PLAY:1 Line In

All Sonos Players  should have a line in.  We are talking pence here, but a lot more functionality.  I'd like to know whether Sonos regrets ever adding a line in to it's P5s as it did not include this feature with the P3 and P1, which are both newer.  It must hurt the sales of Connects.

Airgetlam wrote:

And I'd think this was a product/marketing decision.

Exactly, just like trim levels on car model variants at different price points. Cost of providing the feature isn't the main driver. Although providing this might reduce the clamour for computer speakers from Sonos, so who is to say when the decision may be revisited?
It may also address the issue of the high price of the Connect for just input purposes; one can use the 5, but sometimes there isn't the space needed for its footprint and/or the budget for its price.

It's not a pc speaker, why didn't you check it had a line in before you bought it. People really need to stop blaming everyone else for their own inability to do some basic research.

Current set up: 1 x P1, 1 x P3, 4 x P5, 1 x Connect, 1 x Bridge. It took me years before I bought Sonos, because I'm more of a "separates" guy. I like my Emotiva, Kenwood, and Polk, etc. system. Only when my girlfriend said she wanted really good sound too, and wanted it easy to use did I pull the trigger.
The thing about Sonos is, it does what it is designed to do very well. Some people have networking problems, for those people a wireless Sonos is not for them. The seamless sound between 2 floors and 8 rooms is excellent. The sound quality is top notch.
Would I like l a Play 1 with LiPo rechargeable, and Bluetooth, and Aux-in? Yup. But it would complicate things for the vast majority of users who are happy with the system. And what happens when that P1 leaves the mesh, and then returns? Does it reconnect seamlessly? Not sure.
Should Sonos lowered the price? Yes, and so should BMW and Prosche, but I'm not holding, my breath. My secret, all bought on Craigslist.
Next for me is to expand the system. In those rooms that have a single unit, I am going to convert to stereo.

The only thing that we as consumers can do, is let them know what we would like to see. If they choose too meet those needs, great. If not then we can let our dollars talk as we buy other brand products with the features we like.

Today, I bought my first Sonos products - a Play:5 + bridge. I was really impressed and after noticing the line in on the Play:5, I decided to expand immediately. After a bit of research on the performance of twin Play:1s in stereo, I was going to go out tomorrow and pick up a pair of Play:1s to connect to my bedroom TV for dual TV/music playing functionality. After a quick Google search I was really disappointed to discover they had no line in. Adding a line in would mean an instant purchase from me. 

I agree with Chris. And I'd think this was a product/marketing decision. They have provided the capability on other products, which they seem to make money off of. Why introduce it on something cheaper, and introduce a reduction in sales of the more expensive model?

The answer to this is an analysis as to a projection on how many more Play:1s they might sell, due to the reduction in the price point for getting a audio input on it. The contrary side is they'd need to add the cost (which I'd imagine can't be more than a dollar or two) to every Play:1 sold, which would reduce the current profit on it, and also incur what I'd think would be a substantial one time charge for retooling the production line on which they're made. I suspect someone at Sonos already made those calculations, and decided to keep things the way they are.

But if, at some point, they do a refresh of the Play:1 with an internal microphone for voice control (with Amazon, or any other partner they chose), that might be an ideal time to introduce that change. So who knows? I'm certainly not against the idea, as a consumer. I just don't see it happening until a more substantial product refresh, if at all.

I bought my Play:5 in December and I love it. It serves as my main speaker in living room and is connected to my TV with 3.5mm line-in

I was just about to run into the store and buy my self the Play:1 to set it up to my work room and to connect it to my laptop. BUT! Noticed that it misses the 3,5mm line-in, so that trashes my plans to buy one, because lets face it, while working you need to every now and then play the funny youtube video your colleague sent you, and I would like to play it through my sonos also like everything else 🙂

Yes I fully agree, as denon decided, a line-in and usb for input/ or just charging would be ideal.
But sonos decided against both, probably concentrated on making play1 cheapest it could be, to fight off competition, make the play1 "the in" to the whole sonos eco-system.
Their response will be, go buy a play5 please 😉

The question is not why would I want to be tethered to it, but why is there not a line in on all their speakers? A line is available on the Play 5. Having a line in on all speakers offers the customer the most flexibility. I have XM radio that I could play through the Play 1 if there was a line in. The Denon HEOS1 has a 3.5mm line in along with a USB port.

Believe me I am not the only person who would like to see a line in on the Play 1.

Why? you would be tethered to it!
Just use it wireless from your hand, anywhere, unless it is an older ipod with iOS6 or classic and you can't, in which case use could buy a used dock from ebay.

I'd buy a set of Play 1's today if they had a line in. I'd like to be able to plug my iPod directly into the Play 1.

Would love a line in on all the products. They added it to the Play 5 so just please add it to the full line.

That's the point, Sonos is by no means a "basic" speaker. If all you want is a basic wireless speaker for your phone/tablet/computer, buy a $50 Bluetooth speaker. It won't give you multi-room whole house audio, controlled from multiple controllers, with either synchronized or multiple sources, which is what Sonos was designed for, but a Bluetooth speaker will give you the basics. Just don't expect to expand to whole house audio from there.

I just got Play 1 today and i enjoyed the design and the sound performance. But to be frankly I really want to return it cuz there's no line-in so i cant play whatever i want to play from my computer.... I know it connects to almost all music streaming software but I just hate the interface of spotify from Sonos app. I want to control the play back from the original spotify and basically I want to use it as a fundamental wireless speaker. And i would rather buy other wireless speaker than paying extra $$ for a CONNECT to acheive it. Feeling extremely disappointed that the Play 1 doesn't meet the most basic need of a user :@:(:(:(

sacred wrote:

I bought my Play:5 in December and I love it. It serves as my main speaker in living room and is connected to my TV with 3.5mm line-in

I was just about to run into the store and buy my self the Play:1 to set it up to my work room and to connect it to my laptop. BUT! Noticed that it misses the 3,5mm line-in, so that trashes my plans to buy one, because lets face it, while working you need to every now and then play the funny youtube video your colleague sent you, and I would like to play it through my sonos also like everything else :)

Get the Play 5

Sure. Go buy two $400 speakers just to get line in. As mentioned above, there is a lt of mobile audio only accessible via Bluetooth or line out - audio books, online videos, radio apps that aren't in the Sonos ecosystem, even movies. I set up an AirPlay receiver on a zp100 line in, and lay on my bed and watched Netflix on my iPad with my Play:3 providing the audio. Sounded way better than my iPad speakers.

It's a major oversight on Sonos' part, or more likely, a calculated one to avoid cannibalizing Connect sales. However, I think it's a poor calculation - imagine a Special Edition Sonos Play:C, with line in for a computer and mini desk stands. Get people to buy the Sonos for their computer room, then let them discover there's soooo much more capability once they expand to other rooms.

I do believe there is a software hack to create a Node.js Sonos compatible client. If this were to run on a Raspberry Pi, could make it a great way to add a line in to SonosNet anywhere.

Sonos Ideas wrote:

A Sonos user would like to have a line in at the back of the PLAY:1.

What do you think about it?

I suggested this to Nicholas on Customer Support today. I'm sure I'm not alone...I have two Play 1's in 2 of our 3 bathrooms. My fiance would love to be able to ditch her ancient iPod player and just plug her little iPod Touch into the Play 1. Next version?! 😃

Yep, my fault, no doubt. However, the fact remains that this is a very limited device. The Play 5 has a line-in. It isn't so "obvious" as you think it to be. A line-in would have made things super convenient for this device, a terrific feature that could have been added with little cost.

Without a line in the Play:1 speaker is really useless for me. I wish I never bought it. Need to use a lot of hacks to get it working in-effectively with my PC and laptops.

EdF wrote:

You wouldn't be able to use it as an output while watching a video or something along those lines as there is a slight delay in the audio that way.  If you are just using it as an audio source, its works well!  Needless to say, it would be REALLY nice if it had that input option.

I wonder how much the delay is when using the digital audio inputs on a playbar or connect as I suspect that a lot of that delay is the digital/analog conversion.

Wait so there is an audio delay for the line in?  So it would cause sound delay on the TV?

I don't forsee a play:1 gen2 in near future. And as the entry level not sure we will ever see input on. Not that inputs bad but don't believe at the price point they will ever add.

I would be surprised in next versions of Play:1 (or Play:3 if there is another) would have an input as well. However, Sonos must have had its reasons for only putting in the Play:5 top of the line Play speaker.

It would make it much more versatile, since then it can also be used alongside other equipment & pc's !