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Oms900
Contributor I
July 31, 2018

EQ Limitations // Idea for improvment from a sound engineer

  • July 31, 2018
  • 21 replies
  • 8417 views
I have been using the SONOS BEAM consistently for 2 weeks now. I love it, but as a live sound engineer and sound geek, am wondering why there are not more customizable EQ parameters for the BEAM.

I have used the TRUEPLAY TUNING twice over and it did not correct the lack of vocal tones I was hoping for (suffering around 1K - 3.15K in my opinion + compared to Play; 3 lacks in the 400 - 900 range but I acknowledge BEAM is designed with video audio in mind).
I have used every variation of the SONOS App's Dialogue boost, night setting, Loudness enhancer, compression - All great features, but even Spotify has a 4-band EQ while the SONOS app seems to only provide a 2-band; BASS, TREBEL.

As a live sound engineer I work with 32-band graphic EQs, which I don't expect to see on an app, but would love to see a happy medium from a high end sound company that I do really like for music in the home or on the road. I love the low end, the spread and music is seems to tackle (Spotify w/ eq settings on the app) very, very well, but I think the BEAM may be stuck in a flat EQ in the mid range where vocal clarity is suffering no matter what tuning button the app offers.

For example; it's the "heh" sound in the word "hey". The honkey and flat sounding 'heh' in the vocal inflection.

Would anyone else like more EQ bands to play with and save instead of hitting a dialogue button/loundness button?
Would anyone like to see customizable COMPRESSION settings (ratios, frequencies, attack etc.)?
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    21 replies

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    camillo777
    Headliner I
    February 15, 2019
    I have also serious problems on noticing the difference when "dialogue boost" and "night setting" are on or off.
    Do they work only with a correct 5.1 dolby stream with dolby metadata?
    Airgetlam
    Airgetlam
    February 15, 2019
    I've never tested, but have always made the assumption that dialogue boost affected the center channel signal, and night settings affected the .1 (LFE) channel. If those don't exist, such as in a stereo signal, they wouldn't be able to affect anything.

    But, I could be wrong on that.
    Bruce
    Thisusernamealreadyexists
    Lyricist I
    February 16, 2019
    Yes, 5 band EQ, PLEASE! Feel like I'm using a 1972 8-track with bass/treble/balance!
    Anonymous
    March 22, 2019
    Indeed, an EQ upgrade is really needed for audio lovers. I would like to customize the lows on the Sub, adding more 'deep' (25Hz-50Hz) and reduce the 400 a bit. Those Bass and Treble sliders are extremely outdated. Please Sonos, add this in a future update...
    camillo777
    Headliner I
    March 26, 2019
    I've never tested, but have always made the assumption that dialogue boost affected the center channel signal, and night settings affected the .1 (LFE) channel. If those don't exist, such as in a stereo signal, they wouldn't be able to affect anything.

    But, I could be wrong on that.

    Any official answer on this from Sonos staff?
    Documentation is pretty bad on these features.
    Sulphurman
    Lyricist I
    June 10, 2019
    I could do with a pre set to get rid of all the low frequencies from a certain band so that I don't upset the neighbours as I listen to the radio.
    Andy Pask
    Lyricist I
    June 24, 2019
    I thought I'd post an update from my comments of 8 months ago. I don't know if SONOS read any of these comments at all! but due to the frustration of trying to find an acceptable sound at low levels for my wife I've now given up on the Beam and disconnected it. Back to the rubbish TV speakers - but I can hear dialogue at low level (my wife's level) much better than the Beam - even with the Beam dialogue enhancer on.
    I miss the quality of the Beam and the low frequencies are none existent on the TV speakers .... but needs must.
    This is pretty poor SONOS when all that's required is a simple 5 or 6 band eq, and considering the Beam cost as much as my TV, it's not much to ask.
    I have even thought about getting an HDMI audio embedder in the hope that I can feed the Beam from the 3.5 headphone jack on the back of the TV but even that won't work, I've discovered, because the graphic eq in the TV doesn't effect the headphone output.
    So......unless SONOS or anyone else has any ideas, eBay beckons! Such a shame for a really solid piece of kit!
    Jase79
    Lyricist II
    October 4, 2019
    Why not allow users access to the parameters that are changed during Trueplay tuning?
    allthatandabagofchips
    Lyricist I
    November 16, 2019

    I agree with the OP. Trueplay makes everything too flat and it is too fatiguing to listen to it at loud volumes. I’ve tried to correct it as much as I can with the current EQ, but all it does is take the clarity away from the vocals and still leaves me with fatigue. I think it is something to do with the midrange, but that’s an area that I cannot adjust because it isn’t part of the EQ.

    We need at least a 5-band equalizer.

    allthatandabagofchips
    Lyricist I
    November 16, 2019

    I would also like to see customizable Dynamic Range Compression because it isn’t going far enough.

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