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Building a 7.1 setup for Home Theater with Sonos

Hi,

I am trying to build a 7.1 Home Theater system for my basement.

Following is the kind of system I am trying to build (Link at Dolby site). Also see the picture below:

 

I was wondering, if we have an Arc as mid, can we setup a 7.1 through Sonos?

 

Any idea?

 

Moderator note: We updated this article in October 2023 with new information below.

 

With the introduction of the Sonos Arc and the Era 300 we now support Dolby Atmos surround sound. If you want to know more please check out this article on our community or The Ultimate Guide to a Sonos Home Theater on our blog.

 

 

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16 replies

melvimbe

No, Sonos does not have a supported 7.1 configure.   With the Arc, you can create up to a 5.1.2 setup.

Danny
F

Thanks mevimbe for taking out the time to reply.

5.1.2 works for me. So that’d be this, right? 

5.1.2
​​​​

 

So what would I have for the following:

 

  1. Seating position (Lil ol’ me)
  2. Left and right Dolby Atmos®️ enabled speakers (which speakers?)
  3. Center speaker (Arc?)
  4. Subwoofer (Sub?)
  5. Left and right surround speakers (which speakers?)
Airgetlam

No, there is no Sonos setup that supports separate front speakers. The Arc is a soundbar, and not a center speaker.

Bruce
F

Sigh.

So I’d have to get two SLs ?

Can I put two 5s at the back instead of SLs ?

Would it help?

F

Also can I hang the two back speakers on the walls instead of the floor stands?

Airgetlam

If you were to go with a Sonos Arc, for Atmos compatibility, the 2 and 3 speakers are in the single device. You could the use either a Sonos Amp to drive your own surround speakers, or a pair of any Sonos speakers (except the Move) as surrounds. You could add a Sub to your Arc, with no issue.

Surround speaker placement is a personal choice. Most recommend slightly behind the seating position, at ear height, but you can place them where they sound good to you. 

Bruce
F

Thanks Bruce,

I am not very technical but I’ll try my best to layout my understanding.

So you’re saying :

  • If I use Sonos Amp, I could even create a 7.1 setup? I don’t have any of my own speakers. It’s all a new setup.
  • I am definitely using Sonos Sub
  • I will be using two 5s at the back as surround. I think I’ll mount them on the side wall faced a bit tilted down. 
Airgetlam

There are three methods of using Sonos Amps in a Sonos home theater setup.

The first is to drive two of your own speakers as front right, and front left speakers. The Sonos uses that output to create a ‘faux’ center channel. You can then ‘bond a Sonos Sub, and a pair of Sonos speakers as surrounds, giving you a simulated 5.1 signal using 4.1 speakers.

The second is to use the Amp as defined previously, and add a second Amp, which drives the surround speakers of the Non Sonos variety, again giving you that 4.1 set up, this time using four of your own speakers. 

The final way to Use an Amp is by bonding it to a Sonos sound bar, where the sound bar acts as the front three and real speakers, and the Amp powering your own speakers as surrounds.

Sonos has no method to support a 7.1 system in any way. You can get 4.1 with the ‘faux’ center channel, a true 5.1, or a true 5.1.2 using the Arc, where the .2 is built in to the Arc providing two upward firing Atmos channels, when an Atmos signal is presented.

Bruce
F

Thanks Bruce. Really appreciate your help.

What’s your preferred method out of these three? 

Airgetlam

I have an Arc, bonded to a a Sub, and a pair of PLAY:1s (equivalent to Sonos One SLs) as surrounds. I find that for home theater, there’s just no justification for more speaker size in the surrounds. 

Bruce
F

Thanks man.

T
Badge

@Airgetlam Do you have any idea why Sonos shows 5.1 and 7.1 setups in the documentation for the Architectural series in-wall speakers which are made for the Amp? They even reference using the Amp in the instructions… 

https://www.sonos.com/pdfs/productguides/en-us/sonos_in_ceiling_by_sonance.pdf

https://www.sonos.com/pdfs/productguides/en-us/sonos_in_wall_by_sonance.pdf

Is this oversight or an error? Or a hint at what is to come?

 

 

Airgetlam

I answered your question in the other thread that you repeated it.

Bruce
Airgetlam

Note that those documents are created by Sonance, and not Sonos. Sonos has no method by which you can drive three separate front speakers, much less side speakers. You may want to query Sonance, but I assume the set up in that drawing is not associated with Sonos speakers, but a generic A/V receiver setup.

Bruce
T
Badge

Note that those documents are created by Sonance, and not Sonos. Sonos has no method by which you can drive three separate front speakers, much less side speakers. You may want to query Sonance, but I assume the set up in that drawing is not associated with Sonos speakers, but a generic A/V receiver setup.

Thanks for the help, but the documents reference the contents of the box which bears the Sonos name and are sold by Sonos...on the Sonos site. Someone should fix this if it is an error as it is misleading.

T
Badge

I answered your question in the other thread that you repeated it.

Hi Bruce, I appreciate the thorough reply, but my question wasn’t answered. (At least not the details I’m looking for.) I’m adding a link here for the sake of others that may follow the breadcrumbs.

https://en.community.sonos.com/home-theater-228993/7-1-surround-with-dolby-atmos-sonos-arc-and-amp-6844845?postid=16485160#post16485160

https://en.community.sonos.com/home-theater-228993/building-a-7-1-setup-for-home-theater-with-sonos-6842924?postid=16485164#post16485164

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