Regarding “praise” and “blame” for SONOS…
There have been a number of comments about how people who now complain about SONOS failed to praise SONOS when times were good. It’s irrelevant who made such comments; I’m not suggesting they were wrong or that the comments were inappropriate. I just want to make a couple of general observations.
First, consider all of the people now complaining about SONOS who make a point of saying how they recommended SONOS to their friends and relatives over the years. I think even SONOS would agree that there is no form of praise more sincere. I suspect much of SONOS’ growth and success was based on word-of-mouth promotion from current owners to potential purchasers. There clearly has been no lack of praise for SONOS, either in aggregate or from those now struggling with their systems.
But now also consider the embarrassment and even feelings of guilt on the part of those who recommended SONOS to friends and relatives, friends and relatives who suddenly found their audio system inoperative. Such has been the price paid for past SONOS praise.
And so, finally, consider the likelihood of praise (which is to say recommendations) for SONOS going forward. However likely such comments might have been in the past, they will be far less frequent in the future, even from people who did not personally suffer from the May, 2024 melt-down.
Just some food for thought.
I am part of this group and empathize with your thoughts. More reason for a whitewash of senior management. Start at the top, keep cutting till you have “clean” margins and new leadership. It’s because of the investment and past success for Sonos that I make these suggestions. My guess is changing leadership would expedite the recovery.
Fix the ability to add rooms to a room currently playing without restarting the radio and listening to the same advertisements over again. Very annoying. This new version is terrible. Please roll it back to the previous.
Advertisements, I don’t remember paying for advertisements. 🤮🤮🤮
If there’s one thing I hate it’s advertisements.
I’m sticking with the 3rd party controller.
Fix the ability to add rooms to a room currently playing without restarting the radio and listening to the same advertisements over again. Very annoying. This new version is terrible. Please roll it back to the previous.
Advertisements, I don’t remember paying for advertisements. 🤮🤮🤮
If there’s one thing I hate it’s advertisements.
I’m sticking with the 3rd party controller.
What difference does the controller make to whether you are served adverts on the radio service?
Fix the ability to add rooms to a room currently playing without restarting the radio and listening to the same advertisements over again. Very annoying. This new version is terrible. Please roll it back to the previous.
Advertisements, I don’t remember paying for advertisements. 🤮🤮🤮
If there’s one thing I hate it’s advertisements.
I’m sticking with the 3rd party controller.
What difference does the controller make to whether you are served adverts on the radio service?
I don’t listen to radio services. I have over 40,000 tracks. I only listen to my local library.
So, Sonos doesn’t push any ads in their new controller?
If they don’t then I apologize.
I know the next question:
I updated one device last May and discovered my mistake. I have a system that works very well. I still have a version 16 controller and a 3rd party app on the one I upgraded to the 80 version.
Why would I risk that perfectly functioning system to update my firmware, run the new app and join everyone else who’s forced to beta test the new version and endure all the pain. I’ll wait until the reviews go back to being positive before I entertain an update.
Quick reminder of some of what’s still broken or recently broken in the latest version of the app (versus March 2024) with emphasis on local libraries:
- No realistic browsing of local library (other than scrolling for 5 mins to get to an artist starting with “Z”) because A-Z markers removed, so you have to rely on search for everything
- Recently-played list ignores local library tracks (only shows cloud music service entries)
- Favorites unhelpfully ordered by date-added not alphabetical even when you expand for category breakdown
- Artist tag entries with multiple artists ignored so compilations and tracks with guest artists can’t be played via mobile app (desktop controller will show them, but as multiple/unordered entries)
Also reminder: these are bugs and deliberate UI design decisions that Sonos chose to ship.
So if you own music, hold-off on updates and use desktop/3rd-party controllers for as long as you can, unless you really want that shiny/confusing swipe-to-do-anything new UI.
Quick reminder of some of what’s still broken or recently broken in the latest version of the app (versus March 2024) with emphasis on local libraries:
- No realistic browsing of local library (other than scrolling for 5 mins to get to an artist starting with “Z”) because A-Z markers removed, so you have to rely on search for everything
- Recently-played list ignores local library tracks (only shows cloud music service entries)
- Favorites unhelpfully ordered by date-added not alphabetical even when you expand for category breakdown
- Artist tag entries with multiple artists ignored so compilations and tracks with guest artists can’t be played via mobile app (desktop controller will show them, but as multiple/unordered entries)
Also reminder: these are bugs and deliberate UI design decisions that Sonos chose to ship.
So if you own music, hold-off on updates and use desktop/3rd-party controllers for as long as you can, unless you really want that shiny/confusing swipe-to-do-anything new UI.
Perhaps not so much a priority, compared to queue management, I think.
I see more users asking for the option to edit/re-order and save a room queue, so I hope Sonos will do that first.
My other ‘wish’ is for a better tablet interface, as some screens overlap on the iPad in landscape mode. Also the ‘playback options’ screen needs to open a little faster when long pressing on an album, playlist etc.
i think a workaround option to goto ‘Z’ Artists, tracks etc. in the local library is to press the letter on the keyboard when in the local library only search - see example attached.
Quick reminder of some of what’s still broken or recently broken in the latest version of the app (versus March 2024) with emphasis on local libraries:
- No realistic browsing of local library (other than scrolling for 5 mins to get to an artist starting with “Z”) because A-Z markers removed, so you have to rely on search for everything
- Recently-played list ignores local library tracks (only shows cloud music service entries)
- Favorites unhelpfully ordered by date-added not alphabetical even when you expand for category breakdown
- Artist tag entries with multiple artists ignored so compilations and tracks with guest artists can’t be played via mobile app (desktop controller will show them, but as multiple/unordered entries)
Also reminder: these are bugs and deliberate UI design decisions that Sonos chose to ship.
So if you own music, hold-off on updates and use desktop/3rd-party controllers for as long as you can, unless you really want that shiny/confusing swipe-to-do-anything new UI.
Perhaps not so much a priority, compared to queue management, I think.
I see more users asking for the option to edit/re-order and save a room queue, so I hope Sonos will do that first.
My other ‘wish’ is for a better tablet interface, as some screens overlap on the iPad in landscape mode. Also the ‘playback options’ screen needs to open a little faster when long pressing on an album, playlist etc.
i think a workaround option to goto ‘Z’ Artists, tracks etc. in the local library is to press the letter on the keyboard when in the local library only search - see example attached.
Seems to me all these things could be done concurrently. They look like different areas in the app.
Perhaps not so much a priority, compared to queue management, I think.
I see more users asking for the option to edit/re-order and save a room queue, so I hope Sonos will do that first.
My other ‘wish’ is for a better tablet interface, as some screens overlap on the iPad in landscape mode. Also the ‘playback options’ screen needs to open a little faster when long pressing on an album, playlist etc.
i think a workaround option to goto ‘Z’ Artists, tracks etc. in the local library is to press the letter on the keyboard when in the local library only search - see example attached.
Seems to me all these things could be done concurrently. They look like different areas in the app.
Well if it can all be done at the same time, then ‘Yes’. The faster the better, but if not, then I’d like to see ‘queue management’ take priority as some have asked for that for quite a while, by comparison to the things listed.
I don’t doubt that re-introducing core features to recreate the “queue-based music player” experience of “old Sonos circa 2009-2023” is a priority for all (in addition to our own personal priority wishlists). I was merely highlighting a random subset of features which are no longer useable due to omission (local library), deliberate design changes (favorites ordering) or recently-introduced bugs with core firmware (tagging support). But the end result is the same: the product that Sonos chose to ship (the new redesigned mobile app) is not yet fit for purpose, and anyone who still wants to play the music they own needs to look elsewhere for a Sonos controller (ideally by avoiding upgrades).
I don’t doubt that re-introducing core features to recreate the “queue-based music player” experience of “old Sonos circa 2009-2023” is a priority for all (in addition to our own personal priority wishlists). I was merely highlighting a random subset of features which are no longer useable due to omission (local library), deliberate design changes (favorites ordering) or recently-introduced bugs with core firmware (tagging support). But the end result is the same: the product that Sonos chose to ship (the new redesigned mobile app) is not yet fit for purpose, and anyone who still wants to play the music they own needs to look elsewhere for a Sonos controller (ideally by avoiding upgrades).
I certainly have no problem playing any music I own via the new Sonos App - I can search via the App, as shown earlier, by letter, Artist, Album, Track or Playlist name etc. or I can just browse by ‘Artist’ or ‘folder’.. its pretty quick for my local library of 25,697 tracks… I can even load the entire NAS library to a speaker queue and shuffle it, not that I do that too often. My most common playback method is .m3u playlists, followed next by the Sonos library search these days.
Whether the library things mentioned are ‘design changes’, or (more likely) ‘bugs’ in the new software, I just don’t see these things stopping me playing anything from my own library, even finding/starting their playback quite quickly.
Queue Management on the other hand would be far more useful, so I’m just commenting on that in the hope that if things are to be prioritised, that queue management development might perhaps take ‘pole position’.
I would perhaps report any feature requests, or any ‘bugs’ in the new App to Sonos customer support staff via the usual link here: https://support.sonos.com/s/contact
That’s if the Sonos Staff/Forum Moderators perhaps do not see the suggestions, or pickup on the feature requests/bugs mentioned here in the user-community.
I don’t doubt that re-introducing core features to recreate the “queue-based music player” experience of “old Sonos circa 2009-2023” is a priority for all (in addition to our own personal priority wishlists). I was merely highlighting a random subset of features which are no longer useable due to omission (local library), deliberate design changes (favorites ordering) or recently-introduced bugs with core firmware (tagging support). But the end result is the same: the product that Sonos chose to ship (the new redesigned mobile app) is not yet fit for purpose, and anyone who still wants to play the music they own needs to look elsewhere for a Sonos controller (ideally by avoiding upgrades).
I certainly have no problem playing any music I own via the new Sonos App - I can search via the App, as shown earlier, by letter, Artist, Album, Track or Playlist name etc. or I can just browse by ‘Artist’ or ‘folder’.. its pretty quick for my local library of 25,697 tracks… I can even load the entire NAS library to a speaker queue and shuffle it, not that I do that too often. My most common playback method is .m3u playlists, followed next by the Sonos library search these days.
I am aware that I can select local music via the app as I did before the refresh. Well almost - I mean the old “library->browse->click letter->select artist” wasn’t much faster or easier than the new “library->search->type letter->type letter->wait->view all->select artist”. And I can play everything in my local library. Except albums with tracks featuring multiple artists. For that I need the desktop/3rd party app (and rearrange the order/make a playlist to replicate the original tracklisting). Or I could go edit the tags in the affected FLAC files.
The thing is, my common use-case (select artist via browse or favorite, select album I own, play) and your common use-case (playlists) and everyone else’s common use-cases used to be accommodated by the multiple Sonos controllers that “just worked”. Now they’re putting all their effort into a controller that offers a much-reduced, harder-to-achieve, or “just broken” feature set. Maybe when (if?) the new app ever improves to the point where it’s in a “shippable” state things will be different.
I am aware that I can select local music via the app as I did before the refresh. Well almost - I mean the old “library->browse->click letter->select artist” wasn’t much faster or easier than the new “library->search->type letter->type letter->wait->view all->select artist”. And I can play everything in my local library. Except albums with tracks featuring multiple artists. For that I need the desktop/3rd party app (and rearrange the order/make a playlist to replicate the original tracklisting). Or I could go edit the tags in the affected FLAC files.
The thing is, my common use-case (select artist via browse or favorite, select album I own, play) and your common use-case (playlists) and everyone else’s common use-cases used to be accommodated by the multiple Sonos controllers that “just worked”. Now they’re putting all their effort into a controller that offers a much-reduced, harder-to-achieve, or “just broken” feature set. Maybe when (if?) the new app ever improves to the point where it’s in a “shippable” state things will be different.
Can you not browse your albums via "folders/compilations" to play the album? I accept its not great, if you perhaps have lots of them, but maybe see the attached.
Quick reminder of some of what’s still broken or recently broken in the latest version of the app (versus March 2024) with emphasis on local libraries:
- No realistic browsing of local library (other than scrolling for 5 mins to get to an artist starting with “Z”) because A-Z markers removed, so you have to rely on search for everything
- Recently-played list ignores local library tracks (only shows cloud music service entries)
- Favorites unhelpfully ordered by date-added not alphabetical even when you expand for category breakdown
- Artist tag entries with multiple artists ignored so compilations and tracks with guest artists can’t be played via mobile app (desktop controller will show them, but as multiple/unordered entries)
Also reminder: these are bugs and deliberate UI design decisions that Sonos chose to ship.
So if you own music, hold-off on updates and use desktop/3rd-party controllers for as long as you can, unless you really want that shiny/confusing swipe-to-do-anything new UI.
Perhaps not so much a priority, compared to queue management, I think.
I see more users asking for the option to edit/re-order and save a room queue, so I hope Sonos will do that first.
My other ‘wish’ is for a better tablet interface, as some screens overlap on the iPad in landscape mode. Also the ‘playback options’ screen needs to open a little faster when long pressing on an album, playlist etc.
i think a workaround option to goto ‘Z’ Artists, tracks etc. in the local library is to press the letter on the keyboard when in the local library only search - see example attached.
Seems to me all these things could be done concurrently. They look like different areas in the app.
all depends on how many developers they have in the team ….that will be the limiting factor.
It does no good to throw more people at the problem that don’t have knowledge and experience of the App .. that’s the road to an even deeper hell!
I am aware that I can select local music via the app as I did before the refresh. Well almost - I mean the old “library->browse->click letter->select artist” wasn’t much faster or easier than the new “library->search->type letter->type letter->wait->view all->select artist”. And I can play everything in my local library. Except albums with tracks featuring multiple artists. For that I need the desktop/3rd party app (and rearrange the order/make a playlist to replicate the original tracklisting). Or I could go edit the tags in the affected FLAC files.
The thing is, my common use-case (select artist via browse or favorite, select album I own, play) and your common use-case (playlists) and everyone else’s common use-cases used to be accommodated by the multiple Sonos controllers that “just worked”. Now they’re putting all their effort into a controller that offers a much-reduced, harder-to-achieve, or “just broken” feature set. Maybe when (if?) the new app ever improves to the point where it’s in a “shippable” state things will be different.
Can you not browse your albums via "folders/compilations" to play the album? I accept its not great, if you perhaps have lots of them, but maybe see the attached.
OK, that hack does at least give you compilations or albums with guest spots with all the tracks in the correct order. Thanks.
But yeah, it’s “not great”, because it still has the same problem as library artist browsing - no alphabetical index markers - so it could be a very long scroll down.
The "sources" item in the app is sometimes missing, sometimes displays only the TV, always omits the CD player connected to line-in. By switching things off and on I can sometimes play a CD, but only sometimes. When I do get the CD player to work, it is only with the TV off. In that case line-in is displayed as the source on the room tile, but is not shown under the main sources list. If I turn the TV on after successfully having the CD recognised, the CD disappears again. Then I have trouble getting it recognized again. When the CD has been recognized, it is shown with the name I gave it after installing the original app version. So the info is in there but often (mostly) ignored. My wife likes to play CDs but the app update has made that impossible for her.
I started an Apple Music album playing in one of our rooms. I want to stop playing it. So I deselect the room. But the app wants me to say where it should be played. Since I want it not to be played, the album stays assigned to the room. It's a good thing I am a calm person.
I started an Apple Music album playing in one of our rooms. I want to stop playing it. So I deselect the room. But the app wants me to say where it should be played. Since I want it not to be played, the album stays assigned to the room. It's a good thing I am a calm person.
You’re not operating it quite right. You’re using the grouping screen which is the source of your frustration. See the following:
Drag up the Now Playing area at the bottom of the screen to show your list of speakers. (Tapping the name of your system top left of the Home Screen will also bring up the list of speakers.)
Tap the speaker you want to play music on. This becomes the active speaker.
Select music and press play. The music will play on the speaker you selected. Press pause to stop playing.
(The grouping screen is only for when you want to add other speakers to the one that is currently playing, to create a group.)
The combination of functions of this button (that is also a menu) is indeed one of the bloopers in designing the app.
I understand. So there is no way to say 'play no music on this channel'. If like it better if there were a way too express that. Thanks for your reply.
Any sign of a new version which enables me to play compilation albums from my library?
Any sign of a new version which enables me to play compilation albums from my library?
Haven’t seen it. Still pondering the hacks and workarounds:
- Edit tags to put a single value in the artist tag, put the track/guest artist in the song title
- Use desktop/3rd party controller and reorder the queue for correct tracklisting when I’m selecting music
- Use folder browsing with desktop and /or live with scrolling for 5 mins to get to the artist (“Various Artists”?) on mobile
- For any affected compilation/has-guest-artists record, create a .m3u playlist of the tracklisting with Foobar etc (and save filename with “AAA” prefix to make it easy to access via “Imported Playlists”
- For any affected albums, “rent the thing I own” and stream from Qobuz instead
Yes I have thought about this. Unlike Sonos...
Any sign of a new version which enables me to play compilation albums from my library?
Haven’t seen it. Still pondering the hacks and workarounds:
- Edit tags to put a single value in the artist tag, put the track/guest artist in the song title
- Use desktop/3rd party controller and reorder the queue for correct tracklisting when I’m selecting music
- Use folder browsing with desktop and /or live with scrolling for 5 mins to get to the artist (“Various Artists”?) on mobile
- For any affected compilation/has-guest-artists record, create a .m3u playlist of the tracklisting with Foobar etc (and save filename with “AAA” prefix to make it easy to access via “Imported Playlists”
- For any affected albums, “rent the thing I own” and stream from Qobuz instead
Yes I have thought about this. Unlike Sonos...
We shouldn't have to be thinking about it at all.
The car crash update was one thing, but this new bug is really pissing me off.
It's just not acceptable.
I just play my local library compilation albums from ‘Folders/Compilations’… seems to work okay for me.
It's just not acceptable.
Not acceptable but very “courageous” of them /s 
You could use Plex for your local library as a workaround. If you have a NAS that supports it or spare hardware it’s somewhat easy to get up and running.
