Trying to Use Sonos Amp for Record Player AND Rear Surrounds

  • 20 November 2019
  • 13 replies
  • 1041 views
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Here’s my proposed configuration:

  1. Sonos Playbar (wireless)
  2. Sonos Sub (wireless)
  3. Sonos Amp (could be hardwired to Ethernet, or wireless)
  4. Record Player (Pro-Ject)
  5. Two Unpowered Bookshelf Speakers

I’m trying to figure out what I need to do the following:

  1. Use record player with unpowered bookshelf speakers
  2. Use unpowered bookshelf speakers as rear surrounds for Dolby 5.1, in conjuction with Sonos Playbar and Sonos Sub

Is it even possible to have the above hooked up at the same time? Would I need two Amps in theory, assuming I wanted to have the option to stream the record player via Sonos?

I don’t have the option to hardwire my Playbar to Ethernet or the Amp.

Any advise would be greatly appreciated.

 

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13 replies

melvimbe

Unfortunately, when bonded to power surround speakers, the aux input on the Amp is turned off. You can’t do both of these functions at the same time.  You could use 2 amps, or an Amp  and a Port, where the Port’s aux input is used with the record player.  You can then group the Port “room” with your 5.1 setup to play audio from the turntable.

Danny
M
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As melvimbe already stated, the line-in is disabled when the Amp is in a surround setting. 

 

Here is the Sonos support article explaining it. Setting up an Amp or Connect:Amp as surround speakers.

  • The Subwoofer output and Line-In connections are disabled when using the Amp or Connect:Amp in a TV surround configuration.
B
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Thanks melvinbe and misfit.

Just so I understand, the Amp being able to power the rear surrounds for 5.1 without hardwiring the Playbar to router or older Connect:Amp is a new-ish feature? I seem to remember this not being available in the past, even when the Amp first came out (or maybe it just wasn’t widely understood immediately).

I have no option to connect my Playbar to anything, but really want to get my existing speakers working for rears.

Assuming no issue with the above, is it recommended (or even doable) to connect the same bookshelf speakers to an Amp AND my existing (unmentioned above) Sonos Connect (which I currently use for my record player output)? I assume I’d have to splice them, or run them into a splitter of some sort.

J

Hi. The new Amp has never needed any Ethernet connection. If I understand the situation correctly there is no need to splice or split anything. The line in on the Connect can be a source for any Sonos component,  including the Amp and/or Playbar 

B
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Hi John B,

I meant if I wanted to use the same bookshelf speakers as rear surrounds AND for my record player.

melvimbe

Hi John B,

I meant if I wanted to use the same bookshelf speakers as rear surrounds AND for my record player.

 

You would need a speaker switch of sort to do that, but as @John B was mentioning, it’s not necessary.  You can setup the Connect:amp with no speakers attached, jut the turntable, then group your Connect:amp room with your playbar+Sonos amp room.  When configured with full audio, you’ll hear the audio through the playbar and your rear bookshelf speakers.

Danny
B
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Thanks everyone. Makes sense.

My only concern is losing analog for my record player when going this route. Maybe not a huge issue, will need to see how it sounds.

Any Sonos settings re: compression I can configure to account for this?

M
Userlevel 5
Badge +13

Thanks melvinbe and misfit.

Just so I understand, the Amp being able to power the rear surrounds for 5.1 without hardwiring the Playbar to router or older Connect:Amp is a new-ish feature? I seem to remember this not being available in the past, even when the Amp first came out (or maybe it just wasn’t widely understood immediately).

 

 

Correct. With the Sonos Amp, you can use it wirelessly as surrounds. Unlike the Connect:Amp where you needed to be in Sonosnet as well as have a hardwired connection from the Playbar and Connect:Amp either to each other, or the same router/switch. 

 

I have no option to connect my Playbar to anything, but really want to get my existing speakers working for rears.

You can use the Amp to do that. 

Assuming no issue with the above, is it recommended (or even doable) to connect the same bookshelf speakers to an Amp AND my existing (unmentioned above) Sonos Connect (which I currently use for my record player output)? I assume I’d have to splice them, or run them into a splitter of some sort.

Not recommended. 

Personally, what I would recommend is just set up the Amp with the speakers as surrounds. You can still listen to your turntable through the Playbar+Amp as surrounds using your Connect. Start spinning your record, and have the Connect play from the Line in. From there select the Playbar room within the app, and then go to Browse. You will have an option for Line-In and you can select the audio component/Connect. That will then send the signal wirelessly to your Playbar with the Amp as surrounds. 

 

I do this in my setup at home. 

I have a Beam with Sonos Ones as surrounds, and a Connect out in the living room. If I play my turntable, it goes through my receiver and into my Connect. From there I can have my bedroom or any other room play from the Connect’s line-in wirelessly. It actually scared the crap out of me one day when my roommate started playing a record and I heard this weird static noise. Next thing I know I had different music playing than what I was previously listening to. Totally forgot I had auto-play from line in set up in my bedroom, ha ha.

 

M
Userlevel 5
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Thanks everyone. Makes sense.

My only concern is losing analog for my record player when going this route. Maybe not a huge issue, will need to see how it sounds.

Any Sonos settings re: compression I can configure to account for this?

 

Honestly vinyl sounds great through Sonos. 

 

Compression settings really depend on your network and how many rooms you are trying to play to at one time. Try uncompressed first, if you have any audio issues like skipping during playback, change it to compressed. You wont notice a huge difference. 

B
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Thanks!! This has been extremely helpful.

Final question @Misfit - in this configuration I’ll be now playing my records through (at least, not including other rooms) my two bookshelf speakers PLUS the playbar and sub.

Any thoughts on this change from simple stereo left/right output, to playbar plus surrounds/sub?

I assume I cannot play to JUST the surrounds as left/right stereo pair without reconfiguring sonos. 

 

J

Deleted

melvimbe

Thanks!! This has been extremely helpful.

Final question @Misfit - in this configuration I’ll be now playing my records through (at least, not including other rooms) my two bookshelf speakers PLUS the playbar and sub.

Any thoughts on this change from simple stereo left/right output, to playbar plus surrounds/sub?

I assume I cannot play to JUST the surrounds as left/right stereo pair without reconfiguring sonos. 

 

 

Correct that you cannot play audio through just the surround speakers.  If your asking whether it sounds good to play audio through playbar+surrounds+sub vs a traditional stereo pair...it’s a judgement call.  I like it both ways just fine.

 

On the other point though, if you setup your turntable with the Connect, you can play it to any Sonos room in the house, not just your playbar+surrounds+sub setup.  So if you have a pair of Sonos Ones in the bedroom, you can play there too.

Danny
M
Userlevel 5
Badge +13

Thanks!! This has been extremely helpful.

Final question @Misfit - in this configuration I’ll be now playing my records through (at least, not including other rooms) my two bookshelf speakers PLUS the playbar and sub.

 

So you will most likely want to use compressed for the audio compression settings, but again that’s really only if you experiencing audio skips/cutouts. Test in both configurations and see what works best. 

 

Any thoughts on this change from simple stereo left/right output, to playbar plus surrounds/sub?

I assume I cannot play to JUST the surrounds as left/right stereo pair without reconfiguring sonos. 

 

Correct. You can make the surrounds louder during music playback though. 

 

Go into your surround settings by tapping on Settings - System - (Room with the Playbar in it) - Surround Audio

I may be mistaken on the actual verbiage for the Surround Audio section, but you will see it within the room. Regardless…

Increase the surround audio level for music playback, and make sure you set it from ambient to full. That way the surrounds will be more predominant during audio playback. Here is the support article on Troubleshooting low audio from surround speakers. At the bottom it talks about music playback.

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