Attending to grips along with your Sonos platform

The Sonos S2 app is hardly new anymore; it arrived in mid-2020 and the possibilities are that you just’re already utilizing it.

Nevertheless, you will not be: on the identical time Sonos S2 went reside, the unique Sonos app was rebranded as Sonos S1.

What it means for you, and your Sonos system, is determined by what audio system you might have in your own home and their compatibility with the S2 system and app.

Learn on for every little thing you should find out about Sonos S2 and S1 and find out how to replace your multi-room speaker system.

Why did Sonos change?

At the beginning of 2020 Sonos introduced it will cease updating ‘legacy merchandise’. This checklist included unique Zone Gamers, first-gen Join and Join:Amp, the first-generation Play:5, the CR200 and the Sonos Bridge.

On condition that a few of these gadgets date again to the early 2000s (though some had been bought as not too long ago as 2015) it is hardly shocking that Sonos needed to minimize the chord in some unspecified time in the future. The {hardware} certainly will get to a degree the place it could actually’t simply sustain with the software program it is anticipated to deal with seamlessly?

Incompatible Sonos S1 {hardware}:

• Sonos Play:5 (Gen 1)
• All Zone Gamers
• CR200 controller
• Sonos Join (Gen 1)
• Sonos Join:Amp (Gen 1)
• Sonos Bridge

What’s Sonos S2?

Sonos S2 isn’t solely the title of the newer app, with an orange coloration icon, it is also a brand new OS (through a firmware replace), to your non-legacy Sonos audio system.

The app appears to be like fairly swanky, fact be informed, and there are some slick new software program options for upgraders, comparable to preset groupings that you need to use for audio system at sure instances of day, or for occasions – suppose ‘Downstairs’, ‘Partytime’ and the like.

However the greatest deal is probably that Sonos S2 allows increased decision audio applied sciences for music and residential theater. The primary indicators of this are the Dolby Atmos abilities of the brand new Sonos Arc and we have now seen Amazon Music Extremely HD work with Sonos too.

Sonos S1 is principally Sonos as it’s was. Even when you’ve got all S2 appropriate merchandise, you possibly can nonetheless select to not improve; you can keep it up utilizing your Sonos audio system as you at all times have. Your system will obtain bug fixes and safety patches, however it will not get any S2 goodies.

Nevertheless, some Sonos audio system will have to be downgraded earlier than they are often added to an S1 system. The Sonos S1 Controller app will let you realize if the system you are establishing must be downgraded once you try to add it.

So far as Google Assistant and Alexa are involved, Sonos acknowledged: “We are going to work with our companions to maintain your music and voice providers working with our oldest merchandise for so long as we are able to given their reminiscence and processing energy limitations. If we run into one thing core to the expertise that can’t be addressed, we are going to let you realize.“

Sonos has acknowledged that any new package introduced put up Might 2020, together with the likes of theArc, 5 and Sub, won’t be appropriate with the S1 Controller app.

Something that has been introduced since – such because the 2nd-gen Beam, Transfer and Roam – are additionally not appropriate with Sonos S1.

Sonos S2 appropriate gadgets:

• Play:1
• Play:3
• Play:5 (Gen 2)
• 5
• One (all generations)
• Transfer
• Playbase
• Playbar
• Beam
• Beam 2
• Arc
• Roam
• Join (Gen 2)
• Join:Amp (Gen 2)
• Amp
• Port
• Increase
• Sub (all generations)
• IKEA Symfonisk (all fashions)

What era Sonos audio system do I’ve?

In the event you’re confused what era Play:5 you might have, you are undecided in case your Sonos Join is first or second era and so forth, then you possibly can at all times verify on-line by logging in to your Sonos account.

In case your system is appropriate, it’ll present with a ‘Fashionable product’ tick.

Can I take advantage of Sonos S1 and S2 on the identical time?

Sure and no. You should use them each on the identical time, positive. However you possibly can’t group audio system from an S1 group – even when they’re appropriate with S2 – into an S2 group.

That is the that brought on Sonos probably the most quantity of criticism when it first introduced the legacy break up.

In case your Sonos system contains any of these legacy gadgets – even only one – and a bunch of the newest and best Sonos audio system, then you definitely’re both going to should ditch your outdated one, or condemn your new audio system to an S1 expertise – and we now know you will not be capable to add new Sonos audio system as they will not be appropriate.

How do I get the Sonos S2 app

Each the Sonos S2 app, and the brand new Sonos S1 app are reside on Google Play and the Apple App Retailer. There are additionally desktop variants for Mac and PC customers as properly.

To replace to S2, it is not only a case of updating an app as per common, you will have to obtain a wholly new app. Now, the S2 app does not really say S2 on the icon, however you may know you are downloading the brand new one based mostly on the outline and the brand new tan coloration of the app.

The ‘outdated’ Sonos app, stays black and is clearly now labelled ‘S1’.

Merely obtain the app and undergo the steps of updating your system. You’ll be able to delete your outdated Sonos app as soon as you’ve got completed – it is rendered ineffective as quickly as you make the leap to S2.

How can I improve my Sonos audio system?

You’ll be able to, if you’d like, improve your outdated Sonos package utilizing a 30% credit score trade-in program and the excellent news is that Sonos not too long ago removed its controversial ‘bricking’ recycling program – which basically noticed traded-in Sonos audio system rendered ineffective and destined for a landfill.

You do not even should ship within the outdated speaker and it’ll really nonetheless be practical, do you have to want to keep it up utilizing it in an S1 setup / give it to a good friend / promote it on eBay.