**Big WOW Factor** The Gold Standard with a Few Handcuffs

I have a Sub gen 2 and a Sub 4, different rooms and different associated speakers but they sound the same to me.

My main HT Room could use dual Subs but placement for the second would be an aggravation and the single one isn't really inadequate, just a bit less impressive than the non-Sonos one it replaced.

I previously had two subs and now I have moved to the Arc Ultra and Era 300s with a single Sub Gen 3. Since I am a movie enthusiast, I do wonder if a piece of the puzzle is missing for that true Dolby Atmos spherical experience. I have heard claims on other forums that adding a second sub might cause the Arc to suppress its output, but in my view, it should actually free up the soundbar to deliver better clarity in the higher frequencies.

The idea of placing a sub under the sofa is very intriguing. I currently have my single sub hidden in the front right corner under a table. The space where my second sub used to be is still vacant. I sit at the back of the room on the sofa, so placing a second sub underneath or directly behind me for that physical vibration sounds excellent. It is a shame that Sonos does not allow us to tune each sub with its own independent EQ. Being able to set one for floor shaking impact and the other for clean acoustic detail would be phenomenal.

I have two weeks off work coming up soon, so I might look for some Sub 4 deals on the forums to see if I can complete the setup. I am also still very tempted to test a pair of Fives for my bedroom. I want to see if they can offer that same high level experience I am getting from the Arc Ultra set, but in a dedicated music environment where I can take advantage of living in a detached property.

Thanks for sharing your experience, Stanley. Since I can already hear a significant improvement in the clarity of the Arc Ultra compared to the original Arc, it makes me wonder if adding a Sub 4 would provide that truly sublime experience in sound depth. The Sub Gen 3 is certainly more budget friendly, but the newer hardware in the Sub 4 is tempting for future proofing.

My logic is that by adding a second dedicated sub, the Arc Ultra can offload the heavy lifting of the low end entirely. Even though the Ultra has its own impressive internal woofer, letting two external subs handle the bass should allow the soundbar to focus all its energy on the higher frequencies and dialogue. This should add an extra layer of refinement to the Atmos experience.
 

I am also very tempted by the idea of placing one sub directly under the sofa. If I can find a good deal on a Sub 4 during my upcoming time off, I would love to see if that physical rumble combined with the Arc Ultra's clarity finally completes the puzzle for me.

“This isn't a limitation of the audio technology itself, it is a choice to gate the hardware behind a specific third party subscription. Unless I am doing something terribly wrong, Sonos does not allow the use of alternative apps that would provide a similar experience without the "culture of greed" that accompanies these premium alliances.“

Sonos opens up it's system to anyone who wants to have their music service play through the Sonos app. What the music service does with this access is totally up to them. If Youtube has decided only the premium tier works on Sonos, you are barking up the wrong tree.

Music services that do not work from the Sonos app could be Airplayed to Sonos. Sonos does not do casting from Google, but this is a widely publicised fact, to be considered before buying Sonos.

“I use a variety of devices including a work laptop and a business machine, so my music library isn't always accessible from one place."

Not sure I understand what you expect form Sonos. Sonos expects (and has done so since the beginning) that the music library finds a home on an always on device like a NAS. Could be a computer, but most people do not like having a computer on all the time. So access from different devices should not be a problem.

Would you want Sonos to recognise a library (or multiple libraries) that is (are) spread out over multiple devices? If so, it would not be Sonos making this hard, but you. As has been said above nowadays the music library is a niche feauture, I do not see Sonos adding a feauture like that would be a niche within a niche. All for people using a maximum of 65k songs. 

My understanding is that you can define multiple locations for music library files. 

You can have at least two, I have that now BUT I haven't put any music on the second share yet to test it.

Thanks for the various insights. It is helpful to know that multiple library locations can be defined, though that doesn't change the fact that the process is far from intuitive for the average user.

To @106rallye, I must say that I find your defense of corporate greed quite remarkable. Your argument essentially suggests that since a restrictive system exists, we should simply accept it and move on. I believe it is vital to remain vocal against the hostile control and monopolistic tendencies we see in tech today. When you buy a premium product, you should own the right to use it freely without being steered into specific third party subscriptions.

Regarding your point on YouTube, it is logically flawed. If the audio codec is compatible, Sonos should allow its users to cast that audio freely from any app they choose, rather than gating the hardware behind a YouTube Premium requirement. Using your logic, if a NAS provider decided to only allow access via a premium tier on Sonos, you would presumably tell the customer they were barking up the wrong tree there too.

I am a consumer who has invested in a high end set, and I am voicing my opinion because I believe in the freedom of the user over the greed of the corporation. This culture of forced subscriptions is a larger picture that often leads to catastrophic consequences for consumer choice. I accept that my mistake led to my 3TB drive crashing, but that mistake was only possible because of the unnecessary complexity required to make a simple music library function in this ecosystem.

Regardless of the software hurdles, I still love the hardware itself. I suspect the Five might offer an amazing experience for my bedroom given my detached property, and I intend to keep testing the limits of what this system can actually do for me.

I’m just curious…what tech that you own does everything thing you want it to do and has no limitations or sandbox restrictions either self-imposed or by 3rd parties.

From what you are presenting you have to be very upset with the brand of TV you own. It may have apps for programming but you surely have to pay to access commercial free content. So do you feel the TV manufacturer has created a restrictive product that doesn’t allow you the freedom to access what you want without paying. That’s only one example.

Personally, l can’t continue in this conversation as temping as it may be. 😊

“Far from intuitive”? It’s a while since I set mine up, but I can see the option by clicking on Settings, Music Library, Add Shared Folder and all that’s then needed is to then enter the details requested. How could it be simplified or made more intuitive? 

Sorry, but I do not defend corporate greed. I agree with you lots of tech companies work by promising a lot and when you are hooked they enshittify their product and make you pay. See the likes of Netflix luring you away from ad riddled TV and after a few years making having no ads a premium feauture. Please keep adressing this - I just do not see Sonos as a main culprit of this.

What I am doing is trying to explain how Sonos works. This means it is up to the music service what you see an how you use it. Any limitations are limitations caused by the music service, not Sonos. Regarding your Youtube argument: their is nothing to allow for Sonos if Youtube decides you need a subscription to listen to music via Youtube. If Youtube decides you cannot Airplay music to Sonos it is their decision. Casting in the sense of Google cast is just not there on Sonos. And indeed, if your NAS would somehow stop sharing to Sonos because even they would ask a subscription, this is not up to Sonos.

It does seem you are complaining to Ford about the price of gas. Ford has not “gated it's hardware behind a third party” supplying gas. This is just how things work.