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There is no single Sonos surround setting that works best in every room. Start with Trueplay room tuning if your speakers support it, set the surround level separately for TV and music, choose Ambient or Full music playback to suit how prominent you want the rear speakers, and set Surround Distance to match your listening position. If TV surrounds seem unusually quiet, check the audio format reaching Sonos before increasing the level.
Where to find Sonos surround settings
In the current Sonos app, select the room containing your surround speakers, then open Sound > Surround Audio. In the S1 Controller, go to Settings > System > > Sound > Surround Audio.
The page includes the Surrounds toggle, separate TV Level and Music Level sliders, Music Playback, Surround Distance, and Reset. These controls adjust different things; changing a level does not change the audio format supplied by your TV or source.
Best settings for movies and TV
Start with room tuning, then adjust TV Level
If your products support Trueplay, tune the room first. Then adjust TV Level to taste: it controls the surround-speaker volume during TV playback. Sonos does not publish a universally best slider position, so use the level that suits your room and preference rather than treating a particular percentage as a preset.
#1 Best Overall
- The information below is per-pack only
- Powered by a 47% faster processor, the next-gen dual-tweeter acoustic architecture produces detailed stereo separation while a 25% larger midwoofer deepens the bass.¹
- Place this speaker anywhere and everywhere you want to listen. The compact design fits beautifully on your bookshelf, kitchen counter, desk, or nightstand.
- Stream from all your favorite services over WiFi. Pair a Bluetooth device with the press of a button. Connect a turntable or other audio source using an auxiliary cable and the Sonos Line-In Adapter.²
- Go from unboxing to unbelievable sound in just a few minutes. Simply plug in the power cable, connect your phone or tablet to WiFi, and open the Sonos app.
Check the incoming format if effects are weak
Before raising TV Level to compensate for weak effects, check the format shown in the Sonos app. If it reports stereo or PCM, Sonos is receiving two-channel audio, which may contain little or no discrete surround information. Check the audio-output settings on both the TV and the connected source device, and confirm they support a surround format that your Sonos home theater product can use. Raising the surround level cannot turn a two-channel signal into a discrete surround mix. Sonos addresses this symptom in its guide to low audio from surround speakers when watching TV.
For Dolby Atmos, check the whole signal path
Atmos playback depends on the Sonos model, TV, connection, source device, streaming service, and content. The Sonos app indicates when the system is receiving Atmos. Sonos’s guidance says Atmos requires HDMI ARC or eARC: Dolby Digital Plus Atmos can use HDMI ARC, while lossless Dolby TrueHD Atmos requires HDMI eARC. Optical connections have limitations and do not provide the cited Atmos path. Check the requirements for your specific products and setup in Sonos’s TV requirements for Sonos home theater products and Dolby Atmos setup guide.
Rank #2
- Dual angled tweeters and a powerful midwoofer deliver rich, balanced stereo sound with deep bass.
- The perfect start or addition to your system, Era 100 SL makes Sonos sound more accessible.
- Stream over WiFi, pair via Bluetooth, or connect a turntable and more with line in.
- Go from unboxing to incredible sound in minutes with a quick plug-in and the Sonos app
- Trueplay fine-tunes Era 100 SL for the unique acoustics of the room.
Best settings for music
Choose Ambient or Full for the presentation you want
Ambient is the default: it plays subtle, lower-volume sound from the surrounds over a limited frequency range. Choose Full when you want the surrounds to play full-range audio at the same volume as the home theater speaker. The choice is about how music uses the rear speakers, not a setting for TV playback.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Music Playback does not apply to TV audio or Dolby Atmos music. Sonos documents spatial audio support for selected products and services; grouping a spatial-audio product with an unsupported Sonos product switches the group to stereo. See Sonos’s spatial audio guidance for supported products and services.
Rank #3
- Featuring six optimally positioned drivers all around the front, sides, and top to support Dolby Atmos Music, the breakthrough acoustic design projects sound from wall to wall and floor to ceiling, immersing you in every dimension of the song.
- No matter where you are or what you play, the listening experience is nothing short of extraordinary. Custom waveguides disperse sound right, left, forward, and above, creating a sensationally spacious stereo soundstage you can enjoy all around the room.
- Stream from all your favorite services over WiFi. Pair a Bluetooth device with the press of a button. Connect a turntable or other audio source using an auxiliary cable and the Sonos Line-In Adapter.
- Experience mind-bending multichannel surround sound when you pair two speakers with Sonos Arc or Beam (Gen 2). Supercharged by Dolby Atmos, the lateral and overhead channels in each product create an all-encompassing soundstage to envelop you in the story.
- Enjoy free music, original content, and thousands of live stations on Sonos Radio. Play music with hands-free ease and unmatched privacy using Sonos Voice Control. Plus, access new features and services with regular software updates.
Set Music Level separately
Music Level controls surround-speaker volume while listening to music. It is independent of TV Level, so you can keep music surrounds subtle without making movie or TV effects too quiet, or raise music surrounds without changing TV playback.
Set Surround Distance to your listening position
Surround Distance tells Sonos how far the surrounds are from the main listening position. Choose the app option closest to the actual distance from your usual seat. Sonos says changing this setting adjusts overall surround volume for both TV and music; its guidance does not prescribe one best distance value for every room. Find it under Sound > Surround Audio in the room settings.
Rank #4
- Dual angled tweeters and a powerful midwoofer deliver rich, balanced stereo sound with deep bass.
- The perfect start or addition to your system, Era 100 SL makes Sonos sound more accessible.
- Stream over WiFi, pair via Bluetooth, or connect a turntable and more with line in.
- Go from unboxing to incredible sound in minutes with a quick plug-in and the Sonos app
- Trueplay fine-tunes Era 100 SL for the unique acoustics of the room.
Use Trueplay to account for the room
Trueplay measures how sound reflects from walls, furnishings, and other surfaces, then fine-tunes the speaker for that room. For advanced tuning, Sonos advises minimizing noise and covering as much of the room as possible; do not adjust volume while tuning. Run tuning again after moving a speaker or changing its configuration.
Tuning options depend on the product and device. Sonos’s current support page lists quick tuning for Arc Ultra, Beam Ultra, Era 100, Era 100 Pro, and Era 300 on iOS and Android; advanced tuning is iOS-only. Portable products used as home theater surrounds use Auto Trueplay. Check the current Trueplay support information for your model before following model-specific steps.
Best Value
- Powered by a 47% faster processor, the next-gen dual-tweeter acoustic architecture produces detailed stereo separation while a 25% larger midwoofer deepens the bass.¹
- Place this speaker anywhere and everywhere you want to listen. The compact design fits beautifully on your bookshelf, kitchen counter, desk, or nightstand.
- Stream from all your favorite services over WiFi. Pair a Bluetooth device with the press of a button. Connect a turntable or other audio source using an auxiliary cable and the Sonos Line-In Adapter.²
- Go from unboxing to unbelievable sound in just a few minutes. Simply plug in the power cable, connect your phone or tablet to WiFi, and open the Sonos app.
- With a tap in the Sonos app, Trueplay tuning technology analyzes the unique acoustics of your space and optimizes the speaker’s EQ. So all your content sounds just the way it should.
Check speaker placement and compatibility
Sonos recommends using compatible surround models, orienting both speakers the same way, and placing them behind and to the left and right of the usual listening position. Pairing rules vary: Sonos gives two Sonos Ones as an example of a compatible pair, but a One and Play:1 cannot be paired as surrounds. Era 300 is among the products Sonos documents for Atmos home theater surround use. Confirm that any pair is compatible with your main home theater product using the Sonos home theater compatibility guide.
Adjust height sound only on supported products
On supported Atmos-capable products, Height Level adjusts the level of the height channels. Availability depends on the model. Sonos recommends simulated overhead sound when there is less than four inches of space above the soundbar; the cited support guidance lists this option for Beam Ultra. Consult the height audio settings guide for the controls available on your product.
Quick Recap
What the other surround controls do
- Surrounds: Turns surround sound on or off.
- Reset: Returns surround audio settings to their defaults.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
