Americas

Europe

Asia Pacific

Other

greyLighter

Home 

purpleDark

Sale

Promotional offers

Shop

Headphones

Learn

Compare Speakers

Compare Soundbars

Compare Subwoofers

Compare Portable Speakers

How Sonos Works

Voice Control

Radio

Support

Business

Sonos Pro Home

Professional

Installed Solutions

Developer Portal

Trades

Dealer Login

Works with Sonos

My Account

Profile

Orders

System

Upgrade

Offers

Subscriptions

Beta

Community

Logout

Dashboard

Cart

We could not verify the address you entered. Please make sure your mailing address is correct to ensure accurate delivery.

An email has been sent to your email address. Please use the link in that email to verify your email address!

Title

Learn more about product protection by Extend

Sonos Blog

Start new order?

Name

Please confirm you would like to reactivate your Sonos HD subscription

Reactivate your subscription

Sonos is a leading American audio technology company that is best known for pioneering wireless multiroom audio systems, which make it easy for listeners to stream music and other content throughout their homes. The company continues to innovate, creating wireless speakers, home theater systems, headphones, architectural components, and integrated home audio solutions that revolutionize how people listen and connect to sound.

, is an essential part of any modern audio-listening system. But how does it work? And do you really need to shell out a ton of money for a new or upgraded DAC that promises to deliver better sound from your 

Before we answer those questions, we need to clarify what a DAC actually does. In this guide, we’ll discuss how a DAC converts audio from CDs, MP3s, and streaming services into an analog signal that your speakers can use to produce incredibly detailed sound.

. It’s that simple — but only if you understand the difference between digital and analog signals in the first place.

When you listen to a live performance, your ears are picking up an 

 signal. This signal is smooth and constantly variable, with no sharp edges that separate one part of the sound from the next. When you listen to a speaker, you’re also hearing an analog signal — one that’s produced by a constantly fluctuating stream of electricity.

Some physical mediums use analog signals, too. Vinyl records have a tiny groove that moves back and forth in a wave-like fashion, never fully stopping at one fixed location. A record player picks up the vibrations made when a needle moves through this groove and sends it through an amplifier and into a speaker. No conversion is necessary here, because you’re starting with an analog signal and ending with an analog signal.

That’s great if you only listen to vinyl. But most people these days listen to music from laptops and smartphones, which store songs in MP3 files and other digital audio formats. These formats are 

, which means that they store audio information in discrete increments rather than as a continuous signal. These increments are essentially tiny snapshots (or samples) of the original analog signal captured by the microphones during the recording process.

Digital audio formats help us store audio in a conveniently tidy package, but they emit digital signals that can’t be interpreted into sound by an electrical speaker. The signal must be converted 

into an analog electrical signal that the speaker can use — and this conversion is exactly what a DAC does.

Port placed on top of some books on a bookshelf

 takes a digital signal from a stored audio file and transforms it into a curvy, continuous analog signal. But how? 

DACs work by taking tiny snapshots, or samples, of the digital signal and stitching these snapshots together into an analog waveform. A DAC might take thousands of samples from a single second of an audio file (the exact amount of samples it takes per second is referred to as the 

). It then plots these samples on a graph and creates a curved analog wave that intersects all of the individual sample points.

Ideally, a DAC should follow a consistent timing sequence when it converts a digital signal to an analog signal. To accomplish this, a typical DAC relies on a master clock that is precisely tuned to the sample rate.

But in some DACs this clock can be more prone to errors. If a 

 occurs, you may be able to detect a slight degradation in sound quality. This is because the individual samples aren’t being converted at consistent times, and the sound is thus distorted when played back.

This generally isn’t a problem with modern DACs, as many of them decode digital files at a rate higher than the human ear can detect. But it may be something you run into if you’re relying on the built-in DAC in your phone or laptop, which may not be as good at handling clocking errors as a high-quality DAC (such as the 

So, do you actually need to upgrade your sound system with an external DAC? In most cases, 

your sound system likely has a great DAC already built into it

. This is the case with Sonos Port and our other 

, all of which come with a high-quality DAC.

But if you’re relying on the DAC built into your smartphone or laptop, then yes, many external DACs are superior at limiting clocking errors. Whether you’re able to actually detect those clocking errors, in any case, depends on how well you can hear; it’s not a given that you’ll be able to tell the difference.

If you’re streaming music from a digital device into a DAC-less sound system, you might want to experiment with a USB DAC that connects to the USB port of your computer (it can also connect to your phone via a USB adapter).

Can I get better sound by using two DACs instead of one?

No. You only need one DAC to do the job. So, if you stream music from your phone to a Sonos speaker, you’ll only need the speaker’s built-in DAC to convert the digital signal from your phone into an analog signal the speaker can interpret.

This makes intuitive sense — since a DAC’s job is to convert a digital signal to an analog signal, it doesn’t make sense to stack two DACs on top of each other. Once the digital signal has been converted to analog, it isn’t digital anymore. Simply put, an analog signal can’t be converted to analog 

With that said, you can bypass the internal DAC of your phone or laptop by connecting to an external DAC with better components. Your device will send a direct digital signal to the DAC of your choice, which will convert it into an analog signal and send it through to your speakers or headphones.

Sonos takes care of the DAC question for you. 

 seamlessly converts the signal from your favorite streaming service or digital media player into a smooth analog wave, ensuring that your audio is as crisp and clear as possible.

For a wired setup, you can connect one end of a digital coax cable to the digital coax input on your receiver. The built-in DAC will convert this digital signal before sending it onward to the speaker.

Though a weak DAC can be a limiting factor for your system, your overall sound quality depends on a lot more than just your DAC. Your speakers and other components also matter — a lot! We’ve taken any possible weak links out of the equation with our 

, which include options with powered all-in-one speakers, subwoofers, and more.

What Is a DAC (And Do You Need It for Home Audio)?

When HDMI first appeared more than 20 years ago, it set a new standard for high-definition home entertainment. Today, HDMI — which stands for “

” — remains among the most popular digital interfaces used to transmit high-definition video and audio signals over a single cable.

HDMI cables connect the output from any number of HD sources (streaming devices, soundbars, gaming consoles, etc.) to the input of an HD display, such as a high-definition TV or projector. Since you probably use at least one of these devices on a daily basis, chances are that you’ve already plugged in an HDMI cable without even knowing it.

In this guide, we’ll give you a brief introduction to HDMI. We’ll also walk you through the basics of HDMI ARC and HDMI eARC, two audio-focused technologies that simplify your life by reducing the cables needed to connect your TV to a compatible 

To understand what HDMI is and what it does, it helps to simply break down the acronym:

The best new TVs support stunning crisp image and audio quality. But higher quality means a huge amount of data. Not every cable or connection is capable of transferring all this data from an input source to your TV at the speed or bandwidth required for optimum performance. HDMI was created to solve this problem, and newer versions keep ratcheting up the bandwidth to keep pace with ever-increasing levels of video and audio quality.

When we say “multimedia,” all we mean is that HDMI can support more than one type of media. HDMI supports both uncompressed video and multi-channel audio; that’s why we call it a multimedia interface.

An interface is essentially just a connection between two devices. It’s the place where those two devices communicate and share data back and forth with each other. In this case, HDMI acts as an interface between an input device (the source of your entertainment) and an output device (the thing that plays or displays your entertainment).

Say you have a source of audio and video data that you want to connect to your TV. This source could be a streaming device such as a Roku or Apple TV, a modern gaming console such as a Playstation or Xbox, or a Blu-ray player.

 (in other words, a physical connection) that allows you to transfer all this 

 (i.e. audio and video) data. But not just any interface will do. You need one that can transfer a huge amount of data at an incredibly fast rate, in order to achieve the 

 quality that has become standard among modern TVs, projectors, and other entertainment devices.

You may notice that we italicized some words in the above description. When you combine these words together, you get 

, or HDMI. This interface is widely used to transmit digital audio and video signals across devices, and it eliminates the need for multiple cables by consolidating different signals into a single connection.

HDMI cables can be used to transmit uncompressed digital audio and video signals between compatible devices.

 14-millimeter HDMI cable (Type A) has 19 pins and two “male” connector ends, both of which plug into “female” sockets on the devices it connects. Standard HDMI cables come in varying lengths, but as a general rule, the shorter the cable, the faster the data is transferred. Once you get past 10 meters or so, you may start to see some noticeable signal degradation.

Newer versions of HDMI cables support higher data-transfer rates. These cables look like the Standard cable but are labeled 

. Both are an improvement over Standard, but if you want the best possible experience with the latest HDMI 2.1 components, you may want to stick to the Ultra High Speed cable.

The good news is that these newer cables are all backward-compatible, meaning you can use them with earlier-version devices that were released before the upgrade in cable technology. The bad news is that a cable alone will not upgrade the quality of those old devices.

: Other types of HDMI connectors — Type B, C, D, and E — also exist for different use cases, e.g. smartphones, cameras, and vehicle entertainment systems. We’re focusing on Type A here, as it’s the standard connector for home-entertainment devices.

Closeup of the HDMI and ethernet ports on the back of Sonos Arc

The ARC in HDMI ARC stands for “Audio Return Channel.” If you use your TV with a soundbar or audio receiver, this feature helps you cut down on cables.

In a non-ARC setup, you would need a total of three cables:

An HDMI cable to connect your source device to the audio system

Another HDMI cable to connect your audio system to your TV

An optical/audio cable to connect your TV 

With HDMI ARC, you can eliminate this third cable. This is because the HDMI cable that connects your audio system to your TV can also send the TV audio 

 into your audio system. Instead of having two one-way roads, you’re essentially combining them into a single two-lane data highway.

ARC is not necessary if you only plan to use your TV’s speakers. But if you want to use an external speaker, it not only eliminates the need for an extra cable, but also improves the sound quality of the signal by allowing the same signal to travel in both directions (to and from the speaker).

HDMI ARC is compatible with HDMI 1.4 cables and all later versions. If you’re planning to connect a Blu-ray player or any other content source with video resolutions of 1080p or higher, you should likely spring for at least a High Speed HDMI cable. Before rushing out to buy a cable separately, though, note that most soundbars already come with an HDMI ARC cable in the box.

Just note that the devices you’re connecting also have to be HDMI ARC-enabled. You should see “ARC” clearly marked on the HDMI port of your TV or source device if it’s compatible.

Black Arc with cables hanging underneath it

HDMI eARC stands for HDMI “Enhanced Audio Return Channel.”

The eARC standard was introduced in the latest version of HDMI (HDMI 2.1). It works in much the same way as HDMI ARC, though it boasts even higher audio bandwidth.

This extra bandwidth allows eARC to support higher-quality surround-sound technologies. For example, though most 

you’ll need HDMI eARC to play lossless Dolby Atmos audio

You typically don’t have to do anything special to enable HDMI eARC; simply connect the HDMI cable as you normally would. If your TV or projector supports eARC, you may see an “eARC/ARC” or similar label on its HDMI port. If you don’t see this label, check the user guide to confirm if eARC is supported.

You don’t necessarily need a special cable for HDMI eARC, though a High-Speed HDMI cable or an Ultra High Speed HDMI cable is probably a good bet. The latter option is sure to work, as the Ultra High Speed specifications support all HDMI 2.1 features.

As is the case with all newer HDMI cables, the Ultra High Speed cable is backwards-compatible with devices that don’t support HDMI 2.1.

If you’re using external speakers with your 

 and you’re concerned with maximizing the quality of your audio output, HDMI eARC is the way to go. Just note that all of the components in your mix — your TV as well as your soundbar or audio system — must be eARC-compatible to ensure optimal bandwidth. Otherwise, your bandwidth may be limited by the weakest link in your system, i.e. the device that’s only compatible with ARC.

 that will help you get the most out of your home theater experience? Check out an eARC-compatible soundbar such as the 

Couple sitting on a couch watching tv with a white Arc, Sub, and Era 100 pair

The Beginner's Guide to HDMI, HDMI ARC, and eARC

Filling your business with on-brand sound helps amplify your brand and drives strong emotional connections to your business. Want to blast pop hits? You got it. Acoustic instrumental more your brand’s tempo? Done. Sonos Pro includes access to ad-free commercially licensed music for every type of business.

The Beginner’s Guide to Commercially Licensed Music

When managing your business, every element plays an important role in shaping the customer experience. One often overlooked but impactful aspect is the ability for music to influence your customer’s purchasing behaviors. However, while it may be tempting to play a popular tune from your personal playlist, streaming  music in a commercial space is not the same as enjoying music at home or on the go.

A subscription to a consumer music service such as Apple Music or Spotify provides a license to stream music for personal use, but does not provide a license to stream music for commercial use.  This means that the service cannot be used on a sales floor or restaurant dining room while the business is open. You’ll need to check  the terms of your consumer music service before playing any popular hits in your business.

, it means that the rights to use and distribute the musical work have been granted by the appropriate copyright owners or rights holders. Licensing is a crucial part of the music industry, ensuring that artists, songwriters, and creators are compensated for their work and that users have the legal right to use the music in specific ways.

For the case of restaurants, cafes, and retail stores, the law considers your brick-and-mortar business to be a public space, and music played in that space requires a specific license for commercial use. These licenses come in different types, each giving specific rights and limitations on how music can be used. One license that is required for commercial spaces is a 

, which is handled by Performance Rights Organizations (PROs), such as ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC (among others) in the United States.

A photo of two patrons of a yoga studio engaged in conversation, with various yoga paraphernalia and a Sonos speaker in the background

A photo inside a modern, stylish medical office, with a nurse speaking to a patient whilst holding a clipboard

Choosing the right commercial music service for your business

Failing to secure the proper rights can lead to legal consequences and financial liabilities for your business, so it’s crucial to navigate the world of music licensing appropriately.

 is made just for businesses, streamlining your usage to support only commercially licensed music services. Sonos Pro comes with 

, a selection of stations curated for your business. Sonos Backgrounds includes the commercial licensing you need for your retail, restaurant or business space, including licenses with all major PROs in the United States.

Sonos Pro also supports multiple third-party commercial music services, like Soundtrack Your Brand or Cloud Cover, enabling multiple options to provide your business with all the legal music it needs to make the perfect sound experience for your customers.

With Sonos Pro, you have the power to customize and control the music in each of your locations from a centralized platform — bringing you the hardware, commercially licensed music, and system control you need to create amazing sound experiences.

As the pioneer of multiroom audio, Sonos provides top-tier hardware and sound experiences that elevate any space. Our speakers are simple to 

, so you don’t need a high degree of technical expertise to use them.

With the Sonos Pro dashboard, you can schedule when and where music plays, and adjust the volume to suit the time of day or atmosphere. These remote monitoring and management capabilities allow you to maintain consistency across all your locations, regardless of where you are.

What’s more, Sonos Pro offers excellent customer support, helping you quickly resolve any issues and minimize downtime. You’ll also have access to a customer success manager to make sure the system meets your exact needs.

With one easy subscription, your business has access to everything it needs to sound great: high-quality audio, commercially-licensed music, and a comprehensive dashboard to keep the sound of your business consistent across all your locations. 

*Sonos Pro is only available in certain territories.

A photo of friends and family gathering and socializing in a restaurant

Commercially Licensed Music: How to Select Sound for your Business

Imagine walking through your home, seamlessly enjoying your favorite music or catching every bit of dialogue from a movie, no matter which room you're in. The idea of continuous music or sound following you throughout your house might seem like a luxury, but creating this sound experience is easier than ever with a multiroom audio setup. In this guide, we’re explaining how a multiroom audio system works and offering a few tips for creating one.

Multiroom audio is a system that lets you play the same music, podcasts, and other types of audio in multiple rooms of your home at the same time. That means you can go from one space to the next without the music fading away into the background.

For example, you can listen to your favorite playlist while doing chores around the house, and as you walk from room to room, the music will follow. Or maybe you're watching a movie and want to grab a bowl of popcorn from the kitchen. Instead of hitting pause, you can sync the audio from your TV to your kitchen speaker and step away without missing a word.

White Arc mounted under a television and white Sub placed nearby on the floor

At its core, multiroom audio works by linking various speakers across different rooms to play synchronized audio. This can be achieved through wireless or wired connections, depending on your setup and preferences.

A wireless sound system, like Sonos, is one of the easiest ways to get multiroom audio. Once you place your speakers in their desired locations and plug them into power, you can link them together over your WiFi network. A wired connection, on the other hand, requires some drilling and physically connecting your speakers to an amplifier, either through the walls or ceiling. This typically requires professional installation, but it’s great if you want your speakers to blend discreetly into your space.

Once your speakers are setup, most systems come with user-friendly controllers or apps that allow you to manage playback in different rooms using your smartphone, tablet, or computer. If you have a Sonos system, the Sonos app allows you to simply group rooms and speakers together. You can even create custom groups or zones that are frequently synced together. For example, you can create a custom group called “Downstairs” to enable playback across all the speakers on the same floor of your home.

Note that you can still enjoy the benefits of wireless control even if you have a wired system.

What Do You Need to Set Up Multiroom Audio?

For a multiroom audio setup, you need a speaker in every room where you want sound. These speakers can range from bookshelf speakers to sleek soundbars or discreet in-wall or in-ceiling speakers, depending on your preferences and room aesthetics.

Once you’ve decided on the type of speakers you’d like, they need to be connected to each other. As previously discussed, wireless connections — especially via WiFi — are most popular for their convenience and flexibility. However, certain scenarios may necessitate wired connections — like playing audio from physical media (such as CDs and vinyl) or using passive speakers like in-ceiling speakers, which will require a separate amplifier for power, such as 

. However, for most users, WiFi is the recommended and preferred option due to its ease of use.

Controlling a multiroom audio system typically involves using a dedicated app or controller. These allow you to effortlessly manage and customize audio playback across different rooms. For instance, if you have a Sonos system, the Sonos app allows you to seamlessly group and ungroup different speakers or “rooms.”

Depending on your setup, you might require additional equipment such as amplifiers or receivers, especially if you're integrating a traditional stereo setup or architectural speakers into your multiroom audio system. This typically requires you to have an AV closet, or dedicated space in your home to house all of the equipment, which could require an additional build-out if not readily available.

White Sonos Era 100 placed on a bookshelf

Sonance In-Wall speakers on both sides of a television with a white Sub placed on the floor nearby

This approach involves bringing individual speakers, like 

, into each room where you’d like to listen. These speakers are then connected over WiFi, providing an easy-to-set-up and adaptable system that you can expand in the future.

Another setup involves using built-in speakers like in-ceiling or in-wall options for a more integrated look. However, due to the complexity involved in installation, it's recommended to enlist the expertise of a 

Creating a multiroom audio setup can significantly elevate your home entertainment experience, offering convenience and a seamless flow of sound throughout your living space. Whether you opt for standalone speakers or integrated built-in systems, the world of multiroom audio is at your fingertips, ready to fill your home with all the content you love.

As the pioneers of multiroom sound, Sonos offers a variety of multiroom speaker sets to suit your audio needs. Choose the 

 for an entry-level setup, or expand your system outdoors with the 

. Get help designing and installing your perfect sound system by 

Woman sitting in a chair listening to a pair of white Era 300s

How to Create a Multiroom Audio Setup in Your Home

Have you ever wanted to transport yourself into the heart of a concert hall or immerse yourself in the sounds of nature without leaving the comfort of home? With the emergence of spatial audio, this easily becomes a reality. In this beginner's guide, we’re exploring the world of spatial audio, how it works, and how you can listen yourself.

Spatial audio is an innovative technology that creates a three-dimensional listening experience, making it seem as if sound is coming from various directions and distances. Unlike traditional stereo sound, where audio is delivered through two channels (left and right), spatial audio adds an extra dimension by incorporating height. This technology allows you to perceive sound as though it's coming from specific locations around you, mimicking how sound travels in real life.

Spatial audio representation with a black Arc Ultra, Sub 4, and Era 300 surrounds

, spatial audio uses sophisticated algorithms, advanced processing techniques, and specialized hardware to recreate lifelike soundscapes. Using object-based sound technology, such as 

, sound objects (including vocals, instruments, or effects) are strategically assigned to specific locations in a 3D space rather than a fixed channel.

Say you’re listening to spatial audio on a single speaker, like 

. To produce sound that feels like it’s coming from above, upward-firing drivers in the speaker bounce sound off the walls and ceiling, which get reflected to a specific location in the room. Because audio isn’t being projected in one direction, as is the case with 

, your content feels like it’s hitting you from every direction.

A standout quality of Dolby Atmos is its ability to adapt to various hardware and playback setups. Whether listening on 

, Dolby Atmos optimizes the sound to your environment for a more realistic listening experience.

Spatial audio brings you closer to the creator's original intent, allowing you to hear your content the way it was meant to be heard. When listening to music, you'll feel as if you're in the recording studio, surrounded by every instrument and nuanced detail. When watching a movie, the explosions will reverberate around you, the dialogue will appear to come from specific corners of the room, and ambient sounds will transport you into the center of the scene — it's like having a private cinema right in your living room. Spatial audio enriches your emotional connection to your content by making it more engaging and lifelike.

Couple laying on the floor with their dog while watching tv with a white Beam

How can I listen to spatial audio at home?

To experience your music and movies in spatial audio from the comfort of home, you’ll need two things: a Dolby-Atmos supported streaming service and a compatible device. Below are a few types of devices you can use to play Dolby Atmos content:

One of the most popular ways to experience spatial audio is with a pair of headphones. 

 have the ability to create an exceptional acoustic seal around your ears, making you feel completely surrounded by what’s playing.

If you want to experience spatial audio out loud instead of using headphones, some 

 — can fill a large space with immersive Dolby Atmos content. No matter where you are in the room, it will feel like the music is playing all around you.

Similar to a smart speaker, some high-end 

, can support spatial audio for movies and TV shows for a theater-like experience. These systems often include upward-firing 

 to bounce sound off the ceiling to create an all-encompassing effect.

If you want to put yourself inside your games, certain consoles and PCs with compatible sound cards can deliver a truly lifelike experience when playing content mixed in Dolby Atmos.

Some VR headsets provide spatial audio as part of their virtual experiences. When pairing spatial audio with VR content, these headsets can offer an incredibly immersive audio-visual experience.

Spatial audio represents a groundbreaking leap in the way we enjoy our favorite movies, music, and games. Its ability to create immersive, lifelike audio environments opens up new dimensions of entertainment where sound isn’t just heard but felt. 

 speakers feature cutting-edge technology that allow you to effortlessly experience spatial audio at home. If you have any questions or need help selecting a Dolby Atmos-supported speaker, get in touch with a Sonos expert by 

What Is a DAC (And Do You Need It for Home Audio)?

The Beginner's Guide to HDMI, HDMI ARC, and eARC

Commercially Licensed Music: How to Select Sound for your Business

How to Create a Multiroom Audio Setup in Your Home

The Beginner’s Guide to Spatial Audio

Mono vs. Stereo Sound: What's the Difference?

What Is Hi-Fi Audio? A Beginner’s Guide

What Is a Soundbar? And How To Choose One

What Is Dolby Atmos? And How to Bring It Into Your Home

The Beginner's Guide to Subwoofers & Bass for Home Audio

Music Streaming for Businesses: How to Choose the Right Solution

How Chaia Tacos uses Sonos Pro to succeed at scale

Help

Help

Offers

Offers

About Sonos

About Sonos

For Businesses

For Businesses

Categories

Categories

Products

Products

What Is a DAC (And Do You Need It for Home Audio)?

.css-4c3m2r{color:#ffffff;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}Commercially Licensed Music: How to Select Sound for your Business

.css-10sffwj{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;display:-webkit-inline-box;display:-webkit-inline-flex;display:-ms-inline-flexbox;display:inline-flex;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}How to Create a Multiroom Audio Setup in Your Home

Help

Help

Offers

Offers

About Sonos

About Sonos

For Businesses

For Businesses

Categories

Categories

Products

Products

Commercially Licensed Music: How to Select Sound for your Business

How to Create a Multiroom Audio Setup in Your Home