*** Official SONOS Thread ***
- Thread starter RoyMi6
- Start date
Soldato
I've had the gen 1 beam for a couple of years now, is it worth updating to the gen 2? I might even be given the go ahead for a mini sub! I can get 15% off with Sonos but would I be better off selling the gen 1 rather than using the 15%?
Soldato
I would say no. I think the main/only difference is audio processing. There isn’t an upward firing speaker for Atmos, it’s just done via software.
Get the mini though, it’s great.
Soldato
I would say so. I auditioned the Sub Mini recently and it’s very good. I’m about to pull the trigger on one for the office
Soldato
I've got an Arc + 2 Subs + 2 Ones coming today, to see whether it's worth going from 2x B&W 603s + MRX 520 + B&W DB3D
Obviously, the B&W will have better quality, but it's only a 2.1 system
The Sonos system will consist of 2 subs, ATMOS and surrounds, so as an experience, it should be better.
Will report back my findings.
Obviously, the B&W will have better quality, but it's only a 2.1 system
The Sonos system will consist of 2 subs, ATMOS and surrounds, so as an experience, it should be better.
Will report back my findings.
Caporegime
Dual subs is a beefy setup. That must be 2K+ worth of kit.
I'd be thinking of a custom setup for that money. Be interested to see what you think of it.
I'd be thinking of a custom setup for that money. Be interested to see what you think of it.
Soldato
I think in total I spent about £1700 with 30% discounts
Have just bought a Sub Mini for £280 with 30% too, and PayPal gave me £20 off too for using PP Credit - just cleared the balance straight away
I'm going to use to Sonos Ones in the office with the Sub Mini if I don't like the Sonos system in the front room, and if I do like the Sonos system, I'll be selling my HiFi kit and buying some IKEA Symfonisk lamps to use as the rears in the front room, as I've just built a sofa shelf to put them on
Soldato
With regards to the 15% upgrade deal from Sonos, does that mean you have to return the item you're upgrading?
Soldato
Although I did this a year or so ago, the answer was no! I just kept it and still run the item I upgraded from no problems at all.
The only issue is with the older generation stuff which you need to run on a separate "S1" setup.
Caporegime
No you just keep it now. Originally they bricked the device you upgraded but now it is yours to keep and still functions normally.
Soldato
Thanks, I'd be looking at selling the item to claw back some of the huge outlay I want to spend
Soldato
So for anyone that hasn't seen my recent post, I bought some new kit recently. I thought I'd share some thoughts.
Current Setup
-> B&W 603 Floorstanders
-> Anthem MRX 520, room correction on
-> B&W DB3D
-> NVIDIA Shield for streaming
-> 2x HK Citation One in kitchen
-> 1x HK Citation One in office
I absolutely love the quality of the setup, but:
So I thought I would give Sonos another go, after having a Playbar + Sub setup a few years ago.
New Sonos Setup
-> Sonos Arc
-> 2x Sub Gen 3
-> 2x IKEA Symfonisk Lamp for rear (future purchase)
-> 2x Sonos One for kitchen (future purchase, might buy 5s if Sonos don't release a new 3)
-> 2x Sonos One for office (being used for rears)
-> Sub Mini for office
I used a combo of 30% off and buying ex demo stuff, so it was about as expensive as the equipment I had previously bought.
MLP= Main listening position
Impressions (Trueplay OFF)
Setup
The Sonos system is very easy to setup, even more so than I remember. Intuitive NFC + identification meant I had a 5.2 setup completed in about 30 minutes, including wiring them up via ethernet.
Movies
Without Trueplay, it sounds good, but quite thin, and the subs were obviously out of phase. I would say I was missing 70-130 Hz, which is the same on my 2.1 system before it was room corrected. Atmos is a good effect, but not amazing. Definitely a lack of punch, too - I imagine this is because the Arc is effective at 150 Hz+ and the subs at 100 Hz and below, as there aren't any sizeable or dedicated mid range woofers. My 2.1 system has 4x 6.5 inch woofers and 2x 6 inch woofers, for example.
In addition, the subs are ported, which tends to lend itself to a slightly different sound signature. I can better confirm when I set up the Sub Mini
It's great having a centre channel, though. Dialogue is much more clear and textured.
Music
This is where my older Playbar + Sub struggled. Great for movies but it never quite hit the spot with music. The Arc is much better in this area.
I used a combo of Amazon Music, which support Dolby Atmos audio through the Sonos app, and Spotify, which has all of my playlists.
The Arc does a decent job at representing vocals, but doesn't provide a very good soundstage. My 603s are phenomenal at placing different instruments across an invisible stage in front of you.
The subs are good enough, but definitely not £750 subs. They're good £550 subs at most.
The rears do a really good job of adding atmosphere to stereo music, and an even better job at separating instruments in an Atmos mix. I was never sold on Atmos music before, but it really does sound good with dedicated channels physically behind you.
Impressions (Trueplay ON)
Setup
Setting up Trueplay is a doddle. Step 1 is listen from your MLP and step 2 is walk around the room waving your phone up and down like a weirdo for long enough for people to spot you from outside. Job done. Neighbours worried.
I settled on the following settings (anything not mentioned is default):
+1 Bass
+4 Height
Uncompressed
Loudness On (doesn't seem to impact the sound when it's louder, just makes bass more audible at lower volumes)
Movies
The word I would use to describe Trueplay is transformational. I feel really bad for Android users who have Sonos equipment. In fact, I would say that it would be worth buying a cheap iPhone SE or 7 or 8 just for Trueplay.
From what I can tell, Trueplay does time alignment and some EQ, though I suspect a lot of that is pre programmed to make the effect of Trueplay tuning seem greater than it is - either way though, the results are phenomenal.
Subs are now completely unlocatable. Rears disappear. Arc soundstage gets wider and taller. A lot of this is software trickery, as when you go off axis, much of the effects lessen. This isn't true for my 2.1 system, where the soundstage is equally wide irrespective of whether you sit to the left or right of the MLP. But I tend to sit head on, so this isn't a problem.
I'm actually quite surprised how much punchier the sound gets, and the Atmos effect is much better/identifiable. I watched Death on the Nile, and mortars dropping at the beginning of the film sounded as though they were coming from above.
Music
The difference is really quite substantial for music. I'm quite shocked at how well integrated the Sonos system sounds. For anyone who has setup HiFi systems, and particularly subs, you'll know how difficult this can be, even with room correction.
I guess this is the benefit of manufacturing each speaker and developing the signal processing for them all. This is why, in my opinion, a good room correction system is VITAL for any setup - it really can transform your experience.
What the Sonos system can do, is provide a very well integrated and cohesive experience. What it can't do is provide a very natural, expansive and articulate sound. The speakers don't move with utmost precision (especially the subs), so the frequencies are not handled with accuracy and precision as much as a good HiFi system, but it's good enough.
For me, a good speaker and amp combo can be identified by their ability to move air quickly and accurately, resulting in notes/explosions hitting you with the pace and impact as instructed by the source, with FLAC/WAV having the best instruction set.
The Sonos is good at this, but not not great.
It's why a good amp isn't just about nominal power, but also their transient power response in speed and quantity, and why a good speaker isn't just about how far you can make it move, but how quickly it'll move to the next position.
Conclusion
I was happy with the Sonos before - it was good enough to replace my 2.1 system, while taking up considerably less room.
With Trueplay, though, it's true-ly excellent.
If you're the sort of person to critique the music and movie you listen to, Sonos isn't for you. You won't hear or feel flutters in certain bass notes. It won't play flat down to 10 Hz. It won't map out a stage in front of you and place instruments across it. It doesn't have character.
It's an easy to set up, exceptionally well integrated and experience-focused eco system which uses DSP to great effect, and it will be replacing my 2.1 system.
In a dedicated music room, I would have a 2.2 system every day of the week.
Next steps:
If you have any questions, post below.
Current Setup
-> B&W 603 Floorstanders
-> Anthem MRX 520, room correction on
-> B&W DB3D
-> NVIDIA Shield for streaming
-> 2x HK Citation One in kitchen
-> 1x HK Citation One in office
I absolutely love the quality of the setup, but:
- It's a single sub and very impractical, due to the size of the system.
- It's also limited in upgradeability - no Atmos due to AVR and no rear speakers due to room layout.
- I've been wanting to claw back some space in the front room so I can set up a second work area - my other half also works from home in the same room, and so we have to migrate to a different room if we both have a call.
So I thought I would give Sonos another go, after having a Playbar + Sub setup a few years ago.
New Sonos Setup
-> Sonos Arc
-> 2x Sub Gen 3
-> 2x IKEA Symfonisk Lamp for rear (future purchase)
-> 2x Sonos One for kitchen (future purchase, might buy 5s if Sonos don't release a new 3)
-> 2x Sonos One for office (being used for rears)
-> Sub Mini for office
I used a combo of 30% off and buying ex demo stuff, so it was about as expensive as the equipment I had previously bought.
MLP= Main listening position
Impressions (Trueplay OFF)
Setup
The Sonos system is very easy to setup, even more so than I remember. Intuitive NFC + identification meant I had a 5.2 setup completed in about 30 minutes, including wiring them up via ethernet.
Movies
Without Trueplay, it sounds good, but quite thin, and the subs were obviously out of phase. I would say I was missing 70-130 Hz, which is the same on my 2.1 system before it was room corrected. Atmos is a good effect, but not amazing. Definitely a lack of punch, too - I imagine this is because the Arc is effective at 150 Hz+ and the subs at 100 Hz and below, as there aren't any sizeable or dedicated mid range woofers. My 2.1 system has 4x 6.5 inch woofers and 2x 6 inch woofers, for example.
In addition, the subs are ported, which tends to lend itself to a slightly different sound signature. I can better confirm when I set up the Sub Mini
It's great having a centre channel, though. Dialogue is much more clear and textured.
Music
This is where my older Playbar + Sub struggled. Great for movies but it never quite hit the spot with music. The Arc is much better in this area.
I used a combo of Amazon Music, which support Dolby Atmos audio through the Sonos app, and Spotify, which has all of my playlists.
The Arc does a decent job at representing vocals, but doesn't provide a very good soundstage. My 603s are phenomenal at placing different instruments across an invisible stage in front of you.
The subs are good enough, but definitely not £750 subs. They're good £550 subs at most.
The rears do a really good job of adding atmosphere to stereo music, and an even better job at separating instruments in an Atmos mix. I was never sold on Atmos music before, but it really does sound good with dedicated channels physically behind you.
Impressions (Trueplay ON)
Setup
Setting up Trueplay is a doddle. Step 1 is listen from your MLP and step 2 is walk around the room waving your phone up and down like a weirdo for long enough for people to spot you from outside. Job done. Neighbours worried.
I settled on the following settings (anything not mentioned is default):
+1 Bass
+4 Height
Uncompressed
Loudness On (doesn't seem to impact the sound when it's louder, just makes bass more audible at lower volumes)
Movies
The word I would use to describe Trueplay is transformational. I feel really bad for Android users who have Sonos equipment. In fact, I would say that it would be worth buying a cheap iPhone SE or 7 or 8 just for Trueplay.
From what I can tell, Trueplay does time alignment and some EQ, though I suspect a lot of that is pre programmed to make the effect of Trueplay tuning seem greater than it is - either way though, the results are phenomenal.
Subs are now completely unlocatable. Rears disappear. Arc soundstage gets wider and taller. A lot of this is software trickery, as when you go off axis, much of the effects lessen. This isn't true for my 2.1 system, where the soundstage is equally wide irrespective of whether you sit to the left or right of the MLP. But I tend to sit head on, so this isn't a problem.
I'm actually quite surprised how much punchier the sound gets, and the Atmos effect is much better/identifiable. I watched Death on the Nile, and mortars dropping at the beginning of the film sounded as though they were coming from above.
Music
The difference is really quite substantial for music. I'm quite shocked at how well integrated the Sonos system sounds. For anyone who has setup HiFi systems, and particularly subs, you'll know how difficult this can be, even with room correction.
I guess this is the benefit of manufacturing each speaker and developing the signal processing for them all. This is why, in my opinion, a good room correction system is VITAL for any setup - it really can transform your experience.
What the Sonos system can do, is provide a very well integrated and cohesive experience. What it can't do is provide a very natural, expansive and articulate sound. The speakers don't move with utmost precision (especially the subs), so the frequencies are not handled with accuracy and precision as much as a good HiFi system, but it's good enough.
For me, a good speaker and amp combo can be identified by their ability to move air quickly and accurately, resulting in notes/explosions hitting you with the pace and impact as instructed by the source, with FLAC/WAV having the best instruction set.
The Sonos is good at this, but not not great.
It's why a good amp isn't just about nominal power, but also their transient power response in speed and quantity, and why a good speaker isn't just about how far you can make it move, but how quickly it'll move to the next position.
Conclusion
I was happy with the Sonos before - it was good enough to replace my 2.1 system, while taking up considerably less room.
With Trueplay, though, it's true-ly excellent.
If you're the sort of person to critique the music and movie you listen to, Sonos isn't for you. You won't hear or feel flutters in certain bass notes. It won't play flat down to 10 Hz. It won't map out a stage in front of you and place instruments across it. It doesn't have character.
It's an easy to set up, exceptionally well integrated and experience-focused eco system which uses DSP to great effect, and it will be replacing my 2.1 system.
In a dedicated music room, I would have a 2.2 system every day of the week.
Next steps:
- Get another pair of Sonos One/move them into the office, so I can set up the sub mini.
- If anyone is interested, I can do some recorded comparisons between my 2.1 system and the Sonos using some binaural microphones.
If you have any questions, post below.
Soldato
Santa came early and I got a Beam Gen 2 and mini sub today
I unplugged the gen 1 beam and installed the gen 2 and mini sub and here's where the fun began. I found the products and added them but then had problems connecting to the network. Thought I'd solved that but now I've got 2 seperate controller setups. I have my Play 1 and Roam on 1 setup and the beam and sub on another. I've reset the beam and removed the sub but I can't add it to the Play 1 and Roam. What am I doing wrong cos it's driving me crazy! I just want them all under the same system.
I unplugged the gen 1 beam and installed the gen 2 and mini sub and here's where the fun began. I found the products and added them but then had problems connecting to the network. Thought I'd solved that but now I've got 2 seperate controller setups. I have my Play 1 and Roam on 1 setup and the beam and sub on another. I've reset the beam and removed the sub but I can't add it to the Play 1 and Roam. What am I doing wrong cos it's driving me crazy! I just want them all under the same system.
I made the move from a dedicated AV amp setup and MA Gold speakers (NOT cheap) to Arc, Sub and 1 rears. I don't miss the separates at all really.
Floorstanders are in the kitchen now hooked up to a Sonos Port, Rocksan K3 amp, K3 CD Player and a turntable.
Floorstanders are in the kitchen now hooked up to a Sonos Port, Rocksan K3 amp, K3 CD Player and a turntable.
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Sounds like spanning tree issue, do you have Sky too?Santa came early and I got a Beam Gen 2 and mini sub today
I unplugged the gen 1 beam and installed the gen 2 and mini sub and here's where the fun began. I found the products and added them but then had problems connecting to the network. Thought I'd solved that but now I've got 2 seperate controller setups. I have my Play 1 and Roam on 1 setup and the beam and sub on another. I've reset the beam and removed the sub but I can't add it to the Play 1 and Roam. What am I doing wrong cos it's driving me crazy! I just want them all under the same system.
If the Beam is anything like the Arc, the sub and surrounds will connect to it wirelessly and then wire in the Arc for best results, might be worth a go.
Soldato
- Joined
- 24 Sep 2015
- Posts
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Sonos and Sky Q on the same network can be an absolute nightmare, especially if you're using UniFi kit. I ended up putting my Sky Q boxes onto a new VLAN to overcome the STP issues.
I found that having just 1 Sonos device connected by ethernet and the rest wireless gave me the most stable setup.
I found that having just 1 Sonos device connected by ethernet and the rest wireless gave me the most stable setup.
Soldato
I don't have Sky, I can connect them wirelessly but they don't show with my other speakers. I have them set up as Living Room but when you click on Living Room at the top of the app it only shows the beam and sub. Everything was working fine with the gen 1 beam and I don't really want to lose the app settings I have for the Play One and Roam.
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Soldato
I left the system overnight and took a look again this morning. I reset the beam and mini sub (again) and this time the app picked them up straight away and within about 15 minutes I was all up and running. Even done the Trueplay thing and all sounding good now. No idea what I did differently but something worked!
Soldato
If you turn a sub off using the app does this restore the soundbar to playing all frequencies?
Soldato
- Joined
- 24 Sep 2015
- Posts
- 3,928
Yes.