So it is 4pm on the 8th June here and still no Sonos S2 update. Hmmmmm.
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I updated my system an hour or so ago …
Just tried to play a couple of files that are 24/96 M4A hi-res that the original software would literally just have hissed out …
The new one plays them but at something close to half speed!
Tested on a Play:1 and a Play:3 … both the same!
Is there a setting I can tweak or is Sonos still pretty useless for hi-res file support?
I updated my system an hour or so ago …
Just tried to play a couple of files that are 24/96 M4A hi-res that the original software would literally just have hissed out …
The new one plays them but at something close to half speed!
Tested on a Play:1 and a Play:3 … both the same!
Is there a setting I can tweak or is Sonos still pretty useless for hi-res file support?
Interesting. Twice the number of samples, clocked at what Sonos expects in terms of max sampling rate (48k), hence they take twice as long to play out?
No, there’s no setting. At this point Sonos doesn’t support sampling rates for ultrasonics, audible only by certain animals.
I’m not sure why people are expecting Hi-Res audio or DD+ on the Beam today. In the case of the Beam, it’s never been promised. For Hi-Res, Sono has hinted it was coming but never said it was going to happen today. I get why people want it ASAP, but I tend to think the S1/S2 and 3 additional new products in the matter of 3 days is a quite a bit to deal with from a support perspective.
We like surprises 
I updated my Android phone to S2 a few hours ago.
Why do we have to rely on hints? Can't they just write a list?
I updated my system an hour or so ago …
Just tried to play a couple of files that are 24/96 M4A hi-res that the original software would literally just have hissed out …
The new one plays them but at something close to half speed!
Tested on a Play:1 and a Play:3 … both the same!
Is there a setting I can tweak or is Sonos still pretty useless for hi-res file support?
Interesting. Twice the number of samples, clocked at what Sonos expects in terms of max sampling rate (48k), hence they take twice as long to play out?
No, there’s no setting. At this point Sonos doesn’t support sampling rates for ultrasonics, audible only by certain animals.
Just converted an album from 24/96 to 24/44.1 and Sonos plays it just fine.
I’m happy to convert the handful of hi-res albums I have so that all devices I have can play them without having multiple versions … saves some space on my phone & DAP SD cards too!
And no, there’s no way I’ll be complaining about missing out on some audio detail, not with my ears!
Why do we have to rely on hints? Can't they just write a list?
It’s 6 AM at Sonos head quarters in California right now. Perhaps it’s best to wait a bit longer for more release notes and additional information about changes in the update.
Anyone tried streaming hires Qobuz. Does the player tell you what it is streaming? Does it play some half speed, choose the right one or ignore them all and play 16 bit. Can someone who works for Sonos say what it has been written to do?
Why do we have to rely on hints? Can't they just write a list?
Release notes are available:
https://support.sonos.com/s/article/3521?language=en_US
Not much help though
At this point Sonos doesn’t support sampling rates for ultrasonics, audible only by certain animals.
This is a valid point, and consistent with previous Sonos messaging on the issue, I believe.
I have been cautiously optimistic that the marketing message “S2 will bring higher resolution file types” (my summarised wording) might mean support for the most common combinations, specifically 24/96. I completely accept that the anti-audiophile argument that I can’t hear any frequencies at that level, I’d just prefer not to have to recode all my files down to Sonos’ software-imposed (I believe) limitation.
That said, I had made my peace with the S1 limitation before S2 was announced, so I will perform that recoding and move on - it still all sounds good and is easily controlled, which is what I actually want from my system.
what hi res service are you using?
The 24 bit files I’m playing are stored locally.
Not playing my local hi-res 24-bit/96kHz files - “Unsupported”
Not really very detailed release notes. Better continue guessing
Note that the s1 updates first and then you can get the s2 if you have no incompatible gen one devices ….even if not plugged in. I had to click a button to forget about my old speakers after I logged into my account.
what hi res service are you using?
The 24 bit files I’m playing are stored locally.
Not playing my local hi-res 24-bit/96kHz files - “Unsupported”
You’ve assumed that all 24 bit files are 96Khz. I said earlier that 48Khz was still the limit there.
In the UK here, iOS controller. Mainly Modern Products other than a Play:5 which I have used as a trade in for the new Arc 5.1.2 setup (which has not arrived yet).
I have to say I’ve been watching and reading up on what was going to happen here with regards to S2 and although a bit miffed about the Play:5, I’ve been waiting for a new soundbar so the £600 saving I got with the “trade in” suited me and also I have just plugged an old Alexa Dot into the Play:5 with the intention of it being a standalone smart speaker.
Updated everything this morning to S2, worked exactly as expected once I dropped the Play:5 off the setup. Created a second Sonos account to use the S1 controller and setup that. To be safe put the S1 system on a second Wifi SSID. It is a shame you can’t use the same account on S1 and S2 but other than that can’t really complain.
Sonos wound me up with the deprecating of the Play:5 but made it up to me by allowing this multi system setup and the “trade in”. It also seems to me they’ve done everything they said with this update, not sure why people are whinging about supporting hi res music, it was never promised in the new release.
Reverting players is in the release notes.
'Is this process reversible?
No, once products have upgraded to S2, they cannot be downgraded back to S1 or added to an S1 system. Make sure you want to create a split system before following this process.'
Created a second Sonos account to use the S1 controller and setup that. To be safe put the S1 system on a second Wifi SSID. It is a shame you can’t use the same account on S1 and S2 but other than that can’t really complain.
You can use the same account. Also, you don’t need to use a different SSID.
In a split scenario the S1 and S2 systems have different HouseholdIDs.
Reverting players is in the release notes.
'Is this process reversible?
No, once products have upgraded to S2, they cannot be downgraded back to S1 or added to an S1 system. Make sure you want to create a split system before following this process.'
This doesn’t square with what’s possible today. I’ll leave
Created a second Sonos account to use the S1 controller and setup that. To be safe put the S1 system on a second Wifi SSID. It is a shame you can’t use the same account on S1 and S2 but other than that can’t really complain.
You can use the same account. Also, you don’t need to use a different SSID.
In a split scenario the S1 and S2 systems have different HouseholdIDs.
When i tried to setup a new system in the S1 app it would not let me as the account was the same. I didn’t say the SSID was necessary, just felt as I could I would.
Maybe the higher bandwidth is only for Dolby, not hi res music. I just upgraded to S2 and of course I am disappointed on my own thoughts that this would make a totally different product and we would be able to listen to hi res music, but it was all in my head. Am I angry at Sonos? NO, I love all the products Ihave and all my house is Sonos. But my dreams are shattered at the moment. I will convert some files to 24/48 to see if I can play them. I like the new GUI more than the previous one!
I am not suggesting it can run both. Definitely not. It wil only be visible in one of them. I just want to know if having a speaker on S2 means it can never then be used back in your S1 system.
How Sonos dealt with this in the past is not necessarily the same - I don't see switching as an upgrade/downgrade scenario - just moving a speaker that is compatible with both OS's between them.
It’s NOT possible to switch between S1 and S2 at will. You’ll have to make your mind up whether you want to migrate to S2 or not.
Completely wrong and verified by ratty. An S1/S2 compatible speaker can mover from S1 to S2 and back again.
As you have stated this as fact in many places though, maybe you will correct it to avoid confusion?
I’ve been told otherwise by Sonos support. We’ll see. To be accurate, I’ve been told that it is not possible to perform a downgrade from S2 to S1.
From: https://support.sonos.com/s/article/4845?language=en_US
Is this process reversible?
No, once products have upgraded to S2, they cannot be downgraded back to S1 or added to an S1 system. Make sure you want to create a split system before following this process.
Its not what they do or don't promise that winds me up it's that they don't specify clearly what the new specs are and you end up not really knowing either way and relying on forum chat. If a feature is not in it then it's not in it, fair enough. Just say the new system on release will have the following features: 1,2,3,4 etc. These may follow in the future. I think that is a reasonable expectation when trying to make an irreversible decision.
Created a second Sonos account to use the S1 controller and setup that. To be safe put the S1 system on a second Wifi SSID. It is a shame you can’t use the same account on S1 and S2 but other than that can’t really complain.
You can use the same account. Also, you don’t need to use a different SSID.
In a split scenario the S1 and S2 systems have different HouseholdIDs.
When i tried to setup a new system in the S1 app it would not let me as the account was the same. I didn’t say the SSID was necessary, just felt as I could I would.
If you’d reset the S1 app and the desired players it would have let you create a new system.
If I have a system I am happy with and want to create a new separate S2 system, the instructions seem to suggest the S1 components will all be factory reset - which really means I lose all of the Playlists etc. I've used on that system for years? Surely splitting off doesn't necessitate losing everything on the older devices? I don't mind resetting one device as there will still be another with the settings etc.
There.must be a process of creating an S2 system without completely trashing your S1 side???? Switching S1 products off while doing the change to S2?
If I have a system I am happy with and want to create a new separate S2 system, the instructions seem to suggest the S1 components will all be factory reset - which really means I lose all of the Playlists etc. I've used on that system for years? Surely splitting off doesn't necessitate losing everything on the older devices? I don't mind resetting one device as there will still be another with the settings etc.
There.must be a process of creating an S2 system without completely trashing your S1 side???? Switching S1 products off while doing the change to S2?
No. One or other group of players needs to be reset, in order to create a new system. The way the article has been written it’s assumed the S1 units will be reset, either using the removal tool or manually.
Switching off S1 products during the S2 update will just leave some incompatible either way. The S2 controller will want to update the S1 units (if it can) and the S1 controller will want to downgrade the S2 units (if it can).
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