Multi room audio questions / packages

Yep, sounds like I will have a 2-zone system if thats the case.

Do both of your zones still play the same audio / source? Can you turn the two zones on/off within the Sonos app? I use my spotify app more than the Sonos app currently for playback, assuming that will have to change.

Was hoping I could do this with a single WiFi receiver for less than $500, but from what I've found online it seems much more complex than that.

denon's multiroom tech is called "heos". it's supported by some of their receivers and there are also standalone speakers. a single denon receiver will be cheaper than multiple Sonos amps.

sonos is the gold standard but it's expensive. you'll need an amp per each zone.

any receiver can do 2 zone.

We have sonos. House we purchased had speakers in ceiling and on back porch. We have two sonos systems, one works the speakers inside and one for outside speakers. I also have a single sonos speaker in the basement. LOVE the ease of the system.

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Planning on a new build this fall, and wondering what the most user friendly / DIY multi-zone audio set up is. Thinking we will want 2 speakers in living room, 2 speakers outside, and potentially 2 speakers in master bedroom (3 zones max - may nix the master bedroom zone).

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My house is similar. We have kitchen, living room(2 sets), bedroom and patio. I almost never use the living room, and did not bother connecting bedroom(would never use it).

What works great for me is a normal receiver with a speaker switch, then run through Chromecast audio. Our switch normally stays on kitchen/patio because we spend more time cooking/hanging out on patio than anything else other than sleeping. The only improvement I would actually use is possibly a remote controlled speaker switch, but even then, the patio/kitchen combo would be used 95% of the time anyway.

I am going to have to pass on that one. I always handle TV audio with soundbars.

Anything is possible. It’s just a matter of budget.

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For my education, what could I use that would allow me to have audio in my great room and patio, with the option to have the tv for each one linked to the audio system? I'd like to be able to listen to both tvs separately at the same time (one in great room and one on the outside patio).

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Could be done with Sonos depending on how it’s all setup.

What is your video source of choice? Just one source or multi?

What is the plan for all your gear, central closet or more like behind the TVs?

You can run tv audio into a sonos amp and have it as a option. You can also run Video over cat 6 cable if the run is too far for an HDMI cable. I would use an HDMI cable if at all possible if not it is still possible With network cable.

Say you have a central location with your sonos amps and Apple TV’s. Speaker wire runs to your speaker locations. Apple TV plugs into sonos amp. Then you send the video to tvs over something calle HDBase-T over network cables. That will introduce some sound delay situation but I think there are adjustments within sonos.

I haven’t done this because I’m not trying to play tv audio through the speakers on my sonos amps. My Den just has a full blown HT system and I use a sonos port to ties that system into the whole house.

You can also play TV audio on one sonos amp and then group all your other sonos devices with it and have whole house tv sound.

I’m a sonos fan. It’s simple. My wife and kid can use it without my help, that’s how I gauge it

I have 8 amps, 2 sound bars, and a few subs but im about to revamp it all. May tie a patio tv into the patio amp.

Also my sub has been outside for 7 years on my porch and is still kicking. Wireless so you can tuck it away. Put a plug in the ceiling and make a shelf for a sub out of the way. Put it on a light switch so you can reset without a ladder.

I also have a sub on top of my cabinets in the kitchen with a plug I put up there. Makes a marked difference in sound.

Current situation but I’m in the beginnings of taking it apart, updating to new sonos amps, and putting it in a shorter cabinet pushed back under the stairs more.

OP if you still have your sonos stuff you can get a 15-30% coupon from sonos for a upgrade (can spend on any product) AND you get to keep your old sonos gear. I have a bunch of connect amps im swapping for amps and I got 30% off the new and im going to sell off the old to help reduce cost even more.

From a simplicity standpoint Sonos is tGoat IMO. It is pricy but you get what you pay for IMO.

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distance is only restricted by the Wi-Fi range correc

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Essentially, yes. But current Gen Sonos amps (and I think yours, too) have 2x gigabit nics. So you can plug up 8 amps to one switch port and won’t sniff saturating the bandwidth. So if you’re willing to run Cat6 for hdbaseT, I’d assume you’re willing or equipped to do it this way, too. But you don’t need to. The wifi way will work fine assuming it’s reliable. My point was basically: unless you’re replicating the HDMI out from a streaming box and simply using one streaming box per TV as the only source, all the popular ones can fit neatly on the back of a TV with a $10-20 mount and make way more sense than an additional costly system to maintain, and it will be a lot more reliable.


I go back and forth on both Sonos and apple products frequently. But if someone is willing to pay for a dealer-only system but really just scratches the surface of capabilities (switch between TV and audio from Sonos app/airplay per zone, stream everything in Apple TV) they’ll actually save money without being too upset at the function.


But if you want anything more than that, even two sources of video per zone, it rapidly becomes much more complicated.