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Multiple Streams Setup

  • 21 February 2018
  • 2 replies
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I'm looking to be able to play different music in 5 different rooms and have them be controlled individually in their respective rooms and centrally from a computer/smart device. Is that something sonos can do?
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Best answer by buzz 21 February 2018, 21:10

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2 replies

Piece of cake.

Players are independent agents that fetch their own music. A controller gives a player a list of things to do. At that point the controller and its hosting device can be shut down. Any controller can control any player and players can (optionally) be part of a "Group". All players in a Group, play the same tracks -- with individual room volume control if you like. Groups can be built or disbanded by any controller. Up to 32 controllers can be simultaneously active. Controllers can be any combination of Phone/Pad/Computer's. Mac/PC/Android/iOS are welcome.

Some users are vexed by the idea that any controller can control any player. This can result in some day one pranks, but since the prank capability is symmetric (If you prank me, there will be a payback), things settle down by day two after a truce is declared by all parties.
If you want to setup a controller that can only control one zone (room), that isn't something Sonos allows you to do. At least not easily. You would have to setup each room as it's own separate system, under separate accounts. This would also mean that you can't do multiroom audio.

In that scenario, your central controller can exist, but you would need to be constantly logging in and out to access each system. Not ideal.

If you're running some sort of business where customers have access to separate rooms, like a BnB, and you don't want customers to be able to change the music in other people's rooms...I don't know that Sonos has a solution for you. If it's your family members or employees, then I think they can learn to co-exist, as buzz suggested.