Question

Has anyone used Sonos in a commercial/ bar/ restaurant environment before?

  • 14 August 2017
  • 4 replies
  • 8138 views

I'm looking into options for a sound system in a large bar/restaurant that hasn't been built yet. Have full control over the network, construction, wiring, etc. We'll have a lot of TVs (10-15), we'll likely be in control of the music as opposed to the customers.

At home, I have a Playbar and 3 One's. I've used the Three + Five before. My home setup is wireless and sometime cuts out in a very obnoxious way. So I have a few questions:

1.) If everything is wired via ethernet, will that solve the problems of sync/cutting out between speakers?
2.) Is there a way to disable remote access to the devices if I want to keep it ethernet ONLY.
3.) Is there a way to broadcast sound without the controller app? Like.. via an audio jack/phone?
4.) How well does the controlled sound projection work in large spaces?

I'd consider using fewer Sonos devices as opposed to many JBL speakers at lower volume if the sound leveled out. I've read that Sonos uses some frequency technology to push the sound further out. One thing I'm worried about is sound being really loud next to one group but quiet near others.

5.) How far apart could I reasonably set these up to have a generally even coverage?
6.) Any feedback from attempting this? Lessons learned? etc
7.) Anyone use Sonos tech to manage multiple TVs and stereos simultaneously (like 10+ TVs) ?

Thanks everyone!

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4 replies

Anyone?
1) Yes, although if your local wifi network is setup properly, you shouldn't have any problems either.
2) restrict access to your network. If you have to have wifi for your customers, set it up as a guest network, and keep the Sonos on the private side.
3) Yes, the Connect has RCA inputs (~70ms delay), the Play:5 has a headphone jack line in (same delay), any line in can be sent throughout the Sonos ecosystem to any speaker or group of speakers.
4) No idea. Maybe you should engage a sound system designer?
5) Too many variables. Again, a professional should be able to help you with this.
6) Never tried.
7) I've never seen a post about this, but would assume the best way to do this would be to go with a Playbar for each TV, connected with an optical cable to the TV, rather than attempting to use any other Sonos speakers.

Also, not that there's a maximum number of Sonos devices on a network.
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Also, not that there's a maximum number of Sonos devices on a network.
32 renderers and 32 controllers.
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Bruce has hit most of the points... but just a comment for #7... the only devices Sonos makes that are specifically designed to interface with TV/video are the Playbar and Playbase. The other Sonos devices with Line in connections (Play:5, Connect, and Connect:Amp) will introduce delays to the audio, causing out-of-sync video and audio unless your TVs have some kind of setting to also delay the video.

It's definitely not a system that is designed for multiple TVs in a business, where you probably wouldn't want to be using the Playbar or Playbase.