Though AirPlay 2 is only supported in four Sonos speakers, you can still use it with older Sonos speakers if you have at least one AirPlay 2-enabled Sonos speaker.
Products Used In This Guide
- The AirPlay hub: Sonos One ($199 at Amazon)
- No AirPlay support: Sonos Playbar ($699 at Amazon)
- The AirPlay streamer: iPhone XS ($999 at Apple)
The Guide
Group your older Sonos speaker to an AirPlay 2 compatible Sonos speaker
- Launch the Sonos app on your iPhone or iPad.
- Tap the More tab at the bottom-right of the screen.
- Tap Settings.
- Tap AirPlay.
- Turn on Group non-AirPlay Speakers.
This will keep non-AirPlay supported Sonos speakers grouped with AirPlay supported ones.
What you need
You'll need a least one AirPlay 2-supported Sonos speaker in order to use it with older, non-supported ones.
The Sonos One is the best option for anyone that already has an older Sonos speaker that doesn't support AirPlay 2. It's the least expensive of the four compatible ones and can act as an AirPlay conduit for all your other Sonos speakers.
The least-expensive AirPlay 2 supported Sonos speaker
If you've already invested in an entire Sonos system (but didn't pick up an AirPlay-supported one), the Sonos One is the least expensive of the four.
You need an iOS device in order to use AirPlay and that device needs to be able to run iOS 11.4 or higher to support AirPlay 2. The iPhone XS is Apple's latest and greatest and I'm not sure it can get any better than this.
The most advanced iPhone on the market
If you're part of the Apple ecosystem already, the iPhone XS is currently the best one you can buy. Why not upgrade?
The non-supported Sonos speakers
Whether you already have a house full of Sonos speakers or you're just getting started, these are great additions to your home audio system. Just remember, they don't support AirPlay 2, so you'll need to pick up an AirPlay 2 supported speaker like the Sonos One, too.
Sonos Playbar ($699 at Amazon)
It's a high-quality soundbar that will make your entertainment center the focus of your entire house.
Sonos Play:1 ($149 at Amazon)
The least expensive Sonos speaker, but still has an incredible sound. Get one of these for each room in the house and you've got total surround sound.
