AirPlay 2 Coming to Sonos Speakers in July

[rbf1138]

That should be a built in functionality of AirPlay 2, yes.

Seems to good to be true Being able to use Airplay 2 in place of a Connect just seems crazy considering how Sonos typically operates but I'll take it if this is in fact true. I just wonder how this will work because the Apple TV is not going to show up in the Sonos app to create a group.

 

[tzm41]

Seems to good to be true Being able to use Airplay 2 in place of a Connect just seems crazy considering how Sonos typically operates but I'll take it if this is in fact true. I just wonder how this will work because the Apple TV is not going to show up in the Sonos app to create a group.

Not in the Sonos app, but you could select multiple outputs at the same time using the system output picker.

 

[Mikey44]

Seems to good to be true Being able to use Airplay 2 in place of a Connect just seems crazy considering how Sonos typically operates but I'll take it if this is in fact true. I just wonder how this will work because the Apple TV is not going to show up in the Sonos app to create a group.

I don't think you'll be creating a group within the Sonos App. Airplay 2 allows the Sonos speakers to be used outside of the Sonos app itself, which is kind of the whole point.

 

[rbf1138]

I don't think you'll be creating a group within the Sonos App. Airplay 2 allows the Sonos speakers to be used outside of the Sonos app itself, which is kind of the whole point.

Ok, cool. So anything I output via my iPhone or Macbook to the apple TV will play out of both the receiver and speakers it's hooked up to, plus all my Sonos speakers. This will be so damn great.

 

[ValO]

A shame about the beam, I was hoping for a better HDMI connected Playbar , now it is audio wise a watered down and cheaper version. Really a shame.

 

[vipergts2207]

Ok, cool. So anything I output via my iPhone or Macbook to the apple TV will play out of both the receiver and speakers it's hooked up to, plus all my Sonos speakers. This will be so damn great.

That’s why everyone was complaining about AP2’s yearlong delay. Whole-home audio without being stuck with Sonos or any other individual manufacturer.

 

[Scott6666]

So I can buy 2 of the newer Sonos One's and pair each with my older Play 1's and get Airplay 2 on the older unsupported Play 1's??? That is AWESOME!

If I remember correctly you have to pair a One with another One won’t pair with a Play:1

 

[ValO]

But if I have a Sonos beam, and a Sonos SUB , and 2homepods stereo paired, I would be able to play everything simultaneously?
Or if I have an Apple tv4k hooked up to my tv by HDMI and through arc to the Sonos beam, and I have 2 homepods, I can watch a movie on my Apple TV 4K and have sound outputted to the Sonos beam through HDMI , firing up a the Sonos SUB and airplay to the homepods at the same time?

What I actually needed was an Apple homebar, barpod, Apple tv bar or something like that with HDMI in, and 2 homepods to make a home theater system. That is what i would have loved.

The HomePod with its multidirectional sound would be a lovely Atmos speaker.

 

[kurticus]

Bose? (crickets)

Yes....exactly! Crickets from Bose, so frustrating.

I have been holding off on purchasing additional Bose products until we know, ACTUALLY know, what their plan is. Bose has said their current generation of Soundtouch products will be updated to support Airplay 2. But . . . when? If? Which specific products?

I still have two stand-alone Airplay speakers, a Sony SANS500 (looks like a black volcano) and a Logitech UE Air speaker. They've worked great for multi-room streaming using iTunes on a Mac for years. But they are old, neither company provides any updates to them, so it's time to modernize. Sonos and Bose I think have this market from a sound quality and design standpoint.

I got a Bose Soundtouch 300 last year and have been happy with it for our use. But until Bose ****s or gets off the pot with Airplay 2 - no more money from me for Bose. If I have to go Sonos, I will. But would rather keep the same product family - provided it supports Airplay 2.

The Apple HomePod is tempting - I really like that the sound quality is a step forward - but the price vs. features hasn't won me over yet.

So I gotta give Sonos credit where it is due. Good for them for actually responding in a timely manner to Airplay 2 and giving their customers a clear road map of their product support.

 

[blacktape242]

outstanding!

 

[bodonnell202]

If they can connect a current model with the old to allow airplay2 , why not provide a bridge replacement to allow old speakers to work?

If I understand it correctly, if none of your current Sonos speakers support Airplay 2, adding just a single Sonos One to your home will effectively make all your Sonos speakers work with Airplay 2. Sounds like a fairly cost effective way to upgrade your Sonos system without having to replace everything.

 

[DotCom2]

If I understand it correctly, if none of your current Sonos speakers support Airplay 2, adding just a single Sonos One to your home will effectively make all your Sonos speakers work with Airplay 2. Sounds like a fairly cost effective way to upgrade your Sonos system without having to replace everything.

Except you can't make them Stereo as was explained to me a few posts up.

 

[bodonnell202]

Except you can't make them Stereo as was explained to me a few posts up.

True, you need identical Sonos speakers to make a stereo pair, so you would have to purchase 2 Sonos Ones to make it a stereo pair.

 

[icanhazapple]

If they can connect a current model with the old to allow airplay2 , why not provide a bridge replacement to allow old speakers to work?

I had the exact same thought. How is the implementation they describe supposed to work exactly? All I'm looking for is a wifi connected dongle like a Chromecast Audio that is cheap (<$50) and I connect my current speakers with.
[doublepost=1528311095][/doublepost]

If I understand it correctly, if none of your current Sonos speakers support Airplay 2, adding just a single Sonos One to your home will effectively make all your Sonos speakers work with Airplay 2. Sounds like a fairly cost effective way to upgrade your Sonos system without having to replace everything.

I'd like to know how they're doing this. Do they have a wifi chipset that creates a 'shadow' wireless network where only the Sonos devices communicate/aggregate music to the other speakers? It almost sounds too good to be true.

 

[brilliantthings]

Has anyone found a video of today's Sonos Airplay 2 demo?

 

[Cashmonee]

If I understand it correctly, if none of your current Sonos speakers support Airplay 2, adding just a single Sonos One to your home will effectively make all your Sonos speakers work with Airplay 2. Sounds like a fairly cost effective way to upgrade your Sonos system without having to replace everything.

This is not exactly true. Only speaker groups. So, if you have a Play:1 in every room, you can go out and by a One and gain AirPlay 2 support, but only if they are all one single group. You still won't be able to use AirPlay 2 to play something in Bedroom 1 and Bedroom 2 if there is not an AirPlay 2 speaker in that group.

 

[bodonnell202]

I had the exact same thought. How is the implementation they describe supposed to work exactly? All I'm looking for is a wifi connected dongle like a Chromecast Audio that is cheap (<$50) and I connect my current speakers with.
[doublepost=1528311095][/doublepost]

I'd like to know how they're doing this. Do they have a wifi chipset that creates a 'shadow' wireless network where only the Sonos devices communicate/aggregate music to the other speakers? It almost sounds too good to be true.

Actually yes - they don't really advertise it anymore, but Sonos speakers speakers have always made their own "mesh" wireless network.
[doublepost=1528313968][/doublepost]

This is not exactly true. Only speaker groups. So, if you have a Play:1 in every room, you can go out and by a One and gain AirPlay 2 support, but only if they are all one single group. You still won't be able to use AirPlay 2 to play something in Bedroom 1 and Bedroom 2 if there is not an AirPlay 2 speaker in that group.

Good to know. I guess that makes sense. I suppose if I sold my Play 1s (it looks like they retain their value very well) and bought Ones the upgrade cost still wouldn't be much...

Then again, since we use our Sonos speakers to listen to music (using Apple Music or other apps through the Sonos app) and for surround sound while watching TV/movies I don't know that Airplay 2 support would really add much?

 

[rbf1138]

This is not exactly true. Only speaker groups. So, if you have a Play:1 in every room, you can go out and by a One and gain AirPlay 2 support, but only if they are all one single group. You still won't be able to use AirPlay 2 to play something in Bedroom 1 and Bedroom 2 if there is not an AirPlay 2 speaker in that group.

You can always just mute the speakers in the group you don't want the music played to.

 

[Cashmonee]

You can always just mute the speakers in the group you don't want the music played to.

That is obviously less than ideal. And honestly, I appreciate Sonos trying to bring along the old speakers. I think what they are doing is actually a good thing and the best they could do with old tech.

 

[atikalz]

So I admit I'm a being a bit slow here, but what will AirPlay2 support allow me to do with my Sonos that I can't do with the Sonos App?

Stream from apps that do not support sonos

 

[Jason_G]

Hi,

Stupid question:

Will Sonos Connect & Sonos Amp support Airplay 2 and therefore indirectly Siri?

I have the above, currently connected to a Yamaha amp which has Kef speakers connected to it.

Am I likely to benefit in any way with this new announcement?

Cheers
[doublepost=1528316288][/doublepost]

Hi,

Stupid question:

Will Sonos Connect & Sonos Amp support Airplay 2 and therefore indirectly Siri?

I have the above, currently connected to a Yamaha amp which has Kef speakers connected to it.

Am I likely to benefit in any way with this new announcement?

Cheers

I'm also hoping the Yamaha amp eventually supports Airplay 2 itself too

 

[truthTeller99]

I'm just waiting for the complaints.
"It was promised a year ago!!!"
"Its stupid!!!"
"Apple was better when Steve was here!!!"
"Where's AirPower!!!"
"Where's the new MBPs!!!"
So predictable

Ironic that the first complaint was your post complaining about complainers.

 

[iMerik]

If they can connect a current model with the old to allow airplay2 , why not provide a bridge replacement to allow old speakers to work?

This is exactly what I want.

 

[Kognito]

Ah, this is awesome. I was afraid that Sonos would drag this out with a "Coming Soon" banner until the end of time, so it's nice to see them putting a date on it. Sure am glad I bought the One over waiting for the HomePod.

 

[macmyworld]

Apple should have bought Sonos and never made the HomePod. Granted that would require Apple to open the ecosystem. Airplay2 for Sonia does nothing for me. Tried the HomePod, went back to Sonos. All is good.