[GH-ISSUE #102] Grouping / Testing Branch 4.x doesn’t work with original Loxone Zones #51

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opened 2026-02-27 19:28:07 +03:00 by kerem · 4 comments

kerem commented

2026-02-27 19:28:07 +03:00

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Originally created by @simon2207 on GitHub (Jan 2, 2026).
Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/lox-audioserver/lox-audioserver/issues/102

I m using 4.x Testing branch with several Sonos and Squeezlite Players as my Backend source. Actually I m testing with Sonos only - and I m unable to group those virtual Lox-Audioserver Speakers with existing Loxone Zones and Speakers.

Details:

Building Groups from within the Loxone App - Lox-Audioserver with Sonos Backend and Original Loxone Zones - doesn’t work.

Building Groups from within the Loxone App - Lox-Audioserver with Sonos Backend and Sonos Backend Speaker provides by Lox-Audioserver as well are working.

Kind regards
Simon

Originally created by @simon2207 on GitHub (Jan 2, 2026). Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/lox-audioserver/lox-audioserver/issues/102 <img width="654" height="238" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/66bc31e3-9953-4d40-ab91-676e9d870cf4" /> I m using 4.x Testing branch with several Sonos and Squeezlite Players as my Backend source. Actually I m testing with Sonos only - and I m unable to group those virtual Lox-Audioserver Speakers with existing Loxone Zones and Speakers. Details: Building Groups from within the Loxone App - Lox-Audioserver with Sonos Backend and Original Loxone Zones - doesn’t work. Building Groups from within the Loxone App - Lox-Audioserver with Sonos Backend and Sonos Backend Speaker provides by Lox-Audioserver as well are working. Kind regards Simon

kerem commented

2026-02-27 19:28:08 +03:00

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@rudyberends commented on GitHub (Jan 2, 2026):

This is where things get a little complicated. When routing audio through an output, sync capability depends on the protocol used. Every protocol has its own way of establishing a clock reference, distributing timestamps, buffering, and handling drift inside a group. That’s why if you want perfect sync, you must use the same protocol/output for all group members. Mixing protocols inside one group means you are effectively trying to bridge two independent timing domains, and that will always degrade to “best effort” at some point.

This "best effort" is not yet implemented. Right now it expects zones to all be configured using the exact same output protocol. There is a groupmanager/grouptracker in place and every output extends this code with its own specific set of features.

I can confirm group sync is working with airplay, sendspin and snapcast. If you run sendspin or snapcast over google cast, they will also play in sync.

For Sonos it is also implemented, but untested. What kind of Sonos devices are you using? are they all the newer S2 protocol, a mix, or the older API?

When you are talking about original Loxone zones, you are referring to zones on a real audio server? I am not sure how this would work. Does Loxone support this with 2 actual audioservers? There has to be some sort of protocol in place for communication between those hosts.

For now, maybe we should focus on getting it right using Sonos only in your setup and work from there?

@rudyberends commented on GitHub (Jan 2, 2026): This is where things get a little complicated. When routing audio through an output, sync capability depends on the protocol used. Every protocol has its own way of establishing a clock reference, distributing timestamps, buffering, and handling drift inside a group. That’s why if you want perfect sync, you must use the same protocol/output for all group members. Mixing protocols inside one group means you are effectively trying to bridge two independent timing domains, and that will always degrade to “best effort” at some point. This "best effort" is not yet implemented. Right now it expects zones to all be configured using the exact same output protocol. There is a groupmanager/grouptracker in place and every output extends this code with its own specific set of features. I can confirm group sync is working with airplay, sendspin and snapcast. If you run sendspin or snapcast over google cast, they will also play in sync. For Sonos it is also implemented, but untested. What kind of Sonos devices are you using? are they all the newer S2 protocol, a mix, or the older API? When you are talking about original Loxone zones, you are referring to zones on a real audio server? I am not sure how this would work. Does Loxone support this with 2 actual audioservers? There has to be some sort of protocol in place for communication between those hosts. For now, maybe we should focus on getting it right using Sonos only in your setup and work from there?

kerem commented

2026-02-27 19:28:08 +03:00

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@simon2207 commented on GitHub (Jan 2, 2026):

Sonos S2. YES - all devices are new.
Sonos Groups are working - so I m able to group different sonos speakers from the Loxone app provided by lox-audio server.

When I m talking about: original Loxone zones, you are referring to zones on a real audio server? I am not sure how this would work. Does Loxone support this with 2 actual audioservers? There has to be some sort of protocol in place for communication between those hosts.

YES - I mean Zones on a real Audio Server and YES you can group multiple original Loxone Audioserver together and play music in sync distributed over different original Loxone Audioservers. Currently I m using 3 Original Loxone Audioserver and ALL are playing in sync.

In addition I would love to add some sonos speakers to those original Loxone Audio Groups... but I think we will get there.

@simon2207 commented on GitHub (Jan 2, 2026): Sonos S2. YES - all devices are new. Sonos Groups are working - so I m able to group different sonos speakers from the Loxone app provided by lox-audio server. When I m talking about: original Loxone zones, you are referring to zones on a real audio server? I am not sure how this would work. Does Loxone support this with 2 actual audioservers? There has to be some sort of protocol in place for communication between those hosts. YES - I mean Zones on a real Audio Server and YES you can group multiple original Loxone Audioserver together and play music in sync distributed over different original Loxone Audioservers. Currently I m using 3 Original Loxone Audioserver and ALL are playing in sync. In addition I would love to add some sonos speakers to those original Loxone Audio Groups... but I think we will get there.

kerem commented

2026-02-27 19:28:08 +03:00

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@p4co86 commented on GitHub (Feb 13, 2026):

Any news on this? Grouiing does not work for me too. Only using squeezlize players.

@p4co86 commented on GitHub (Feb 13, 2026): Any news on this? Grouiing does not work for me too. Only using squeezlize players.

kerem commented

2026-02-27 19:28:08 +03:00

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@rudyberends commented on GitHub (Feb 13, 2026):

This specific issue concerns grouping Lox-AudioServer zones with zones from an original Loxone AudioServer. Achieving this requires detailed knowledge of the original AudioServer protocol, which we would need to obtain through traffic analysis and reverse engineering. No work has been done on this so far. After version 4 is released, we can evaluate it further, as the use case is quite specific.

You are referring to internal audio grouping within Lox-AudioServer itself. That functionality is already implemented, but it is not yet available through the Squeezelite protocol. The priority was to first validate that the Squeezelite implementation is technically sound before extending it with additional features.

For Squeezelite-specific issues, please use issue #126.

@rudyberends commented on GitHub (Feb 13, 2026): This specific issue concerns grouping Lox-AudioServer zones with zones from an original Loxone AudioServer. Achieving this requires detailed knowledge of the original AudioServer protocol, which we would need to obtain through traffic analysis and reverse engineering. No work has been done on this so far. After version 4 is released, we can evaluate it further, as the use case is quite specific. You are referring to internal audio grouping within Lox-AudioServer itself. That functionality is already implemented, but it is not yet available through the Squeezelite protocol. The priority was to first validate that the Squeezelite implementation is technically sound before extending it with additional features. For Squeezelite-specific issues, please use issue #126.