Headliner I

Answered

Can you use Sub on it's side?

Forum|Forum|4 years ago
September 26, 2022
21 replies
7864 views

Getting my money’s worth today …. third post 😀

Have a sub that I’ve owned since new (think a gen 2) and has worked perfectly to date.

But I did a few component move arounds and this one previously doing duty in the kitchen was moved to the hall ….. the kitchen redecoration lent itself to a new Gen 3 in white.

Came to connect it up just and it works but dropped in and out on initial playback then dropped out altogether when I moved it to its side.

I reset it and added it again upright and seems be working fine now. But I wondered if it was good practice put it on its side or if there was a sensor that cut it out when not upright?

Reason to put it on side was purely cosmetic as it fitted under a footstool. That proved to be also a bad idea on a wood floor as the limited time it has sat there, it sustained surface scratches. But surprised it prove be a problem operationally on it’s side …. or am I convincing myself of mixed facts/circumstances?

Nothing unusual about the unit save to say that unusually we have it wirelessly linked as it’s in a position where we do not have easy access to an RJ45.

Any knowledge gratefully received as always. Many thanks

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Best answer by Mr. T

The Sub is designed to be placed either horizontally and vertically.

The Sub is also supplied with felt feet to be used when the unit is placed horizontally on a flat surface to prevent such scratches.

Sonos Sub Product Guide

Make sure at least one side of the rectangular opening (acoustic slot) is unobstructed.

If you place the SUB vertically flush against a wall, do not block the front acoustic slot.
If you place the SUB horizontally on the floor, don’t put anything on top of it. Leave at least 1" clearance along the top of the SUB if placing under furniture.

Mr. TAnswer

The Sub is designed to be placed either horizontally and vertically.

The Sub is also supplied with felt feet to be used when the unit is placed horizontally on a flat surface to prevent such scratches.

Sonos Sub Product Guide

Make sure at least one side of the rectangular opening (acoustic slot) is unobstructed.

If you place the SUB vertically flush against a wall, do not block the front acoustic slot.
If you place the SUB horizontally on the floor, don’t put anything on top of it. Leave at least 1" clearance along the top of the SUB if placing under furniture.

Airgetlam

However, this is not the case with the new Mini - Sub. Just in case others came across this thread and thought it might apply to that device as well.

Bruce

A

attacama40Author

Headliner I

Thanks for clarifying guys. I do seem to remember seeing extra feet in the original Gen 2’s. We have a few Gen 2’s and 3’s now now but never found the need to put them ‘on side’.

This was for cosmetic and fit reasons but this intermittent operation did not seem promising. Positioned upright, the unit has worked perfect since.

It seems unlikely that an internal connection may have worked loose. That unit sat in the same position since new for at least 3 maybe 4 years but has been used a fair bit. Or maybe it could be the wifi signal was still levelling out?

I guess the only way to know is reattempt it but many thanks for clarifying the operational parameters of what it can and cannot do.

buzz

If the SUB is located in a poor wireless coverage area, flopping the SUB on it’s side will reorient the antenna and this may reduce signal quality below a threshold. Signal quality varies in three dimensions. Something as silly as rotating SUB 90° in this problem location may make a difference.

A

attacama40Author

Headliner I

If the SUB is located in a poor wireless coverage area, flopping the SUB on it’s side will reorient the antenna and this may reduce signal quality below a threshold. Signal quality varies in three dimensions. Something as silly as rotating SUB 90° in this problem location may make a difference.

Thanks Buzz. The house ‘should’ be awash in wifi. I have the Netgear Orbi RBS850 router and 4 x RBS850 satellites which you might think is almost overkill. And this particular device in smack bang in the center of the house.

But what you describe is precisely what I experience. It literally goes off as you rotate it from the 90 deg position …. almost as if it had a tilt switch in it!

I’ve sat it upright and to date, no drop out or disconnect. I remember why I like copper cables so much 😀

Will try it again and see if it replicates. Thanks for the steer

buzz

If your SUB is part of a surround system the soundbar will use a direct 5GHz link with SUB and mostly ignore WiFi. My “rotation” suggestion was for any orientation, not just vertical.

Yes, I’m anal about wires too.

Mr. T

If the footstool legs are made of metal, that can also impact the wireless signal being received by the Sub.

K

Keithmac

Virtuoso

Sonos is hit and miss with Mesh networks, your Sub my not be connecting to the nearest antenna.

A

attacama40Author

Headliner I

If your SUB is part of a surround system the soundbar will use a direct 5GHz link with SUB and mostly ignore WiFi. My “rotation” suggestion was for any orientation, not just vertical.

Yes, I’m anal about wires too.

😀 …. it’s a small club buzz but copper over air every time.

No this one is paired with an Amp and a pair of B&W CCM 682’s the length of our hall and mirrored by the same config on the landing.

I’m only using WiFi in this limited scenario as the RJ45 wall plate is (for reasons unknown) not working or connected at the switch end. I think it has been damaged at some point in building works and given it runs under a hardwood floor over an original wood suspended floor and through two engineering brick supporting walls, then it’s near impossible to re-feed without a lot of cosmetic and physical pain.

For me, this is a tolerable use of WiFi 😀 ….. just.

A

attacama40Author

Headliner I

If the footstool legs are made of metal, that can also impact the wireless signal being received by the Sub.

Thanks for the suggestion Mr. T. In this instance, that is not the case although is solid advice. It’s a wood and leather thing. I stripped the hessian base cover off and positioned the unit over the top to hide it. Not a fan of ‘on display’ tech if it can avoided.

Have to confess what I thought was an easy fit and use proved to be less so. it’s upright and at the side of the unit now and working. Doesn’t look as optimum as I’d hoped by at least working.

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