Disappointed with my Sonos

  • 3 December 2023
  • 2 replies
  • 138 views

I installed Sonos in my living room with the following configuration: 

* Beam Gen 2 connected via HDMI Arc to my TV
* 2x Sonos Era 300 on the back of my sofa

* Apple TV with Plex, Netflix, Disney+,...
* Trueplay calibration done

So far, I'm disappointed with the result. The content watched isn't just movies and the sources vary (Plex, Netflix, Disney+ and TV channels).

I find that the Era 300s at the rear don't add much. The sound has to be at a certain level for that to be the case. But the sound isn't often high, because there are 6 of us and someone always thinks it's too loud.

I previously had HomePod v1s, which weren't bad at all, although their main use wasn't as TV speakers, but for music. It was more a Logitech Z906 kit. What was particularly good about the Z906s was the ability to choose the source of the sound, and in particular to output the same sound to all the speakers. This means, for example, that dialogue can also be heard on the rear speakers, thus reducing the sound level, which is perfect. Is this possible with a my Sonos installation?

The ability to output the same sound everywhere was really appreciated and the main use.

For music, I continue to use my pair of HomePods. It's great for filling the room. With the Sonos, I have the impression that you have to be in the middle to enjoy it, outside the living room, dining room and kitchen, everything is open and is one big space. Not a very interesting result with Sonos.


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2 replies

Userlevel 7

What model TV do you have? What audio format is displayed in the Sonos app when streaming from Netflix or Disney+?

With a Sonos home theater setup, you cannot play the same front channel TV audio through all of your speakers. The surround speakers will always play the surround audio.

Userlevel 7
Badge +22

Have you tried the level adjustment for your surrounds? You might prefer them slightly louder while keeping the front levels lower.

You might also try streaming music (not through the TV) directly and setting the surrounds to Full Mode to see how they sound when the source material sent to them matches your front channels.

We see a lot of TV sourced content that says 5.1 but has little or nothing on the surround channels.