Sonos has been on a roll lately. The Sonos Beam with built-in voice capabilities was released recently. Then Sonos rolled out compatibility with AirPlay 2 for some of its speakers. Now the company has announced the Sonos Amp. The $599 Sonos Amp is a replacement for the Sonos Connect: Amp, but it is much more than a mere replacement.
I love the Sonos system I have in our living room. It gives us great surround sound from our TV and, when not used with the television, does a great job of filling the main living area with sound. I even have it connected to our Amazon Alexa ecosystem so we can get the music going by voice. Still, I have a host of great speakers in our other rooms which, sadly, can’t work with the Sonos system. With the new Sonos Amp, they can.
The Sonos Amp is:
…a powerful and versatile home audio hub that powers traditional wired speakers with sound from nearly any source, and fully integrates these speakers into Sonos’ easy to use wireless home sound system.
I mentioned the Sonos Amp is a replacement for the Sonos Connect: Amp. On one level it is, but it is more than a 2018/2019 update. The Sonos Amp is twice as powerful as the Connect:Amp. It supports Apple’s AirPlay 2 and, of course, works with more than 100 different streaming services. For those looking to connect speakers and the Sonos Amp to their media system, the Sonos Amp includes an HDMI Arc port. When the Amp is wirelessly connected to an Amazon Alexa-enabled device like a Sonos One or Beam, it can be controlled with voice commands and, like other Sonos devices, Amp will see frequent, free over-the-air updates so it can gain new features, services, and integrations over time. Finally, Amp is powerful. It can power up to four speakers with 125 watts per channel.
Sonos Amp Specifics:
- More Power. More Possibilities. Packing 125 Watts per channel, Amp powers even the most demanding speakers. You can now power up to four speakers instead of two.
- Enjoy music, TV, and more. Amp has an HDMI ARC port and an input for an additional audio source, whether listening on floor standing speakers, integrated home theater, or through a turntable.
- Power home theater sound. Use Amp to add stereo sound to TV, add wireless rears to a Sonos home-theater setup or two Amps for surround sound.
- Stream everything. Listen to music, podcasts, radio, audiobooks, and more. Also, play all the music stored on a computer or other devices.
- Works with AirPlay. With Amp, use AirPlay 2 to send the sound from an iPhone or iPad to any speakers in the home sound system.
- Choose how to control. Use the Sonos app on a phone or tablet, TV remote, keypads, AirPlay 2, or through voice with Amazon Echo and Alexa-enabled devices.
- More ways to customize the experience. New APIs and deeper integrations with the Sonos platform partners create seamless smart home control.
- Wireless. Or not. Enjoy solid and reliable WiFi performance, or connect Amp to an ethernet cable and easily turn the WiFi off in the Sonos app.
- Stereo or dual mono sound. Whether configuring Amp for an open floor plan or a custom listening room, create the best experience.
- Engineered for reliability. With a centralized heatsink, air inlets, and a discrete output stage, Amp is built to keep its cool and deliver lasting power.
- Amazingly pure sound. Direct digital input eliminates the need for analog conversion, so you get clear, undistorted sound for music streaming and your TV.
- Custom speaker connectors. A pair of threaded connections for left and right channels guarantee high-quality performance. Plus, they’re standard diameter so you can remove them and use your ownbanana plugs.
The new Sonos Amp looks amazing and extends Sonos’ recent series of announcements. The new hardware is impressive and, because Sonos has shown it is committed to supporting legacy hardware as much as it does their new products, it promises to make your Sonos-enabled home even better. Don’t have a Sonos-enabled home? You might want to consider getting started. Trust me, you’ll love it. Learn more about the Sonos Amp and all the Sonos products here.