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Anyone else experiencing severe APP LAG & slow loading/refresh with S2?


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Ever since we took the plunge for S2 (including upgrading/purchasing 6 new Sonos unit for S2 compatibility) it’s been a real mess (system stability and WiFi issues)! 

The iOS version of the S2 app is very slow to load, lags almost always, and has a terrible screen refresh rate compared to ANY iOS app we have in the household.   Now 20-40 seconds might not seem like long for an iPhone/Pad app to load/refresh, but if you’re trying to get some quick control over the volume or switching songs this is a STUPID amount of time! 

 

S1 was almost instant across all platforms and apps.  While I realize Apple can take some blame for issues with iOS apps, why is S2 slow on PC and Amazon Fire (Android) devices as well?  

I’m guessing I’m not the only one, but Sonos sure seem slow to address this no matter how many times I’ve reported it to support. 

Anyone else think this degrades the Sonos experience beyond the obvious annoyances (especially compared to the hundred or so other apps we use with NO lagging)? 

Best answer by Airgetlam

I’ve got no lag, on my 18 speakers and 5 controllers, using S2. Which makes me think there’s a local issue in your system.

I’d suggest three things to you. First, review the wifi interference FAQ. There’s some potential that your system is troubled, perhaps by outside influences. Worth reading through and applying what solutions are presented.

Second, try a network refresh. Unplug all your Sonos devices from power. While they are unplugged, reboot your router. When the router comes back up, go ahead and plug back in your Sonos devices. 

Third, if neither of those work, system diagnostic within 10 minutes of experiencing this problem, and call Sonos Support to discuss it, or post the diagnostic number here for a Community Moderator to pick up.

There may be information included in the diagnostic that will help Sonos pinpoint the issue and help you find a solution.

When you speak directly to the phone folks, there are more options available beyond just the diagnostic analysis.

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172 replies

Airgetlam
  • 41838 replies
  • Answer
  • January 1, 2021

I’ve got no lag, on my 18 speakers and 5 controllers, using S2. Which makes me think there’s a local issue in your system.

I’d suggest three things to you. First, review the wifi interference FAQ. There’s some potential that your system is troubled, perhaps by outside influences. Worth reading through and applying what solutions are presented.

Second, try a network refresh. Unplug all your Sonos devices from power. While they are unplugged, reboot your router. When the router comes back up, go ahead and plug back in your Sonos devices. 

Third, if neither of those work, system diagnostic within 10 minutes of experiencing this problem, and call Sonos Support to discuss it, or post the diagnostic number here for a Community Moderator to pick up.

There may be information included in the diagnostic that will help Sonos pinpoint the issue and help you find a solution.

When you speak directly to the phone folks, there are more options available beyond just the diagnostic analysis.


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  • Author
  • Enthusiast II
  • 182 replies
  • January 2, 2021

Thanks Bruce for some good potential problem solving approaches.

However, I’ve been there done all of that and more - plus I’m working with top-tier engineers within Sonos.  They have admitted that there is indeed Application lag issues with S2 but not reported directly often so while they are aware it’s tied to the S2 application (all platforms/app versions), there are not enough data points (customer complaints/diagnostics submitted) to allow for a deep dive into what’s causing it.   Some blame may be placed on iOS 14.x.

To be clear I’m not asking about song/music/streaming lags to speakers, I’m asking about using the S2 app on your phones/pads/tablets/PCs.  When people OPEN their Sonos S2 app does it take 10-40 seconds to load/refresh?  Is it laggy when changing sources, volume levels? Do the graphics take time to load after the app has started?  

Again, this ONLY happened once S2 was download and installed on various platforms and Sonos is aware and have determined it’s NOT my system. 

We love our 17+ Sonos whole house audio system, but there are ongoing issues that cause a lot of annoyances and this is just one of them.

 

 


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  • Trending Lyricist I
  • 12 replies
  • January 14, 2021

I’m experiencing the same thing as kassey22000

I dont have any issues streaming music nor operating the app from a PC.  My issue is just from the iPhone S2 app.  (Whatever OS is current on the iPhone as of 01/2021 - i know it just upgraded).
My issue appears limited to the iPhone app - and only within the last few months.  I have deleted the app and reloaded on the phone 3 times now - the latest just this morning and the issue remains.
It typically takes about a full minute+ for the app to load and sometimes it never loads at all.
No issue at all from multiple PC apps on the same network.  I may look into the diagnostics that Airgetiam recommended since reinstalling the app has had no effect.

 


Airgetlam
  • 41838 replies
  • January 14, 2021

It’s the best way to give any hard data to Sonos folks to look at, they’ve chosen not to expose much/all of that information to us users. Probably for privacy / legal reasons, especially in the EU sphere, but likely here in the US too. I don’t begrudge them the stance, but it does make it harder for us community members to speak with much authority, other than conceptually, since we can’t see the real data. 


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  • Author
  • Enthusiast II
  • 182 replies
  • January 16, 2021

Thanks Bruce,

Really this question is directed AT THE SONOS COMMUNITY - not support as you can probably tell from my postings. 

I’m asking if ANY other Sonos S2 users have experienced the Sonos applications reacting/launching/refreshing slowly compared to other iOS/Android apps and S1.

 

I do agree that it makes it tough when Sonos’ support has their hands tied with communicating broadly to the community. 

 


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  • Trending Lyricist I
  • 17 replies
  • January 17, 2021

I am also experiencing this issue and have been unable to resolve it.
 

My network (Amplifi by Ubiquity) performs excellently in all other respects but I have done a full factory reset on all routers, mesh points and Sonos speakers but noticed no improvement. Airplay 2 picks up the speakers instantly but the Sonos app is often very slow. 
 

I too have tried all the steps in the FAQ with no success. 


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  • Prominent Collaborator I
  • 115 replies
  • January 17, 2021

  • Lyricist II
  • 4 replies
  • February 8, 2021

I am also experiencing many issues with the new app. Ever since S2 launched, the app is incredibly slow to load (25 sec in some cases) and the “my sonos playlist” is iffy. Most times it doesn’t appear at all, once in a while it appears and I can begin to choose from my playlists. I don’t understand why the app is so terrible now, all I know is this wasn’t happening at all last year. Others come over to use my system and they like the songs I have on my sonos playlists, and the playlist never loads. That’s actually how I first noticed something was wrong when my brother and dad pointed this out to me. I panicked thinking my sonos playlists were deleted, but eventually they appeared. Incredibly iffy as to when it appears now. Incredibly frustrating! 


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  • Author
  • Enthusiast II
  • 182 replies
  • February 9, 2021

Sonos is completely mum on this subject (even within the top tier support team).  What are they going to do to fix this or will Sonos continue to be the slowest app on over 10 devices with over 100 combined apps in our household?

S2 was promised to be an improvement not a downgrade.   


  • Lyricist I
  • 2 replies
  • February 13, 2021

Yes, I too am experiencing very slow loading/refresh of the S2 app v 12.2.6 on iOS.

Seems as the Sonos hardware products advance, the software and service side of the house wanes.


  • Lyricist I
  • 1 reply
  • February 18, 2021

Hi, I’ve been experiencing similar issues since I upgraded to the S2 app too.

“When people OPEN their Sonos S2 app does it take 10-40 seconds to load/refresh?  Is it laggy when changing sources, volume levels? Do the graphics take time to load after the app has started?” - Yes!

I have recently bought an Amp, Move and Arc and connecting to those speakers via AirPlay and the Sonos S2 app were very unreliable (also my other Sonos speakers). As you described my S2 experience was very laggy, taking many seconds to connect to the speakers if I was lucky. As you have experienced yourself, this was immensely frustrating when spending a not small amount of money on Sonos speakers expecting them to perform professionally and very disappointing.

Since researching about this issue and coming across this community post, I’ve now connected one of my speakers directly to my router, which means my Sonos speakers are now using SonosNet Channel 6 (you can also choose channel 1 or 11) to talk to each other rather than using my Wi-Fi channels and the lag has almost disappeared (AirPlay connection reliability seems to have improved too). This may have been caused by too many devices being on my Wi-Fi router. I only carried this out earlier today, but the results so far have been very promising.

I know there has been an update to the S2 App since you posted this, so I may also be experiencing an improved service due to the App update. I hope this helps.


Same problem - takes what feels ages to load just the app. Got significantly worse over the past month or two. FIX THIS PLEASE. Incredibly annoying


  • 19667 replies
  • March 2, 2021
Blaublaudaene wrote:

Same problem - takes what feels ages to load just the app. Got significantly worse over the past month or two. FIX THIS PLEASE. Incredibly annoying

My Android app loads in a couple of seconds, as does my wife’s iPad app.  There is nothing to fix.  Please see the comments already made on this thread by @Airgetlam .

This thread is over 2 months old now with a handful of posts.  Past experience suggests that when a genuine bug crops up affecting even a small proportion of users, there are dozens of posts within an hour or two.


  • Lyricist I
  • 1 reply
  • March 6, 2021

Same problem for me.  EVERY time I open the S2 app, it takes 10-30 seconds to load.  No other apps have this issue.

 

update:  uninstalling and reinstalling the S2 app resolved it for me.


  • Lyricist I
  • 2 replies
  • March 9, 2021

Similar issues here- system worked perfectly but now is laggy, and speakers constantly drop off network or disconnect then reconnect.
 

I have two separate homes, with different ISPs, different routers, different TV brands, and one with a hardwired connection. Separate Sonos  accounts. Both have the similar problems, which coincided with upgrading the app and purchasing two new ARCs. Before that, it was a totally different experience- several years with no issues at all. I’ve worked with tech support, reinstalled apps, reinstalled the speakers, but the end result is still a buggy system. 
 

It’s VERY frustrating for those of us who know something about networking to have people on these forums keep blaming the network. I can tell you, it is not my network(s). And even if it was, how can it be that every other product or gadget I have ever purchased did not have these issues (including Sonos prior gen), but Sonos does.... this is a relatively mature company and technology.


The fact that SO MANY people are complaining about the same issues makes it clear that this is a problem… just because your system works doesn’t not prove that the software is fine. There are several other forums with similar complaints. These are speakers, and the core functionality of playing audio content should not be so fickle. 

 

It should not be this complicated or frustrating for people with otherwise functional home networks and hardware to use a Sonos product. Period. Its even worse to degrade the experience after users invest considerable dollars in a closed ecosystem that used to work consistently. 
 


  • Lyricist II
  • 3 replies
  • March 10, 2021

Same problem. App takes ages to load. 
 

I am using a Velop mesh network and can video conference reliably throughout my home. But Sonos app struggles as do some speakers. Pressing play/pause can take 10 seconds to have an effect. Ditto volume controls. Not far off wanting to switch to something else. 


S2 app is a joke.

I like the quality of the Sonos hardware, I like the support people I’ve been in contact with.

But the S2 app is an embarrassment. Slow, unstable, with bad communication to streaming services.


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  • Trending Lyricist I
  • 13 replies
  • March 18, 2021

Same. Painfully slow load and lag with S2 on iOS. Super frustrating to open the app bad have to wait 30+ seconds at times for it to even load. HALP


Stanley_4
  • Lead Maestro
  • 11115 replies
  • March 19, 2021

Maybe get it to do a slow load and submit a diagnostic? If you post the number here or call Sonos with it they may be able to tell more.


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  • Chromatic Producer I
  • 309 replies
  • March 19, 2021

Even the PC app takes an age to sort itself out and load. Slow updating on Android, used to be a really quick to load but obviously doing too much at startup. 


  • 19667 replies
  • March 19, 2021
ninjabob wrote:

Even the PC app takes an age to sort itself out and load. Slow updating on Android, used to be a really quick to load but obviously doing too much at startup. 

Except that mine still only takes 2 seconds to load, and this thread still has only a few posts after nearly three months.


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  • Chromatic Producer I
  • 309 replies
  • March 23, 2021

Still got this issue. Open the app - start playing playlist - close app - open app later and still showing details of track that was playing when app first opened - controls still work and will change track, stop etc. but artwork does not update. Sometimes tapping around will bring the app back to where it should be other times closing the app may make  it springinto life and sometimes even closing the app and opening it will still leave you at the first track you played.


Stanley_4
  • Lead Maestro
  • 11115 replies
  • March 24, 2021

That is different than my slowness issue, I’d sure send in a diagnostic and ask Sonos to look at it.


  • Lyricist II
  • 4 replies
  • March 28, 2021

I have the same issues with the S2 upgrade. I only have one Connect. It was only 2 years old and was upgradable. I have am iOS app and a PC app that takes much longer to find the system. The issue for both apps is that album art display is painfully slow, sporadic, or not any art at all. Also, user controls are no longer functional. Play, pause, volume slider are unpredictable, have several seconds lag, or don’t respond at all. I have tried resetting router, restarting Connect, reinstalling apps. This does not solve the problem.

 

This was a smooth, flawless system before. I believe that what I need to try is to revert back to S1. Has anybody done this? Thanks.


  • Contributor I
  • 7 replies
  • April 2, 2021

Seeing similar stuff. Changing from one album to another is also slow. The music might start playing but refreshing of the visuals is slow. 
 

The original app was snappy - even on an old iPhone 6S. This one is laggy. No changes to my network and other stuff. Just update from S1 to S2. 
 

Ironically the S2 demands fast response from sources. Like my NAS that holds our music might take 2-3 seconds to wake up and serve a song to the Sonos system. That’s too long time and the S2 app will report an error and that the song is not available. Try same song 3 s later and it works fine. 
 

 


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