The ‘newer’ Sonos app (Sonos S2) is hardly new anymore; it arrived in mid-2020 and the probabilities are that you simply’re already utilizing it.
Nevertheless, you might not be: on the similar time Sonos S2 went stay, 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 have got in your home and their compatibility with the S2 system and app.
Learn on for the whole lot that you must know in regards to the Sonos app S2 and S1 and the best way 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 record included unique Zone Gamers, first-gen Join and Join:Amp, the first-generation Play:5, the CR200 and the Sonos Bridge.
Provided that a few of these gadgets date again to the early 2000s (though some had been offered as not too long ago as 2015) it is hardly stunning that Sonos needed to minimize the chord in some unspecified time in the future. The {hardware} absolutely will get to a degree the place it might’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 shouldn’t be solely the title of the newer app, with an orange coloration icon, it is also a brand new OS (by way of a firmware replace), in your non-legacy Sonos audio system.
The app seems fairly swanky, fact be advised, and there are some slick new software program options for upgraders, similar to preset groupings that you should utilize for audio system at sure occasions of day, or for occasions – assume ‘Downstairs’, ‘Partytime’ and the like.
However the largest deal is maybe that Sonos S2 permits increased decision audio applied sciences for music and residential theater. The primary indicators of this are the Dolby Atmos expertise 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 pre-2020. Even when you’ve got all S2 suitable merchandise, you possibly can nonetheless select to not improve; you’ll stick with it 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 must 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 organising must be downgraded once you attempt 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 will given their reminiscence and processing energy limitations. If we run into one thing core to the expertise that canât be addressed, we’ll let you realize.“
Sonos has acknowledged that any new package introduced put up Could 2020, together with the likes of theArc, 5 and Sub, won’t be suitable with the S1 Controller app.
Something that has been introduced since – such because the 2nd-gen Beam, Transfer and Roam – are additionally not suitable with Sonos S1.
Sonos S2 suitable gadgets:
- Play:1
- Play:3
- Play:5 (Gen 2)
- 5
- One (all generations)
- Transfer
- Transfer 2
- Playbase
- Playbar
- Beam
- Beam 2
- Arc
- Arc SL
- Period 100
- Period 300
- Roam
- Roam SL
- Ray
- Join (Gen 2)
- Join:Amp (Gen 2)
- Amp
- Port
- Enhance
- Sub (all generations)
- Sub Mini
- IKEA Symfonisk (all fashions)
What era Sonos audio system do I’ve?
In case you’re confused what era Play:5 you have got, you are unsure 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 suitable, it can present with a ‘Trendy product’ tick.
Can I exploit Sonos S1 and S2 on the similar time?
Sure and no. You should use them each on the similar time, certain. However you possibly can’t group audio system from an S1 group – even when they’re suitable with S2 – into an S2 group.
That is the that triggered Sonos essentially the most quantity of criticism when it first introduced the legacy cut up.
In case your Sonos system contains any of these legacy gadgets – even only one – and a bunch of the most recent and biggest Sonos audio system, you then’re both going to need to ditch your outdated one, or condemn your new audio system to an S1 expertise – and we now know you will not be capable of add new Sonos audio system as they will not be suitable.
How do I get the Sonos S2 app
Each the Sonos S2 app, and the brand new Sonos S1 app are stay on Google Play and the Apple App Retailer. There are additionally desktop variants for Mac and PC customers as effectively.
To replace to S2, it isn’t only a case of updating an app as per normal, you will have to obtain a completely new app. Now, the S2 app would not truly say S2 on the icon, however you will know you are downloading the brand new one primarily based 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 possibly can delete your outdated Sonos app as soon as you have achieved – it is rendered ineffective as quickly as you make the leap to S2.
How can I improve my Sonos audio system?
You possibly can, if you would 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 need to ship within the outdated speaker and it’ll truly nonetheless be practical, must you want to stick with it utilizing it in an S1 setup / give it to a pal / promote it on eBay.