Sonos!!!

Right. The Connect: Amp is $500 and does not require an amp (it is built in) vs the regular Connect which is $350 and requires an amp (if you are not using sonos speakers). One thing to consider is what outdoor speakers you are using and the ohms they pull. We were unable to use the Connect Amp for our existing outdoor speakers because of the ohms they pulled. We had to use a standalone amp and 2 connects to run two separate zones (patio and pool) outside.


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Depending on where you put the connect amp you may want to get the boost as well.
 
That's good to know. I doubt I will be trying to pull to many Ohms but I will check to make sure. Although its $150 more for the Connect: amp might be what I need. One idea that I wanted to incorporate is that in our living room, we have two surround sound speakers that are built into the ceiling that we have never used. I wanted to plug those into something as well. Would there be a spot to plug those into the sonos amp as well as 2 additional outdoor speakers? It looks like there may be room for 4 speakers on the Connect:amp - which may be what I need. However, I wanted to differentiate them so that I can play different things in the living room and patio or only play music to one. Would I need a separate connect amp for each?
If you can't tell I am still new to the Sonos world having first learned about it last summer when I tried to get our outdoor speaker setup taken care of but suffered paralysis from analysis.
 
That's good to know. I doubt I will be trying to pull to many Ohms but I will check to make sure. Although its $150 more for the Connect: amp might be what I need. One idea that I wanted to incorporate is that in our living room, we have two surround sound speakers that are built into the ceiling that we have never used. I wanted to plug those into something as well. Would there be a spot to plug those into the sonos amp as well as 2 additional outdoor speakers? It looks like there may be room for 4 speakers on the Connect:amp - which may be what I need. However, I wanted to differentiate them so that I can play different things in the living room and patio or only play music to one. Would I need a separate connect amp for each?
If you can't tell I am still new to the Sonos world having first learned about it last summer when I tried to get our outdoor speaker setup taken care of but suffered paralysis from analysis.

When you start adding additional zones is where a standalone amp makes sense. You will need a Connect for each zone plus an amp to power all zones, or a Connect Amp for each zone. We have one good Amp and 3 Connects, one for each zone. The best part is you can group them and control volume individually also. For example, play the same music inside and out while having the inside low volume and outside blasting. And obviously if you have multiple Connects you can play music/audio separately on each. We have had the sports games on the tv and patio speakers (through one zone) with music by the pool (through another zone).

Like I said, it's addicting! Expensive, but worth it.


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And I didn't know much about ohms before I bought my sonos system. It turns out that my outdoor bose patio speakers were 4 ohms and having 4 of them in one zone was too much for a Connect Amp. If we were only doing 2 speakers it would have been fine.


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I have had my system for over 10 years and love it! I had to send a unit back one time after I dropped it and could hear something rattling around inside....I waited 2 years before it caused a problem, then sent it lol. I need to buy two more units and I'll be set!


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That's good to know. I doubt I will be trying to pull to many Ohms but I will check to make sure. Although its $150 more for the Connect: amp might be what I need. One idea that I wanted to incorporate is that in our living room, we have two surround sound speakers that are built into the ceiling that we have never used. I wanted to plug those into something as well. Would there be a spot to plug those into the sonos amp as well as 2 additional outdoor speakers? It looks like there may be room for 4 speakers on the Connect:amp - which may be what I need. However, I wanted to differentiate them so that I can play different things in the living room and patio or only play music to one. Would I need a separate connect amp for each?
If you can't tell I am still new to the Sonos world having first learned about it last summer when I tried to get our outdoor speaker setup taken care of but suffered paralysis from analysis.

Just to clarify, there is only one pair of speaker outputs on a Connect Amp, not two. You will need a separate amp for each set of 2 speakers you want to power and control independently. As grumpie said, it's possible to power two pairs, but you have two issues, they have to be the right ohms, and you will not have control over them as separate zones. You are better off with only 2 speakers per Connect Amp.
 
Just to clarify, there is only one pair of speaker outputs on a Connect Amp, not two. You will need a separate amp for each set of 2 speakers you want to power and control independently. As grumpie said, it's possible to power two pairs, but you have two issues, they have to be the right ohms, and you will not have control over them as separate zones. You are better off with only 2 speakers per Connect Amp.

I see, now. That makes since. I can already hear this getting more expensive... But sounds like it is worth it.
 
Testing...I've tried to reply in this thread, and keep getting timed out. So, if there is about 5 of the same message from me, I apologize to the mod who has to clean it up!

Here is what I was trying to say:

Just to clarify, there is only one pair of speaker outputs on a Connect Amp, not two. You will need a separate amp for each set of 2 speakers you want to power and control independently. As grumpie said, it's possible to power two pairs, but you have two issues, they have to be the right ohms, and you will not have control over them as separate zones. You are better off with only 2 speakers per Connect Amp.

My initial set up is a connect amp, with 4 rock speakers. I've got these strung out along the pool, and I can't imagine when I would want these to not play the same thing on all 4 speakers. I plan to use some play 1's by the spa, and in the outdoor kitchen area (once I build it). My initial thought is to buy a couple extra power cords, and then when I want the full setup out side, it will be easier to move the small speakers between the house, and the pool/patio area. I've also got two additional pre-wired speaker locations near the eaves, that if this isn't "enough", I may add some outdoor speakers, and another connect amp to power them.

If you want to hook up 4 speakers to the connect amp, you just want to make sure both are rated at 8 ohms, and you wire the plus to the plus, and negative to negative on each channel (in parallel), an the amp will see an impedance of 4 ohms. You can spend a pretty penny on speakers, but I found these on clearance at best buy for $60/pair, and they sound pretty decent for $60:

and here is the link I was trying to post: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/insigni...or-speakers-pair-gray/8278124.p?skuId=8278124

They are not audiophile quality, and if you want "banging bass", you should look elsewhere. But if you want just some background music that pair well with the sonos, and can get loud enough to irritate the neighbors, and are cheap enough that when they get rained on, or some critter makes them home, they might be for you.

I have a vision of setting up a temporary projector screen for "dive in" movies when the grandkids are here, and somehow hooking the audio up to these. I think the kids would really like something like that. And that means grandpa will be able to have football in the pool too...;)
 
One benefit to the Bose SA-4: they have Airplay! That means I can hook up my Apple TV to a projector, and then Airplay the audio to the Bose speakers mounted on the house. We did a couple outdoor movies like this last year and it was awesome. Had a neighbor about 4 houses over ask what we were watching! I think this year I'm going to upgrade my screen to the 144" one posted in another thread on here. Up to now I've just been using a king size sheet hung off the railing on my deck.
 
I have a vision of setting up a temporary projector screen for "dive in" movies when the grandkids are here, and somehow hooking the audio up to these. I think the kids would really like something like that. And that means grandpa will be able to have football in the pool too...;)

How were you thinking of accomplishing this? I've also considered this but hadn't found a simple solution. The best I've come up with is to run video to projector from my computer and airplay the computer to the tv - the tv can then connect to the sonos. But it fees like a lot of work.


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How were you thinking of accomplishing this? I've also considered this but hadn't found a simple solution. The best I've come up with is to run video to projector from my computer and airplay the computer to the tv - the tv can then connect to the sonos. But it fees like a lot of work.

I haven't gotten real specific yet, as I've been working on figuring out the landscaping details as well as what I need to do to build the outdoor kitchen. But whatever I do, will be temporary-set it up when you want to use it style, and not be in search of the super duper home theater, 3D sound etc, but rather just having the soundtrack playing outside. Since my planned entertainment is really kids movies, and being able to hear the football games, I think that will be just fine.

I'm thinking I have a couple options. First, my home theater receiver has multiple zones for both audio and video, with zone 2 having an hdmi output as an option. So for there, the easiest, least rube Goldberg-esque cable run is the hdmi cable to a projector, and audio out to the sonos connect amp's input. I've also thought about a TV on a mobile stand, and one of those fancy sonos soundbars. I could then use the TV for the kids to have a dedicated video game screen (selling point for wife approval of "another" tv?) As my mind wanders, maybe even a TV mounted to the patio roof that flips down or something. Definitely more research needed, but those are the little ideas running around in my head for now. I just want to make sure I don't electrocute anyone...LOL...:)

I bet some folks here have a great solution already.
 
also nuvo electronics. this is what i installed throughout my home when i built. i'm using a 16 zone wired grand concerto with a music port, but their new p-line is the same as sonos but you can buy one unit to have multiple zones and sources (up to 3).

my nuvo is 10 years old now and never had an issue. the p-line was designed from the wired system i have.

jim
 
How were you thinking of accomplishing this?

I just wanted to update on my "noodling" for this. I solved the sound portion pretty easily. I just hooked up an old rca audio cable I had laying around between my a/v receiver's zone 2 pre-amp out and my sonos connect amp's line in jacks. Then I spent about 1/2 hour figuring out the less than clear directions to get the sound to the pre-amp out jacks, adjusting the levels, etc. and presto...sound from any of my a/v receivers sources to my sonos system. And, just to make sure it really worked, I zipped on down to the store and got another speaker so I could make sure the grouping worked with this. Which it does, very well!

I'll have to wait a while to solve the video half, but thanks to this cool sonos system (sorry don't mean to sound like a commercial!) I think the hard part is done. And that means the grandkids are going to have a great time at the dive-in this summer...:)
 
Agree 100%. Expensive? Yes. Worth it? Yes. I spread ours out over time and built it over a couple of years. Now, sonos is everywhere and it is great. Totally worth it.
 
The only thing I've ever seen is when they sell two 1s for 350 bucks, which is 50 bucks off. That or use Best Buy discounts and apply them to Sonos products. We got some of Sonos products at 10% using Best Buy discount coupons.
 
I just wanted to update on my "noodling" for this. I solved the sound portion pretty easily. I just hooked up an old rca audio cable I had laying around between my a/v receiver's zone 2 pre-amp out and my sonos connect amp's line in jacks. Then I spent about 1/2 hour figuring out the less than clear directions to get the sound to the pre-amp out jacks, adjusting the levels, etc. and presto...sound from any of my a/v receivers sources to my sonos system. And, just to make sure it really worked, I zipped on down to the store and got another speaker so I could make sure the grouping worked with this. Which it does, very well!

I'll have to wait a while to solve the video half, but thanks to this cool sonos system (sorry don't mean to sound like a commercial!) I think the hard part is done. And that means the grandkids are going to have a great time at the dive-in this summer...:)

Interesting. I'll have to see if this can also be done with the regular Connect. The video is still the tougher part for me. The only 2 solutions I have are:

- Connect video from computer to an Apple TV that is connected as a "line in" to the sonos system. This will require the tv to play the same as the projector.

- run a really long hdmi cable (how long do they make them) from our cable box to the projector and connect my receiver to the Connect like you mentioned (if possible)


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Interesting. I'll have to see if this can also be done with the regular Connect. The video is still the tougher part for me. The only 2 solutions I have are:

- Connect video from computer to an Apple TV that is connected as a "line in" to the sonos system. This will require the tv to play the same as the projector.

- run a really long hdmi cable (how long do they make them) from our cable box to the projector and connect my receiver to the Connect like you mentioned (if possible)


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I just setup a projector using Sonos and the second option you mention ( I used an hdmi audio separator switch since I didn't have a receiver) and it works great. They make long hdmi cables for cheap now.


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