sonos options in a new house

Since Sonos themselves don’t make any ‘ceiling’ speakers, but can drive them via Sonos Amps, it’s hard to give you reviews. Sonos does sell Sonance Architectural ‘ceiling’ speakers, I’ve not heard any complaints, but so much depends on both installation and location. 
 

As a note, you may be concerned about S1 and S2. Some PLAY:5s can run one or the other, the first generation can only run S1. The PLAY:1s can run one or the other, all of mine are running S2. 

You might be better off using the up firing speakers in the Arc or Arc Ultra & the ERA 300 pair for the surrounds.  The Sonos Amp can’t decode Dolby Atmos.  Just make sure the room with the surround system has a flat ceiling and the room sides are symmetric; No openings.  Atmos relies a lot on room reflections.  Also try to avoid squarish  dimensions for that room.  Carpet helps, but nobody likes carpet any more, except me of course.

Hi Airgetlam, 

Thank you.   Yes mine are running s2.  
And yes it was the Sonance speakers I was wondering about.   I’m just used to putting speakers wherever I want, I just need to get my head around having fixed ones in the ceiling.  
I don’t know anyone that has used them so wasn’t sure if the sound is comparable and if I should put more in than I think.  
thanks

andrew 

I don’t think I’ve seen any specific threads either way, from which I assume they sound fine. Certainly no threads that I can recall about complaints. You might want to use Google to search for Sonance reviews.  Be aware Sonance has a lot of other speakers, some of which aren’t sold by Sonos, so be careful about the reviews. 

I'm not a ceiling speaker fan for anything but background, likely mono, sound. They do that very well but getting a decent stereo image is difficult, even then the oddness your ears experience from the image coming from overhead instead of ear level can be disconcerting. 

You can likely get them loud but accoustic feedback to surrounding spaces and vibrations of the ceiling material might limit that. A 1/2" sheetrock on 24" center studs ceiling isn't overly sturdy, since you are building you can work around that with reinforcements.

Today I'd lean to Era-300s as primary speakers, supplement with a Sub or miniSub if needed. Fives are going to sound a bit better for stereo but won't do Atmos and that is becoming very common and a nice audio improvement. Era-100s are good for smaller spaces where Atmos isn't as important or for placement/size limited surrounds. The new Play is pretty amazing as a portable or in small spaces, the real buttons make it really convenient to use if fumbling with a controller isn't what you want. Think bath and/or kitchen.

The Arc Ultra should be your primary TV sound source, 300s and a Sub are worthwhile additions. Problem rooms use two Subs. Beam gen 2s are decent for secondary rooms, maybe with a miniSub if needed.

A second option you might consider if the wires aren't an issue is skipping Atmos and using two Amps for your TV, you don't get a dedicated center channel but one is synthesized and I haven't seen a lot of complaints. That let's you use old style speakers and gives you the chance to go bigger than the 300/Five sound but it may be far more money and sound than you will actually need.

Read up on Atmos, speaker placement and room layout, it is important to get optimal sound but compromises don't ruin the experience.

My room is diamond shaped with two large open wings off the viewing area, it also has a high sloped ceiling, worse the slope goes the worst possible direction. Wait, there is more worse, the spouse hated the 300s where they needed to be and where they were acceptable they didn't sound good, Era-100s fit and were approved. Still with all of this my sound is pretty good, Atmos could be better but does sound better than 5.1 and the Sub tucked in a corner fills the room nicely.