Renowned Enthusiast I

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

Forum|Forum|3 years ago
March 30, 2023
133 replies
14725 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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Bird01

Lyricist I

Adding my voice here. The Era 300 is mediocre for music when used as a rear speaker. I’ll be returning the two I received this week. Not at all worth the investment for people that intend to use them for music and home theater. Sonos really missed badly on this one. I’ll consider buying again someday should this issue be resolved because I really do like them for home theater purposes.

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cjlove72

Lyricist I

I also support this feature request, as it’s essential for mixed use scenarios when the Era 300’s are configured as surround speakers.

My HT setup is currently using an Arc, Sub and two Play:3’s as rears which I use to watch movies and TV content with various audio formats (e.g. Dolby Atmos, DD 5.1, stereo etc.) but also use this system to listen to music in various formats via Amazon Music Unlimited, only some of which is in Dolby Atmos format.

Therefore in my use case, the Era 300’s are only operating “optimally” in two of the above scenarios (e.g. Movies/TV or Music in Atmos format)...and sub-optimally in all other scenarios.

This is not aceptable for what would be a $1500 purchase (in Australia). I won’t be purchasing the Era 300’s unless this issue is resolved.

Very disappointing :(

jonmichael

Enthusiast II

Sorry Sonos, but until you fix this, you are going to get lots of returns and lots of “wait and see” orders, including mine. I just sold some equipment this week so the $1000+ cost (including stands) for the 300s wouldn't touch my checking balance. But now, I can wait until the 5.1 is at least as good as, and maybe better than, the One SLs. If that does not happen, I will stay with the Ones.

Old guy with toys.

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bcele

Lyricist I

This is extremely disappointing, I was so excited and have been testing and adjusting my 300s since delivery. They blew us away with the sound in single or stereo paired mode. In surround mode once setup, we thought we had something to adjust as we could not hear the center. This is AWFUL...The price for two of these plus stands MINUS the center driver in surround as we will only use them is bad business. Am returning unfortunately.

please ADD feature above

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xguy7

Lyricist I

Couldn’t Sonos enable the front speakers when watching 5.1 surround content using the Era 300s? I feel like it would be easy thing to do.

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macho

Lyricist III

Sonos needs to fix the era 300s immediately.

watching regular tv non-Atmos content: the arc is too dominant on a setup with two rear 300s and a sub.(replacing rear 1sls, which honestly sound more full after a comparison) multichannel pcm 7.1 ATV+ 4K passthrough LG CX.

i feel like I was bait and switched with false advertising…

300 as rear channels do not project sound from forward grill.

With my ear to front grill on non Atmos content?
Huh?

Can’t hear them!

why isn’t it in use? Sonos is required to address this,

or I am seriously considering returning the 300s and never purchasing Sonos again.

jgatie

Lots of ". . . or the bunny gets it" posts in this thread. Not the best way of conveying disappointment, nor the most convincing. 15 years of posting here, and I've yet to see an actual dead bunny.

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Myronlila

Lyricist I

Holding off until this gets addressed.

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MBGZ

Lyricist I

Pre-ordered a pair of Era 300 and really disappointed too. Request to at least give us the on/off option to utilize all the drivers in Era 300 when used as surrounds ASAP. Also, non-transparency or inadequate information of Era 300 before release should definitely be improved in the future.

jonmichael

Enthusiast II

Am I wrong that this could happen with a software upgrade? Somewhere in the software there is a switch that turns the center speaker “off.” It stands to reason that by disabling this switch, the center channel stays on. If it is more technically difficult than this, please enlighten me. Thanks.

Old guy with toys.

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