Sonos
Multi-room wireless audio — the most common audio system in KNX smart homes.
Sonos (Santa Barbara, California — founded 2002) is the world's leading multi-room wireless audio platform. Their speakers (Era, Play, Arc, Beam, Move, Roam) form a self-organising Wi-Fi mesh audio network, controlled via the Sonos app, Spotify Connect, or the Sonos HTTP API. In KNX smart homes across Europe, Sonos is the de-facto audio standard — not because it speaks KNX natively, but because Home Assistant's Sonos integration provides a robust local API bridge between Sonos and KNX group addresses.
Role in our panels
How we use Sonos
Sonos integrates with KNX via Home Assistant: the HA Sonos integration discovers all Sonos speakers on the local network via UPnP/mDNS and provides real-time state (playing/paused/volume) and full control (play, pause, volume, source, grouping). HA automations triggered by KNX group address telegrams then execute Sonos API calls. Bidirectionally: Sonos state changes update KNX group addresses for visualisation on room controllers. No cloud dependency for local control — Sonos local API works on LAN.
In our panels, Sonos integration does not require panel hardware. The connection is software-only: KNX scene group address telegram → HA automation → Sonos media_player service call. Examples: 'Evening' scene telegram → HA → Sonos living room play 'Ambient Jazz' at 25% volume; 'Departure' scene telegram → HA → Sonos pause all speakers; 'Alarm' telegram from Ajax → HA → Sonos play alarm sound at maximum volume. Bidirectional: Sonos 'now playing' artist/track → HA → KNX string group address → Gira X1 / HDL room controller display.
Used in these project types
Sonos products
Key components we install
Sonos Era 300
Flagship Dolby Atmos spatial audio speaker. Wi-Fi 6, line-in, Bluetooth. For living rooms and open-plan areas where premium stereo and spatial audio is specified. Works as stereo pair or solo.
Sonos Era 100
Compact stereo bookshelf speaker. Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, line-in. Replaces the iconic Sonos One. Ideal for bedrooms, kitchens, and offices. Use as stereo pair for better coverage.
Sonos Arc
Premium Dolby Atmos HDMI ARC soundbar. For cinema rooms and TV areas in premium residences. Integrates with KNX via HA: scene 'Cinema' → Sonos Arc unmute + TV on via KNX HDMI switch relay.
Sonos Beam (Gen 2)
Compact Dolby Atmos soundbar for medium rooms and bedrooms. HDMI ARC. More discreet than Arc. Pairs with Sonos Sub Mini for bass.
Sonos Move 2
Battery-powered portable speaker (11-hour battery). Used in garden, terrace and pool areas where outdoor fixed speakers are not installed. Wi-Fi (on dock) + Bluetooth (portable use).
Sonos Amp
300W Sonos amplifier for passive speakers. Integrates existing in-ceiling or in-wall passive speakers into Sonos system. HDMI ARC. Used when clients have existing speaker installations (e.g. Bose, Focal) that they want to control via Sonos/KNX.
Sonos FAQ
How does Sonos integrate with KNX?
Via Home Assistant: the HA Sonos integration uses the local Sonos API (no cloud). KNX → HA → Sonos: KNX scene telegram → HA automation → sonos.play_media or media_player.volume_set service call. Sonos → HA → KNX: HA state change trigger → KNX service call → KNX group address update (for display on room controller). No dedicated panel hardware needed.
Is Sonos a better choice than a traditional audio matrix (Nuvo, Russian Audio)?
Sonos when: flexible zone configuration, music streaming (Spotify/Tidal/radio) is primary use, client wants to manage music from a phone. Traditional matrix when: fixed high-quality zones required, separate amplifier per zone for audiophile performance, or when the project already has a full AV integration (Crestron, AMX) that handles audio routing. Sonos and KNX is the most cost-effective multi-room audio solution for 90% of projects.
Can Sonos trigger when a KNX sensor activates?
Yes — via HA: KNX motion sensor telegram → HA trigger → Sonos play welcome announcement or ambient music. Or: KNX binary input (doorbell) → HA → Sonos play chime sound in all living areas. The logic runs in HA automations — KNX carries the trigger, Sonos carries the audio.
Does Sonos work without internet?
Sonos requires internet for initial setup and firmware updates, but day-to-day local control via Sonos app and Sonos API works without internet. The HA Sonos integration uses the local API — it works offline. Music streaming (Spotify, Tidal) requires internet. For local music: Sonos supports local library via Plex or NAS SMB share — works entirely offline.
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