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limux
Contributor I
April 28, 2019

AMP vs. Playbase for home theater!

My surround receiver just died. I have a set of 5.1 System Audio speakers currently collecting dust. So should I buy a completely new system from Sonos for example Playbase, SUB and Play:1s?

Or should I buy 2 x AMP and do a 4.1 setup with my old speakers? The old system is SA saxo 50 front speakers, SA saxo 10 tweeter in the middle. SA saxo 1 rear speakers and a SA saxo sub 10.

Or should I just buy a new surround receiver and buy a Sonos connect?

I currently own several Sonos speakers so Sonos has to part of the solution.
What are the pros and cons? What do you guys think will give the best movie and music experience?
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2 replies

Mugs
Prominent Collaborator I
April 28, 2019
For the best sound and considering the equipment you already have, I would get a new receiver and a Connect. That is assuming all your gear works well and you like it. You also need to consider the footprint of your existing equipment. You could buy a really nice receiver and a Connect for what its going to cost to go all Sonos. All Sonos probably isn’t going to sound as well either. All Sonos is going to cost you $1200 for Amps. A really nice “Works with Sonos” receiver and Connect would be a great solution. You could get an Onkyo TX-NR686 with a Connect for about $700 with all the Sonos functionality. (Playbase option would run you around $1700)

I went all Sonos with Playbase, Sub and 2 Play 3’s for space reasons. It’s great but sound is not as good as separate speakers. It sounds like you are keeping your existing speakers anyway.
AjTrek1
AjTrek1
April 29, 2019
Hi limux

I agree with Mugs. Buy a new AVR and a Sonos Connect. You are already heavily invested in your SA saxo components so it would a shame to let them go idle. Also, using a Sonos Amp up front would require that you give up your center channel speaker. You would then be relegated to what is known as a "Phantom" center channel created by the two front speakers. Not the same as a dedicated center channel.

The only reason to go all Sonos (at this juncture) and still achieve a DD5.1 system is to eliminate wires. :8
Cheers!
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