Sonos seems to be investigating a bug that causes the rear drivers of the Era 300 speakers to remain silent when paired with the new Arc Ultra soundbar. Users have taken to Reddit and the Sonos community to report that the Era 300’s rear tweeters fail to play, significantly reducing the immersive surround sound experience.

A video shared on Reddit shows that the rear driver doesn’t activate during Dolby Atmos test files, even when properly set up. Instead, the sound intended for the rear channel appears to be redirected to the height channel. This routing issue disrupts the intended 3D audio experience, leaving users without the sensation of sound coming from behind their seating position.

Era 300 rear driver is still silent (paired with Arc Ultra)
byu/dominiklei insonos

The OP who shared the video identifies as a sound engineer and explained that the problem goes against Dolby Atmos’ recommendations and doesn’t align with Sonos’ own promotional claims for the Era 300 and Arc Ultra pairing. They noted that the affected driver isn’t even included during the system’s Trueplay tuning process.

Some users tested different setups, like using a PlayStation 5 with its new Atmos-enabled Tempest 3D audio, but the results were inconsistent. While the rear tweeters worked during certain gaming scenarios, they remained silent during movie playback or test files.

Sonos staff confirmed awareness of the issue in a forum response, stating, “We (Sonos) already were [aware] and we are investigating.” However, no timeline for a fix has been provided.

The bug has sparked frustration among users, particularly those who invested in the Arc Ultra and Era 300 pairing for its promised audio capabilities. One user summed up the sentiment: “The inner rear channel is not firing, where as my old system actually worked as it should.” So rather than begin able to enjoy their new systems, users are left dealing with bugged out speakers.

As usual, we’ll keep tabs on the situation and will update the article if and when there’s something to share. In the meantime, voice your complaints in the community to get Sonos to prioritize a fix ASAP!

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Dwayne Cubbins
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For nearly a decade, I've been deciphering the complexities of the tech world, with a particular passion for helping users navigate the ever-changing tech landscape. From crafting in-depth guides that unlock your phone's hidden potential to uncovering and explaining the latest bugs and glitches, I make sure you get the most out of your devices. And yes, you might occasionally find me ranting about some truly frustrating tech mishaps.

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