How to Achieve the Best Sound with a Sonos Playbar

Authored by: Support.com Tech Pro Team

1. Introduction

The Sonos Playbar sound bar is a wireless speaker that delivers unobtrusive sound for all of your entertainment needs. When used as a part of your home theater you can wrap yourself up in the sounds of nature or the thrill of action using the virtual surround sound feature. With TV Autoplay, use the Playbar whenever the television is turned on. Because it is wireless, you can access music from your smartphone, tablet, or any device that is part of your home network. 

Sonos Playbar tv

2. Multiple Speakers

Purchasing multiple Sonos speakers can lead you to wanting to connect them all together. By doing this you could produce surround sound, or have the same music play in all rooms of your house.

Multiple Sonos speakers

You'll need to make sure your speakers are the same model and orientation when using the Sonos App to create a surround sound group.

Surround sound speaker placement

While you can chain Sonos devices together, it is recommended that you connect them all individually to a network device for best performance.

3. App Overview

Choose what to play, where to play it, and how loud. In one room or all over your home. Track down songs across all your music services with a single search. Create playlists in an instant. The Sonos app does it all.

  • You can control your Sonos speakers using the lock screen on your smart device. It will appear automatically while the connected speaker is being used.
Sonos lock screen
  • The Sonos app lets you search for songs across every music service linked to your account, as well as your personal digital collection.
  • Using the settings to your speaker in the app, you can change bass and treble.

4. Install Android App

  1. Open Play Store.
Google Play store icon
  1. Search for "Sonos Controller for Android" and tap on the app.
Searching for the Sonos app. Illustration.
  1. Tap Install to start downloading the app.
Sonos app page with the install button highlighted.
  1. Once installed, tap Open.
Sonos app page with the Open button highlighted.

5. Connecting to Alexa

If you have an Amazon Echo or similar device and want to connect it to your Sonos PLAYBAR TV, follow these steps.

  1. Make sure both your Echo and Sonos device are setup.
  2. Open your Alexa app.
Amazon Alexa app icon
  1. Select the Menu.
Alexa App showing the menu icon
  1. Select Skills.
Amazon Alexa menu showing skills selection
  1. Search for Sonos, select it to open the Sonos Skill Detail Page.
Sonos Alexa search results
  1. Select Enable Skill or sign into your Sonos Account.
Sonos Alexa skill selection

6. Trueplay

If you use an iOS device with your Sonos app you can use Trueplay. With the built in mic in your smart device the app will measure how the sound reflects off walls and furnishings. It then adjusts speaker's audio settings for the best sound in your room.

To Access Trueplay:

  1. Open the Sonos app.
Sonos icon
  1. Tap the More tab.
Sonos App with more tab
  1. Tap Settings.
Sonos app settings
  1. Tap Room Settings.
Sonos room settings
  1. Tap the room you wish to tune. If tuning has not yet been performed for a room, a red dot will appear next to the room name.
  2. Tap "Trueplay Tuning" and follow the in-app instructions to complete tuning.
Sonos Trueplay

7. Turning Off the LED

Don't want a light flashing away while you're trying to watch a movie or trying to sleep? Sonos speakers only have little LED light indicators, but you can still turn them off if you want some peace.

  1. Open the Sonos app.
Sonos icon
  1. Tap the More tab.
Sonos App with more tab
  1. Tap Settings.
Sonos app settings
  1. Tap Room Settings.
Sonos room settings
  1. Tap the room you want to adjust.
  2. Toggle White Indicator Light off.
Sonos turning off indicator light

8. Basic Setup For Your Sonos Playbar TV

Show Me How

Clicking this button will open a new guide that will provide you with steps to resolve your issue.

9. Install IOS App

  1. Open the App Store.
Apple App Store Icon
  1. Type in "Sonos Controller" in the search bar.
  2. Find Sonos Controller in the search results and tap on GET.
screenshot of the sonos app in the app store with get highlighted
  1. Tap on Install to start download.
install button