Headliner I

Best Quality Wall Brackets - ERA 300 / ARC Ultra ERA 100 - Your Opinion Please

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Afternoon all. Have an opportunity (at last) to upgrade a listening room and will be going with ERA 300’s and ARC Ultra.

Lots of bracketry options but has been a while since bought any. It’s a room that is going to totally renovated and cosmetics as well as practicalities are important.

Interested in your suggestion, recommendations and experience as to what the best looking and functioning white bracketry would be please?

I’m keen to all the fitting and messy stuff before the nice purchases later year. So getting the right infrastructure and hardware to sit underneath is useful to do now at the drilling and channelling stage.

Appreciate any input and advice you have. Many thanks

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Airgetlam

I’m a fan of Flexson, when possible (USA link), but have gone with other manufacturers when Flexson no longer makes what I need. Given they’re wall mounts, I haven’t tried multiple alternatives, just purchased a single type when needed. Since they’re essentially never touched once they are up, the only thing I’d be worried about is if they’re strong enough to bear the weight. I can usually get some knowledge from reviews on Amazon, even if I’m not purchasing there.

Bruce

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attacama40Author

Headliner I

I’m a fan of Flexson, when possible (USA link), but have gone with other manufacturers when Flexson no longer makes what I need. Given they’re wall mounts, I haven’t tried multiple alternatives, just purchased a single type when needed. Since they’re essentially never touched once they are up, the only thing I’d be worried about is if they’re strong enough to bear the weight. I can usually get some knowledge from reviews on Amazon, even if I’m not purchasing there.

Is a good call Bruce. I have some Flexson units …. I think for Amp’s and subs and the build and finish has been good. Just looking now and they look good. Thanks for the steer.

AjTrek1

I agree that Flexson makes quality mounts for Sonos speakers. However I’m curious as to why you’re not considering those on the Sonos website. I would assume they have been tested by Sonos.

Together Everyone Achieves More = T.E.A.M.

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attacama40Author

Headliner I

I agree that Flexson makes quality mounts for Sonos speakers. However I’m curious as to why you’re not considering those on the Sonos website. I would assume they have been tested by Sonos.

For sure, have looked and no objections …. just keen get the best possible option.

My aim is that having the green light to get the best set up that I do precisely that. I’m open to any variant, just keen get the best and avoid compromise.

I’m even adding extra hard wiring in the room such that it could (if ever revisited and released) accommodate the 2024 muted and cancelled streaming device. I.e. that I can add Era 300’s or 100’s front back and even above. For the sake of running some extra Cat 6 runs and replastering, it seems worthwhile, even if it never materialises.

jgatie

I wouldn't waste money on the CAT 6 wiring. I doubt Sonos is going to be able to make wired surrounds work any better than now when 2 surrounds goes to 4 or more.

AjTrek1

IMO the cost of Cat6 vs Cat5e is not that big of a leap especially if the cable is going in-wall or covered in some manner Sonos or not. If I were remodeling or building a new structure I’d definitely go with Cat6. Heck..,I might even consider Cat7 for futures.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=cat5e+ethernet+cable&crid=GJCL0EW6VRB2&sprefix=cat5e%2Caps%2C245&ref=nb_sb_ss_p13n-expert-pd-ops-ranker_ci_hl-bn-left_1_5

Together Everyone Achieves More = T.E.A.M.

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attacama40Author

Headliner I

I wouldn't waste money on the CAT 6 wiring. I doubt Sonos is going to be able to make wired surrounds work any better than now when 2 surrounds goes to 4 or more.

But the whole house was committed to (originally Cat5e) RJ45 way back in early 90’s and has been added to, to the point that this is the last frontier.

It’s flood wired and plastered to high cosmetic spec from chimney to garden shed and indeed out front and rear gardens for cameras, security and the like. Well over 110 feeds now.

Have to say whilst Sonos does indeed exist nicely in a wireless environment, I’d take wires every time (in general) speed and security and reliability wise. The hard wiring is for a lot more than just Sonos but Sonos does use it in near every room.

The money aspect of Cat 6 is near zero. The pain of channelling out in Staffordshire blue engineering brick is however pain personified. Fortunately a journey now 9%% in the past. 😫

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attacama40Author

Headliner I

IMO the cost of Cat6 vs Cat5e is not that big of a leap especially if the cable is going in-wall or covered in some manner Sonos or not. If I were remodeling or building a new structure I’d definitely go with Cat6. Heck..,I might even consider Cat7 for futures.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=cat5e+ethernet+cable&crid=GJCL0EW6VRB2&sprefix=cat5e%2Caps%2C245&ref=nb_sb_ss_p13n-expert-pd-ops-ranker_ci_hl-bn-left_1_5

Cat 7 we have used but it’s a little bit more of a handful to physically manage into position. Far from impossible, just need be a tad more calculated. Most of the external stuff in Cat 7.

If you have the opportunity then 100% do it. I was scoffed at early 90’s for starting it. Not anymore.

jgatie

But the whole house was committed to (originally Cat5e) RJ45 way back in early 90’s and has been added to, to the point that this is the last frontier.

It’s flood wired and plastered to high cosmetic spec from chimney to garden shed and indeed out front and rear gardens for cameras, security and the like. Well over 110 feeds now.

Have to say whilst Sonos does indeed exist nicely in a wireless environment, I’d take wires every time (in general) speed and security and reliability wise. The hard wiring is for a lot more than just Sonos but Sonos does use it in near every room.

The money aspect of Cat 6 is near zero. The pain of channelling out in Staffordshire blue engineering brick is however pain personified. Fortunately a journey now 9%% in the past. 😫

If there are other reasons for CAT 6, then that is fine. However, in the case of subs/surrounds, Sonos never recommends Ethernet connections. Despite a wired connection being “faster” and more reliable, the number of hops to go back to the router and then to the sub/surrounds was found to make Ethernet less reliable than the dedicated, 5GHz one-way, proprietary WiFi connection used by Sonos.

Sounds counterintuitive, but this forum is rife with examples of people who wired their subs/surrounds and had dropouts. Dropouts which disappear when the subs/surrounds are switched back to wireless.

Stanley_4

Grand Maestro

I saw all the Ethernet back to the router is too slow posts here and had the idea that I'd put the soundbar, sub and both surrounds on a dedicated 8 port gig switch with a line from it back to my primary switch.

Got it all up and running, wifi (actually the radio) off and it didn't work so well. Much fussing and cable swapping and it still wasn't good.

Enabled wifi, pulled all the Ethernet as advised here. Sigh... It worked perfectly.

As with so many things Sonos, the right thing didn't work so good, and the Sonos way worked.

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