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

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.

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. 

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. 

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

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. 😫

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. 

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.

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.

I’ve zero objection to following Sonos best practice and indeed pretty sure we do as a rule. We have a lot of Sonos … some 14 rooms and external to date and it’s true that certain configurations indeed rule wired out partly/entirely. The soundbar / Play Ones / Sub combo for example.

But Sonos is just a part of our environment. I take the approach to flood wire every time. So when a room gets done, I add RJ45 and audio feeds and power to each end point. I run RJ45 to each lighting point. Gives you a ton of automation options. Understand that’s not for everyone but it’s served me well over time. And whilst I’m far from inclined to press the eject button on Sonos, it does give you the option.

And in a similar way, the room being done now will be flood wired for full Dolby Atmos, Pinewood (should it ever arrive in some form) even if that never occurs … but it could, Sonos or not. It’s a lot of hard work and as I say, not for all, but it makes for a fully flexible and neat environment. Knowing you can cover anything.

But nothing wrong with the Sonos way as you say.

Lot of reasons …. TV’s in each room, PoE security cameras, streaming boxes, NAS boxes, normal office clutter, lighting control systems, car chargers, security systems, other elements of non-Sonos AV and and of course solid Sonos. There’s no doubting that in ‘general’ terms …. copper is infinitely more secure and faster than wireless. And I’m fortunate enough to have Netgear’s flagship mesh Orbi system sitting above that.

But totally agree about the subs/surrounds situ and have to put hands up to having done that myself in the dim past. I assumed that an RJ45 config would be the best as it had worked robustly in many other rooms. But in that case it was not the case.

In that instance, the advice I got from Sonos support was to use a number of RJ45’s (which they had no issue with) but to conciously ‘not’ use it for x out of y connections …. I forget the precise advice but it that was the nub of it. I think for precisely the reason you describe about the hops.

Aside from Sub and surrounds wiring can be good BUT on older Sonos that brings in Sonosnet that you really don't want to pop that up and have it pull your other older Sonos off your Wi-Fi. For stand-alone older speakers you can disable the radio to prevent that. Newer Sonos don't use Sonosnet so they are good.

I haven't experimented enough with stereo Pairs to offer advice on wiring them.

For your request, try choosing low-profile adjustable wall mounts that will allow you to tilt the ERA-300 at different angles. At the same time, without allowing large gaps, so that they harmoniously fit into the interior of the room and at the same time are directed to the desired listening position.

Solid advice. Have to confess to ordering a couple of the Flexson ones a tad blindly …. i.e. without considering what you rightly mention, adjustable tilt.

They just landed yesterday and fortunately they appear to have this facility and build quality appears nice enough. But I’d not factored that into the thinking. Good call. 

Ironically the Era 300’s are replacing a B&W 805 Matrix surround system which many would consider a step down. But the otherwise amazing B&W products are bulky and rather mid 90’s cosmetically in a black ash finish that was questionable even in 1998. The cosmetic refresh is not as important at the audio but it is a significant factor. 

But given the rest of the house is solid up to date Sonos then it seems the pragmatic way to go. Even though Atmos Flex Connect to pair with the new LG screen is still interesting.