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Ideal Sonos setup for a 70 sqm living room with high ceilings

  • February 25, 2025
  • 7 replies
  • 272 views
S

"I have a large living room (72 m²) with challenging acoustics, and I need the best Sonos setup for optimal sound (audio only, no TV). Here are the room details:"

📐 Room dimensions:

  • Length: 10 meters
  • Width: 7 meters
  • Ceiling height:
    • 4 meters in most of the space
    • 7 meters in the right short wall and the bottom long wall (meters 7 to 10)

🏡 Room materials:

  • Floor: Full stone (granite).
  • Walls: Stone with wooden beams.
  • Right short wall: Full glass (7 meters high, 7 meters wide).

🚪 Doors & Openings:

  • Main door: Left short wall, between meters 2.5 and 4.5.
  • Glass door: Right short wall, between meters 2.5 and 4.5.

🔊 Acoustic challenges:

  • A lot of hard surfaces → High risk of sound reflections and echoes.
  • Large glass wall → Less sound absorption, potential reverberation.
  • High ceilings in some areas → Bass frequencies might get lost.

❓ What is the best Sonos speaker placement to achieve optimal sound quality in this room?

  • Which speakers should I use (Era 300, Sonos Five, Era 100, Sub, etc.)? (Audio only, I don’t watch TV)
  • Where should I position them for the best sound experience?
  • Additionnaly: How can I minimize echo and sound issues caused by my room’s materials?
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7 replies

jgatie
  • jgatie
  • February 25, 2025

For critical listening?  A pair of Sonos Fives spaced equidistant and at a 45 to 60 degree angle to the main listening seat, plus a Sub-Mini or Sub.  

Airgetlam
buzz
  • buzz
  • February 25, 2025

Rugs, heavy drapes, tapestry. If you hang a tapestry, include a nice fat absorber behind.

You could define a localized listening area and place stereo speakers on stands in that focused area.

Another approach would be multiple speakers such that you would always be near a L/R pair. You would not have the traditional sound image, but because you would always be relatively close to a pair and you could operate at a relatively lower Volume, minimizing the energy in the multiple reflections. This strategy works reasonably well in live commercial spaces where the goal is ambience.

S
S
  • steven_poppr
  • Author
  • Contributor I
  • February 25, 2025

I asked the Sonos helpdesk and ChatGPT. Here's what they suggested:

 

ChatGPT:

  • 2x Era 300 at the longest wall right, left and right from the fireplace 
  • 4x 100’s at the longest wall left
  • 2x Five in the corners on the shortest wall left 
  • 2x Sub in the middle of each longest wall 

Sonos Helpdesk:

  • 4x Five in each corner 
  • 1x Sub 

So I'm confused 😊 Any Sonos audio expert here to help me decide? 🙏

buzz
  • buzz
  • February 26, 2025

What is your goal? Focused stereo in a favorite spot or ambience?

S
  • steven_poppr
  • Author
  • Contributor I
  • February 26, 2025

​@buzz My goal is to have the best possible ambient sound in the whole room, with the best audio being on the coach 

S
  • steven_poppr
  • Author
  • Contributor I
  • February 26, 2025

This is the room, currently there are 4x One SL at the left, 2x Play 3 in the back, and 2x Era 300 and Sub gen 3 on the right. The sound is okay, but not good enough, it lacks power and detail.

buzz
  • buzz
  • February 26, 2025

This is a tough room for “detail” because it is so live. The bookcase full of record albums is a big help for your couch listening position and the DJ area.

While unconventional, try moving a pair of players to the DJ table, focused toward the couch, when listening on the couch.

Subwoofers are very sensitive to placement in the room. Here is a decent discussion about subwoofer placement. None of your speakers support a second subwoofer. I assume that SUB is bonded with the 300’s. You could add additional SUB(s) to other speakers. This would probably be fun when you are operating in DJ mode.

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