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Mark Julier
Contributor I
October 12, 2014
Question

Sonos Playbar with just one Play1 as surround

HI

Can you use a Sonos Playbar with just one Play1 as surround instead of two?  I only have one Play 1 st present and what to use it as a left surround for the playbar but i cant seem to get it to work.  I can add it but it does not output anything so i was thinking that it only becase active once you add the second?

Can someone confirm if you can have a Sonos Playbar with just one Play1 as a surround (Left).

Thanks

Mark
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8 replies

Chris
Chris
Lead Maestro
October 12, 2014
You need 2

With one Play:1 you can't setup as surround but you can make it play the same sound as the TV by just grouping it to the playbar.
Respect the Queue (2)Move (3)Beam (1) Era100 (2)ARC (1)SonosOne (1)Playbar (4)Play5 (4)Play1 (3)Play3 (1)Port (2)Connect (1) Roam (2) Ace (1)Connect:Amp (4)Sonos Amp (1)Sub + (9) Echo + Smartthings; (2)Play)
    Mark JulierAuthor
    Contributor I
    October 13, 2014
    Thanks Chris.  It is a little missleading when setting it up as you can set on up (Left) and it shows as a surround PlayBar -  "PlayBar (LS + ?)" so i thought that it would just use one for now.

    What happens if you have two and then remove one, does surround on the one then stop working?

    i have another Play1 in the house so i could set it up with two and then remove one Play1 and leave the other working 😉 As though it was turned off!!

    what do you think?

    Mark
    Dominique Z
    Dominique Z
    Retired Sonos Staff
    October 17, 2014
    Hello Mark,

    Chris is correct, two speakers would be needed to complete the rear speakers. If you have one and not the other you will not hear sound from the rear speakers. 

    As Chris also mentioned, you can 'Group' them together to have them play the same content. When you have two and wish to separate them or no longer use them as surround speakers, you can go into settings and select "Separate Surround Speakers".

    Please let us know if you have any other questions regarding this and we'll be happy to help. 
    Jefferson Wright
    Lyricist I
    December 31, 2014
    I am having the same problem (no sound when adding a Play 1 to an existing system with Playbar and Sub).  I cannot get any sound from the Play 1 when the rest of the system is on, or I get only sound from it.  How do I group it so that it plays the same content as the rest of the system at the same time?
    Chris
    Chris
    Lead Maestro
    December 31, 2014
    The defaults on the play1s is for them to be surround sound only. So if playing music not much comes out. What you need to do is in the settings for the playbar go to surround setting and change from ambient to full. Then when playing music the play1s will act as full stereo speakers. When watching tv though they will revert back to on playing surround sound.
    Respect the Queue (2)Move (3)Beam (1) Era100 (2)ARC (1)SonosOne (1)Playbar (4)Play5 (4)Play1 (3)Play3 (1)Port (2)Connect (1) Roam (2) Ace (1)Connect:Amp (4)Sonos Amp (1)Sub + (9) Echo + Smartthings; (2)Play)
    D.gulle
    Lyricist I
    January 27, 2018
    Is it possible to use 4 play 1 with a playbase and sub as surround?
    D.gulle
    Lyricist I
    January 27, 2018
    And use two subs
    Belly M
    Belly M
    January 27, 2018
    Sorry one sub and two matching surrounds.
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