Question

ERA 300 Placement in L-shaped room for music

L

Hi,

I have had Sonos for many year, using  2 zone players to drive some hi-fi bookshelf speakers. This has worked well but we are now renovating and looking at the ERA 300 mounted on high on the wall to free up some space.

These will be for music only not TV. I’m not interested in having built in speakers. Most of the listening will be in the sitting and dining area, I’m wanting to fill the space with music. Not intending on critical listening so thought ERA 300 will be better than Play 5s

The plan is to put an ERA 300 at points 1 and 2 on the diagram below. I have a few questions:

  1. I presuming that ERA300 would be powerful enough for this space?
  2. Number 2 will be near the ceiling so I will install the ERA 300 upside down, I presume that number 1 should also be placed upside down to match even though the ceiling is higher on that side? (see second pic for ceiling difference)
  3. As the speakers are so far apart (5m) I’m presuming they should be set up as separate zones rather than a left and right stereo pair?
  4. If the music isn’t loud enough in the kitchen we would consider another speaker at point 3, would it sound OK to use a ERA 100 here or would it sound weird with a different speaker?
  5. We considering a sub, for this space would a sub mini be enough?
  6. Am I correct that the ERS300 doen’t use Sonos-net so having one of the speakers connected via Ethernet cable wouldn’t gain anything?

Thanks

 

 

4 replies

Stanley_4
Userlevel 7
Badge +22

Personally with your mounting near the ceiling I’d really lean to Fives as they are much more flexible with far less mounting issues.

That said the two 300s should do a decent job in that room, adding the 100 would work well if that end of the space is a bit low in volume. Grouping would be the best option, pairing would sound really odd that that distance and your seating locations.

In that space I’d hesitate to use a Mini-Sub, a full sub near position 1 would be my choice. The mini would help some but that room is bigger than it is going to fill. We have a similar room and a single Sub does well enough I haven’t considered a second but I can see where it would help for some program material.

The issue you will face with the Sub is that it will only connect to one speaker (or a pair or surround set) so you’d have one 300 with and one without so the sound would be uneven.

 

You might consider a stereo pair of 100s at 2, in the corners below the table. A third 100, with Sub in 1 and a fourth in 3.

L

Hi,

Thanks for the reply. I went to a store yesterday to listened to the speakers and the 5s sounded better for music though were more diectional.

If I went with 5s I’m worried if they are wall mounted will they give an equal sound throughtout the room if I place then on the wall in locations 1 and 2? Maybe if I put number 1 a little more towards the courner and toed them in ?

Alternatively I could get stands for the 2 fives (They require less speace than the tower speakers I was considering) and then I can place the in 1 and 2 and gives me more change to tweak teh location to get teh best sound,

Any thoughts?

 

 

Stanley_4
Userlevel 7
Badge +22

I prefer stands when possible, like the sound of ear-level speakers over high  mounted ones.

I’d point all the speakers at the middle of the room, 45 degrees away from each wall.

Looking at that expanse of glass you aren’t going to be able yo move them in enouth to really impact the overall sound levels. I’d tend to stay in the corners so you get some reinforcement of the low end. Won’t be huge but might be enough you decide you don’t need a Sub.

Aside from possibly needing a smaller Sonos in the cooking area I think your 1 and 2 spots are the best choice. The good news if you go with stands is you can easily move them around. If you do that plug them into long extension cords so you can carry them from place to place without having to unplug them and start over.

L

What ehight would you recommend for the stands? From what I see available for the 5s they top out at 685cm which seems a little low and would be lower than the table,

The sonos ERA stands look to be 1m so I’m thinking those will be the best bet

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