FEATURE REQUEST: Add option to enable "Center speakers" for the ERA's 300, if they are added as surrounds

Majo133
Userlevel 6
Badge +2

After suggestion by @Corry P in the  Sonos Era 300 wall mount positioning post, where we discussed the issue of ERA’s 300 “center speaker” not playing at all, while added as surrounds.

I asked this:

@Corry P

 

I don’t want to “reach”, but couldn’t there be a toggle to enable the “center driver” for example only for music?

Something like the Surround Audio — Music Playback feature.

So at least in music scenarios, ERAs are not “crippled” in surround setup. Because in “stereo” standalone mode without ARC, they sound much better in my opinion.

 

Corry P replied:

Hi @Majo133 

Perhaps - I recommend you start a new topic making this point and it will be marked as a feature request. Thanks!

 

I am therefore creating this post marked as “Feature request” and i am requesting feature described below.

 

Feature to be added:

“Allow user to manually enable center speakers of the ERA’s 300, if they are added as surrounds to the ARC/BEAM + SUB setup.”

This could be added for example only for music playback, to the section “Sound” --- “Surround Audio” --- “Music Playback” as an option, so user can choose, if he wants all ERA’s 300 speakers to be enabled or not.

Even better if it would function for the rest of the content as Movies/Games, but that might be a stretch and maybe not as easy to implement.

Yesterday, is not today.
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133 replies

Corry P
Userlevel 7
Badge +18

Hi @Majo133 

Thank you - I've marked this thread as a feature request and it will be seen by the relevant teams for consideration. Keep the ideas coming!

"Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age eighteen." - Albert Einstein
N
Userlevel 4

Adding my plus one to this idea: the performance of the Era 300 as a musical stereo pair is sublime, and I’ve spent quite a few hours trying to debug why the speakers felt significantly less punchy after pairing them as surrounds with the Arc. No amount of trueplaying worked to bring that back.

 

I understand there’s quite some engineering behind this choice, so not questioning the sensible defaults. I’d love the option to enable the center channel for my particular living room.

J
Userlevel 4

You’re right, we should have the option to choose whether to activate the centre channel or leave it inactive. We paid for 6 drivers, then we want all of the six drivers 😊

C
Userlevel 3
Badge +1

Gets my vote 🙋🏻 … there’s no doubt they sound wonderful right now but it would be great to at least have the option. Thanks

J
Userlevel 3

100% agree, we use the living room surround Eras for obviously movies (which sounds amazing) and music, but more music to be honest. We need the option between watching movies or listening to music, so we can maximize all of the drivers. The wife wants me to switch back to the surround Ones when we listen to music, it’s that bad of an experience…

K

this is like a 6 gear car and it can only go up to 5th gear, in favor of Sonos switching that driver back on, because it sounds weird to me…

S
Userlevel 3

I would like to see that feature implemented. Buying two Era’300 when the center is disabled in a surround setup for music is no go for me.

I am postponing any ERA 300 purchase until the above requested center speaker function is implemented. 

M
Userlevel 3

I too would like the ability to enable the center tweeter when in surround mode.  This should be an option in the Sonos app.  Paying over $1000 with stands and not having the center channel is ridiculous.  Please implement this.  

M
Userlevel 3

Very underwhelming speakers for 95% of content out there when using them as surrounds.

Arc+Sub+300’s

Yes atmos content sounds amazing!

but everything else…. fumbled the bag.

 

Arc+Sub+One’s > Arc+Sub+300

When it comes to non-atmos 300’s are not worth it… unless they active the center channel for non-atmos content.

E
Userlevel 3
Badge +1

Very underwhelming speakers for 95% of content out there when using them as surrounds.

Arc+Sub+300’s

Yes atmos content sounds amazing!

but everything else…. fumbled the bag.

 

Arc+Sub+One’s > Arc+Sub+300

When it comes to non-atmos 300’s are not worth it… unless they active the center channel for non-atmos content.

The era’s actually sound incredible when paired in stereo and the center tweeter is utilized, I’m not sure why they decided to limit them so badly when paired as rears. Really hoping they give us an option to enable full functionality soon.

J
Userlevel 3
Badge

I wanted to add a +1 for being able to configure whether the front driver fires (in a surround configuration).

E
Userlevel 2

This has to be implemented. We already get so many features like line-in blocked in a surround setup, that this would be one to many! Thinking about returning them, even though they sound amazing with Atmos movies.

N
Userlevel 2

This has to be implemented. We already get so many features like line-in blocked in a surround setup, that this would be one to many! Thinking about returning them, even though they sound amazing with Atmos movies.

I’m in the same boat. It’s a lot to spend for crippled functionality. 

O
Userlevel 2

Yes, please add a way to manually control center forward driver being on or off and have a volume control for just the forward/center. Great idea!

R
Userlevel 4
Badge +1

Payday today. Nearly pressed the buy button but thought I’d read a few reviews and comments first. Glad I did. I’m holding off for now. My play 3’s are doing fine. 

B
Userlevel 2

I just want to add my agreement with this request.  I was considering adding 300s to my system, but with the center channel crippled, it doesn't make sense for my music-heavy use.

T
Userlevel 3

100% agree with this. We should have the ability to turn the center forward facing tweeter back on when they are installed is rear speakers, in a  surround sound set up.

Zanellato Fabio
Userlevel 2
Badge +2

Sorry, today I have Era300 configured as surround, am I wrong or does the center channel (tweeter) not work with movies?  Is it only for music or for movies as well?

R
Userlevel 3
Badge

I also agree with this. Please add the ability to turn on the center speaker when configured as surrounds. Not right that it’s disabled. As others have stated, $900 for rear surrounds is a LOT but people felt it was worth it for a 6 driver setup. Now it’s only 5 - and it’s crippled by design. And it also decreases the music listening experience.

I was so excited when we got the info that these would use both the center driver and the height for all surround audio. I was thinking this *is* the surround we’ve been looking for. Now, Sonos has (currently) made the same mistake as companies like Sony who crippled the upfiring rear surrounds. Please, please add this functionality. I was planning to purchase but the recent reviews when used as surrounds had made me press pause (along with some of the others), until this is cleared up. We do watch some Atmos but not everything is in that format. A lot of older TV/movies won’t have it.

Sonos, you’ve listened to people on adding Bluetooth and line-in (and I even sort of understand limiting the use of the latter when used in surrounds, though not ideal). So, you’ve proven you care about what your users think. You’ve also stated you want people to add more speakers to their Sonos systems. Please add a setting where we can turn on the center driver when used as surrounds.

R
Userlevel 3
Badge

Sorry, today I have Era300 configured as surround, am I wrong or does the center channel (tweeter) not work with movies?  Is it only for music or for movies as well?

@Zanellato Fabio, users were originally told by a Sonos employee that the center firing driver and the height driver would be used as part of the rear surround channels when used as surrounds. As users have begun receiving them and holing them up, many have found, like you did, that the center channel is completely disabled when used as surrounds - even when playing music. Many are finding this makes for a crippled surround experience. 

This thread is being marked as a feature request thread to ask Sonos to enable the ability for the user to choose in the app, whether to enable use of the center firing as driver. 

L
Userlevel 1

These speakers sound is lacking for anything other than Atmos. Playing 5.1 or 7.1 movies the sound is not working correctly or doesn’t soon good because it’s missing the center channel on each speaker. I have to crank my surround sound up to make better. Sonos Ones are better at surrounds at this point. Very disappointed at these speakers and would have purchased them if this information was available before release. No wonder the reviews were not released until the speakers shipped.

S
Userlevel 1

Yes Sonos please give us the option to have center channel in use. My pair of One’s sounded more punchy in surround sound than these $1,000 300’s. Definitely disappointing and lacks the impact.

M
Userlevel 5
Badge +7

+1 for this feature to be added asap, need a toggle to enable this..

N
Userlevel 3
Badge

I’m honestly baffled how this was missed. Lots of folks on Reddit returning their 300s this weekend. Yikes guys. 

Majo133
Userlevel 6
Badge +2

Guys, thank you all for the support, hopefully someone will hear us and even if it would not be added, at least some deeper clarification would be appreciated.

Yesterday, is not today.
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