Question

Possible to get to 5.1 with Playbar, Connect, wall speakers, and non-Sonos sub?

  • 7 February 2017
  • 2 replies
  • 643 views

Hello. I currently have a Playbar connected to my Panasonic 55" plasma TV. I'm looking to accomplish a couple of things here: 1) Create a 5.1 home theater setup using my existing Playbar. The ideal solution would include in-wall speakers and a non-Sonos sub. Is this possible with the Playbar, in-wall speakers, a Connect, a Yamaha RX-V679BL 7.2 receiver, and a sub? 2) I want to add speakers to my deck/patio as a separate zone. I want to do so utilizing the same receiver mentioned above as well as (I'm assuming) another Connect.

Is this possible?

Thanks for any help you can provide!

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2 replies

The configuration you are suggesting will not work. There is a built-in delay for the line-in on the Connect that will make it (at least) 70ms behind the Playbar. This will mess up the timing on surround effects, rendering them useless.

You can use in-wall speakers as surrounds utilizing a Connect:Amp. The Connect:Amp and Playbar must both be wired via Ethernet, either to the router or to each other. See this link for details:

https://sonos.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/2248/kw/connect:Amp%20as%20surrounds

There is no way to use an aftermarket sub, you must use the Sonos Sub. This is because the only Sonos device with a subwoofer out is the Connect:Amp, and it can only receive a 2-channel stereo signal. So when configured as surrounds, there is no way to get the '.1' subwoofer channel to the Connect:Amp, because it is already receiving 2 channels for the surrounds.
Thank you. I appreciate the prompt response! It seems like the Connect:Amp may be the way I need to solve both of my use cases (home theater and deck speakers). For what I'm trying to do, it sounds like I'll need two of them. Thank you again!