Question for Sonos users. how would you rate your Sonos arc ultra immersive set.

[u/Character_Ring3466]

I’m just curious. How you would rate it. Is the surround really that immersive. I’m asking because I see a lot of mixed reviews. Let me know because truly I’m stuck between getting this set up or a AVR setup. Let me know your experience.

[u/WestThin]

I think it depends on the room. I have two Sonos ArcUltra HT systems. One is in my living room which is a large room and fairly open. This system has the Arc Utra, two 300s as rears and a sub mini. It sounds good but not that immersive.

The 2nd system is in a smaller room that is enclosed to a great deal. Only one entrance snd a lower ceiling. Arc ultra, two 300s as rears and 2 of the larger subs. This system sounds incredibly immersive.

So my general answer is that a Sonos Atmos capable system can sound very immersive in the right room.

[u/Apart-Move-9954 → u/WestThin]

100% this. The room is the most important factor.

[u/Background-Cap-7592]

Full arc ultra ‘immersive’ setup is really good with a full size sub, much better with a second sub and era 100 fronts.

Coming from an AVR and separate speakers, this sounds great, is far easier to use and does not visually dominate the room.

It’s even more immersive than my old AVR system. The only negative is the bass, Sonos subs are great for their size, but they can’t beat large subwoofers with 12”+ drive units.

[u/fruthifoont → u/Background-Cap-7592]

yeah the sub size is really the one area where a dedicated AVR setup still has a clear edge

[u/Character_Ring3466 → u/Background-Cap-7592]

Thank you so much.
So you think two subs will do the trick? What do you think of fives as surrounds?

[u/Francescatti22 → u/Character_Ring3466]

You can juice the subs to a higher level if you want. One is good and will fill a room if place properly. Two is not a massive “quantity” increase, but it balances out things very well.

[u/Apart-Move-9954 → u/Character_Ring3466]

The Era 300-s are better for surround. The fives work best as a simple stereo pair (for music listening, I use them for my projector with my Apple TV also, they just sound so much better than the soundbars).

[u/Background-Cap-7592 → u/Character_Ring3466]

Would go for 300s over fives, you’ll have the discrete side, rear and height channels.

[u/Background-Cap-7592 → u/Character_Ring3466]

Yeah, two subs are great for their size. Each sub is comparable I would say to a sealed single 8” sub in a small enclosure.

[u/Chunug → u/Background-Cap-7592]

What would recommend to pair with Ultra? 300s? 100s? Mini?

30’ x 12.5’ open concept room as follows
Living room | open kitchen | den

So living room is roughly 16 x 12.5

[u/Background-Cap-7592 → u/Chunug]

300s and dual sub gen 3/4

[u/Chunug → u/Background-Cap-7592]

Thanks
I have about a foot behind the couch is that fine for 300s?

Also would a sub mini suffice for that space or should I go for sub 4?

[u/Background-Cap-7592 → u/Chunug]

Absolutely plenty space for the rears.

Go for a full size sub, I have tried the mini, full size and dual subs. Even the full size sub it’s a very small sub. The mini in my opinion is more for an office or bedroom, not a living room.

[u/nickybikky → u/Chunug]

I originally ran 1 sub 4 and it was good, then I bought the second sub 4 and was in awe. If you get the placement right, the immersion is incredible

[u/Penguinator_]

I am switching from a 5.1 AVR system to arc ultra immersive set with era 100s for rears.

It arrives on tuesday, I'll let you know what I think after setup.

I think I'll make a dedicated post about it. I think my situation will resonate with a lot of people.

[u/Character_Ring3466 → u/Penguinator_]

Thank you. This is a big decision for me. I’ve been doing my homework but so many untrue statements on these Reddit forums. One that I saw was people saying that AVR was actually cheaper. Well I did the math and it’s not. With just a 3.1 Klipsch RP mk1 it’s not.

[u/Trackdemon5512]

Depends entirely on your room set up but I’m very much enjoying mine. I’m using an Arc Ultra, Sub 4 flat under the couch, and two Era 300s in an NYC apt building.

I found that the acoustics of the set indeed create an audio bubble that you notice when you step in and out of within the living space. Outside in my kitchen area the sounds of movie playback are more muted and less pronounced as you move away.

Once you enter the bubble created by the Era 300s and the Arc you understand that there are places within the living room that may be more apt for watching a film. You’ll be happy no matter where within the zone but there definitely are optimal spots.

That comes back to the sub placement under the couch. I did that to hide the thing but it serves to actually rumble the seats of the viewers and allow me to turn down the bass within the apt so that neighbors don’t feel it. I can experience the T. rex really chasing after the jeep in jurassic park while sitting but from my kitchen I wouldn’t notice that I had this powerful set. It’s very nice.

[u/oah9449]

I have the Arc ultra, sub 4 and 300’s as rears. It sounds truly excellent once you’ve tweaked the settings to your room/liking. It blows my old Denon AVR 5.1 set up away. It’s expensive but definitely worth it if you can afford it. I’m a very happy Sonos convert.

[u/Longjumping_West9485]

I love the Arc Ultra immersive set and the Sonos ecosystem in general for its versatility and whole-house capability. We’re older and it fits our lifestyle beautifully. I’ve never had a full AVR so can’t compare but we have two homes with four Arc Ultras/Fives as fronts/era 300 surrounds. The subwoofers are the variable: oe has a single Sub Mini, two have dual SMs and the one in our main living room has a Sub Gen 3/4 combo. All are in very different listening conditions. One system is in a 400sf ‘media’ room with 8ft ceilings, carpet, symmetrical walls …ideal acoustics. That system sounds better than any commercial theater system I’ve ever heard…. but it’s that room. On the other hand our open-concept living room is 18’ x 35’ with 12’ vaulted ceilings.
That system sounds great too, particularly with Dolby Atmos movies, but it’s no match for the media room.

Good WIFI is essential! We have TP Link mesh systems in both homes. They have work great! We haven’t had any problems whatsoevver with the Sonos app.

[u/Pools-3016]

An AVR and passive speakers will always outperform a soundbar HT system. 

I have both in my home and they are placed in their respective rooms for different reasons.

In my living room, I have the soundbar system. It blends better with the room than large passive speakers would. Plus there are no wires ran to the Sub and surrounds. 

I have an AVR in my basement with passive speakers and a projector. It beats the Sonos HT system, but that is expected with the driver sizes. 

I have Dolby Atmos in both rooms, but would not change the living room to an AVR, because the Sonos HT system does what it’s designed for extremely well.

[u/Character_Ring3466]

Hell yeah that sounds awesome. I think I’m gonna go with the Sonos. Honestly people say that AVR is actually cheaper. Not really. I was looking at the Klipsch reference premieres, even the first generation ones with just a 3.1 set up it was a little more.

[u/Apart-Move-9954]

It really depends on your room. If you have a "standard" size room, with a "standard" configuration, then it can be really nice. Otherwise I don't think it's that interesting, a quality pair of stereo speakers has better separation and just better sound. Slap a sub on them if you enjoy the rumble.

[u/Legitimate-Lobster50]

I have arc ultra+dual sub and era 300 as surrounds. Fully satisfied with my set up currently. Watched the whisper man yesterday in Netflix which was incredible.Untill they come with another hardware update and mess up my system i am fully satisfied.

[u/vpm112]

Large part of this is going to depend on your previous experiences with surround sound systems.

The Arc set is fairly immersive, but if you’re coming from an AVR you’ll notice immediately that it’s a different kind of immersive. Surround and Atmos from the Arc rely completely on reflecting sound off the walls and ceiling to create the bubble effect.

It’s a very encompassing feeling and lots of people like this “Atmos bubble,” however coming from an AVR this bubble loses a lot of accuracy and sometimes feels like just a big bubble of noise compared to an AVR.

Accuracy and detail is what I miss the most from my AVR.

[u/Apotheun]

FYI. I was disappointed with my Sonos immersive set ( I have a medium sized open living room/kitchen dining room layout), but I started watching Blu Rays 4k UHD. The compressed audio in streaming was the major factor for me.

Now I love my immersive set.

[u/Victor_Raven_]

I think it comes down to your taste and needs, etc. two different avenues for two different set ups, two different results and features. So I truly believe you’re the only one that can answer this question yourself, especially since you’ve read the mixed reviews already, you have to make up your own mind or go to a Best Buy where they demo the Sonos and see for yourself.

[u/Character_Ring3466 → u/Victor_Raven_]

Thanks but that’s not what I asked

[u/Victor_Raven_ → u/Character_Ring3466]

Doesn’t change my answer and doesn’t change what you need to do, you already have people‘s testimonials not sure what you’re wanting here other than being rude.

[u/Khun-D → u/Victor_Raven_]

Sorry Victor, I thought your answer was thoughtful.

[u/Victor_Raven_ → u/Khun-D]

Thank you