Contributor I

Amp and Sonos Ones Variations?

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I have a Sonos AMP connected to an in ceiling speaker in the Master Bathroom. I wanted more power and sound out of it as it gets drowned out by the shower running. I put up 2 Sonos Ones. The option is for surround sound, but now the surround sound base doesn’t make it sound as clear. It sounds heavier base, like the volume from the surround is stronger than the main AMP in Ceiling speaker. So my thought was to have 3 speakers - like a center, and 2 bookshelfs. Is there a way to create 3 speakers (and not surround speakers) so its the same quality that can produce higher volume and sound? I would prefer not to have the speakers listed as 2 rooms in my app to get that result, or should I just deal with it? I probably should have just put in 2 ceiling speakers but this is where I am at. I can adjust - most important to me is the quality of the sound and not the cost.

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G

GuitarSuperstar

Lead Maestro

With your current setup, are the two Ones connected as surround speakers to the Amp or are they just set up as a stereo pair and grouped with the Amp?

"Receive with simplicity everything that happens to you." - Rashi

AjTrek1

Hi @Tom in Dallas

First let’s get a clear understanding of what you are describing.

Surround Sound as you state with Sonos involes an Arc or Beam connected to a TV with two Sonos Ones or Sonos SL’s or two speakers (Sonos In-wall, In-ceiling or 3rd party) wired to a Sonos Amp. The latter are placed at the rear of the room. The Arc or Beam creates the Left/Center/Right front channels.

What you have described in your opening statement does not make sense. You keep referring to the in-ceiling speaker as a single speaker powered by an Amp?? That can’t be correct. Please explain your setup.

Together Everyone Achieves More = T.E.A.M.

G

GuitarSuperstar

Lead Maestro

@AjTrek1 It is possible to have a single in-ceiling speaker powered by an Amp.

"Receive with simplicity everything that happens to you." - Rashi

Stanley_4

Grand Maestro

That single speaker option is correct but I don’t think that would allow surround mode operation if it was set to mono so the single speaker got both channels of stereo sound.

I could see the Amp in mono driving the single speaker and the Ones paired as stereo or as mono units grouped with the amp.

The three speaker room the OP mentioned, I don’t think (I don’t have an Amp top check) is possible.

What might be possible is to go to a dual voice-coil ceiling speaker running in stereo from the Amp with the Ones then used as Surrounds in Full Mode. No clue how that would sound though.

G

GuitarSuperstar

Lead Maestro

My Amp, set to dual mono, is powering a single outdoor speaker. And, surprisingly, the option to add surrounds is available.

"Receive with simplicity everything that happens to you." - Rashi

K

Kumar

I have a Sonos AMP connected to an in ceiling speaker in the Master Bathroom. I wanted more power and sound out of it as it gets drowned out by the shower running.

I thought this was a typo and you meant bedroom, till I read the reference to the shower:-).

Assuming that you have a safe way of using the One units there, I would delete the ceiling speaker, leaving it unused in the space, and redeploy the Sonos Amp to another part of the house. I expect a One pair on its own to more than meet the needs of even a large bathroom.

Easy to test this, by playing just the One pair and see how it serves; the ceiling speaker is probably degrading the overall sound quality perceived.

AjTrek1

@Stanley_4 @GuitarSuperstar

You’re both correct. However, my thinking of surround as it refers to Sonos is probably a bit more true to home theater.

The OP is using the term loosely; but I do understand his/her thinking. However, given the equipment there will be two rooms not one as the OP would like. They’ll just have to group them.

Together Everyone Achieves More = T.E.A.M.

G

GuitarSuperstar

Lead Maestro

@AjTrek1 Let’s wait for Tom to clarify his setup. I’m thinking he actually might have the two Ones connected to the Amp as surround speakers which is why he probably isn’t happy with the sound he is getting.

"Receive with simplicity everything that happens to you." - Rashi

AjTrek1

If you want music IN the shower you might consider the Roam...available for pre-order.

Together Everyone Achieves More = T.E.A.M.

Stanley_4

Grand Maestro

My Amp, set to dual mono, is powering a single outdoor speaker. And, surprisingly, the option to add surrounds is available.

That is interesting!

The ability to do dual mono might prove to be better than the dual coil option as that hopefully would eliminate any attempt by the amp to generate the phantom center I’ve seen mentioned.

If all are Bonded into a surround setup it would give him the single room the OP was looking for. In full mode they should get good sound from all three speakers once the individual volume levels are matched.

My last remaining question is the quality of the single speaker, it might just not be up to doing what is asked of it.

Hopefully we’ll hear back.

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