The best hi-fi loudspeakers were definitely built in the 70s and 80s. There was a large market for high-quality speakers and exclusive design in Europe, the USA and Japan.
I’m a passionate collector of loudspeakers from this period and always enjoy the Audiorama spherical speakers from Grundig, the huge Baron loudspeakers from Electro-Voice or the Bose 901, which even back then followed a similar principle to today’s Sonos Era 300.
Unfortunately, these speakers were neither smart nor did they have multi-room technology. If you still want to integrate your treasures into a Sonos system, the Sonos Amp is an excellent option.
However, the Sonos Amp is not only suitable for the integration of older hi-fi speakers. Other applications include modern, high-quality hi-fi speakers, external, active subwoofers, flush-mounted speakers in ceilings, permanently installed outdoor speakers or professional solutions for restaurants, hotels and stores.
What is Sonos Amp for?
The Sonos Amp is a high-quality hi-fi amplifier with connections for a pair of passive speakers.
Theoretically, four speakers can also be connected to the amp. However, you should make sure that the impedance of your speakers is 8 ohms.
The special feature of the Sonos Amp: Passive speakers from any manufacturer can be integrated into the Sonos system and controlled via the device. The speakers are selected directly via the Sonos app. They can be switched on and off and the volume can be adjusted.
If you want to integrate several pairs of analog speakers in different rooms, you will need several Sonos amp amplifiers.
An analog subwoofer can even be connected via an RCA connection. Here it is important that it is an active subwoofer (in contrast to the loudspeakers). In other words, a subwoofer with an integrated amplifier. The cinch output of the Sonos Amp only outputs the unamplified audio signal.
Sonos Amp in the home theater
The Sonos Amp is also designed for use in home cinemas: The device can be connected to a TV or projector via an HDMI input (eARC).
If desired, the TV signal is automatically played on the connected speakers as soon as it starts.
Unfortunately, the configuration options are limited: Two speakers on the amp can be used for stereo sound and for a subwoofer, but there is no option for a center speaker.
Together with a Sonos soundbar such as the Sonos Arc or the Sonos Beam, the Amp can only control the surround or rear speakers.
The reason: The channels for right and left are already integrated in the Sonos soundbars.
Trueplay with Sonos Amp
With Trueplay tuning, Sonos has created a great way to automatically tune the speakers to the characteristics of the respective room. This basically works very well and creates an audible improvement.
Since different analog speakers can be connected to the Sonos Amp, the Trueplay system only works with restrictions – namely only with passive speakers from Sonance, a subsidiary of Sonos.
In addition, this Trueplay calibration is only possible with an iPhone or iPad from Apple .
Android smartphones have too many different microphones and therefore do not offer sufficient accuracy.
There is now a good selection of Sonos’ own passive speakers for in-wall or outdoor installation: a round speaker for ceiling installation, a rectangular speaker for wall mounting and a waterproof outdoor speaker.
Control of the amp
Of course, the Sonos Amp can primarily be controlled via the Sonos app: Volume, music source, equalizer and much more.
However, a few basic functions can also be set directly on the device. The volume and play/pause can be controlled by tapping the touch buttons on the front.
If you swipe to the right or left over all three buttons, you can skip one track forwards or backwards.
The Sonos Amp offers various options for streaming music or podcasts wirelessly.
The most common method is directly via the Sonos app, where providers such as Spotify, TuneIn or Amazon Music are also integrated.
Audio can be sent directly from Apple devices to the Sonos Amp via AirPlay 2. This has the advantage that you can control several devices, e.g. from the iPhone – even devices that are not from Sonos.
Unfortunately, there is no option to connect a device to the amplifier via Bluetooth. Only the Sonos Move and Roam portable speakers and the newer Sonos Era 100 and 300 have this function.
Sonos Amp: Connections
Unlike other Sonos devices, the Sonos Amp offers many different connections.
In addition to the speaker ports with banana plugs, there is an RCA connection for an active subwoofer and a stereo RCA input.
Turntables, for example, can be connected to this. This has the advantage that external sources can be played back not only via the Sonos Amp but also in the entire Sonos system.
In addition to the HDMI eARC input described above, the amplifier also has two Ethernet connections.
With Sonos, it makes sense to connect one of the devices in the system directly to the router via LAN. A separate wifi is then set up between all Sonos speakers, which results in a much more reliable connection.
Rack-mounted amp
For professional applications or larger houses, several Sonos Amp can be mounted in a classic 19″ rack.
The dimensions are designed so that two amplifiers can be integrated side by side. According to Sonos, the cooling should also be adapted accordingly.
Lars Grudzinski has been working as a sound and lighting technician since the 90s, was a DJ for electronic music, has a large collection of vintage speakers, and has been working for various radio stations in Germany for 20 years. At home, he enjoys high-quality home theater products such as soundbars and projectors and has installed an extensive Sonos system in his own home.