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Very excited to break into the Sonos ecosystem with a full house remodel we’re doing. 

We will be using the Sonos Arc Ultra with Sonos in-ceiling speakers for surrounds, a separate zone in the kitchen, and a separate zone in the patio. The multi zone is why Sonos is such a great fit.

The problem is the sub placement. Without going into too much detail, simply put I cannot use an external sub like the sub 4 due to not having anywhere to place it with our tv room layout. I could put it in a cabinet and use a mesh cover on the cabinet (even double this so there’s a sub 4 on either side of the TV), but everything I read says you do not want to put a sub in a cabinet. 

So, the questions is… if I use two in-wall architectural subs from sonance, can I still integrate them into the Sonos eco system and will it read them as .2 subs correctly for the home theater aspect of this? Would I have to buy a separate amp for each of them? 

Open to any ideas here. We’re still down to the studs on the remodel so can do anything with wiring. 

Much thanks in advance.

Sub placement is usually not critical as to where in the room they are located from a directional standpoint. Room interaction is almost always more critical and should be your primary criteria for placing them.

Te Sub is very versatile, look at options like laying them flat, even under furniture. It needs only an inch of clearance to one side so it can be positioned pretty close to walls or cabinetry.

 

https://support.sonos.com/en-us/article/surround-sound-guidelines-and-limitations?product=amp

The following features will be disabled on Sonos products used as surround speakers:

  • AirPlay
  • Bluetooth audio playback
  • Line-In
  • Subwoofer output

Thank you Stanly. Are you saying that putting a sub in a closed cabinet would be ok?

Sub placement (where in the room) is very crucial if you want it to sound great (dry & punchy vs. boomy, muddy or non-existent) Even Sonos can’t beat physics, true play can help a bit. 

usually you do the sub crawl, place the subwoofer on the primary listening position and find the position where it sounds best in the room (on the knees). Even if you can’t place it there you will get an idea which general location in the room might be better.


about the cabinet: the instruction manual of the sub specifies some minimal clearance required / recommended for placement in / behind furniture.

 

about third party speaker / subs I have no clue 🫣

 

Not a closed cabinet, even an open one can do odd things to the sound. Rattles are a big issue too if there is anything to be shaken.

I’m not saying inside a cabinet might not be possible but it may take some experimenting and maybe some internal baffling to sound good. I’d avoid it if at all possible.

​@Tastix 

The article in the link provides good information on sub placement. Disregard the fact that it’s presented by Polk Audio as the information is universal to any sub.

Many options are discussed except one and that is placing a sub under a seating area. In my experience the only person (or persons) that benefit from such placement are those seated on top of the sub. They get what’s known as a rumble or vibration effect which can be interpreted as great bass (if you want to really feel the low-end effects). Good for movies but not so good for music. Others (seated elsewhere) may tend to find the low-end directional in such placement. Good low-end should be non-directional to all listeners for movies and music. 

However, as the article and others have suggested you should experiment with various orientations/locations to determine the optimal placement for your space.

https://www.polkaudio.com/en-us/polklore/how-to/perfect-subwoofer-placement.html?srsltid=AfmBOoq7YtzG3oI3HCAy9Ls-zS57R2c_m1p5CKKvA5ljY7u3t2RCridc

 

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