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Hi! Ok, stoked but as techie w.ADD Sonos put me through a really enjoyable wringer.

 

i work in IT Support for fiber, but I know I’m smart enough to know cocky vs. practical, I know a lot about a little and that’s the truth:

 

please help as I’ve lupus, I love music , I need easy access to play consistent soundstage , stereo era100s w.Sub Mini is great.

 

 

not as much now with beam gen2, though as surrounds and sub to push the beam , movie pops like it’s amazing, crack the whip good audio.

(on eBay official, btw eBay Sonos store purchasing  is smartest. You get a 2yr warranty plus if you’re patient, awesome savings ie. Brief august coupon,  had era @ $120, factory refurbished is usually smarter than new . If you know, you know..

Anyway; sorry ADD again.… context is When sub mini was added, I loved  the music soundstage . As 2.1 

 

please help as I’m used to music using stereo + sub, the L+R , is this lost since bought  Beam Gen2 now,?

 

ie. Downgraded atmos or DD+ vs. automatic separation and beamgen2 just knows when to turn off, to just utilize era 100s and submini, and when video usage kick-in beam, w: eras  as surrounds , with same sub mini , lol?

 

I need to retune every time I switch from “Bedroom” (era x2 plus submini ) to really same bedroom ,but named for airplay separate group of “Media Room”, when using submini & beangen2 , by themselves.

 

how can I make it easier without re/config grouping?

 

+ie. No matter what I can’t force app to just do music as 2.1 or stereo, vs. downmix 5.1 when added as surrounds to beam, not like pure separation . 
 

beam has its purpose , TV.

how may I get it to meet my expectations with music, not sure yet:

 

 

..but only way to get Atmos/DD+ is through my smart monitor , streaming really from integrated Samsung smart monitor, m8 4k tv /monitor hybrid. It’s a usb c also, I can direct my MacBook and I’m hoping audio will passthrough, I’m sure it would in passthrough mode on tv. 

 

  • note: Limited to 1 HDMI/Arc on monitor,

so without Apple TV & no way to connect direct to Beam in this config , since  beam has only 1 HDMI too; lol, what?!) , no passthrough fr , 

 

 1. Basically, am   I limited to high quality usage of beam’s center stage , ONLY w. Integrated monitor app streaming, if that’s the only way to get hdmi config to run dd+/atmos with media ? AirPlay2 doesn’t . 

 

2 . I need to use sonos app as my music streamer, not from AirPlay 2 , as it doesn’t support atmos .

- But the UI seems lazy , like basics of connected apps  (Tidal primarily, some Apple Music usage)

 

  1. tried disabling mics & making the are 100s stereo, w. Sub but now AGAIN w. Same room in reality keeping in mind I can’t get another set of era 100s and subs mini, just to use for dedicated av/music.
  2. it works for music but it’s all mixed in and if I wan

So, if I a. Keep beam w. 2x era 100s as surrounds, plus SubMini, I dependably get DD+/Atmos , just not how I thought I could. & music is huge but I like to reconfig for the 2.1 despite hassle of retuning trueplay when removing surrounds, adding back stereo config lol
 

I can’t directly connect Apple TV due to monitor’s single HDMI(arc)

 

Sorry I’m tired, just need  help to make this a bit simpler on UI side, I’m learning of zones etc. but rarely find clear answers on media resolution vs. stereo music prioritizing.

 

thank you! -Alex 

 

See it’s rather clunky I borrow the sub mini, for media room, to get a decent sound w. Beamgen2 , but then need to eventually re-add as not surrounds, but separate stereo pair // remove sub mini from other room, // add sub mini back from beam gen 2 ‘s room , to make my 2.1 soundstage , per music direct through app.

 

ive rapture ax6000 since mesh tends to make it complicated, its in no way unstable lol.

 

it’s just am I overthinking and should keep all 4 components as theater , w. Surrounds in back not from for audio and just accept the soundstage is to my front left and right lol?

 

Moderator Edit: combined posts, removed picture with full name

Hi ​@Dasteel.Alexander 

Welcome to the Sonos Community!

Well, there’s rather a lot to unpack there, but I think the first thing is to say that there is no easy way to change surrounds speakers into their own room and back again - the surrounds setup is semi-permanent because is needs a change in how the speakers operate. The same goes for the Sub Mini - there’s no quick way to change its room assignment.

If you prefer to have music play from stereo speakers rather than the soundbar, the only easy way to do that is to buy extra speakers to sit in the same physical room for music, but be in a different room in the app.

We are working on bringing Atmos support via AirPlay, but there’s no estimate for when that might become available.

it’s just am I overthinking and should keep all 4 components as theater , w. Surrounds in back not from for audio and just accept the soundstage is to my front left and right lol?

Well, that’s for you to decide - there are no right or wrong answers. 

Have you turned on the “Full” mode for music playback? It makes the surrounds join in with playback as much as the soundbar. Go to Settings Icon » oroom with Beam 2] » Surround Audio » Music Playback » Full. You can also increase the relative volume of the surrounds, making them louder than the Beam, on the same page, with the Music Level setting.

I hope this helps.


Thank you, corry! You could tell I was honest, as you, whilst reading post 5mins ago.you get how 2.1 starts to simply vibe for some, doing passthrough on Sonos cinema grouping/room, is another.

 

since utilizing built-in svc , ie. Tidal, Apple Music, Even my Apple TV can be used for the full theater experience, of atmos, with Apple TV “software” not hardware, and getting used to change in my launching content:

 

  1. using 2.1 era 100s to me, w. Submini per music, sound great now .(Samsung m8 4k smart monitor & 1-hdmi port)
  2. (OVER HDMI ARC) even when all integrated , soundstage really does resonate with “FULL,” vs. “AMBIENT”. 
     
  3. final setup :Beam gen2 w. 2x eras surrounds +  Sub mini.
  4. You’re right it’s more my choice thank you! it’s not convenient but for certain music I’ll want the “familiar” sound , sans Beam gen2,FOR Music
  5.  while learning curve to Sonos app.. is challenging in lack of pure playlist options or view for tidal/Apple Music , to utilize spatial,
  6. still switching (& redoing truplay) to 2.1 from is looking less attractive:

 

 

I appreciate your patience, as I feared a Reddit-type response pattern, ie. “Ngl, shorten your posts.” Etc. 

for now , until you all are able to do the quick component switch, I’ve HomePod mini, stereo pair for light “surround music,” guess all I’d ask is more people may not know how to vocalize this, when stating their idea of “quality audiophile sound,”

 

but Smoke on Apple TV APP via Samsung smart 4k monitor , allows Atmos.

& Atmos is changing everything for me as beam became the new , but increasingly central component .

 

ill just get lazier of switching to a pure 2.1, I am good at finding little workaround is UI steps to fit like a puzzle exercise for me , the beam gen2 just sound great with ambient surrounds, customized to +4, trueplay ON, Treble -3

its a dream, I think positively, as for whole home “mesh” AV hardware, vs. tons of copper & conventional receiver +bookshelf speakers , or even my Bose “cubes,” the 4 little ones that was a convenient surround system , so to speak 

people should appreciate Sonos for what it is; when it’s set-up correctly, it’s very clean in appearance, utility or labor, not clunky in setup, less physical tweaking, etc.

 

it simply works and it’s giving me chills , I love it and thank you again, my friend. 
truly hope you and yours have a great week

 

-Alex


Placement, sub crawl, now I’ve optimized height w.afffixed  stand-up mounts ( adjustable( & proper rear)

 

it does its best in my situation for utilizing beam and surround,stereo gets weirdly down-mixed VS. app controlled  Tidal at lossless or atmos on Apple Music )

 

 

ifs phenomenal just I bought ALL IN 1 MONTH, so maybe as an IT fiber support advisor I solve my own puzzles, but the feedback helped to spur it along, and I am learning patience with particulars. Soundstage is harder to vocalize w.beam involved..  but adjustments patiently  equates to my action)

 

 

-like through app UI for best quality lossless audio or almost w. Beam , adds another layer it’s not true Surround in media , nor direct via app (upgraded  router from svc accounts 

 

I purchased eBay refurb , Sonos official seller-page keeping track of best  costs, ie. eBay brought them to crazy lows, and I got sub mini in similar “now or never time.”

though with beam gen2, all in. 1-MONTH.. maybe this is all admirable efforts  , but I love  challenges .

 

Beam gen2, via ARC , w.era 100s like me , on adjustable screwed-in mounts..or  era 300s + SubMini, all protected and put to proper-use .. wow , sound is amazing . I don’t have the patience energy to do a real AV cabinets or separation with multiple speakers to duplicate soundstages in same room a..but , again this is a wonderful system in its right .  Best most will ever hear / blessed 

 

 


Throw an asus ROG Rapture AX6000, all with in mind mesh doesn’t play as well, so I knew like my clients either  fiber this is apparent too , keep it 2.4/5gGhz .. get best for your needs  . My choice is sound in supporting Sonos, I think I’m doing or learning all this just fine ! A month to do and adjust for daily-usage and finer customization, it’s so much better than my stereo/pair HomePod Minis , lol  


Hi ​@Dasteel.Alexander 

Sounds like you are having fun! Glad to hear you are enjoying your Sonos system!


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