You cannot combine the Arc with front in-wall speakers. The Arc alone already includes the center, front left, and front right channels. So the maximum setup with an Arc is the Arc + two Subs (one must be a Gen 3), + two surround speakers.
If you want to use in-wall speakers, you can use the Amp to power the front pair and another Amp to power the pair of in-walls as surrounds. This is a 4.0 setup with a phantom center channel. You can add a subwoofer to complete the 4.1 setup.
Side in-wall speakers aren’t supported in a Sonos home theater setup.
Unfortunately there are no front speakers, the provision for the arc was made and then provision for wireless rears were made. If I install the 4 lateral speakers as rear surrounds would it work?
Sounds like I'll have no choice but to do this and forget about the rear ERA 300s/ Play 5’s
See the image attached for reference
What would be the best system for side in walls in your opinion?
What would be the best system for side in walls in your opinion?
If you want to use four side in-wall speakers, you need to go with a traditional home theater setup with a receiver and separate wired speakers. With four side in-wall speakers, you will have to go with a 9.1 setup.
If you want to stick with Sonos, just go with the Arc + Sub + Era 300s (or Fives) as surrounds. The in-walls (powered by an Amp) could still be grouped with the Arc to play music, but they would not be included with the home theater setup to play TV/movie audio.
Hi
Take the advice given by @GuitarSuperstar. Your concept/envision for Home Theater is not in-line with Sonos. BTW..it’s not a Sonos issue nor limitation. Sonos was never intended to work as a Home Theater via your conceptualization.