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I had purchased an Arc, Sub, and 2 SL’s for a home theatre configuration, replacing an ancient analog JVC receiver w/2 bookshelf speakers.  We found we missed the stereo separation, so I purchased another pair of SL’s.  But they cannot be added to the room the Arc is in  - apparently the max for the Arc room is the sub and one pair.  
 

The accepted workaround is to add the two new SL’s to a different Room, then configure them as a Group to play together while watching TV.  Two major drawbacks to this:

     1.  Volume on TV remote doesn’t control the new Room

     2.  The 75 ms delay (inherent to Grouped rooms) is very noticeable


I have used Sonos for audio in a different room (I esp. like the dedicated wireless you get with the Boost) and have really enjoyed it.  But I’ve paid a lot of money for this new Sonos home theatre and am sorely disappointed.  If this is the best home theater that Sonos can provide, I plan on boxing up everything and sending it back for a refund.

Why on earth is it not possible to add more than three speakers to the Arc Room?

The maximum setup you can have with a Sonos Arc is a 5.2.2 setup which includes the Arc, up to two Subs (at least one has to be a Gen 3), and two surround speakers.

Sonos probably doesn’t allow for a 7.2.2 setup because there isn’t a big demand for it. But you definitely aren’t the first to ask Sonos to add this feature.


Stereo separation on a soundbar will always be worse than on separates. And since the Arc is a soundbar, not a center speaker, adding FL and FR seems ridiculous. You wouldn’t ask this from another soundbar manufacturer (regardless of how much you paid).

Sorry to have to say this, but you would not have been disappointed if you would have read up on Sonos before buying another set of speakers………


Stereo separation on a soundbar will always be worse than on separates. And since the Arc is a soundbar, not a center speaker, adding FL and FR seems ridiculous. You wouldn’t ask this from another soundbar manufacturer (regardless of how much you paid).

...you would not have been disappointed if you would have read up on Sonos before buying another set of speakers.

  106rallye, I appreciate you candor.   I did read up, just not enough - plus, I got thrown off the scent: Sonos telephone support (which is clearly outsourced to an offshore concern) seemed to think that buying 2 more SL’s was a great way to jack up the separation, but I think she just wanted to get me off the phone.  Also, I had experimented w/ setting up the first two SL’s as a stereo pair (FR, FL) which lead me to (incorrectly) conclude that adding 2 more would be a cakewalk...lesson learned: Sonos Community is where to get advice.

I will return the two new SL’s and fall back to a 5.2.2 setup.   Thank you both.


Wrong information by Sonos is not good. That would disappoint me too….