Era 300 vs Five

@BOL74

For your home cinema Sonos Arc system the pair of Era300 is a great choice and will bring it to its best. 
But for your Beam2 Setup imho the Era300 pair would be an overkill if you don’t use Atmos there at all. So if music is more important to you for this room, I strongly recommend the pair of Sonos Five. They are an amazing stereo setup. 😎

Also as a stereo setup they will offer you two analogue inputs as an option to connect devices like a phono or something else. 

#Schlumpf

Thanx for the reply.

Well, i might have a special taste in music and how i prefere my Home Theater to sound. I got the Arc/Era100/dual Gen3’s but i’m not like impressed…do not misunderstand. There is a joy in my ears when watching movies but i think there is more potensial. Like i watched the movie “Ford vs Ferrarri”/Le Mans 1966 and there should be scenes that would impress me…but nah. In the movie “Bladerunner 2049” the Atmos-effect was better but the opening scene who everybody talks bout was not as good as i think it should. And the reason for me asking if i should purcase one of each or two pairs of Era 300’s was the idea to be able to try out the secound Era 300’s as stereopair with an Gen3 or a Sub Mini up front…yeah,i know bout the lag of 0.75ms. 
I have been really enjoying my Ikea Symfonisk Book Shielf speakers(Ikea BS red.anm). I have two of those in stereopair in my bedroom,but had to bring them over to my granny for my Ray/Sub Mini setup(read bout it in the other topics og mine if u care…) But down the road i will have a set of Fives anyway.

Oh please stop believing that stupid video that places Era 300’s as “fronts” in a Sonos home theater!  Those “fronts” are not fronts at all.  They are grouped, and as such they will play all channels - fronts, center, surrounds and Atmos heights - as a stereo downmix.  So the front left/center/right channels and any surround or Atmos effects are repeated in the “front” Era 300s as stereo only.   This adds nothing, it merely muddies up the original intent of the sound mix.  The front is spread out and dispersed, the directional surround effects are ruined, and any Atmos effects are now coming from in front of you instead of above. 

In short, it’s sonic mess, and that’s not even counting the echo from the delay, never mind the fact you are paying a premium for two Atmos capable speakers that aren’t even playing Atmos. 

#jgatie

Good evening to you too…

So…what are your suggestion for me when i’m not happy with my setup(just missing the Era300’s surround) and to be honest i dubt it will “make me happy”…so you suggest i build a new room in my one year old house? Yeah,you know the anserw to that: Not Honna Happen‼️ Or you suggest i go for two pairs of round in cealing Sonance+ Sonos Amp? Or you suggest i go for another brand?

I might have a thing in my head of how sound should be and what to expect.

Like i’m now just purcased a nib Ikea Symfonisk Lamp Gen2 and need to buy a brand new one down the way to replace the Era 100’s in my bedroom-setup. Good idea…probobly not,but there is a lack of placement for a tablelamp AND the Era100’s as for now they are on top of eachother. Soulution would be a kit of Sonos Stands for $300 and that’s basicly the price of 1 ½ Ikea Lamp’s. The Era 100 sounds great,but it’s not ideal placement as for now. If only Sonos could sell the top-piece for their stands to switch between the 100’ & 300’s it could make life a bit easier.

Thanx for reading my “things” anyway….

PS: looking forward to see what Daniel(N.E.T.) coming up for in is next videoes…cause i will watch them🙃

Use the Era 300’s as rear surrounds, as designed.  Use the Arc as the front left/center/right, as designed.  Add a Sub, Subs, or Sub-Mini as needed. Then put any other speakers you have left over in another room, as designed. 

If you aren’t happy with that?  Well then realize all soundbars are a compromise. You either put up with the compromise in favor of the convenience of less space used, less wires, more streamlined look, etc. or you get a fully wired separates/receiver based Home Theater.  What you don’t do is expect a soundbar to be what it is not, like a center speaker for separate left/right fronts. 

As to that video, watch whatever you wish.  If you don’t mind misinformation and incorrect facts, all the more power to you. 

I don’t know how you came to any of those conclusions based on what @jgatie stated.  Simply put, grouping in a stereo pair in the front of your home theatre space isn’t going to be an improvement to the audio quality.

Sure.  And there’s nothing wrong with wanting more for your home theatre, specifically a wider stage from the front speakers, but Sonos simply doesn’t offer that currently.  Well, they do if you use an Amp up front, but you lose atmost capablity.  The point is that ‘forcing’ extra speakers in the front isn’t a solution.

There are bit more difference in the physical design of the ikea lamp and the Era speakers that plopping a lamp on top.  Especially considering the upfiring speakers on the 300s, which would obviously not work as well with a lamp shade mounted on top.  Instead, I wouldn’t be too surprised if the next gen ikea lamp has dual woofers like the Era 100s. Perhaps bluetooth and aux in as well.

Nothing wrong with a little creativity, but I wouldn’t kid yourself into thinking that more is always better, and every idea is a good one.

This is my home cinema-room so you can get an idea of how it looks like. Pay attention that it is deep-windows in the sealing on both sides. Both Gen 3’s are placed in the corner of the sofa.

What does the shape of your room have to do with using the correct number of speakers as they were designed? 

#jgatie

I’m not a rocket-scientist but i do belive the Atmos effect got something to do with how the room is shaped and how it reflect back…don’t you agree. So what i’m thinking that this is a big part of my problem why i’m not “happy” with the performance…and that is for the Gen3’s as well.

That’s why i wonder if i should try add that Era 300’s stereopair up front that it might solve something rather as some of the communety say it will just create a mess. This setup is btw not happy with music. For that i prefere the bedroom with Beam Gen2/Era100/Sub Mini and soon either Era 300’s or Five’s.

No, adding a stereo pair will not fix the “I’m not happy” problem.   You are correct that the ceiling shape, and lack of full side walls, are not good for bouncing audio off of.  I don’t know that I would bother with atmos at all for that room.  Regardless, throwing 2 stereo channels at the front doesn’t fix that.

Have you done trueplay tuning on the room?

As far as Gen 3s (I assume you are referring to the sub), you may want to try moving one of them to the front of the room.