play music wirelessly from two speakers, controlled via my phone (e.g. Spotify)
- Play stereo sound from the line out of my PC
- Play music wirelessly from two speakers, controlled via my phone (e.g. Spotify)
- Play stereo sound from the line out of my PC
There are many, including new Bose models that have wireless and/or bluetooth. What is also needed is a line in jack, that is also quite common.
But their wireless stability will almost certainly not be at Sonos levels, so you have decide what matters more to you.
If the Amazon Dot works well in your location, you could wire that to any pair of computer speakers and use that to play music via the PC as well if the latter has bluetooth, as well as from Spotify on your phone. And of course use it as you would use a Dot with voice commands, with its responses coming via the speakers.
But their wireless stability will almost certainly not be at Sonos levels, so you have decide what matters more to you.
If the Amazon Dot works well in your location, you could wire that to any pair of computer speakers and use that to play music via the PC as well if the latter has bluetooth, as well as from Spotify on your phone. And of course use it as you would use a Dot with voice commands, with its responses coming via the speakers.
- Play music wirelessly from two speakers, controlled via my phone (e.g. Spotify)
- Play stereo sound from the line out of my PC
To be clear, Sonos does cover this use case admirably, it’s just that working as a PC speaker is not its primary strength.
I guess the 70 ms delay is the perceived problem and the reason for looking for an alternative;
Quite, but as I indicate above, my experience in using the PC to Line In feature extensively is that the delay is only noticeable when used with video, and even then I find it tolerable.
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