Avid Contributor I

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Why doesn't Sonos allow an Arc to be used as a Center Channel only along with two AMPs and a powered sub?

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I have some nice Front L/R speakers along with some in-ceiling rear speakers.

I went and purchased a Sonos Arc along with the two Sonos Amps and was surprised to find out that the Arc could not be setup as a Center Channel only.

Seems to me that Sonos missed an opportunity to sell me some more gear. I returned the ARC and will setup the fronts to produce a “faux” center speaker.

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buzzAnswer

Grand Maestro

Soundbars from all manufacturers are intended to install with minimum boxes and wires, with simple operation. In my opinion soundbars can sound good, but they are not the ultimate. A full setup with lots of speakers and wires can sound better, but there is more setup and operational fuss.

jgatie

Because the Arc is a soundbar, not a center speaker. No soundbar in the world can be converted to a center speaker, they just aren’t wired that way.

buzzAnswer

Grand Maestro

Soundbars from all manufacturers are intended to install with minimum boxes and wires, with simple operation. In my opinion soundbars can sound good, but they are not the ultimate. A full setup with lots of speakers and wires can sound better, but there is more setup and operational fuss.

M

MyChrmicalRomance

Enthusiast II

I have some nice Front L/R speakers along with some in-ceiling rear speakers.

I went and purchased a Sonos Arc along with the two Sonos Amps and was surprised to find out that the Arc could not be setup as a Center Channel only.

Seems to me that Sonos missed an opportunity to sell me some more gear. I returned the ARC and will setup the fronts to produce a “faux” center speaker.

Sonosequencer (iOS app $3) can allegedly do this. It’s unsupported atm so ymmv, but recent leak to the verge show Sonos is likely prepping this for official release possibly with their previously leaked stb.

See here

https://old.reddit.com/r/sonos/comments/1i6u7pv/front_lr_speakers_real_51_working_great_with/m8fc5iq/

jgatie

Sonosequencer (iOS app $3) can allegedly do this. It’s unsupported atm so ymmv, but recent leak to the verge show Sonos is likely prepping this for official release possibly with their previously leaked stb.

See here

https://old.reddit.com/r/sonos/comments/1i6u7pv/front_lr_speakers_real_51_working_great_with/m8fc5iq/

I highly doubt Sonosequencr can rewire the hardware/firmware to stop the L//R channels from playing on the soundbar.

M

MyChrmicalRomance

Enthusiast II

It’s not rewiring the firmware, Sonosequencer is tapping functionality that is already there in firmware.

Stanley_4

Grand Maestro

It’s not rewiring the firmware, Sonosequencer is tapping functionality that is already there in firmware.

Where did you find this documented? I can find nothing from Sonos on it being built into the firmware.

It might be fun to build a transcoder box that took in 5.1 or Atmos eARC signals, split them out and then resent the soundbar just the center channel sound on all channels.

M

MyChrmicalRomance

Enthusiast II

It’s not rewiring the firmware, Sonosequencer is tapping functionality that is already there in firmware.

Where did you find this documented? I can find nothing from Sonos on it being built into the firmware.

It might be fun to build a transcoder box that took in 5.1 or Atmos eARC signals, split them out and then resent the soundbar just the center channel sound on all channels.

It isn’t documented and as mentioned it’s unsupported. See r/reddit and r/sonosequencer for posts on people using this feature.

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