Question

5.1 with in-ceiling speakers only

  • 24 April 2020
  • 3 replies
  • 481 views

I’m trying to figure out what the best setup would be to do a 5.1 setup with in-ceiling speakers only? The house I’m working on is pre-wired with 3 front speakers and 2 rear speakers, all in-ceiling. They want to utilize these all since they “paid for it” instead of simply going with a Playbar/Beam w/ rear surrounds. 

What’s the best way to make this work?


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3 replies

There isn’t a way with Sonos to do 5.1 with other company’s speakers. You could do 4.1 with two Sonos Amps, and there would be a “phantom” center channel. The only Sonos options with true 5.1 require use of one of the three Sonos sound bars, all of which contain the front right, center, and left speakers inside the unit. 

The subwoofer would need to be self powered, and connected to the Sonos Amp driving the front speakers. The second Amp, driving the surround speakers, has the subwoofer output turned off while in that mode. 

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I’m not sure if the sound image would be great with front speakers built in the ceiling though.

I’m not sure if the sound image would be great with front speakers built in the ceiling though.

It sounds a terrible idea to me.  Even rear speakers… but front speakers???

The cost is a sunk cost.  Do they want to spend the next few years with weird TV audio?  Still, none of my business…..