Sonos with existing speakers

BeepBeep67

I'm considering picking up a couple of Sonos connect boxes and have a question.

My house has pre-wired speakers running off 2 zones:
Zone 1 - Sunroom & Outdoors
Zone 2 - Sitting & Kitchen

Question: With 2 x Sonos connect boxes and a couple of switcher boxes could I connect the existing built in speakers to the Sonos connect boxes via the switchers and play Spotify for example simultaneously in both zones?

Thanks in advance
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CantGetNoSleep

I think you could but it is possibly much much cheaper to do the same thing using Chromecast Audio

BeepBeep67

CantGetNoSleep wrote: »

I think you could but it is possibly much much cheaper to do the same thing using Chromecast Audio

Thanks - what type of amp would I need to hook up the speakers or is there such a thing as a Wi-Fi / LAN speaker switcher box that could talk to Chromecast?

ZaffizaKunt

I did similar to you, I think. Are the speakers active or passive?

Initially I had two LG H3 speakers, one upstairs and one downstairs. I got them cheap on Ebay for €70 for the pair, reviews were fantastic about sound but some of the reviews about network performance weren't great but I took a chance. They worked great when they worked but they regularly dropped off the network and had to be reset. Bit of a pain.

I read that chromecast audio now supported multi-room groups so had a brainwave and decided to put the LG's up for sale and go down the chromecast route instead. I did a bit of research on speakers and sound and decided to buy three chromecast audios (Reduced to €14.99 each in PC World) plus two second hand Jongo T2's (€80 for both) and a refurbished Jongo S3 (€75).

When I had all this setup and working at home, lo and behold the LGs got a firmware update to allow chromecast multi-room support! The firmware fixed all the netowrk issues they had and as they now integrated with chromecast I kept them. The whole shebang is now hooked up together using chromecast with speakers in the Kitchen, Sitting Room and three bedrooms. You can create multi-room groups on the chromecast app then for various zones around the house and have any combination of speakers you like. Plus the Jongo S3 has a built in battery so can be taken out into the garden for a BBQ

The total outlay for 5 speakers and 3 chromecast audio's around the house was €270 (the chromecasts have gone back up to €35 again in PC World) which isn't much more than the price of one Sonos/Bose speaker. The sound is fantastic and to my ears there is no difference between them and either a Sonos/Bose speaker. TuneIn, Spotify and Podcast Addict are my new best friends!!

It's just another option that might suit you. If your speakers are passive then you can do the same as above using chromecast audio but you will require some kind of amp. Loads of them on ebay for small money and you just plug the chromecast into them.

BeepBeep67

Assuming they are passive, they are inserted into the ceiling in several rooms and inside the facia board around the outside of the sunroom with just the raw wire ends terminating in 2 locations.
I'll look into chrome friendly amps on ebay before dropping a grand - thanks

CantGetNoSleep

Almost any amp at all will work with the Chromecasts. You might need one small one for each room - you can get them on Amazon for 20-30€