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Rich1
Contributor I
November 23, 2016
Question

Connect or connect amp

I have a separates system and b&w soeakers in my dining room. I am looking to buy some play1 and 3 speakers. I want to be able to play my music from my phone through the sonos speakers and it also play through the b&w speakers at the same time and also play cds through my separates so it then plays through the sonos speakers. Which connect or systems allows me to do this?
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    6 replies

    ratty
    ratty
    November 23, 2016
    The CONNECT is designed to drive existing amplification. It can also accept analog Line-In, so could send a signal from your amp to the PLAY speakers.

    In essence one could wire the CONNECT as if it were a tape deck, with its output into a TAPE input on your amp, and a REC out from the amp into the CONNECT's input.

    The point to watch, however, is that there's a small but obvious (70ms) delay through the Sonos system for a Line-In. This means that playing CDs through your separates and via Sonos PLAY units simultaneously takes a bit of care. Basically the CD signal into your amp has to be looped through the CONNECT, so that it's delayed by the same amount as that from the PLAY speakers.

    If your amp has a tape monitor facility then the CD signal could be sent out via the REC output and back in via the TAPE inputs. You'd select TAPE on the amp to listen to CDs in sync with the Sonos PLAY units.

    If the amp lacks a tape monitor then you'd actually need to wire the CD to the CONNECT inputs, and play through it even when not grouped with the PLAY speakers. Operationally speaking this isn't hard, since the CONNECT could be set to Autoplay the CD signal through its outputs (and into the amp) automatically whenever it detects a signal. However there'd be an additional ADC/DAC in the path from the CD player which you might not welcome. One option would be to simply split the CD signal between the amp and the CONNECT.
    Rich1Author
    Contributor I
    November 23, 2016
    Wow.. so yes basically I can play cds through play and iPod through the connect into the bw
    John B
    November 23, 2016
    Alternatively you could simplify matters by ripping your CDs to a lossless format, store them on a NAS (for example) and then stream them through the Connect to your amplifier. If the amplifier has a built-in DAC that you wish to use then you can take a digital output from the Connect.
    ratty
    ratty
    November 23, 2016
    Indeed. What is a 'CD player' anyway? Haven't seen one for nearly 10 years. 😉
    Kumar
    November 24, 2016
    If things work for you like they did for me when I bought into Sonos in 2011, you will end up with all the separates system components sold, except for the B&W speakers if you like the way they sound and your partner tolerates the way they look and the speaker wires they need.

    All else will run on a NAS/broadband feed, play units and a Connect Amp for the existing speakers.

    I was in your position, with limited 20/20 forwardsight:-), I bought an expensive Connect in the early days that became redundant to my needs in two years.
    Rich1Author
    Contributor I
    November 24, 2016
    That's a valid point
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