Sonos 5.1 in Ceiling Setup - Center Channel Question

Sonos, even using the Amp, doesn’t allow a ‘center speaker’ for home theater, outside of the various soundbars, all of which have one.

Ok thank you Bruce.  So what do you recommend?  Is Sonos Port with a traditional receiver an option?  Also, what’s your thought on center channel in ceiling?

The Amp when playing a TV signal will generate a virtual center channel, haven't heard it myself but others seem satisfied.

Ceiling mounted anything, in my opinion sucks for anything but background music. Can't stand seeing folks talking in front of me but their voices floating down from above.

Personally I'd go with an Arc Ultra Atmos soundbar, mounted to the TV to avoid extra holes and looking less obtrousive. For surrounds in sonic quality order I'd look at the Era 300s, 100s or an Amp and in ceiling surrounds, Sonos/Sonance ones preferred. The 300s and 100s can be ceiling mounted but sound better at ear level.

TV mount

https://www.crutchfield.com/p_051SATM1B/Sanus-WSSATM1-B2.html

I’d agree with ​@Stanley_4 on all counts. 

Since I’ve chosen to go the Sonos Arc route, in favor over my old Sony system which did provide a ‘center’ set of speaker posts, it’s been quite a while since I’ve used a separate center speaker. Losing any pretensions I had to audiophile standards, I guess, but I was never able to financially compete, and have found Sonos both to sound outstanding, and be in budget.

My recommendation if you went down that three separate front speaker route would be to get a center that is acoustically balanced with the right and left speakers, for better or worse, it isn’t only voice that is carried in center channel mixes. 

This is the entertainment center. My wife is adamantly against a sound bar. What other options do I have?

This is a Sonos sponsored/run board. Most of what you’ll get here are good suggestions like ​@Stanley_4 provided. If you want more generic advice, there are other non company run forums that might give you better feedback. 

Can't argue with a spouse that has made up their mind and refuses to consider possibilities. Anything other than a soundbar, mounted to the TV, is going to really ruin the very attractive setting you have or sound horrid.

ARC ultra on a TV mount, no holes, no visible wires and makes the Arc almost disappear into the Tv's space.

A non-soundbar setup sounds fantastic but takes over the space. Might find something with smaller front speakers. 

Consider speakers in the bookcase.

What your wife wants and what’s practical don’t always coincide. 😂

No self-respecting Professional Installer will suggest a Center channel speaker mounted in the ceiling. As ​@Stanley_4 has said it doesn’t make sense to have dialog coming down from the ceiling. Besides your seating area is going to be further back. You want the dialog projected toward you.

I hope the diagram is a rendering of what you hope to build which would allow you to make the proper installation to run wiring.

I have to assume that the wall the TV is mounted on will have a power outlet. There also has to be an accommodation to run an HDMI cable from the TV to a Sonos Amp or to a conventional AV Receiver/AMP. Otherwise the cable has to run on the outside. 

The diagram below is as clean a look as you can get using Sonos and no soundbar. The blue rectangles on either side of the TV are speakers driven by a Sonos Amp (yellow rectangle) that could be mounted inside the cabinet and run speaker wires to the speakers. The white rectangles are “In-Wall” speakers that would be wired to the Sonos Amp as an alternative to the other speakers.  The center channel is created by the intersection of audio produced by the two speakers. It’s called a “Phantom” Center channel. 

In ceiling speakers could be installed for surround channels positioned over the seating area driven by a second Sonos Amp. The Amp can be placed where practical to run the wires. This installation while doable has it’s drawbacks as the seating area is “stagnant” meaning it can’t be moved to far in any direction in order to maintain a proper surround experience. A wireless Sonos Sub 4 can be placed anywhere in the space that makes sense to achieve a proper low-end. It too would be controlled by the Sonos Amp in the cabinet. 

With this installation speakers used would only provide Dolby Digital 5.1 sound. No Dolby Atmos. Also, as the Amp will be enclosed it would be advisable to allow for wired ethernet from your router to the Amp. If that’s not possible you might consider designing the two center cabinet doors with a mesh material.

In all honesty, as this appears to be new construction I’d seriously recommend consulting a professional installer who may suggest Sonos or an alternative solution.

For your needs Denon or similar brand might be a better option using an AV Receiver/Amp and a Streamer. Click the links:

Denon AV Receiver

Denon Streamer

The blue square location would be a bit low for my taste, maybe on stands to get them to near center of the screen like the white squares? Or some smaller but taller floor standers, but placed on The shelf?

Maybe the largest bookshelf speakers you can fit in either the second or third (from the bottom) side cabinets? Try both selves and go with what sounds best. You could make inserts to disguise them and fill the entire opening. Trying to preserve the very nice, clean look you have there is going to be difficult with conventional speakers. 

In-wall would be an option but changing them or the TV could require rework of the stonework.