Allow us to aid you get probably the most out of your Sonos audio system
Estimated studying time: 12 minutes
Sonos is on the offensive, keeping off the ever-growing wave of good audio system which might be vying for our residing rooms, bedrooms and kitchens. However Sonos remains to be a pacesetter in dwelling audio, providing among the greatest sounding audio system within the recreation – and an awesome multi-speaker setup; and there are a lot of nooks and crannies to discover.
Beneath, we’ve rounded up some nice Sonos ideas and tips (and secrets and techniques) for mastering your Sonos audio system, from the Sonos Period 100 good speaker to the Sonos Transfer 2 and each Sonos speaker in between.
Be taught these, and also you’ll be an unstoppable drive of multi-room energy. In the event you’ve downloaded the brand new Sonos app replace and also you want some further ideas, we have now a separate characteristic particularly concentrating on the brand new app and its quirks.
Take time for Trueplay
Apple’s iOS customers have a little bit of an unfair benefit over those that worship on the altar of Android. Sonos’ Trueplay characteristic is barely obtainable for the Apple cohort and permits customers to calibrate their audio system to the room – though the brand new Sonos Period 100 and Sonos Period 300 do have a slimmed down model of Trueplay for Android customers.
Trueplay makes use of the microphone on the iPhone or iPad to check how sound bounces off partitions, furnishings and different objects, tweaking the acoustic manufacturing of the speaker so it’s performing the very best it will probably relying on the place it’s. Sonos will recommend you do that throughout setup and we totally advocate you do.
Learn these: The way to use Sonos with Alexa | The way to use Sonos with Google Assistant
In the event you didn’t set this up initially, head into the Sonos app, choose the settings cog within the prime proper nook then select the speaker you wish to tune. Faucet on Trueplay from the listing of choices for that speaker. You’ll must do every speaker individually.
The excellent news is that among the newer Sonos audio system, such because the Period 100 convey an added benefit to the tech with Fast Tune, giving the choice to make use of the built-in mics on the speaker to do the tuning moderately than requiring Android customers to borrow an iOS system. It isn’t as superior as utilizing the microphones on an iOS system however it’ll assist somewhat when you can’t get entry to an iOS system.
Minimize all of the wires (when you can’t, get a Increase)
It was necessary to have a Sonos Bridge related to your router, which the remainder of your audio system would wirelessly hook up with. However lately all the pieces can join direct to the Wi-Fi, no must tangle your self in any cables.
That mentioned, if your private home is rather less modest than most – otherwise you simply have poor Wi-Fi – you would possibly discover the sign getting misplaced. In that case, we advocate choosing up a Sonos Increase, which plugs proper into the router and creates a devoted community on your Sonos audio system – which was known as a SonosNet community.
The Sonos Increase mainly the brand new model of the Bridge, and may hold that connection operating easily. In case your price range doesn’t fairly stretch to a Increase, you possibly can simply plug any of your Sonos audio system into your router utilizing Ethernet to present your system a communication increase.
That mentioned, Sonos is shifting away from SonosNet setups; newer audio system such because the Sonos Period 100 and Period 300 gained’t be part of your SonosNet community. It is because Sonos sees trendy Wi-Fi options within the dwelling, similar to mesh methods, fixing bandwidth points that beforehand existed.
iPhone customers, AirPlay is your pal
Approach again in 2019 Apple rolled out AirPlay 2, which means iOS customers have a better means for streaming music and grouping Sonos audio system. In the event you’re an Apple Music subscriber, it additionally means you possibly can ask Siri to play songs in your Sonos system.
Learn this: The most effective AirPlay 2 audio system
The Sonos app is healthier than it was (regardless of its redesign in Could 2024), however the iPhone homeowners of Crew Ambient hardly ever discover themselves opening it lately.
AirPlay is tremendous straightforward to make use of, letting you select the audio system you wish to play on, and means you possibly can stream out of your music service of selection.
Principally all Sonos audio system from about 2019 onwards have AirPlay abilities inbuilt, together with: Amp, Arc, Arc SL, Beam (each gens), Period 100, Period 300, 5, Transfer (each gens), One (each gens), One SL, Play:5 (2nd-gen), Playbase, Port, Ray, Roam, Roam SL, Ikea Symfonisk (all fashions).
No AirPlay 2 assist? Piggyback one other speaker
If, nonetheless, you personal an older Sonos speaker, you possibly can nonetheless use AirPlay 2 as long as you have got no less than one supported mannequin.
To do that, you simply must group your older speaker(s) with the AirPlay-friendly mannequin, so that you’re primarily piggybacking off its AirPlay connection. Simply faucet on the speaker icon within the mini Now Taking part in card on the backside of the Sonos app and choose the audio system you wish to group collectively. They’re grouped when they’re ticked in yellow. Be sure you hit ‘Apply’ when you have got completed grouping.
Create pre-set groupings
Probably the greatest new options of the Sonos S2 system is the power so as to add audio system collectively in pre-set teams, that seem as choices when selecting the place to playback your music.
For instance, you could possibly have a gaggle known as ‘KitchenDiner’ with all of your kitchen and eating room audio system are grouped collectively, or one known as ‘Dinner Occasion’ for these occasions you need music in each the eating room and lounge. To do that, faucet on the settings cog within the prime proper nook of the app and faucet on ‘Handle’ subsequent to Your System. From right here, you’ll want to pick out ‘Group’ from the menu and ‘Create Group’ to pick out your pre-set group.
Or simply stream from Spotify or Tidal
AirPlay 2 means that you can stream from the iOS Management Panel, however you can too stream from different third-party apps. Spotify and Tidal each supply this characteristic.
Within the Spotify app, hit the Units Out there button within the Now Taking part in part to pick out your Sonos audio system. In Tidal, faucet the Solid button and select the rooms you need it to play in.
Join your current Hello-Fi system
In the event you already personal a Hello-Fi system and don’t wish to cease utilizing it for Sonos, the excellent news is which you can make it a part of the Sonos household.
However to take action you’ll want to purchase a Sonos Port and hyperlink it to an current stereo or receiver, or a Sonos Amp if you wish to hook up particular person audio system.
Alter the EQ
Trueplay is an effective way to calibrate your Sonos system to the room, however you possibly can additional alter the EQ steadiness of every particular person speaker.
Faucet the settings cog within the prime proper nook, select the speaker you wish to tweak the audio settings for.
Faucet EQ (below Sound), then slide the Bass and Treble bars to your preferences.
Mute any Sonos speaker
Every Sonos speaker has a play/pause button on it, however do you know you possibly can long-press on it to mute the speaker?
Now you do. Notice that, when you’re taking part in music by a number of audio system, you’ll solely mute the one you’ve pressed on.
Create a stereo or encompass sound setup
If in case you have a pair of the identical Sonos audio system, you possibly can create a stereo setup to separate the audio into left and proper channels.
For many, the apparent possibility is to decide on a ‘cheaper’ Sonos speaker similar to Ones, Period 100s or Symfonisk bookshelf audio system, however you possibly can mainly pair any similar audio system up for the duty.
The likes of the Play:3, Play:5 and 5 audio system can sit vertically or horizontally, and also you’ll wish to ensure they’re oriented the identical.
Then go into the Sonos app and faucet on the settings cog within the prime proper nook. Choose one of many audio system you want to pair and choose Arrange Stereo Pair.
Need the complete encompass sound setup? For this you’ll want to attach aBeam, Arc, Arc Extremely, Ray, Playbar or Playbase to a pair of Sonos bookshelf audio system.
It’s also possible to do it when you’re utilizing an Amp / Port to energy two non-Sonos audio system. Head into Settings as above, however this time it is advisable choose the room the audio system are in and hit Arrange Surrounds.
Use the sleep options
You already know that feeling once you’re out in public, hear another person’s cellphone ring, recognise it as your morning alarm sound, and are immediately hit with a jolt of rage? Yeah, us too. So why not attempt one thing new? Sonos has a cool alarm characteristic.
Within the Sonos app, head to the settings cog and faucet on ‘Handle‘ subsequent to Your System. Scroll all the way down to Alarms, hit Add Alarm. You’ll be capable of select your wake-up music, the rooms you need it to play in, the quantity, snooze period and the way frequent you need it to be. When the alarm goes off you’ll get a notification in your cellphone, which you should use to change it off.
…and the alarm
In addition to the alarm characteristic, there’s a sleep timer that may robotically flip off your music after a specified time – excellent when you like to go to sleep listening to music or podcasts. To allow this, faucet the three dots part from the Now Taking part in display screen and faucet Sleep Timer.
Cease Alexa or the Google Assistant from listening
On most of the newer Sonos audio system Alexa or the Google Assistant can reside on board for for music and good dwelling management. Helpful, however there is perhaps occasions once you don’t need Amazon’s assistant to be listening out for directives.
For a fast technique to mute your chosen voice assistant, simply faucet the mic icon on the speaker itself. If the sunshine is on, Alexa or the Assistant is listening; if it’s off, it gained’t be capable of hear you. Faucet it once more to show the ears again on.
Get clearer audio…on the Arc Extremely
This one is specifically for the Sonos Arc Extremely, which is the flagship soundbar from the corporate. We’ve some particular ideas in a separate characteristic, however among the finest ones is adjusting the extent of the Speech Enhancement characteristic for clearer audio. You might want to go into the Arc Extremely’s system settings, however when you’re there, you possibly can select between Low, Medium and Excessive. In the event you get caught, we have now a separate tips on how to characteristic on altering the Speech Enhancement degree.
Beforehand, when you had, say, an Echo Spot in your bed room together with a Sonos Period 100 and also you needed to take heed to some music, you’d should say one thing like, “Alexa, play The Spin Docs, within the bed room.”
Now you can ditch that further bit, and easily say, “Alexa, play The Spin Docs,” with the output coming immediately from the Sonos speaker. To do that you simply must group the Sonos speaker to an Echo system within the Alexa app and set it as the popular system.
Sonos Radio isn’t meant to switch the likes of TuneIn however as an alternative streamline the radio curation course of and open up new listening alternatives.
In addition to the 60,000+ radio stations that the brand new platform can browse, there are preset stations – R&B Collective, Blues Masters, Rock Street Journey – and the like, in addition to Sonos’ reply to Apple’s Beats Radio: Sonos Sound System – described as a “signature ad-free station, curated and hosted by the Sonos staff.
Use Alexa / GA and Siri collectively
You should use Siri with Sonos however, identical to with the HomePod, the assistant may be very a lot locked in with Apple’s companies. So when you’re an Apple Music subscriber, Apple Podcasts consumer, or have a good iTunes catalogue, Siri can management playback on these – in any other case, you’ll want to make use of Alexa or the Google Assistant.
All that mentioned, do you know that these two assistants can work collectively? In the event you begin taking part in music with Alexa, you should use Siri to pause/play, skip observe and rewind, even when you’re taking part in from Spotify, Tidal or one other third-party service.
This works when you’re talking to Siri on the HomePod, which may hook up with different Sonos audio system through AirPlay 2. Oh, and this works vice-versa: when you’ve got a HomePod related to the group, and ask Alexa on the Sonos One to skip observe, it’ll achieve this on the HomePod too.
Good when everybody simply will get alongside, huh?
Vinyl is again – and Sonos customers don’t should be ignored. The Transfer 2, Period 300, 5 and Play:5 all have a line-in, so you possibly can immediately join the turntable audio that means.
If you wish to hook up with different Sonos audio system, you’ll want to attach your turntable to a Sonos Port or Amp.
If in case you have an Amazon Music Limitless plan then you possibly can take heed to each 24-bit Extremely HD and Dolby Atmos Music Tracks. Amazon has truly created a few helpful playlists to get you began.
The Extremely HD one options 27 songs from the likes of Radiohead, Beck and Little Simz; and the Dolby Atmos playlist has 17 tracks from artists together with Dua Lipa, The Beatles and Taylor Swift.
It’s also possible to play Apple Music spatial audio by the Sonos Period 300, Sonos Arc, and Arc Extremely as properly.
Make the improve bounce
Not a lot a tip, however a warning; all of the following pointers above are based mostly on the Sonos S2 app and system.
You could have already upgraded your Sonos system however, when you haven’t, it is advisable bear in mind that it is advisable make an enormous determination.
Again in Could 2020, Sonos stopped updating ‘legacy merchandise’. This listing consists of unique Zone Gamers, Join, and Join:Amp, the first-generation Play:5, the CR200 and the Sonos Bridge.
As such, customers should select between the S1 (outdated) and S2 (new) methods.
