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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 2 ก.ค. 2024
- Sonos fives wasted as surround speakers in a home theatre setup? Tested with a Sonos Arc.
I am going to get a lot of hate mail with this video. I’m going to make a recommendation that will cost you a lot of money. Sorry I had to give the hint away. I did a test of the Sonos play:1, play:3 and Fives as surrounds in a Sonos arc setup and I discovered the true difference.
The result is conclusive. And the answer is mind blowing. Know this guys, I test things out and I don’t just rely on my own ears and subjective opinions. I test them out with equipment and I measure the results giving you the most objective view on TH-cam when it comes to wireless audio products, especially for Sonos.
If you like the way I do things, do come back and check out my videos often. Better yet, subscribe and ring that notification bell so that you’ll be informed when I release a new video. And if you find value in my work, also consider supporting my work by contributing to my coffee fund on patreon!
Patreon link for my coffee fund! : / peterpee
0:00 Intro
1:56 Upfront Summary
2:34 Andrew Robinson
4:08 Sonos Five Introduction
4:51 Setting up for the test
6:29 Frequency Responses (Arc, Play:1, Play:3)
9:24 Frequency Response of Sonos Five
11:23 Personal Opinions
15:45 My experience with Sonos Fives as surround
17:07 Limitations
19:47 Possible Use Cases
21:36 Final Conclusions
23:07 Behind the scene - วิทยาศาสตร์และเทคโนโลยี
Watching this 2yrs after, still relevant as ever!
Thanks for checking out the video!
The tips about raising the volume on the rear speakers, turn around and using them for music and stereo. Great ideas! Love it!
Peter, I love your channel! Your material is the most thorough, detailed out there. I really appreciate your hard work and we can all see how much heart you put into this.
Thank you again!
Thank you for your kind words. It makes my work worthwhile!
Just in time! :D you're the best. hope this channel blows up so your knowledge can be shared with all.
Thanks Sebastian! Hope you find it useful!
Just what I was looking for! Thanks for your great work.
Thanks Peter, incredible content, just subscribed. I inherited a pair of SONOS One SLs and a FIVE from a relative recently and have learned so much about the speakers thanks to your channel. I'm looking to upgrade my old TV to a newer LG OLED and also want to get a SONOS soundbar / sub for it when the time is right. I'll probably go for the Beam gen 2 but my heart is telling me ARC lol. I'd say my money would be better spent on either of the soundbars and a sub than a second FIVE. Heard some rumors about a mini sub, that could be appealing for me also. Happy 2022, thanks for the content.
Thank you, Peter! Great video. I have an Arc with the gen 2 sub and two play 3’s and the sound is phenomenal. I also have a 5.1.4 system in my other room. I have to say that the Sonos system is a worthy challenger to my 5.1.4. I do have a Play 5 in another room and now you’ve made me want to go buy the second Play 5. Lastly, I agree with your advice to hang on to those 3’s. They are an awesome setup in a paired configuration just for music. Keep up the great work. Love your channel.
Very nice! Someone just asked me the other day about a great stereo setup.... Straightaway recommended the pair of Fives... so... :)
This Video is simply Brilliant. Your uploads are like Technical Lectures - In a good way. Excellent Channel!.
PS: Thanks to you I haven't even bought Sonos 1s yet, but am already considering an upgrade to Sonos 5s... Crazy.
Ha! The Sonos fives are really the ultimate in a rear Channel setup. But it does cost a lot more.
Great video thanks for posting this so fast, can’t wait my Sonos fives are on the way! 🙏🏼
Happy for you! I am quite sure your anticipation level is through the roof!
They are very high, keep up the good work, great content!
Thank you!
Peter, in your explanation of using the Sonos 5’s as surrounds you state quite clearly you shouldn’t watch if you don’t want that nagging feeling you’re missing out! Well I got to tell you you’ve just made the top of my shitlist! You have logically and thoroughly explained why I must have the 5’s in this configuration! Ugh! Now my Sonos addiction has multiplied... you’re videos about the performance and limitations of Sonos are a must watch! Thank you for the detailed summations, I’m thoroughly impressed with your ability to explain the features and benefits... well done!
Thank you so much for sharing your appreciation! It means a lot to me!
Sweet video Peter. Thanks for adding a little science to the comments I keep making in these forums regarding enhanced sound experience using Sonos 5/fives for surround duty. Although I freely admit if you do not plan on using them for “full” music playback in the same room with some EQ adjustments, then they would be silly expensive. But the deeper soundstage for music, especially when positioning the Sonos Sub along side them at the back of the room is what makes them justifiable to me. When you consider the movie setup with 5/five rear speakers gives you a more immersive experience for both movies and music it actually makes the solution good value. Funny how the situation can go from silly expensive to good value based on the correct use case 🤷♂️ Keep up the great work 👍
It’s a completely valid argument! It’s all about the use case and whether you can appreciate and justify the extra capital outlay.
I would gladly leave you 2 Likes for the upfront summary alone. Please keep up the good work. You get the important information delivered in a professional way without beating around the bush. Short and to the point. This makes the video very informative. You rarely find this quality.
Thank you for your like and compliment!
Glad to see you give those play3 Some love! It’s a great value..i like it😊
Absolutely! I love them too for the value and I am damn proud to tell people that they have survived 9 years. Amazing in the sense smart stuff don't last 9 years and that Sonos is still supporting them after 9 years!
Thanks, Peter, for this valuable information!...Since my living room is too small for Sonos One SL's as surround speakers with my Arc/Sub, will plan to purchase Sonos Fives as surrounds and place them in my adjacent dining room!
Was the exact video I was looking for thank you!
Just bought a pair of Fives to use in an audio set up and for repositioning into a surround sound home theatre setup when needed. Great to know the Fives are good for both use cases - thanks!
Very cool! I’m sure you’re finding out about their versatility as you try them out!
Such a great channel, really appreciate your honest reviews...
Its good to see actual measurements instead of just "I feel" as many reviewers will do
What a fantastic review I have 2 sonos play 5s gen 2 and wanted to use them as surrounds and was unsure now I am going to get the sonos arc having seen this 👍👍👍
Cool! I am glad to have helped you land on a decision!
Peter, I'm not watching anymore of your content! Stupidly, I purchased the Sonos Arc, Sub and two one Sl's. While I was sort of happy with the Cinema Sound stage, I wasn't happy with the sound of music through this set up. After, watching your video, you convinced me to buy the Fives, leaving a dent in my wallet, damn you! The one SL'S will go in the kitchen.
Seriously, thanks for the recommendation because I'm now happy with the set up. I only wish Sonos would allow the user to disable the Arc when playing music through the Fives. The arc is an awful sound with music and so are the one Sl's. Keep up the great content = subscribed
Yes! I agree with you on that suggestion! Because the Sonos Fives for music sounds great on their own without needing the arc messing with the soundstage!
@@PeterPee Hi Peter, as we can't disable the Arc, I have kept the One Sl's as the rear surounds and added the Fives as stand alone speaker just for listening to music and added them as a different room with our living room. I couldn't cope with the Fives coupled with the arc for music.
Im wondering as a work around, if the option of disabling the WiFi of the arc in the app would work? However, I see you need an ethernet cable connected to do this. Maybe if I put an ethernet cable and don't connect to the Router, this will enable the user to use the toggle within the app to disable the Wfi on the Arc? I haven't got an ethernet cable to try this. Could you try maybe and if it works, I will grab one. Seems a shame not to use the Fives as both Stereo and surounds. Another, thing is I wonder if the Fives would put out in Stereo with the Arc disabled this way?
I like "Andrew Robinson's" channel as well, but do not sell yourself short. Your videos are the most thorough videos and so well mapped out I really enjoy them, even though I just found them. I just purchased a Beam (Gen3) to start my Sonos experience. I am replacing an old Harman Kardon SB26 soundbar system. I was scared of losing the SB26 Sub, but I liked the entry-level of the Beam and the possibility of expansion and upgrading. Within the Next year or two, I plan to move to a new home and that is when I will look to expand. I was thinking about two Sonos One SLs, but still not sure. The Sub has a big price.
Thanks for the compliment! I try my best. I came from SVS subwoofers and I'd say, the Sonos Subs really hold their own. It's at least at the levels of the SVS PB-1000.
Excellently made video, looks like i'm going to wait til' black friday and hope these go on sale a bit so I can get these combined with the Sonos Sub! You're literally the best at this on TH-cam in my opinion. I'm happy your idol subscribed too
I just got a sub that I paired with the Sonos Five. It is barely noticeable! I think the Five has that much bass.
Yes I was going to explore the crossover frequency for the fives when paired with a sub too. The arc’s crossover frequency to the sub is about 92hz. The fives should be much lower. And that means it doesn’t really need a sub after all.
Just buy a couple old bridges off of Craigslist or marketplace and turn them in at Best Buy they will give you a 30% coupon.. I just received $750 off the arc the gen 3 sub and 2 fives.. my stuff is complete till the PlayStation 5 comes out!! Besides we gotta quarantine so might as well upgrade.. 🤘🏽🤘🏽 if you need info get ahold of me.. just find a Best Buy that knows what they are doing I went to 2 that didn’t know how to look up the upgrade program even though it’s on Sonos web page.
This channel is great! Subscribed👍🏻
Awesome, thank you!
What’s up P2. Excellent topic. Watching now
Phew, that’s my setup including Sub gen 3. I love it. Does adding the Sub gen 3 change the sound of the rear Play Fives? Thanks for yet another great and entertaining video!
Edit: oh, I should have waited till the end- looking forward to your next video!!
It is very incredible to have a resource like you to help guide us on the Sonos Journey! In my setup I was hoping to use my new AMP into my existing Polk in-wall speakers as surrounds however the speakers are located too far away to create a meaningful effect. I am thinking of putting the Sonos Architectural in-wall speakers to the sides of my listening position and wondering how this would compare to the Fives.
I have not tried the sonos Architectural in-wall. Cost wise it is also expensive and you have to take into consideration the cost of the amp you have to use. I’d say go for the fives. And they are quite a lot more flexible to move around.
Hello Peter, first i bought one Sonos Five and shortly after that i bought the second Sonos Five, as you know. But now a few days back i bought the Sonos Arc. I have tested the system in many configurations with the settings in the software and the physical location of the rear speakers. For me this soundsystem is the first one sinds 10 years. Before that time a had real good and expensive soundsystems, back in the 90's and the first decades of the new century. But the rearspeakers in that time didn't have the capability to produce a real good, deep and immersive soundstage. It was good but the channel separation was way different and detailed then with the technology we have today. At the beginning (many years back) i have soundsystems from Denon, Onkyo and so on, with Prologic, AC3 and so on. But now in this time the technoligy is way different. Now after 10 years without a soundsystem i see Sonos on this youtube channel. I bought it and now i cannot believe my ears. I never have rearspeakers like this in my life. This is crazy, booming and mindblowing. I can't believe that this soundsystem is capable of doing this. The effect of Atmos is "i can't find the words"...!!!!!!!!! The details of the surroundings in the rearspeakers is abnormally detailed. a man came into the door and starts talking (Fantastic Beast: The Crimes of Grindelwald). The sound of the opening door and the voice of this man are so crazy detailed. This is the first time in my life that a soundsystem fooled me. Because i thought that someone opened the door of my livingroom and came in, and starts talking. There is a whole new world behind you when you play a movie. For me it is really impossible for this price and this size. I can't stop listening to this soundsystem. But now i also like to try the Sonos Sub gen 3, it is unavoidable. Thanks again and again and again Peter for giving this detailed information about Sonos...!!!
Hey John! I am so happy you’re enjoying this so much. Thank you for sharing with all of us!
You sir, are a smart dude who knows what they're talking about 👨🎓👏👏👏👌
Appreciate your honesty, Peter. Must admit, I almost had a heart attack-induced-stroke-brought-about-a-sudden-spike-in-blood-pressure-combined-with-an-aneurysm, when I found out out how much the fives cost-each! In AU, as at today, $749. Each. I think that alone is a deal-breaker.
I have the ARC sl and the two sonos 5 as surround but have it configured as stereo and the sound it's amazing.
Peter, I just recently discovered your channel and I really enjoy your content. I am seriously considering buying a Sonos system either an Arc+sub (gen 3) + 2x 1sl’s or Arc + 2 Play 5’s. My room is 180 sq. ft. ( 16.7 sq. meters ). I would be using my system for movies, streaming and cable, not for music. My goal is to have a good immersive experience. The cost for either choice is just about the same. Your recommendation? By the way, what about doing a video on understanding a Frequency Response curve as referenced in your videos? Thanks for producing such informative content and for your honest commentary.
Firstly, Good job on your videos on sonos..i just got into sonos about a month ago..from this video i think im going for sonos one as my rear surround..my current setup is beam+sub gen 3..sub calibration via s2 is at -5..
I am running a beam with a sub gen 2 and two play:1s as surround. They work wonderfully! That setup in is my living room where the rest of the family watches TV. It’s been a joy.
Thanks for helping me finalize my decision with the fives for surround (vs one sl). Well...it was almost finalized until you mentioned the traditional surround system. I think I'm done with that for the reason that I just couldn't make it sound the way a surround system should sound. Whether I'm not matching the correct ohm speaker, etc. etc. I think it's a Russian phrase that goes: "Buy cheap, buy twice". I'm hoping the simplicity of doing the Sonos will take away the complicated setup of the traditional 5 speaker surround system and finally get the home theatre I've wanted. Thanks for the videos.
Great work.. was hoping you would vet this topic.
Love the content👍🏼👍🏼❤️❤️
thanks for the quick answer
I’ve been feeling like THE SLs I had wasn’t even I just switched to the 5 and I’m blown away
Hi Peter, just discovered your channel and love the content! I had a question for you... I have a powerful NAS (can handle transcode if necessary) running a plex server, and am building a new living room setup, planning to buy the ARC, a sub and use 5's as the surround speakers. My household is definitely in the apple ecosystem, but I found that the Apple TV 4k doesn't support TrueHD or even DTS... Do you think its worth it to get the NVIDIA shield instead of the apple TV 4k as the client, or will the upgrade to TrueHD not be noticeable enough with these speakers? Thanks!
Thank you Peter. I was trying to find out if I can use the 5's as surrounds before i spend the money. I will also be using them for listening to music via the internet. once again thank you for your knowledge.
Glad to help! I am sure you will love the Fives. They are almost my fave speaker from Sonos! Except the Sub if you think of them as non speaker.
You are the best thank you for the video
You are very welcomed!
Hi Peter, great content here. Just bought two Fives. How did you end up securing your Fives to the speaker stand?
Thanks for the amazing video! I would have loved a comparison graph after performing true play adjustment and in a setup including the sub, currently have one play:3 sitting around and debating between getting an extra one or sell it and get two one's for surround...
Get another Three for surround. They are MUCH louder... Very much more immersive.
Great video Peter! I currently have 2 one sl’s that I just bought which I added to an Arc and a gen 3 sub. Do the fives out power the arc where the sound seems disproportionate? My room is 24 feet by 15. My couch is 12 feet from the tv and 12 feet from the back wall where the rears are.
Hey I was thinking, would be great to do a video on using REW for measuring a room, showing the process, overlapping before and after graphs, what RTA mic to by ( umik-1) , pink vs white noise..etc. just seeing your workflow from start to finish sharing your screen.
Would be interesting. When I’m done with the actual work of testing maybe!
Hello Peter your videos are so helpful !!! I have just a medium size living room and two sonos play 5. I use them for music and also for TV sound output. Is it worth it to buy sonos ARC for more surround experience ? thank you so much !
thanks for doing these. what do you say about Definitive for wired home theater setup?
Awesome man!
Thank you! Cheers!
Hi Peter, great review! 1 quick question for The best set up : Arc, sonos 5, sub gen 3, but is it worth only for hearing music not movie? Thank you
Hi Peter. Tnx so much for your work.
After this video, now I've 2 sonos five as surround speakers :P. I think that they are great but, to be honest, for music I think that they performs better alone as stereo pair instead in a surround system (I've arc + sub gen3), specially if I turn on trueplay that decrease general volume in my case (I've music playback in full mode, of course).
Have you the same impression?
I've 2 alternatives now. I can give back the ones and use five as surround or take ones and use five only for music.
Please, give me an advice
I just watched a teardown of the Symphonisk speaker from IKEA, and he said that based on the quality of the capacitors he felt they would not last more than a few years. He also said it looked like they were the same as Sonos speakers, from which I infer there are inferior components in (some) Sonos models. I know the older speakers you have had lasted a long time, so do you have any comments? I keep wanting to buy the Arc and now the 5s, but I will need a new TV and then I hear this from another channel. The committment is high for a bunch of reasons! Love your channel-Thank You!
Gary, thanks for your compliments and support!
I must have owned more than 20 Sonos speakers throughout my life. And that’s not counting the amp and the connects.
I have never had one break down before. Statistically speaking, that gives me a lot of confidence. I can’t vouch for the 2020 products since they’ve only been around for 2 months but everything else that I’ve owned, I only sold because I couldn’t find space for them or I needed to fund a new purchase. Never because they broke down.
To reduce initial investment, what do you think about starting with one or two Sonos 5s and later upgrading my TV and adding an Arc? I could use my current AV receiver or the headphone jack on my TV.
I wouldn’t recommend the Sonos fives for tv. Reason is because it introduces a lag in processing sound from the analog 3.5mm input. You will have lip sync issues.
great review....we can now have 2 subs.....woohoo...i have the ARC soundbar / 2 subs / and the One SL's as rears.....thinking of getting the 5's for rear instead....mmmmm what to do what to do.....room is 14x22 so that should really fill the room....don't get me wrong the current system is awesome ....but the 5's could be the icing on the cake....cheers all and be safe
Love your vids! Would you do a video on the best placement of the surrounds? Like if they need to be behind the listening position or if it is better to have them to the sides?
Quick response is to the side. Slight towards the back and aiming the cones at your ears.
I’ll be making that video at some point in time.
Peter Pee you’re the best!
Sounds like for smaller rooms (eg apartment living rooms), the One’s are likely the better solution given potential boom effect of the Five’s (when using a pair as surrounds). Correct?
I had NO idea that’s what music playback did...and I’ve owned my sonos ones (2) and beam for at least 2 years 😭 also, great video! I had to check my bank account several times to discourage myself for now
Haha.. It's the same rabbit hole 80% of us are in now.
Peter, great video man. What floor stands do you recommend for the Sonos Five's when used as surrounds? The ones on the Sonos website (Flexon) are only 27 inches high which doesn't seem high enough for my needs. Keep up the great content man :)
Those are the Kantos. Very very nice. I have an affiliate link for them prepared for when I do my review of those stands but here they are:
White : amzn.to/33yXacM
Black : amzn.to/3oeFjjf
Available in black and white and in two heights of 26" and 32". Very nice very stable very heavy on their own.
Hi Peter, just want to say thanks for your videos as they really got me into Sonos ecosystem. I understand sarcasm and banter, but towards the end when you refer to linking with Andrew Robinson…
“I won’t sound gay”… man even if you did nothing bad would happen. Geek and gay man I’m still alive 😊
Peter Pee - I have a Beam in the living room. Do you think two Sonos 5's located in the front of the living room would sound okay? I would like them in the front for music too.
I’m using the bookshelf Symfonisk speakers as rear surround speakers together with the Arc. I also have play 1’s which I have tested as rear surround speakers. I’m curious to see what the frequency response is with the Symfonisk speakers as rear speakers. I’m also opting the sub 3 for a better immersive sound.
I respect all your effort and enjoy watching your content, really helpfull!
The sub gen 3 will lend you a superb depth to the sound. It really helps. For the surround channel, I haven’t done extensive testing between the symfonisk bookshelf vs the ones or play:1s but honestly, the different is very small.
Peter Pee only thing I’ve notest is that the play 1’s sound a bit wider than the Symfonisk bookshelf speakers. I still went back to the Symfonisk as rear speakers and I have the play 1’s in the kitchen. My girlfriend is also interested in the Sonos Sub 3, but she hasn’t seen the price yet!
Hey Pete, sorry i'm just too excited. I barely finished the video, so do you mean the low freq response is offload to the play 5!? If that's the case, i can forget abt buying the sub!
Switched my rear One SL's with Sonos 5's that I already had in a stereo pair just for music and connected them to my Arc and Sub. Sounds amazing for music (rears set to full for music and 8 or 9 for TV.and HT. Well worth it and solves my issue of having something that works with music and HT while still having Trueplay unlike with the AMP. I can put the One SL's in another room and make use of them :-p I can also move the 5's further back long a wall rather than right behind the couch so it looks cleaner too. Tried it out with Roon for music and it sounds great with Diana Krall master tracks :-) There is a little sound coming from the Arc too for music and I wish they would shut it off completely for that.
That’s what I do too! Great setup for music and having Trueplay and a sub to augment the bass.
But do you set the surround Fives to ambient or full sound?
Surround set to full for music.
Another great video, I have a playbase so for me to get the full effect do I need to pair the Fives with the arc or would the Fives sound as good with my playbase?
The fives would sound as good. Actually the playbase was a great idea and the sound is actually good and bassy. The ported sub chamber inside is a genius of an idea.
Hey Peter. Another great video! I was wondering for music listening which do you think sounds better? Sonos Five on its own vs Sonos Five + Sonos Sub
To be honest you don’t really need the sub with the Sonos five. The bass is already great as it is. But it does add an subtle level of Low frequencies if you need it for some genre.
Arc + ( 2 x Fives ) is my official Home Theatre set up. No need for Sub for my living room. Will upgrade when we buy a bigger home with a dedicated home theatre room
I’m sure you’re happy with your setup! You’ve got two (3 actually) of Sonos’ best offerings!
Thx for this video.
I have 2 play 5 , 2 five, the sub gen 3.
Can you tell me what would be the best ? buy Arc, put 2 five as rear, and use the other 2 play 5 as left and right ?
Even though it can be tempting especially if you've got some play 1s with your brand new Sonos Arc to upgrade those bad boys. i feel like we will probably see some play 1s with upward firing speakers to add to the atmos of the arc.
Least that's how i stop myself from upgrading to the fives.
Yes, if Sonos comes out with some home theatre specific products, then that would be the way to go. Using the Fives as rear surround is truly an overkill.
You’ve done it again Peter, another great vid. I have the Arc and sub G3 which is great but due to my odd shaped room the left side speaker in the arch can’t really reach me so thought of getting surrounds. I personally think the 5s are just too much money, so was thinking SL’s but I remembered I have a play 3 already so going to get another play 3. This setup should do the trick but strange Sonos haven’t brought out new play 3, oh well at least I can utilise my old P3! I have read that if you have the Arch with surrounds it will disable the side speakers on the Arch, is that true or will you be testing to see if it does or doesn’t?? Thanks in advance and keep up the great vids!!
The side woofers are not disabled. I have already tried it. It still fires.
@@PeterPee Would you say the combination of the side woofers from the Arc and the surround speakers make for a more comprehensive surround experience? Compared to, say, a Beam with surrounds?
Thanks for the video. What orientation do you recommend for a pair of fives in the rare in a surround setup, including arc and sub? My living room is big, the fives will be placed high up in the back
If the room is bigger than it is tall, make it horizontal for a better spread of sound.
I decided to bite the bullet and go for broke with the Arc, two Gen 3 Subs, and two Fives as rear surrounds for my LG OLED 77C1 in our main viewing room. It will replace the Nakamichi 7.2.4; which, I've never been happy with the sound quality and I was getting an intermittent muffled sound with some Dolby/Atmos content on streaming services. The spouse didn't like the price; but, really loves the noticeable sound improvement over the Nakamichi.
Glad you pulled the trigger hard! :)
Hey Peter, would it be possible to do a review on Apples HomePod speaker. You can buy them, do the review and then take them back. Also, maybe a comparison against some Sonos at the same price range.
I ask because you seem to be the only speaker reviewer who really breaks down everything and gives the best and most honest reviews.
I had the HomePod before and it was sorely underused. And unless you were deep in Apple Music ecosystem, it might not work out very well. That said, it had very satisfying bass as a speaker and works well with Apple Music.
@ 2:15 i went to the shop and bought sonos five .
Thx you made buy the new sonos five for my 5.1. The ultimate setting Arc, Sub and 2x sonos five with lg Gx77”
When i heard 9 yeaars 9 yearss... damm those sonos 3 last a really long time
Yeah you don’t say. At some point I was wondering why they wouldn’t die so I could buy the Sonos play:5. That was already 2 years ago. And today they are still alive! The only slightest issue ever is that the led light on one of them has started to dim. Otherwise, damn, these guys....live on forever.
@@PeterPee Well .. they'll fetch a good price 2nd hand. I actually bought 2 pairs of Sonos Play:3's recently. And you always have to look for a while until another one turns up. People just don't get rid of them.
I am keeping mine! You won’t see my unit on the market for a while!
I saw your setting fine-tuning video - What settings should I use for Arc + 2 Fives + Sub Mini?
Very informative channel 👍 can you tell us what is the best orientation for 3or 5s as surround speakers ? Horizontal or vertical
I haven’t figured a way to test that objectively as yet. But the sound seems to be similar.
Hi, I enjoy your videos, and my question is, if just listen to music, is it better to use fives pair with sub as sterero rather than arc+fives+sub as surround?
Just the fives. With the arc you need the fives as surround and the soundstage is compromised.
If u use sonos 5 as surrounds, should u place the 5s vertically or horizontally?
Hi peter just curious to know can we add sonos five pair in front beside arc as front left and right insted of sourrounds?? Pleased to hear from you
I love my play 5s as surround sound. I wish they let you setup 2 groups one for surround sound and one as stereo speakers. Peter can you talk to your connections to make this happen?
Haha. Wow. I’m flattered but I really don’t know anyone personally who can make this happen!
i only have a beam paired with 2x play 1 and quite happy with it. also have gen 2 play 5 in kitchen, but i would like to know if it is worth buying a play 5 to use as rear speakers for beam and then sell my play 1?
Are you primarily playing music or tv?
Oh Peter! They’re so expensive. I do need some fives one day. I recently tested my 1s and 3s in surround with Beam and sub G2 and didn’t really notice the difference. But when I used it for music the 3s were drilled in to the wall. I have warned the Mrs that one day those little 3s will be replaced by Fives. She sighed.
Oh, "sigh" is a "Yes" said with a heavy heart but still a YES. :)
@@PeterPee you did warn us not to watch on. I might just get one and put in on the dining table. Then she’ll HAVE to find a place for me to wall mount it 😂
I enjoyed your video. I am considering purchasing the sonos arc and the subwoofer. If I use the ethernet ports to connect each item, will that be similar to a hardwired traditional home audio setup? Or will the sonos arc and the subwoofer connect wirelessly with each other?
No. you don't connect the arc and sub to each other. You connect them to only your router. You just need to set up one of them to the router. The Arc and sub will connect wirelessly with each other.
Sorry, i don’t understand you mention on 19 min. About line in port??? What that? Can it be reset “ so call line in port” if Sonos 5 from surround speakers back to front main speakers ? ( what I mean in living room Sonos 5 is surround speakers, but I can carry to my bedroom and reset it and become main front speakers) will the so call line in port still missing / forever deleted???
Thanks Peter for another great video. I’m happy with my current sep up which is Arc + Sub gen2 + 2xPlay5 gen2. But after watching your video I really want to upgrade to the Five. Should I?
No don’t need to. Really very little difference between the play:5 gen 2 and the gen 3 fives.
@@PeterPee thanks bro. I’ll keep the budget for future upgrades.
@@nampvu how your system sounds for music?
Once ill moved to house ill get the Arc and the 5’s.. for now still enjoying my 2 SL’s Beam and Sub Gen2 5.1 Set up.. my Neighbors really loves me😜
Your mixing the definition of love and hate. Haha.
Great job! I’m not into surrounds because I’m in a small room where the surrounds would be too close. How would it work placing the fives left and right of the sound bar? And if so should I play on ambient or full?
If you’re going to place 5s on either side of the soundbar I would recommend setting them up as a stereo pair and then grouping them as a second room to your soundbar. Using them in rear surround mode would not sound good at the front of the soundstage.
Pete, I just subscribed to the channel! Great job! Keep up the great work! Two questions. 1. Do you have the 5’s facing up or sideways when using them for surround? 2. What do you have the “surround audio” set as? I know you said in comments you had the 1’s set as 3 but now using the 5’s is that the same or did you put the audio higher or lower on the rear’s with the 5’s?
I kept the audio the same so that I can appreciate the difference. But the stock setting worked great for the surround speakers so I left them as they were.
I left the Sonos fives standing vertically if that’s what you’re asking.
Ok, because I have the 5’s surround audio at 3 but now I’ll try them at 0. Yes, that’s what I was asking and I have them standing vertically too so I appreciate you replying. Thank you! Also, what do you think of the new Samsung Q950T 9.1.4 channel? I have to get another soundbar/ surround sound system for the bedroom and not sure not with that just released if I should get that or another Arc. Because if the Samsung is better I would move that to the living room and the arc to the bedroom.
Please also compare the freq response graph of stereo pair fives no sub with the current fives with arc no sub chart you have here. And if possible with sub too
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So sorry but I won’t be making a specific video for that now. There are other videos I have to get out of the door first. If you need the answer you can go through my other videos on the Sonos arc series which I have extensively measured them both with sub and without sub.
Hi Peter. Is a sonos 5.1 system overkill. Meaning the arc as the center, fives for the right and left. And the ones as the back surround. With the sub. Please advise.
You won’t be able to put it to one room. The fives as left and right needs to be another room and then you play both together. The arc will still play left right center. It won’t just play center.
In your proposed configuration, I don’t think there is a benefit at all.
Hi Peter, nice Review. Does the Five as a surround stereo pair sound as good as 2 five with no surround system? Think about updating my one as sorrounds.
My setup: arc, sub, 2 ones
Greets from Germany
No. There is a difference. Because the arc at the back when you face the surround pair of fives does mess up the sound stage lightly.
Hi Peter, great video. My current system is an Arc / sub gen3 / one sl’s as surrounds with a LG OLED C1 65”. I am thinking in a upgrade, add a second sub or replace the one sl’s for fives as surrounds. Which option do you think will be better for my system? Second sub or fives as surrounds? I use most for movies and tv series.
Second sub for sure.
Can you pair them as stereo pair (like sonos one sl)when connected to arc.?
Hello Peter,
When I connect a pair of play:5's as rear left and rear right along with my arc, the sounds from the Play 5's are very low. I'm forced to go to the sonos app and increase the TV level to +15 (all the way) to have them sound good. But when i play music through spotify, it sounds fine.
Anything I'm doing wrong?
No. Nothing wrong. Surround material is usually quieter and doesn’t always come out. It also depends on the mix from the video.
Oh .. and in regards to your sentiments in regards to the Play:3 speakers. Yes .. it would have been a really sad day, if they had not brought those across to S2. They may be discontinued, but there is a gap, that only can be satisfied with a Play:3. So it's good to have that open .. even if you may have to obtain them second hand.
I’m putting in a preorder for the Sonos three.
Ok... haha. I don’t know if there’s one lined up or announced but I’ll put in my preorder anyway. It’s too big a gap for them to ignore!
Who said Play:3 isn’t compatible with S2??
@@curionion what are you referring to ? Nobody made that statement.
Don’t think anyone said that.
Another amazing video Peter. Thank you. I have a question for you. Can I also use the Sonos 5 (Gen. 1) as Surround Channels?
If you’re on the arc or the sub gen 3, you can’t. As those need the s2 platform to operate. And the Sonos play:5 gen 1 isn’t supported by the s2 platform.
But if you are on the s1 platform still with the Sonos beam or playbase or playbar, yes you can. But don’t update to the s2 platform ever. It will drop the play:5 gen 1 from your system.
Peter Pee great advice. Thank you Peter. By the way, I sold the Martin Logan speaker set. I got a great price for it and bought the Sonos Arc and subwoofer. Would you recommend buying - used set of Sonos 3 instead of the Sonos SL? The pricing is the same.
How big is your room? If it’s not a big room, I say go for the One SL. If the room is big, the play:3s will help fill it up more.
Peter Pee My living room is 18.5 sqm big but is connected with our living room which is additional 16 sqm big. Maybe it’s also worth to mention that our ceiling is 3m high (9.85 feet).
That’s a big room with a lot of air to move. Future proofing aside, just from the space I’d recommend that you go for the bigger play:3.
hi peter.. just wana ask what is best for movies.
the arc with 2 fives or
the arc with one 2 one sl and a sub?
i have a small apartment with open left side of the viewing area.
the arc with one 2 one sl and a sub for sure.
Peter Pee, could two play fives (2020) be used as left and right channel speakers with a playbar? Thanks in advance.
No, that cannot be done with the Fives.
Seems like they would overpower the arc setup with them set as side/rears
I was really hoping to find out if I could buy the two 5s instead of getting the sub as they are able to take over the bass needs? Do you have any thoughts on this?
Difficult question to answer actually. I'd still recommend getting a sub if you are out for bass. It's more cost effective at $700. The Sonos Fives pair is going to cost $1k. But of course the additional $300 brings about surround sound and will have the bass more evenly distributed throughout the room.
If you are prepared to spend $1k, I say, go for the sub for $700 and get a pair of One SLs. At $1060, you will probably get the best of both worlds.
Thank you for your answer. I have an unusual setup where I use set up the living room as a projector room sometimes and bring over the arc for it but have 2 Sonos fives on there for stereo always. Effectively I’d love to know whether the sub is worth it since the fives are already doing a lot of bass work. I’d be very interested to see a video exploring the sound profile of the arc with the sub and two Sonos ones vs arc, no sub, and two Sonos fives. Just a thought for an extra video of you have time 😊
Thanks for the video idea! There are so many combinations for the Sonos setup and I might never get time to finish testing them all! I Guess that speaks volumes of the success of their modular system!
Peter Pee and whats it like playing music not just watching movies. Livingroom is for everything, music and movies :)
Follow my settings for music. I added a +15 to music volume for surrounds and I turn to face the speakers. They are great. The soundstage is affected by the arc at the back but the stereo is still good.
How is the sound compared to the one SL for a full surround arc soundbar and sub is this a good upgrade for home theater/ music playing experience ?
The One SL and Play:1 performance is comparable. And if you are asking about the sub, it is a great addition to the Sonos home theatre setup!
Can I have a setup of sonos arc the 5s as rear and ones as front and the sub to get 7.1 surround
Hi Peter, I wanted to get your thoughts on using Sonos Fives as rear mounted near the ceiling on each corner of the back wall vs on stands behind the listening position (sofa). Thanks.
I just discussed this with a friend of mine. And he decided to mount his 6 inches from the ceiling. Space constraint. And he was still very happy with it! So it seems that near ceiling mount will work for some?
@@PeterPee Thank you Peter !!
I think people underestimate the value of beautiful anesthetics. Size and sound matter. I would rather have eye candy that doesn't dominate my room. Yet still get high quality sound in a smaller package. 🤔
Hey...loved your video. And subscribed! Quick question...I have watched more than a handful of sonos videos from you now... and my wife was asking about cost. I was reminded of a spot in one of your videos where you mentioned to keep the cost (how much a setup it) to yourself unless you have an understanding partner (orsomething like that) we both find those comments bratty funny. But I cannot remember which sonos video it came from (from your channel) and ideas on which it was?
Hey! I can’t remember exactly which video I said that. I made quite a few videos over the last 2 years admitting to my addiction. Haha.
And it’s probably significant enough to log into your matrimonial assets book.
And it’s probably significant enough to log into your matrimonial assets book.
@@PeterPee I appreciate the reply. My favorite lately was me telling her why 2 subs is just better...
Her response? "Why wouldn't you want more bass?!" I knew I married the right woman.
Keep it up.
It's appreciated
What??!!! What’s her Instagram handle?