Port or Amp for Surround Sound setup

  • 27 October 2020
  • 15 replies
  • 1727 views
S

Please excuse the incredibly nooby question, I’ve just started to make enough money to try and build a decent hi-fi system (edit: sorry I meant home theater).

So I recently bought 2 One’s to work as a surround sound set up (as the rear channels). I’ve currently got 2 powered bookshelf and I want to sync it up to the pair of one’s that I just bought. 

Now I’ve been doing some research but I’m still not a 100% clear if I need the Amp or the Port. From what I understand the Amp is necessary for passive speakers and provides surround sound capabilities, whereas Port works with powered speakers but doesn’t(?) support surround sound with the One’s. Rather all it does is add multi-room streaming capabilities. So I just want to clarify whether or not the Port can enable surround and if it can’t, will there be a problem using the amp with my powered speakers?

Bonus question: Currently my 2 powered speakers are connected to my turntable via phono preamp. Assuming I connect amp/port, will I be able to play my records out of all 4 channels? And is there advantageous one way or the other?

Thanks so much. Really appreciate it. 

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15 replies

K

Please excuse the incredibly nooby question, I’ve just started to make enough money to try and build a decent hi-fi system.

 

In this financial situation, or even if more comfortable, it is a good idea to be clear about what you want to achieve and not try to do too much. 

A decent HiFi system does not include sound for TV, and does not include surround sound which remains a movie thing. Almost all music is recorded and played in 2 channel stereo, for which the best solution is a speaker pair is aimed towards the listening area.

So the first question is - do you want to play both speaker pairs together in the same room? If so, why?

 

S

Ok let’s rephrase that a little. Just change decent hi-fi to home theater.

K

I am not a HT fan and don’t use Sonos HT products, but someone else that does will hopefully stop by and be able to help you.

Jaolchhu4
Userlevel 1
Badge +2

I use an Amp to power two Paradigm floor standing speakers together with a Sub and two Play 1’s for my surround sound and it works and sounds good to my ears. 
 

I’d be very interested to know if a Port could be incorporated with a HT AV Receiver to similar effect but I suspect it would not work with the Play 1’s and probably not the Sub either. 

D
Userlevel 2
Badge +4

To do what you want, you need the Amp instead of the Port. The Ones can’t act as surrounds with an AV receiver with a connected Port. With bookshelf speakers a sub (either Sonos or a sub from another vendor) is nice to have. The Amp can be used in either case. Also, the turntable preamp can be connected to the Amp, so you can listen to records through all the speakers if desired. Personally, I’d prefer to hear the records with the stereo setup without the surrounds.

J

Hi.  There is no way to incorporate your powered bookshelf speakers into a Sonos HT system.  There is no role for the Port either.  (Those two points really go together.)

You could use an Amp to power two passive front speakers, and the Sonos software will create a ‘phantom’ centre.  As already mentioned on this thread, a Sonos Sub or a third party subwoofer could be incorporated if desired.

Your two Ones could then act as surround speakers.

Given that you currently own neither an Amp nor passive speakers, you should at least consider the possibility  of getting a Beam or an Arc instead.  (These would not give you the means to use a turntable though.)

Jaolchhu4
Userlevel 1
Badge +2

I recently swapped out my Playbar from my Sonos surround ‘system’ and replaced it with the Amp (which I was using with my old school hifi 2 channel system) and passive speakers as per my previous message. This was just prior to the release of the Arc but even so I wanted more oomph from my TV/Blu Ray play back, especially if the output is only in stereo.

It’s debatable whether I even need a Sub but it certainly seems more than acceptable to me for movies. It’s probably not ideal for music playback but I use my old school hifi for that. I will most likely add a Port to this system at some stage as a trade in purchase after my old Play 5’s were bricked.

J

@Jaolchhu4 .  Sounds like a sensible approach in your situation.  

One thing I would consider (because I think the Port is very expensive for what it does) is buy a 3rd generation Echo Dot to add streaming to your hifi right now.  They are quite cheap at the moment because the 4th gen is out, but for this purpose the 3rd gen is fine.  If you don’t want to group the hifi with anything else, you may find this is sufficient, either temporarily or permanently.

K

for this purpose the 3rd gen is fine.

Or even the 2nd - there has been no change in the nature of the line out signal.

Jaolchhu4
Userlevel 1
Badge +2

 

Thanks @John B 

I have an old Google Chromecast that I am contemplating trying but for the moment I am streaming via a wired connection from my MacBook through a separate DAC. I’ve been trialling Roon and Qobuz but have decided not to take them up having got an amazing price for Deezer Hifi (less than £85 for 12 months). 

 

I’m also on a SACD/DVD-A kick currently having picked up a couple of really cheap players for less than £5. The quality of the SACDs (2 channel only) has been particularly good in general. I’m tempted to look to find a multi-speaker solution that can handle SACDs as Sonos does not seem to do so (unless someone knows differently) but the outlay will probably not be worth it and I will stick with Blu Ray Audio on my AMP set up.

K

 

 

I’m also on a SACD/DVD-A kick currently having picked up a couple of really cheap players for less than £5. 

There is a reason for that - no one wants them any more.

SACD cases with all the extensive liner notes from folks like JVC are nice to have for a lot of reasons, but better sound quality than CDs isn't one of them. 

Jaolchhu4
Userlevel 1
Badge +2

 

 

I’m also on a SACD/DVD-A kick currently having picked up a couple of really cheap players for less than £5. 

There is a reason for that - no one wants them any more.

SACD cases with all the extensive liner notes from folks like JVC are nice to have for a lot of reasons, but better sound quality than CDs isn't one of them. 

I get that @Kumar but to my ears the SACDs that I’ve heard sound better than the comparable CD and the 5.1 sound option is also attractive as I like being immersed in the music.

SACD’s themselves are often ridiculously expensive but DVD-A are better value. That said, all physical media is becoming obsolete and in time they will remain just as niche products (like vinyl and particularly cassettes are now). 

As a hobbyist and as someone who could not really afford these items the first time around, I am simply enjoying these items whilst I can. If I can do this on the cheap then so much the better. :-)

 

S

I use an Amp to power two Paradigm floor standing speakers together with a Sub and two Play 1’s for my surround sound and it works and sounds good to my ears. 
 

I’d be very interested to know if a Port could be incorporated with a HT AV Receiver to similar effect but I suspect it would not work with the Play 1’s and probably not the Sub either. 

I reckoned this would work best but then John B said it won’t work cause they are powered? So it’s all rather confusing

J

Hi @shenftw .  The set up that @Jaolchhu4 is using is completely standard, because his speakers are passive.  You just cannot use powered speakers with an Amp.  You wouldn’t use powered speakers with ANY amplifier, because powered = amplified.

Your powered speakers could be used with a Port (which has no amplification) to create a stereo HiFi system, but Sonos does not have a way of incorporating that with other Sonos speakers into a HT setup.

You can have a system like that used by @Jaolchhu4 if you wish, but you would need to buy passive speakers to use instead of your existing powered ones.

D
Userlevel 2

To clear up the question about the Port, can you power a HT setup thru Port from the TV audio line out and then group rooms. I have a port and play5’s so wondering if this is an option for me. and a better option than running a line in to the Play 5 the TV.

I realize you wont get a surround but wondering if this a workable option

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