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music from spotify tv app vs sonos app sound different

  • May 7, 2021
  • 3 replies
  • 734 views

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  • Trending Lyricist I
  • 12 replies

Music from Spotify on TV source sound better than Spotify app music source from the Sonos app. (Bass hits harder from tv source) Has anyone noticed this?

I just installed the Spotify app on my tv to play music. I have an Arc, surrounds and Sub. I played Anywhere by Rita Ora, and the bass hits so much nicer than if I were to play it from Spotify on the Sonos app. 

Super noticeable at the 1:06 mark, and 1:48 mark.

Now I wished that when I played music through the Sonos app to have it sound like it was from TV source.

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3 replies

Xander P
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  • Retired Sonos Staff
  • 553 replies
  • May 10, 2021

Hi @vtince, thanks for raising this with the Sonos Community!

Not something I’ve got any experience with myself, however it seems likely that this is due to the Playbar processing TV audio differently than audio from music started via the Sonos app, and potentially related to settings on the TV itself (for example Dolby vs PCM output).

Hopefully some other members of the community will be able to share their own experiences using the Spotify app on a TV with Sonos :)


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  • Author
  • Trending Lyricist I
  • 12 replies
  • May 11, 2021

I have the Arc, but I’m thinking tv process it as Dolby since the Sonos app shows Dolby when playing Spotify from tv.  maybe there is something there that makes the bass heavier?


Xander P
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  • Retired Sonos Staff
  • 553 replies
  • May 14, 2021

Hi @vtince, apologies for that, not sure where I got Playbar from!

That is likely what is causing the difference however, as streaming from Spotify via the Sonos app will be providing the audio in stereo.

I’d expect if the TV were to also output in PCM/Stereo, you’d have a more comparable experience to music started via the Sonos app.

[Edit - you may also get a fuller sound when starting playback from the Sonos app by adjusting the surrounds to Full rather than Ambient for music playback, if you haven’t already done so. You can find here some more information on making changes to surround audio settings]