To connect a turntable to Sonos, you either need to use a speaker with a line-in input or one of the Bluetooth speakers with a Bluetooth-enabled turntable. A line-in set is better for audio quality, but it’s a more expensive Sonos speaker.
My name is Donovan, and I’ve been a music lover since I was a kid. I’ve spent years working in the music industry as a producer and engineer, and I’m a huge fan of vinyl records and turntables. I’ve researched the steps for connecting a turntable to Sonos.
This post will show you how to connect your turntable to Sonos. I’ll walk you through all the steps for getting your turntable to work with this popular wireless home stereo speaker brand and provide you with related details.
Let’s get after it.
Key Takeaways
- There are several possible ways to connect a turntable to Sonos products, including plugging the turntable directly into a speaker, using a Bluetooth turntable, or linking to a Sonos amp and using third-party speakers.
- You’ll need a Bluetooth-capable turntable to connect to standard Sonos speakers, but not every Sonos system will work with this.
- Using a line-in connection will give you better audio quality than using Bluetooth.
- You need to use a turntable with a built-in preamp or connect to Sonos from your existing preamp if you go the line-in route.
How to Connect Turntable to Sonos
This section will look at a few ways to connect your turntable to Sonos speakers or other products. Remember that going completely Bluetooth will lead to lower audio quality than using a line-in input.
How to Connect Turntable to Sonos Wirelessly
One of the easiest ways to start using your turntable with Sonos is through a Bluetooth turntable. There aren’t that many of these models, and they kind of defeat the purpose of listening to vinyl from an audiophile perspective, but they do exist.
If you already have a Bluetooth turntable or want to buy one, the process for connecting it to a Sonos speaker is similar to any other Bluetooth device. You just need to ensure the turntable and the Speaker or amp pair together.
Going this route may appeal to anyone with a Sonos system set up and who wants a quick and easy way to listen to records. But remember that this won’t give you great sound quality compared to a wired connection.
It’s also important to note that the Sonos Roam is the only Sonos speaker product that will effectively pair with a Bluetooth turntable. Below are the steps to wirelessly connect your Bluetooth turntable to a Sonos Roam.
- Put your Bluetooth turntable and the Sonos Roam speaker near each other.
- Press the pair button on the Roam speaker and hold it down until you hear two tones.
- Press the pair button on your turntable.
- Wait until the two devices are paired with one another successfully.
- Play a record and enjoy.
How to Connect Turntable to Sonos Port
Now I’ll show you how to connect to a few Sonos products using a line-in wired connection. Remember that you need a turntable with a built-in preamp if you want to connect directly from the turntable to Sonos.
If you are using a separate preamp in your setup, that will need to be connected to the Sonos product rather than the turntable being connected to it.
Using the Sonos Port is a great setup if you already have an existing speaker system and just want the ability to connect various devices into your system. You can also use this as the main receiver for an entire Sonos setup.
To connect a turntable to Sonos Port, follow these steps:
- Plug the cable that comes with the Sonos Port into the output on your turntable.
- Plug the other end into the Left/Right inputs on the back of the Sonos Port
- Make sure the turntable and port are plugged in and powered on.
- Turn on your speakers and listen to a record.
How to Connect Turntable to Sonos 5 (and Play 5)
Your other option for a hard-wired connection is to use the Sonos 5 or Play 5 speakers. Both feature a line-in input where you can plug your turntable or preamp directly into them for quick and easy use.
The only catch is that these speakers only have a single line-in, and nearly all turntables or preamps have two output lines to send out a stereo signal. You’ll need to get an RCA Y audio cable to make up for this.
Again, you’ll need to use a turntable with a built-in preamp or one that has a preamp connected for this to work. The speakers themselves do not have amps, so you cannot just plug in a turntable directly.
Follow these steps to connect a turntable to Sonos 5 and Play 5 speakers:
- Take the single end of the RCA-Y cable and plug it into the line-in on the Sonos speaker.
- Take the other end of the cable (which will have two ends) and plug it into the output on your turntable or preamp. Be sure to plug these into the proper corresponding inputs.
- Power on your turntable and speaker.
- Drop the needle on your turntable and enjoy.
How to Connect Turntable to Sonos One
You can’t directly connect a turntable to Sonos One. But you can use the Sonos Port or Amp products as a workaround. Since these two Sonos products can be connected to a turntable and then to Sonos One speakers, you’ll be able to take advantage of both.
If you already have your Sonos One system set up with a Sonos Port in place, you can follow the directions in the section above to connect it. You just need to connect your turntable to the Port for it to work with One.
If you haven’t set up your One with Port yet, you need to do that before you can connect a turntable to the system. Follow any directions provided by Sonos for how to get this setup.
You can also use the Sonos 5 or Play 5 to broadcast to a Sonos One speaker. Follow the steps above to connect to Sonos 5 to get started. Your Sonos One should automatically connect to this speaker once both are powered on and in range of one another.
How to Connect Turntable to Sonos Beam
To connect a turntable to Sonos Beam, you’ll follow the exact same directions I just explained for connecting to Sonos One. Since you can’t connect directly to the Beam, you must use a Sonos Port or Amp.
This process is the same for any other Sonos speaker or product that you can’t directly connect your turntable to. That’s why using Sonos Port or Amp is an excellent idea if you like the system and want a way to expand upon it.
FAQs
Here are a few quick answers to some of the most commonly asked questions related to connecting a turntable to Sonos.
Can you wirelessly connect turntable to Sonos?
The only way you can wireless connect a turntable to a Sonos speaker is by using a Bluetooth turntable and the Sonos Roam speaker. This is the only speaker in the current Sonos lineup that can directly pair with Bluetooth turntables.
Do any turntables work with Sonos?
Just about any turntable can work with Sonos if you have the proper setup and cables. An RCA-Y cable will let you connect directly from a turntable or preamp to the Sonos Amp or Port products that have a line-in feature.
What do I need to connect Sonos to turntable?
In order to connect Sonos to a turntable, you’ll need an RCA-Y cable and also the Sonos Port or Amp. You can connect these together with the cable, and then they will broadcast the wireless signal to the rest of your Sonos system.
Does vinyl sound good through Sonos?
You can get decent sound when using Sonos to listen to vinyl, but you won’t get as good of audio quality as when using all hard-wired connections. Any wireless connection will have some degradation in sound quality, although not everyone will be able to hear this.
What is Sonos Port used for?
Sonos Port acts like a receiver, allowing you to connect multiple devices to your stereo setup. Rather than connecting many things to the speakers, Port provides you with a way to connect many things at once for easy use.
Final Thoughts
Connecting a turntable to Sonos is fairly straightforward as long as you have the necessary Sonos products to make this happen. There aren’t many wireless options for this, but you can use the Sonos Port or Amp and then broadcast to your speakers.
Keep in mind that you need a preamp to power the signal from your turntable into whatever Sonos system you connect it to. It can be a built-in preamp or a stand-alone one, but this is an essential aspect of the setup.
Have you ever listened to vinyl with a Sonos system? Was it easy to connect the turntable to the system? Let me know in the comments below.
