Amazon.com: Customer reviews: Sonos Amp - The Versatile Amplifier for Powering All Your Entertainment

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 8, 2023

The SONOS Amp will provide me sound for outdoor music and an outdoor TV under new screened porch. I will be switching to ethernet cable to SONOS Amp since wifi is cutting out occassionally thus losing SONOS Amp remote control interface with SONOS App but surprisingly music continues. Ultimately I will have 6 pairs of wired passive outdoor speakers surrounding pool, firepit, and under the porch. Rather than purchasing separate SONOS Amps for each pair of wired speakers. I will connect the speakers through a Niles SSVC-6 6 pair speaker selector with separete on/off and volume control for each pair. Currently I am testing with 2 speaker pairs and sound quality is great. I don't play loud music. I like the volume at about 3/4 full on Niles speaker selector and SONOS at about 80% for listening to 1 speaker pair under 26'x 16' outdoor screened porch. When I added a second pair of speakers through Niles selector I did not detect sound level dropping off of 1st pair.

When I add other speakers I will set the volume control on the selector switch at desirable levels for each separate zone. After that I can turn off any zone from the selector switch without changing volume setting for that zone. Thereafter volume will be controlled by the SONOS Amp for all zones simultaneously with tweaking volume for each zone by the NIles selector switch or turning them on and off by the selector switch convenienlty located and protected from the elements under the screened porch in a cabinet.

The SONOS Amp works well with multiple music streaming services like Amazon Music and Spotify. The Iphone SONOS app serves as the remote control. Music is streamed over wifi or ethernet directly from router to the SONOS Amp. Music is not streamed from phone so you can take phone calls with sound through phone while music still plays through SONOS Amp.

Another reason I purchased the SONOS Amp is so that TV sound would be immediatly played through external speakers through the SONOS Amp when the TV is turned on. This is possible because the SONOS Amp has an HDMI ARC connection to the TVs HDMI ARC port. I can also choose to play music on the SONOS Amp to the external speakers and let the TV play sound through its own speaker.

By using the Niles speaker selector switch, I can listen to the TV sound or music in all the speaker zones or choose which ones with the selector switch on/off buttons. However, I can't play the TV through one zone and music through others with the selector switch. I would have to use the TV speakers for the sound on the porch while listenting to music around the pool throught the SONOS Amp.

If I wanted to play TV sound through my external porch speakers while playing music through my pool speakers, I would need to purchase a second SONOS Amp connected to the porch external speakers directly without going through the Niles Speaker Selector box. I don't know however, if when I played music through the two SONOS Amps whether there would be sound delay for the sound going to the pool speakers through the Niles Speaker Selector and sound going to the porch speakers directly from the 2nd SONOS Amp. However, at this time I have no desire to do this so connecting one SONOS Amp to the Niles Selector Switch which will be connected to my 6 pair of external speakers surrounding the pool, fire pit and screen porch meets my needs and easy to control.

Also by not spending extra money on multiple SONOS Amps I am putting money into high quality outdoor speakers. I just purchased a pair of Paradigm 470 outdoor speakers with 7 1/2 inch woofers for the TV surround sound under my porch. The SONOS Amp provides a very good simulated center channel when playing these two speakers through my Niles Selector Switch.

I also have an existing pair of Klipsch 650 rock speakers with excellent sound that replaced a pair of Bose Freespace 51 speakers that were also excellent but didn't survived the cold and rainy weather over many years and lost their base and clarity of sound. l will continue using an old pair of infiniti outrigger speakers over a section of outdoor decking which sound good but don't match the richness and base of the high end Klipsch 650 rock speakers or Paradigm 470. I have not had a chance yet to reroute the wiring to the SONUS Amp to compare the Klipsch 650 rock speakers to the to the Paradigm 470 speakers. I have yet to decide on the speakers for the other zones.

The SONUS amp also has a connection for an external subwoofer. I don't think I need it but I will test it with a subwoofer I use indoors to see whether to also purchase an outdoor subwoofer.

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Kevin McDonald

Absolutely amazing piece of equipment!

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on March 10, 2019

Style: AmpVerified Purchase

I have to start this review by admitting that I am a Sonos fan-boy and have been using versions of Sonos equipment for multi-room music since 2009. When I first got word that Sonos was introducing the Amp I struggled to understand what they were trying to accomplish but now that I have bought one my eyes have been opened.

I initially replaced a receiver I had configured for 3.1 operation for our family room entertainment system. I used the same speakers and sub that were in place (sans the center channel) and I could not be happier with the result. It took very little tweaking to balance my satellite speakers with the sub and maximize the phantom center channel effect. It sounds amazing. Do not let the limitation to 2 channels scare you - this thing sounds big and and the phantom center channel effect is spectacular. I am getting a better frontal sound field than ever and am optimally configured for either music, cinema, or TV. Note - we are cord cutters so no video or satellite box. Our only video sources are AppleTV and Smart TV functions. Our only audio input was a Sonos ZP90 but it has been replaced by the Amp's integration with the Sonos system.
Positives:
1. Amazing sound quality - of this I cannot say enough.
2. Ease of set up. If you are a Sonos user this will be as easy as you are accustomed to with other Sonos products. If you are new to Sonos, there is a little learning curve for the concepts but it will make sense quickly.
3. Simple operation. This is one of the best characteristics of the unit. I asked myself initially why it did not have HDMI inputs to manage/switch video sources - but Sonos engineers were thinking of a much more unique and simplified user experience. The Amp let's your TV manage video sources (including the SMart TV as a source) while using the ARC Audio Return Channel) channel for both audio and remote applications (when needed). Your TV can actually control the volume on the unit via ARC meaning you can use your TV remote for everything if you desire. If you require a more sophisticated remote system (i.e. IR repeater, etc.) you can configure the Amp to accept IR signals as well. When it comes time to use the unit as a music device, simply pull out your cell phone or tablet and manage your music just as you would any Sonos device or zone. An added bonus is that you can sync your TV audio to play on as many zones as are in your Sonos system - great for hearing Sports TV audio during games when you are walking around the house or in the pool.
4. Flexibility. Now you are no longer tied to changing HDMI standards for video causing you to continuously upgrade receivers in support. Amp even has support for legacy analog audio sources if needed. In music mode you can play audio from your phone via the Sonos app as well. Finally, the systems updates itself - you have to keep your eyes out for new functionality, etc.

Negatives:
1. I would like to see a 4 channel version of this unit - but I get it - this is a building block that makes every system scalable by adding additional components where needed you can easily go 4 channels by just buying and syncing another Amp or other Sonos speakers.

My second Amp will be arriving shortly to replace my home theater rig in our upstairs entertainment area. I am looking forward to the reduction in equipment, wires, and unneeded complexity for that system.

76 people found this helpful

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Ed

Great Value for Good Product

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 25, 2020

Style: AmpVerified Purchase

I consider myself a mid-level audiophile. My main system is Magnepan speakers driven by a Bryston amp, with a REL subwoofer. I was looking for something tolerable for my bedroom. I work from home, which includes laptop sessions sitting my bed. So, I’m in my room quite a bit.

I was sold on the idea of using Klipsch speakers. The recent reviews have been incredibly favorable. The original plan was to go with the Klipsch RP-600M, but after some good reviews I scaled down to a more bookshelf friendly (and less expensive) option with the Klipsch R-51M. I had planned on pairing them with a decent used amp and an older Sonos Connect. Then I read a good review of the new Sonos Amp, so I decided to give it a try.

Having had the Sonos Connect, the first thing I noticed was the box redesign. Much improved. The Amp is very easy to set up, excellent job on the speaker connectors. Physically it’s a fantastic feeling product.

I was lucky enough to have an older Sonos Subwoofer from my setup. I hooked that in to give some extra punch to the small Klipsch.

The sound of this thing is pretty darn good for what it is. The class D amp puts out 125 watts per channel, which is over double their previous model. And it’s a big help. They power the Klipsch quite well. I’m confident it would easily power the bigger RP-600M’s as well. The next thing I noticed is how much better the DAC sounds over previous Sonos products. It’s very noticeable in vocal heave tracks, it sounds much more natural. Big improvement.

The sound is natural and much bigger than one would guess. The amp is easily hidden behind some book, and the wireless sub is stashed under my bed, so all that’s visible are the speakers. It’s a very low key setup visually.

The Sonos Amp, Sonos Subwoofer, Klipsch R-51M combo is a winner. I listen to mostly rock, but I think anyone would be happy with this system.

There are some downsides here. First off, Sonos has told customer they plan on stopping support for “older” products. So, in a couple year this product may be in that group. This is a lot of money to shovel out for some thing that could be a brick in a couple years.

Another issue is Sonos hasn’t kept up in the file tech. They do not support hi-res technology like MQA. This means no MQA files from Tidal.

What makes this a good value is when you consider it against the Sonos Port, which doesn’t have an internal amp, or support the Subwoofer. That’s $200 less, but no amplifier. So if you’re planning on going with the Port, and adding an amp, this is basally a well match amp with a lot of power for just under $200 more. Great little set up for bedroom or small apartment. And it’s pretty much invisible. Try t find mine in the pic.

4 people found this helpful

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Christine

Phenomenal Quality/Features

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on October 29, 2022

Style: AmpVerified Purchase

We purchased this to power our existing ceiling speakers after Bose' offerings let us down. We had been using Bose home speakers, which sound wonderful, but aren't comparable to Sonos in terms of capability. Install was easy and we were up and running in under 10 minutes. This unit replaced an aging Nuvo player and we couldn't be happier with the choice. Added a bluetooth receiver and now we have everything we wanted.

2 people found this helpful

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M. Forst

Deep, rich sound with a plug n' play setup

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on October 20, 2019

Style: AmpVerified Purchase

I have been a long time user of 5.1 and 7.2 systems with the traditional setup of an A/V receiver at the epicenter of my home theater. My tastes have changed with a slight bent more towards simplicity (less devices and wires) without compromising sound quality, but being able to achieve greater integration with my smart devices and apps like Spotify at the same time. As such, I've been slowly culling back on traditional, non-wifi speakers.

Still, I love the sound of my Aperion towers and subwoofer and wanted to keep them part of my setup, hence the Sonos Amp. The amp provides warm, uninterrupted power that effortlessly powers all three speakers. I have the Amp connected to my Sony TV through the ARC3 out. The amp automatically comes to life when the TV's turned on. No need to wait for a traditional A/V receiver to warm up and turn on. When the TV is not in use, the amp compliments the other sonos speakers throughout the house when playing music. There is no delay between devices so everything plays in sync and without skipping a beat.

On a side note, I don't have a center channel speaker anymore. I have a couple Sonos speakers acting as surround speakers, yet nothing dedicated to the center. Personally, and I know this is audiophile sacrilege, I don't miss a center channel. The 2.1 setup in the front does a much better job than I ever would have imagined.

I had no trouble getting the amp to connect to the network or to work with my other devices (e.g. iPhones, computers). The amp occupies a very small footprint and, while it generates some heat, it doesn't get prohibitively hot. Frankly, it isn't unsightly and can easily be flaunted in the open vice tucked away in a closet.

Had I not had an existing set of speakers I wanted to keep, I probably would have converted to a Sonos sub and then had no use for the sonos amp. That said, if you have dumb speakers with life and value to spare, I recommend the Sonos Amp as a quality way to integrate your favorite audiophile pieces into one system.

One person found this helpful

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PleasantCreek

Powerful, musical, easy to set up and use, versatile.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 20, 2020

Style: AmpVerified Purchase

This is my second Sonos Amp. The case is designed so that you can stack them. Cool! The sound is phenomenal - easily beats the sound quality of my prior $1,500 Denon receiver using the same speakers. I used my second Amp to power my outdoor deck speakers - perhaps overkill to use an expensive Sonos Amp for such a pedestrian purpose, but the ease of use is also a big factor - I love being able to group the the speakers, so same music is playing as you walk in and out of the house - plus you can also group the Beam sound bar in the bedroom for a whole house music experience. The iPhone app is really easy to use once you get used to it (the learning curve is brief.) All of my Songs equipment was easy to set up using WiFi (using a lot less wiring than traditional audio equipment.) Works with Alexa, although I am too cheap to pay for the ugrade my Amazon music service and therefore Alexa commands to Amazon Music service are limited as a result - for instance, if you ask Alexa to play music by an artist, she'll play one song and stop. But you can also ask Alexa to play from your own music library, which is pretty cool - I have 20k songs on a network attached storage device. Or, you can simply use the Sonos app on your phone or iPad to select anything from your own library to your choice of streaming services. I got this Amp on sale for Christmas 2019 - now I wish I had bought another one at that price. Would have been fun to set up surround sound speakers in my living room. (Yes, the Amp can do that trick too - a very versatile beast.)

One person found this helpful

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Arlo

Great Sound From Wired Speakers.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on October 30, 2019

Style: AmpVerified Purchase

I purchased this amp after setting two Sonos Play 5s at my vacation house. I was starting from scratch there and did not have an older system to build on, so I went with Sonos. It was so easy to set up and sounded so great, I decided to add Sonos to my main house. I had a 20 year old component system with a Sony Receiver, CD player and quality Bose bookshelf speakers and sub that I wanted to keep For the past several years I have been using a Bluetooth adapter to stream music to the system. It sounded okay.

I decided to remove the receiver and replace it with the Sonos Amp. I connected my speakers and sub, but not the CD player as I rarely used it. I then used the Sonos Amp to power the systems and connected to my wireless. (There is a lot of comments that you can't use one Sonos App in two household, but you can. You just have to know what you are doing (follow directions).

Anyway, what a difference in sound between a Bluetooth connection and wireless. The sound is great with more clarity and definition. I read the Bluetooth compressed the sound waves, but did not really buy it. It is true. Wireless streaming offers a far superior sound.

After a week it is still operating well and sounds great.

Update: still working well a month later. I simply pause when we are finished listening and play when I want to start music and it starts where it left off. Both Sonos systems at both houses work well. Thinking about a playbar, but I have a good one now so maybe not. But I am tempted.

2 people found this helpful

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Steven

This is Amazing

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on March 16, 2022

Style: AmpVerified Purchase

This amp works great. It was just what I needed to get audio to my ceiling speakers from my TV and for music streaming. I originally tried the Echo Link Amp but there was a delay in audio sync using the optical cable. The sound quality is amazing even for my cheap Acoustic Audio 5-pack speakers and Polk Audio sub. If this didn’t put me in the poor house, I’d love to hear how true sonos sound would be but I couldnt justify breaking the bank even further. The Echo Link Amp would be perfect for a kitchen or dining room for just streaming music and no TV connection. Also, Airplay integration on the Sonos Amp is the sweet sauce on top. I use that way more than I expected to.

One person found this helpful

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Rob M

Great amp. Works great with ARC

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on August 17, 2022

Style: AmpVerified Purchase

I'm powering some large low impedance speakers with these. It runs cool and sounds great. It's hooked up to my TV via HDMI ARC and works without any trouble.

One person found this helpful

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Dimitri

It's... Convenient and clean sounding. Not very punchy at 4ohms. Compromised.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on September 6, 2020

Style: AmpVerified Purchase

Highs are a bit too bright for my tastes. This is a common complaint for this amp, despite many hardcore Sonos fanboys arguing otherwise. Convenient. I do like their app. Can get decently loud (shrill) with my Sonus Faber Sonetto 1s. Definitely benefits from a subwoofer because the speakers can actually do far more with a higher current amp. With this amp, you just won't get the slam without a sub.

It's ok for now but I can see myself upgrading to a
Hegel, NAD or Peachtree. I'm always running it at -2 treble to reduce listening fatigue. So don't listen to the fanboys. If you are sensitive to bright sound, buyer beware.

Taking a star for not having any preamp outputs. This is an obvious money grab. You HAVE to get a connect if you wanted to run your own power amp, even though it would have cost pennies for sonos to add a digital output...

Another star off for not being able to export/backup my playlists. This is a feature request that has been ignored by sonos for years on their community forums. Pretty obvious why they are doing this...

And another star off for not allowing room correction unless you buy the "architectural" speakers. No reason for this (other than greed).

Overall it's a decent entry-level amp with modern streaming capabilities. With compromises made to make it slick and compact - at the expense of perfomace and convenience. Very confusing choices made for its home theater features. Sonos is clearly trying to do everything in their power to force you to buy into their ecosystem, something I resent very much.

Edit: after putting up with the apple-esque behavior from sonos, I eventually got fed up with it and bought a NAD-M10. It's everything sonos isn't. I'll be selling the sonos and not looking back. I think I get far more for my money with the NAD, despite the higher price bracket.

3 people found this helpful

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5 star		87%
4 star		8%
3 star		2%
2 star		1%
1 star		2%

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