Sonos Arc sounding tinny and metallic after Trueplay and also multiple EQ, surround and Sub configs?

Some Sonos Arc owners have complained about it sounding “tinny” and “metallic”. There is an entire thread dedicated to the issue. But the majority of Arc owners are very happy with the sound, including myself. I think it is just a matter of personal preference.

Hi. Hope you and your family are all well and safe. Many thanks for your response and noted. Can I please ask what settings you are using on your Arc, EQ, Surround and Sub? I have been searching and have a couple options, just need to test them out when I have some free time.

Some majority are going for

• After Trueplay: On
• EQ: flat and kept at 0 for treble and bass
• Sub level : +3
• Surround Audio : TV level 0, Music Level -4, Music Playback

Technical person going for:

• Trueplay: On
• Bass: -4
• Treble: -6
• Loudness: On
• Night Sound: Off
• Speech enhancement: Off
• Sub volume: -5

Would welcome your thoughts? Many thanks

These are my settings when I watch a movie:

• Trueplay: On
• Bass: +5
• Treble: +3
• Loudness: On
• Night Sound: On (only because I have small children sleeping upstairs)
• Speech enhancement: Off
• Sub volume: 0

With regular TV viewing, I adjust my EQ to this:

• Bass: 0
• Treble: -2

But of course every room is different based on size, materials in the room, ceiling height, wall angles, etc. So my settings in my living room may not work in your room.

Another option you can try is finding someone with an older iPhone and redoing Trueplay. Because different iPhones have different microphones, Trueplay on a different phone might give you a different result.

Hi thanks for reply and info, most appreciated. Wow your settings are different, totally get that everyone's rooms are different with their set up. How big is your lounge where you watch movies and TV. Am assuming you have Sonos Sub and Sonos surrounds, maybe my sub and surrounds are to far away for Trueplay tuning with the Arc? My ceiling is normal height. I am a little concerned as I have totally bought into the Arc and Dolby Atmos, I have a new TV (not set up yet) with HDMI 2.1 eARC for the Atmos codec. However I am worried about the tinny and metallic voice sounds at present, maybe all will be good when I set up new TV with the Arc and sub and surrounds…. ? Thanks   

Hi.

I own Arc + Sub Gen 3 for four weeks. I’ve done Trueplay tuning with iPhone 6+. After tuning my system sound very different then before. There is a lot of high, mids are very tiny and lows very boosted. Too bad. 


I try to play with EQ and after that Arc sound way better but still it isn’t it. My settings.

Bass -5

Treble -6

Sub volume 0

Loudness off

Trueplay on 

For me it’s major bug and must be fixed by Sonos. 
What you thinking about?
 

PS. Sorry for my english. 

Hi. Thanks for message

There is a lot of high and tinny on midrange and top, which is a shame. I hope Sonos does a software update to sort as have bought the Arc as am planning Dolby Atmos with new TV.

My set up now (before new TV that handles eARC and HDMI 2.1 for Atmos will be installed) is:

Sonos Arc, Sub gen 2, Play 5 gen 2 x 2 as surrounds

LG 55” E6 OLED (HDMI 2.0 ports)

• Trueplay: On
• Bass: -4
• Treble: -6
• Loudness: On
• Night Sound: Off
• Speech enhancement: Off
• Sub volume: -5
• Surround level: +1

It is working well to be fair, sounds good (depending on your room am sure)

I have also had a go with:

• After Trueplay: On
• EQ: flat and kept at 0 for treble and bass
• Sub level : +3
• Surround Audio : TV level 0

Sounds great but has to be loud, so waking up house at night not good. But during the day, these settings are a winner

Overall I have settled with:

• Trueplay: On
• Bass: -4
• Treble: -6
• Loudness: On
• Night Sound: Off
• Speech enhancement: Off
• Sub volume: -5
• Surround level: +1

However I do still tinker with the EQ treble and bass between normal TV, HD movies and 4K movies which is not ideal and annoying

I agree, there has to be some sort of software update from Sonos that integrates the best capabilities if using Arc, Sub and surrounds and not just focusing on the Arc itself as just a sound bar. Sonos created the Arc to be surround due to Dolby Atmos, so a fix in tinny/metallic midrange and highs of people talking (very tinny and metallic) would be really welcomed. Sonos have to fix as the equipment cost a load of money

Thanks, let me know how you get on, all the best Ross

I feel the mids are weak and tiny, mostly with music. It is a very bright speaker, rarely a problem with movies, but an issue with music (type and quality dependent), but the mids are really bad, pretty much non existent. 
 

What I would like to see: Add a setting in the app; Music mode and movie/tv mode, then one can switch between the two. 
I read a lot before my purchase, I get the Arc’s intended purpose (it’s a sound bar, it’s more home theater) and it’s size will play a factor, but a tweak to the programing could improve the mids (and they need it, badly and people don’t have this issue with the other speakers, so it’s probably do’able). Hope Sonos addresses this. 
 

Bass: 0

Treble: -2 (I am very sensitive to highs)

Loudness: On

True Play is off

Sub is 0, -2, or -4 depending on what I am listening to, some movies the sub can really overwhelm the Arc. I did the sub woofer crawl… This sub is really impressive.  

I don’t have the rears yet.

These are my current settings, still playing around with them, but this is the best so far for me. I’d like to see some sort of setting to get the mids, sort of like the color setting on many tvs: warm, neutral, cold or just give us a broader EQ and some user configurable pre-sets (2-5 would be plenty). 

I have put out several posts on this and the AV forum as I was very unhappy with sound of the Arc and Sub combined when I purchase them recently.  I had tried everything and really couldn’t get the balance of voices and action noises right.  I was constantly having to turn sound up and down throughout films netflix series.  I did trueplay by walking the room etc and it made no difference.  I then bought the 2 x one’s to see if the full surround helped.  It did a bit but it really wasn’t worth the money I had paid.

I then contacted Sonos directly and the rep said to try one thing before sending everything back.  They asked me to do Trueplay again but to simply stay seated in the area where I watch the TV and move the iphone just around that area.  After performing Trueplay that way all I can say is, wow what a difference.  The sound is now perfect for the room size, both for TV and music.  I have not had to alter any of the settings.  For me now everything is on 0 and Trueplay on.  Only alteration I do is nightmode after a certain time as we have neighbours.  I know this is not the way Trueplay is meant to be done but for me it made the world of difference.  So glad I gave it one last chance and I now know what all the good reviews were about.  My room size is relatively small so maybe this is why it worked doing it this way for me.  No voice/action inbalance anymore or Tinnie/Metalic sound.

Hi Gary

Thanks for your email and information. I did not know about this and I will give it a try. My room size is medium so makes sense to Trueplay just the area where we mainly sit, will see how goes

As every night I am still tinkering with many settings for different types of programs and films, action, drama etc. It is getting annoying ! Thanks, all the best