Amp versus the new Port?

The Port is the replacement for the CONNECT. The Amp is a replacement for the CONNECT:AMP.

Generally speaking, if you’re not powering third party speakers, you’d use the Port. If you are powering third party speakers, you’d use the Amp.

In other words if I want to stream my Spotify, Bandcamp, iTunes, etc through my home Infinity speakers I would want the Amp? Otherwise I just want to be able to play my cd’s and albums through my Sonos speakers I would use Port?

Tou refer to a stereo system. So that presumably has an amplifier? If so then you do not need amplification and so would want the Port not the Amp.

Gotcha. Thank you sir. Just making sure. These sonos products ain’t cheap. 

Are the Infinity speakers currently being used? What are they being driven by now?

Yes they are being used when I play music or watch tv. Driven by my Yamaha receiver which is probably around 25+ years old now. I also have a 32 year old Carver receiver that I use out in my garage. But most of my music I listen plays on my Sonos now. It was either update my stereo system so that it could handle streaming music or find nice speakers throughout the house to stream music. I like Sonos over Bose. I also have Bose 901’s and 301’s speakers. They haven’t seen any light in over 25 years.

Something to consider.  The Amp is about to go on sale starting this Friday at 20% off, or $520, while the Port is not.  That changes the price difference considerably.  The Amp can power your speakers, connect to your TV (with HDMI-ARC or optical) and has an RCA input for your other devices. Your blu ray and DVD would connect directly to the TV, so you’d need to alternate between connecting the turntable, disc player, and tape deck...or get an RCA switcher or use your Yamaha as a switch (a bulky one though).  On the TV side of things, you have a simulated center channel and can add a sub and rear surrounds later if you wish.

You are spending a little bit of money, but you’re getting a smaller footprint, if that matters to you, and less dependence on older equipment.

Hi dcgunman

If you are still using your Yamaha receiver of 25 years it most likely has a Tape Loop or Aux -In (and maybe Aux-Out which then is the same as Tape Loop for Sonos).

The Port connected to the Yamaha Tape Loop would bring Sonos to the speakers connected to it and Turn Table sounds to other Sonos. 

• Port RCA -Out to Tape-In
• Port RCA-In to Tape-Out (group Sonos rooms to extend TT sound to other areas)

The Port connected to the Yamaha Aux-In would only bring Sonos to the 3rd party speskers connected to it:

• Port RCA-Out to Aux-In

Adding a Playbar, Playbase or Beam is a great idea for TV sound as you will gain a dedicated Center Channel versus the “Phantom” center channel you get using 3rd party left/right speakers. If you go the route just mentioned please come back with additional questions; if needed. 

Cheers!

Well I didn’t get either the Amp or Port this year. I ended up purchasing the Playbase instead. It was either the Port or Playbase. Playbase went on sale for 560. Not a bad deal. I can wait for the Port when it goes on sale next time. 
so I have another question. Reading some info on the Playbase it says to disconnect your home theater system from tv so you connect the Playbase (of course) to the tv. So do I still need the Port if I want to play my old school stereo system through my Sonos? Looks like I will connect my dvd and BluRay player to my new Playbase to get 5.1 sound. 

Hi dcgunman

You can connect the Playbase to your TV as instructed via optical. You will no longer be able to use your legacy system in conjunction with the Playbase to create a DD5.1 system. 

However, there are options for the Playbase

Option 1

1. Purchase Sonos One’s or Sonos One SL’s by two (or mix and match) to use as surrounds.
2. Use a Sonos sub to complete the 5.1 setup.
3. Using Sonos One’s will also give you Alexa or Google voice control.
4. You can mix a Sonos One and a Sonos SL to save a few bucks and still have Alexa or Google voice control

Option 2

1. Purchase a Sonos Amp and connect your 3rd party speakers to it and use them as surrounds.
2. You can use a Sonos sub with the Playbase to complete the 5.1 setup.

DVD or BluRay Player

1. If they have HDMI you would connect them directly to your TV. 
2. Leaving them connected to your legacy stereo system will not get you DD5.1 even with a Port.

Leaving Legacy Stereo intact:

Use a Port to bring Turntable or CD music to other Sonos speakers and reversely send Sonos to the 3rd party speakers connected to your stereo.

I hope this helps. Cheers!

Option 1 already taken care of. I’m running 3 pairs of speakers. 1 pair of Sonos One and 2 pairs of Sonos Play 1 along with Sub. I added the Playbase for the big screen. Would it be worth Adding another pair of Sonos One or Play SL to the big screen (Sony Bravia), Playbase/pair Sonos One (7.1 surround sound)? Or it wouldn’t make much difference?

Just to be clear….Sonos does not support 7.1 audio. The best you can achieve is 5.1 audio with a Sonos Playbar, Playbase or Beam Bonded to a sub and two surrounds. 

The Playbase (as you have) is the controller for all. The sub and surrounds are Bonded to it and thus take all commands from it. They function as a unit meaning if you remove one component the 5.1 audio is destroyed.

You can Group as many speakers as you like to the main setup as described but all you will get is additional audio (TV dialogue or music) to those speakers but they will not create discrete 7.1 audio.

If you Group other Sonos speakers to a Sonos 5.1 setup and they are in the same room as it the resulting audio will most likely be unpleasant. In short a stadium effect will be the end result.

Buy as many Sonos speakers as you like but I recommend against placing them in the same room as your Sonos 5.1 setup with the sole intent of Grouping them to it.

Hi,

What is still a bit unclear reading this thread is - If I choose to play music from a digital streaming source (Tidal, Spotify etc) on a Sonos Port,

Is it possible to make it play that music on a third party amplifier (using the Ports digital out)

And at the same time, without any delay, play the exact same music on other sonos speakers in my home (eg One SL) connected to the Port via Wifi?

The output on the Port will be in perfect sync with all other Sonos devices.  The problem arises when the downstream amplification applies a delay, due to DSP’s or other such processing.