Are sonos connect still needed a C4 Project

[Sarge1971]

I am thinking of upgrading to an EA-3 controller.  Our project is pretty small so don't need the horsepower of a EA5.   I use to have the sonos connect being used for TuneIn, Sirius, Spotify for my system, and I have a an older C4 4Zone amp powering a bunch of inceiling speakers.   It seems with the EA3 the sonos connect becomes obsolete, is that correct ?   Should I sell or trade in the sonos connect ?   Also if I want to add additional speakers to other rooms, what is my best option  ?   I currently have 5 pairs of in ceiling, 4 powered by the c4 amp and one other one by a gen 1 sonos connect amp.   Thoughts, suggestions ??

 

My project looks like the following:

HC-300 and HC-250 (behind master bedroom TV),   <-- replace both with a ea3

two key pads in kitchen and bedroom

10 light switches in various rooms, theatre, outside lights, dining room

tv in family room connected to sonos arc

tv in bedroom with a pair of inceiling speakers and keypad in hallway and inceiling speakers in master bathroom

projector in theatre room with 3 dimmer light switches

in ceiling speakers in kitchen

in ceiling speakers in family room

in ceiling speakers  in basement playroom

inceiling in family rm (currently disconnected due to nothing to power them and mostly using sonos arc if I want music)  - any reason to hook them back up ??

 

Getting prices on doorbell chime for front door and yale lock and as well garage door relays so the wife doesn't leave them up all night long 

 

Thanks !  

[Neo1738]

I would do 1 ea5 and 1 ea1 behind the tv if plans for expansion. If no plans than EA3 for controller and Ea1 behind tv unless need more audio other than HDMI not worth upgrading to EA3 behind a TV. Also harder to hide/mount. 

[Sarge1971]

1 minute ago, Neo1738 said:

I would do 1 ea5 and 1 ea1 behind the tv if plans for expansion. If no plans than EA3 for controller and Ea1 behind tv unless need more audio other than HDMI not worth upgrading to EA3 behind a TV. Also harder to hide/mount. 

What are the benefits of putting an ea1 behind the TV in bedroom ?  Just for the IR flashers ?

Also is there a big jump to go ea5 over ea3 ?  Or more for future proof ?  Tks for the quick reply !

[zaphod]

You might not need an EA-1 behind the TV, especially not if you have a TV that is IP controllable?  What are your sources?  Are they central or local? How do you feed the ceiling speakers in the bedroom?  From a centralized amp or from an amp in the bedroom?  Is that amp controlled via IP or IR?

[Sarge1971]

3 minutes ago, zaphod said:

You might not need an EA-1 behind the TV, especially not if you have a TV that is IP controllable?  What are your sources?  Are they central or local? How do you feed the ceiling speakers in the bedroom?  From a centralized amp or from an amp in the bedroom?  Is that amp controlled via IP or IR?

Yes everything in basement - I do have a patch panel with ethernet cables running from the basement to behind the TV.  Four CAT 6 cables

[BraydonH]

1 EA3 will be fine. You don't need an EA1 behind the TV. Just use a cat5e and splice on IR flashers from your EA3 if needed. Don't know many people at all that even use the OSD anymore.

 

Sonos Connect definitely not needed. Sell all the sonos gear while you still can. Its getting harder and harder because most of the old sonos gear is now obsolete and won't work with the S2 app. (See C4 isnt the only one where gear becomes so old its no longer compatible)

Triad Ones are expensive but they are a decent product. If you only need one to replace the sonos connect amp then go for it. The built in services in C4 are pretty great these days. They're not missing much except Chromecast IMO. (Anything they don't have can be done though AirPlay)

 

And it even sounds like you have a 4 zone matrix amp which has digital inputs so you can use both streams out of the EA3.