Choosing Speakers for Multi-Room System

  • 18 March 2017
  • 2 replies
  • 443 views

I've decided to switch my current audio system for a sonos multi-room setup, and I'm having a hard time deciding which speakers I need. Hoping some of you can chime in with some advice.

Layout:
I'm hoping to fill my living room, kitchen, and another sitting room off the other side of my kitchen. The floor plan I want to fill makes an "L" shape...walk through back door of my house into the sitting room that opens into kitchen - turn right out of kitchen into main living room. Very open floor plan.

The sitting room measures 14x10 (feet).
Kitchen measures 20x10.
Living room measures 15x15.

Additional factors:
My turntable/vinyl is in the sitting room. I'd like to be able to connect it to the Sonos system and play in multiple rooms. It's a solid 80s technics unit that is currently connected to a receiver and two floor speakers.

My tv is set up in the living room. I'd like to be able to play it through the Sonos system in that room and also be able to play music through the speakers in that room. Will that mean I definitely need the playbar and sub? I've heard mixed reviews about playing music through the playbar. I've also read about a slight delay between playbar play back and speakers in other rooms.

Right now I'm considering the play bar and sub in the living room (maybe a pair of play 1s), a play 5 in the kitchen, and a pair of play 3s in the sitting room. I know it's subjective, but I'd love some feedback on what speaker combinations you guys would use for these rooms. Sorry for such a long post, but I wanted to provide as much info as possible. Looking forward to hearing your opinions.

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2 replies

It's a solid 80s technics unit that is currently connected to a receiver and two floor speakers.


Assuming that from the quoted you plan to retain just the turntable:
I would start with one 5 unit and one 1 unit and see how they sound in different parts of the house. For music, both will be useful building blocks for a building you can construct once you get a sense of what each sounds like. And the final set up can be a combination of these as well as either or both paired as a stereo set up.

Normally just the 1 unit can serve as this block, but you need at least one 5 unit for what you want to do with the TT, within wiring distance.

I don't use Sonos for TV, so I won't venture any advice for that side of things; in addition to sound quality, there are issues related to the various formats that I don't track.

I would not consider 3 units at all, they are a halfway house of sorts and between the 1 and the 5, all your needs should be met. With a Sub thrown into the mix if there are more 1 units in it, for a classic 1 pair + Sub set up for music in the prime listening area. A 5 pair would also serve there, but IMO, the Sub based set up is a nose ahead.
Thanks for the response. Very useful information. Cheers.