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Majo133
Majo133
Renowned Enthusiast I
March 30, 2023

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

  • March 30, 2023
  • 133 replies
  • 14723 views

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.

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    133 replies

    Show previous replies
    jkossis
    Enthusiast I
    March 30, 2023

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

      elyptjan
      Lyricist I
      March 30, 2023

      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.

        Nerdspar
        Lyricist I
        March 30, 2023

        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. 

          Obi-Charlie
          Lyricist I
          March 30, 2023

          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!

            ryan_29
            Enthusiast II
            March 30, 2023

            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. 

              Bobsp
              Lyricist I
              March 30, 2023

              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.

                Taylor Anderson
                Contributor II
                March 30, 2023

                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
                  Zanellato Fabio
                  Lyricist III
                  March 30, 2023

                  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?

                    raeyn
                    Contributor II
                    March 30, 2023

                    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.

                      raeyn
                      Contributor II
                      March 30, 2023

                      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. 

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