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Sonos speakers have become one of the most recognized names when it comes to smart speakers. Not only has Sonos revolutionized how we approach home audio, but the products they produce have evolved past most competing speaker systems. While they offer a fantastic addition to any home’s audio setup, can Sonos speakers connect to a TV?
All Sonos speakers can stream audio from a Sonos Amp connected to a TV. The Sonos Arc and Sonos Beam soundbars can connect through HDMI ARC. The older Sonos Playbar and Playbase offer a Digital Optical connection, and the Sonos Five connects via a 3.5mm jack. The Sonos One, Roam, and Sub can't connect directly.
Sonos systems add a luxurious sound to any room. While the speaker brand made its mark redefining home audio, that doesn't mean that TV and home theatre audio is off the table. In fact, Sonos has offered up some significant competitors to the home theatre audio department. Let's figure out which one is best for use with a TV, and why.
Which Sonos Speakers Can You Connect to a TV?
In a perfect world, you could connect your Sonos speakers to almost any device. Unfortunately, it's just not that simple. You see, Sonos designed most of its speakers to work with a Wi-Fi network.
This means that direct connections are often unavailable or different across different speakers. For users looking to add their Sonos speakers to their TV, this can prove to be a difficult task.
Now, Sonos has come up with some significant contenders in the home theatre audio department. For example, the Sonos Arc Soundbar (on Amazon) offers users amazing sound quality and even 3D sound via Dolby Atmos.
But that’s just one speaker option. Other Sonos speakers just aren't designed for that kind of audio situation. Since most surround sound or 3D sound experiences require a hard connection, it makes it difficult to connect SONOS speakers in a way to get that quality sound into them. The wireless connection just can’t handle the higher transfer speeds needed to deal with high-quality audio and surround sound information.
Here's a quick breakdown of the Sonos speaker ecosystem and whether or not the device can connect easily to a TV:
| Speaker Name | Direct Connect to TV? | Type of Connection |
|---|---|---|
| Sonos Arc Soundbar | Yes | HDMI |
| Sonos Beam Soundbar | Yes | HDMI |
| Sonos Amp | Yes | HDMI and RCA |
| Sonos Playbar | Yes | Optical |
| Sonos Playbase | Yes | Optical |
| Sonos One or One SL | No | WiFi, Ethernet |
| Sonos Five | Yes | 3.5 mm |
| Sonos In-Ceiling Speakers | No | Speaker wire |
| Sonos In-Wall Speakers | No | Speaker wire |
| Sonos Outdoor Speakers | No | Speaker wire |
| Sonos Roam | Yes-ish | Bluetooth is an option here, not that we'd recommend it |
| Sonos Sub | No | WiFi connection to any other speaker |
As you can see, there really is no universal standard when it comes to Sonos speakers and direct TV connections. For the most part, Sonos designs some speakers to pair with a TV and can do so easily. Others may have a harder time as Sonos intends for those speakers to utilize a wireless connection.
When it comes to connecting to your TV, Bluetooth options may exist, but that’s going to depend heavily on the type of TV you own. Not all TV manufacturers will add Bluetooth as a connectivity option.
One thing to keep in mind when considering Bluetooth is what kind of audio you intend to transmit. If you're hoping to have a surround sound experience, well, with wireless, you might be out of luck. While some systems can handle this, Bluetooth may be unreliable and produce out-of-sync audio.
If you're dealing with a Sonos Roam, by chance, you'll want to see our separate article on how the Roam handles Bluetooth and WiFi a bit differently.
Sonos Speakers with Direct Wired Connection Options
Sonos has put out some stellar products to meet the demand of home theatre needs. This means speakers and soundbars that can easily connect to your TV via an optical connection or HDMI without any issues. You won’t need any fancy setup or additional equipment and everything should work without audio dropouts or out-of-sync listening.
The first few products that come to mind are Sonos’ soundbars — the Arc, Beam, Playbar, and Playbase. Each of these devices will come equipped with an HDMI connection that will easily connect via your TV to provide killer audio quality without the need for a wireless setup. These soundbar options provide an all-in-one solution to adding high-quality audio to any TV setup.
Additionally, you can opt for a more advanced system by adding surround speakers or a sub to the system. You can add a set of surround speakers to any Sonos soundbar or even the Sonos Amp. This includes the Sonos One, One SL, Five, and the Symfonsik line-up which is a partnership between IKEA and Sonos. You can also add up to 2 Sonos Subs to any Sonos soundbar or the Sonos Amp.
While you can connect the Sonos Five directly to your TV with the 3.5 mm input, this won’t provide you surround sound quality audio, but it will be far better than your TV's built-in speakers.
Sonos Speakers with Bluetooth Connection Options
Okay, let’s talk about Bluetooth. Since some Sonos speaker options only provide a Bluetooth connection, can you utilize these devices to add better quality audio to your TV setup? Yes — but there are limitations.
Sonos options like the Roam or the Move (on Amazon) can offer you better quality sound compared to the stock speakers on your TV. At times, you may experience audio dropouts and out-of-sync sections of movies and shows. This can get annoying but only happens in some situations.
Additionally, you’ll want to make sure your TV can utilize Bluetooth to send audio. Not every TV, including modern TVs, features this type of wireless connectivity.
Overall, though, the Sonos Bluetooth options are quite versatile. It can be a great way to experience the Sonos ecosystem without breaking the bank. They limit your upfront expense and if you can get them working seamlessly, provide better quality audio. It's a great way to try out the speakers on your TV without making a huge financial commitment.
Using the Sonos Connect or Connect: Amp to Connect to Your TV
If you already have traditional speakers that require an Amplifier, then another great option is the Sonos Amp. This system is designed to offer an incredible amount of power to its connected speaker. It also provides all the connections you might need to get things going with your TV.
Keep in mind that the Amp is only one part of the equation, you’ll still need speakers. But with this system, you can add any speakers you want to provide a great audio experience.
Using the Amp system is a great way to get a “Hi-Fi” Sonos system connected to your TV. Again, you can wirelessly connect a set of surround speakers and a Sonos Sub to the Amp as well. It can really expand your home theater audio and add some stellar functionality.
