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MHeneghan
Contributor I
October 26, 2023
Answered

Era 300s or Sonance wall & ceiling speakers as surrounds?

I have an Arc with the 3rd gen sub and Amp.

 

I am moving into a new build and have the option to add Sonnance Wall & Ceiling speakers, which is my wife's preference due to aesthetics.

 

However, with the introduction of the Era 300s I'm aware they would probably produce a bit theatre experience for movie watching. 

 

My questions are:

 

1 - Can you use both wall and celling speakers with the Arc or does it have to be ceiling only due to their current sideways firing speakers?

 

2 - If you can use both wall and ceiling speakers with the Arc, is there that much of a difference and does it warrant the inevitable resistance and 'discussions' from my wife?

 

Thanks for any help

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    GuitarSuperstarAnswer
    Lead Maestro
    October 26, 2023

    You can only add two surround speakers to a Sonos home theater setup. So you would have to choose between adding two in-wall or two in-ceiling speakers to use as surrounds. You cannot use both with the Arc.

    Even though the Era 300s are the best option for surrounds, if you are seated within 7-10 feet from the Arc and have standard 8-9 foot flat ceilings, the Arc will provide sufficient height channel effects so the Era 300s aren’t completely necessary.

    "Receive with simplicity everything that happens to you." - Rashi
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    AjTrek1
    AjTrek1
    December 19, 2023

    HI @Randy Rattlesnake 

    Not to muddy the waters so to speak….but...IMO...using overhead speakers for surround is not necessarily a deal breaker.  Check the diagram below and the link to Peter Pee. Of course it may require moving the seating forward a bit. You may want to consult a pro-installer for home theater for correct speaker positioning.  FYI, the diagram is taken from the Product Guide for Sonos in Ceiling Speakers by Sonance found on the Sonos website under FAQ’s..  I assume you know the speakers also require a Sonos Amp. 😊

     

     

    Together Everyone Achieves More = T.E.A.M.
    Airgetlam
    Airgetlam
    December 19, 2023

    1. Currently, the Sonos Arc is optimized for use with ceiling-mounted speakers for height effects in Dolby Atmos audio. While wall-mounted speakers can be used for surround sound, it's recommended to pair them with ceiling speakers for the full Dolby Atmos experience.

    2. The difference between using both wall and ceiling speakers versus just ceiling speakers with the Arc depends on your preference for a complete Dolby Atmos setup. If the immersive theater experience is a priority, the combination of ceiling and wall speakers might be worth considering, but this decision should be balanced with aesthetic preferences and household discussions.

     

    1 is not a true statement. Sonos has zero knowledge if the ‘support / surround‘ speakers are placed in a wall, in the ceiling, or in your car. They can not be height effect speakers, Sonos reserves that for the extra internal speakers of the Era 300, relying on bouncing the audio off the ceiling. 

    2 is also problematic. Sonos has no function for combining ceiling and wall speakers, as indicated in the previous paragraph. 
     

     

    Bruce
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