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About music listening with Arc Ultra as my first component.

  • December 7, 2025
  • 9 replies
  • 379 views
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I’m a new Sonos user with an Arc Ultra hooked up to my 65” Samsung TV as the basis for a home theatre system. I also love listening to music, a mixed library of ripped CDs, downloaded purchased content, and streaming from the usual music services.

Considering only the music listening application, I’m feeling like the music listening experience from the stand alone Ultra leaves something to be desired. I could just add a just sub, or just a single Five, or a single Arc 300, or maybe a pair of each, or a single speaker (or pair) And sub, etc., etc.. You get where I’m going. Just looking for discussion from experienced Sonos users about the pros and cons of the various options available to me. Let’s rip folks 🙂.

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    9 replies

    Stanley_4
    • Stanley_4
    • Grand Maestro
    • December 7, 2025

    Depends on what you want.

    Simple listening to the Arc, add a Sub to reinforce the low end if that is the issue.

    Critical stereo listening, get a Pair of Fives and position them as you would conventional speakers. Leave the Arc muted. Era-300s are a bit lesser in stereo than the Fives but do open up Atmos playback, a Sub does help them.

    More room filling add Era-300s or 100s to the Arc's Sonos Room. Maybe a Sub too.

      J
      • Jay A 288
      • Contributor I
      • December 7, 2025

      I have the same TV and have 4 300s as surrounds and 2 as stereo pair with 2 subs sounds incredible 

       

        AjTrek1
        • AjTrek1
        • December 8, 2025

        I have the same TV and have 4 300s as surrounds and 2 as stereo pair with 2 subs sounds incredible 

         

        It’s not possible to have “4 300s” as surrounds. Also makes me wonder what others were reading to have given “likes”. So what do you really have?

        Together Everyone Achieves More = T.E.A.M.
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          • Peter_254
          • Prodigy II
          • December 8, 2025

          I have the same TV and have 4 300s as surrounds and 2 as stereo pair with 2 subs sounds incredible 

           

          It’s not possible to have “4 300s” as surrounds. Also makes me wonder what others were reading to have given “likes”. So what do you really have?

           

          Hehe same as I thought, however I think most people can figure out it's 2 for surround and 2 as a stereo pair 😋
          Whether he has 2 Sub for surround or 1, that's more of a guess 🤷🏽

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          • westender
          • Author
          • Contributor I
          • December 8, 2025

          OP here. For a music listening enhancement for the Ultra,  I think I’ll go simple (and cheap) and start with a couple of ARC 100 and see how they work as stereo speakers on either side of the Ultra. I’ll also try them as rear surrounds. Pretty simple I know but not really into critical listening. The Ultra seems very present and detailed and I just want a little more room filling low end immersive sound.

          Airgetlam
          • Airgetlam
          • December 8, 2025

          I have a pair of PLAY:5 gen 2s to flank my Arc, which are used for ‘critical listening’, I generally don’t include the Arc (with Sub and tw Era 300s as surrounds), mostly as I prefer a stereo soundstage, since I don’t listen to much Atmos encoded music. I like them quite a lot. 
           

          In my bedroom, I use a pair of Sonos Ones (the precursor to the Era 100s) and like them quite a lot, too. 

          Bruce
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          • westender
          • Author
          • Contributor I
          • December 8, 2025

          I have a pair of PLAY:5 gen 2s to flank my Arc, which are used for ‘critical listening’, I generally don’t include the Arc (with Sub and tw Era 300s as surrounds), mostly as I prefer a stereo soundstage, since I don’t listen to much Atmos encoded music. I like them quite a lot. 
           

          In my bedroom, I use a pair of Sonos Ones (the precursor to the Era 100s) and like them quite a lot, too. 

          A pair of Fives would have been my choice if I’d wanted to spend that kind of coin right now. I’ll see how the 100s work out . . and if not . . well,you know lol.

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            • westender
            • Author
            • Contributor I
            • December 8, 2025

            Ok . . you guys have been nice to not call me out for writing ARC 100 several times instead of Era 100 . . but you know what I meant. Hey I’m new here . . I’ll get the hang of it 😉.

              Corry P
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              • Corry P
              • Sonos Staff
              • December 9, 2025

              Hello ​@jgatie and ​@Mr. T 

              This thread has been moderated.

              If you want to have an argument, please do it in Private Messages to each other, and keep the rest of us out of it. Thanks.

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