Avr/5.1 sonos and 3 or more new sonos amp

  • 2 April 2019
  • 6 replies
  • 2529 views

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Hi
I would like to buy an avr hi-fi 5.1 for my livingroom, where I would connect apple tv, nvidia shield, console and pc, but at the same time, I would like to have the various speakers at home powered by my sonos amp, playing audio from apple tv, nvidia shield or pc.
How should i connect all my sonos amp to avr? whereas all the HDMI port will be used by the various devices.
Or do you recommend creating a 5.1 system with sonos? at the same time how would I connect the various devices to sonos beam?
Thx so much at everyone for help

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6 replies

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The Sonos Beam employs HMDI-ARC technology to allow you to control your TV via Alexa voice. However, HDMI-ARC implementation is iffy with some TV manufacturers as they all seem to implement the CEC differently (i.e. there is no standardized protocol).

The Sonos Amp also has the HDMI-ARC feature. I have two but have not used the HDMI-ARC on either one; so I can't tell you what usefulness it (HDMI-ARC) brings to the party :?

In your case I'm not sure if you'll have any advantages using HDMI-ARC tech as you are wanting to use an AVR. I haven't used an AVR nor researched them in years so I'm not the best person to provide an informed opinion. Maybe another member can chime in on this question.

Cheers!

thank you very much, for the rest I asked, is everything ok? did i understand how to connect?
Userlevel 7
Perfect
my various sonos amp will be in a rack cabinet, where the cables of the various speakers for the house arrive, so all I need to do is buy a connect amp and mount it near the avr (I would prefer not to lose the advantages of a wired home teather system) in the living room, with an optical cable? while all the cables hdmi of apple tv 4k, shield tv, console and pc, connect them to the avr? is it all right? should I evaluate other things like hdmi arc?


The Sonos Beam employs HMDI-ARC technology to allow you to control your TV via Alexa voice. However, HDMI-ARC implementation is iffy with some TV manufacturers as they all seem to implement the CEC differently (i.e. there is no standardized protocol). The Sonos Amp has HDMI-ARC also. I have two Sonos Amps but have not utilized the HDMI-ARc port on either one so

In your case I'm not sure if you'll have any advantages using HDMI-ARC tech as you are wanting to use an AVR. I haven't used an AVR nor researched them in years so I'm not the best person to provide an informed opinion. Maybe another member can chime in on this question.

Cheers!
Badge +2
Perfect
my various sonos amp will be in a rack cabinet, where the cables of the various speakers for the house arrive, so all I need to do is buy a connect amp and mount it near the avr (I would prefer not to lose the advantages of a wired home teather system) in the living room, with an optical cable? while all the cables hdmi of apple tv 4k, shield tv, console and pc, connect them to the avr? is it all right? should I evaluate other things like hdmi arc?
Userlevel 7
So if I buy 1 sonos connect and connect it to the avr with an optical cable, the sonos connect will control through the LAN also the various sonos amp (I have nothing in Wi-Fi, all connected in the network with cat 6)?

Sonos does not communicate over LAN in the sense you are thinking. When you wire a single Sonos component to your router via Ethernet you are now in what is called Wired mode (fka Boost). Sonos is communicating with other Sonos products over its own generated SonosMesh network (independent of Wi-Fi). Read the first three topics at the link to learn more: https://www.sonos.com/en-us/support/setting-up-sonos

The Sonos Connect connects to an AVR in one of two ways or both if possible. It depends upon the options available via the AVR.

Option 1
Connect the Sonos Connect via line-out from the AVR to line-in of the Sonos Connect and audio from any source connected to the AVR can be sent to other Sonos speakers via a process called Grouping within the Sonos App

Option 2
Connect the Sonos Connect via line-in or optical-in to the AVR and line-out or optical out from the Sonos Connect and audio that is stored on your iOS, Android or computer or streamed via the Sonos App can be sent to the AVR and played through its connected speakers.

Option 3
Connect the Sonos Connect in both ways as described in 1 and 2 above (if possible).

ok but the sonos 5.1 system will still have 2 front speakers, 1 speaker central, 1 sub and 2 rear speakers? also supports the various Dolby atoms etc? can I connect the various sources, like Apple TV 4K, console, shield tv and pc? I see that it has only 1 hdmi input

A Sonos DD5.1 system is configured as follows:
1. Beam, Playbar or Playbase that will handle the Left/Center/Right channels (there are no separate left, center, and right speakers).
2. Sonos Sub will handle the low-end frequencies via a process called Bonding in the Sonos app
3. Sonos One, Play 1 or Play 5 in pairs will act as surrounds via a process called Bonding in the Sonos app

Note: A Sonos AMP will allow you to use 3rd party speakers upfront (Left/Right) or as surrounds. Using 3rd party speakers upfront will not provide a true Center channel as with the Beam, Playbar or Playbase. Instead you get what is called a "Phantom" center channel.

If using the Sonos Amp (with 3rd party speakers as described above) you would not need an AVR for DD5.1. All of your components such as AppleTV and Nvidia Shield would connect to your TV via an available HDMI port. Your PC would connect to your TV as well via HDMI or a proprietary port on your TV assuming your computer is capable of sending a compatible audio signal. *

The Sonos AMP would connect to your TV via HDMI or optical using the optional optical to HDMI adapter (available through Sonos).

Sonos does not support Dolby Atmos.

There are limitations as to what you can do with Sonos. In some instances a traditional Home Theater setup using an AVR that supports 5.1, 7.1 and/or Dolby Atmos may be the better choice.

* In truth when using the Sonos Amp with 3rd party speakers upfront (with Sonos sub and surrounds) IMO you are not getting DD5.1 more; over it's DD4.1 and 1/2 as the center channel is Phantom generated. Others may disagree with my assessment but that's my opinion and I'm sticking to it.;)

Cheers!
Badge +2

If possible you could use a Sonos Connect integrated with the AVR to send source audio connected to the AVR to other Sonos speakers via the Sonos Connect. This would be line-out from AVR to line-in of the Connect. The reverse is possible via line-out or optical out from the Connect to line-in or optical in on the AVR.


So if I buy 1 sonos connect and connect it to the avr with an optical cable, the sonos connect will control through the LAN also the various sonos amp (I have nothing in Wi-Fi, all connected in the network with cat 6)?


1. Using a Sonos 5.1 system (Beam, sub and surrounds) as the source you Group the Sonos Amp to it.
2. Using the Sonos Amp as the source you would Group the Sonos 5.1 system to it.


ok but the sonos 5.1 system will still have 2 front speakers, 1 speaker central, 1 sub and 2 rear speakers? also supports the various Dolby atoms etc? can I connect the various sources, like Apple TV 4K, console, shield tv and pc? I see that it has only 1 hdmi input
Thx
Userlevel 7
Hi
I would like to buy an avr hi-fi 5.1 for my livingroom, where I would connect apple tv, nvidia shield, console and pc, but at the same time, I would like to have the various speakers at home powered by my sonos amp, playing audio from apple tv, nvidia shield or pc. How should i connect all my sonos amp to avr? whereas all the HDMI port will be used by the various devices.


If possible you could use a Sonos Connect integrated with the AVR to send source audio connected to the AVR to other Sonos speakers via the Sonos Connect. This would be line-out from AVR to line-in of the Connect. The reverse is possible via line-out or optical out from the Connect to line-in or optical in on the AVR.

Or do you recommend creating a 5.1 system with sonos? at the same time how would I connect the various devices to sonos beam?

1. Using a Sonos 5.1 system (Beam, sub and surrounds) as the source you Group the Sonos Amp to it.
2. Using the Sonos Amp as the source you would Group the Sonos 5.1 system to it.

Cheers!