The subject of "adding" an external speaker to a Play1 or Play3 has been brought up many times (for outdoor speakers etc).
So, if I was to "cannibalize" a Play 1 and add an outdoor speaker, how much power amp output is there in a Play 1? I could use my Sonos Connect amp for this or my Sonos Connect with a 3rd-party amp and speakers..
Lastly, has anyone pried open a Play 1 and looked at the WiFi antenna? Can the guts of a Play 1 be embedded inside another speaker if it doesn't have a steel housing?
Question
Play 1: amplifier power
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Advanced hobbyists have experimented with modifications to the Connect because there is a small market for their efforts. Nothing similar exists for the play 1, and I haven't seen any reports on the lines of what you suggest. I doubt anyone other than Sonos knows the power delivery spec of the two amps inside it and Sonos never reveals this detail for any product other than Connect Amp.
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/class-d/295274-how-psu-so-small-tpa3116-amp.html
Thanks...it certainly sounds more than 25 wpc stated there. Maybe better driver technology as well?
25 watts/driver, as I believe each driver has its own amp, and the TPA3116 is a 2 channel amp.
Is a 50 wpc amp driving a two driver legacy tech passive speaker the power delivery equivalent of a two driver active speaker with two amps of 25 wpc each? Is it right to sum the power outputs of the two amps in the active speaker that way? Won't the woofer of the passive speaker still be able draw 50 watts of power when it needs to do so, while that of the active speaker will have only a max of 25 watts at its disposal?
It doesn't matter, because without the efficiency rating on the speakers, comparing wattage is useless. Someone can design a tweeter and mid that draw 25W each and out perform components drawing 50W overall, without the user caring a whit about overall power ratings (nor should they).
No argument with that; I find that my 1 pair can go as loud as the Connect Amp with third party passive speakers. My question was a curiosity, not much more.
+2Thanks for all the technical replies. It does look like the amplifier in the Play1 is powerful enough to drive some form of a high-efficiency external speaker. So, I may find a beat-up Play1 and take a closer look. From the link in this thread to www.diyaudio.com it looks like a very small power supply and amplifier board with a ribbon cable leading to the button interface on the Play1. It also appears that the WiFi RF section is under the shielding, etc. I'll have to find out more about the WiFi antenna structure. Stay tuned.
You will have issues driving external speakers, since the signal to each amp is split before the inputs into high/low frequencies. They are also DSP tuned specific to the drivers Sonos uses. You will never get better sound this way...
+2Hi Chicks, OK now I get it......I didn't even know that the Play1 has two speaker units internally for treble and bass......I may go back to my original thought of using a Connect Amp or a Sonos Connect to an amplified speaker.
I still think the world is waiting for a true outdoor version of the Play1 (line powered or battery-powered)...haha
I still think the world is waiting for a true outdoor version of the Play1 (line powered or battery-powered)...haha
DHitchcock wrote:
.I may go back to my original thought of using a Connect Amp or a Sonos Connect to an amplified speaker.
Better a Connect to a third party amp + external passive speakers, passive being a lot safer method for outdoor use..
Why reinvent the wheel?
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