Is Boost stronger than a wired Playbar?
Userlevel 2
I have 10 speakers in 6 zones, including a Playbar with subwoofer and two rear 3s. Another 5, 3 x 3s, and a paired set of 1s. The Playbar is wired to my router, first floor of 2600 foot on 2 floors and with a lot of concrete. Services such as Sirius, Spotify etc. all work fine. But using line-in on the 5 (to play Audible Audiobooks because missing the long-promised integration has yet to materialize), I get a fair amount of cutouts in grouped speakers. I am fairly furious about the lack of Audible integration being solved, and don't really want to purchase more product. But if a Boost would solve my cutout problem so my kids can finally listen to audiobooks again at bedtime, perhaps will purchase. Is the Boost any better than the SonosNet created by my wired Playbar? Ready to scrap the whole damn thing and get my kids Echos to solve this Audible problem.
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BOOST has a more capable radio than PLAYBAR.
However have you tried setting the Line-In compression to Compressed in Advanced Settings?
However have you tried setting the Line-In compression to Compressed in Advanced Settings?
Userlevel 2
Thanks. Tried Automatic, Compressed and Uncompressed. Every configuration gets drop outs on the Line-In.
Interesting. Is the PLAY:5 a long way from the PLAYBAR? Do you get dropouts from Line-In when playing on the PLAYBAR?
Userlevel 2
PLAY:5 is on a higher floor but in the same general area of the house. Not sure I understad your question, but PLAYBAR has a digital optical input which I use with my TV and it works fine. There is no regular line-in on the PLAYBAR. I do get dropouts on the PLAYBAR itself as well as the other speakers when I use the line-in on the PLAY:5 and group them. I also get dropouts from the PLAY:5 line-in on other speakers when I'm not using the PLAYBAR at all.
You are extremely unlikely to see a difference between the BOOST and the PlayBar for SonosNet performance in the real world. The only material difference would come from placement, as with the Boost you'd be free to move it to another area of the house that might have better coverage for all speakers in the system. But that also means you need Ethernet to that other area. And if you need Ethernet to another area, well.... the best solution is really to get Ethernet to another one of the Sonos devices you already own (preferably one on the upper floor where you are having problems). SonosNet will then automatically figure out which Ethernet route is the strongest signal for each of the wireless units.
Yes I know.
I do get dropouts on the PLAYBAR itself as well as the other speakers when I use the line-in on the PLAY:5 and group them.
Do you get dropouts on the PLAYBAR when it alone is playing the PLAY:5's Line-In? There's a weak wireless link somewhere. It may be the PLAYBAR-PLAY:5 connection. This would be a basic test.
If the problem occurs when you group, then note which player is the first in the group. The one whose 'Group' button you hit to add the others. This player does the heavy lifting: fetching the stream and distributing it to the others. That additional load could be sufficient to tip its wireless link over the edge.
If you want someone to take a proper look, just submit a diagnostic and post the number.
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