SONOS are you reading this? Please put the controller queue function back how it was!

  • 12 September 2016
  • 353 replies
  • 15976 views

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I've downloaded version 6.4 of the app. What a mistake. To anyone who is about to do it, DON'T DO IT IF YOU LIKE YOUR QUEUE.

Sonos please put it back how it was. This new app is so awful I am considering selling my entire Sonos rig (6 pieces!) and walking away from you, after what was until this week, many happy years.

Touching on a track because I want to play it, or add it to the queue (the queue that I DID WANT), does not mean I want to delete the whole queue and replace it with the entire album (which I DON'T WANT) which the newly added track comes from.

If I wanted to delete my queue, I would delete it. If I wanted to add the whole album, I would add it using the play all function.

You've just taken something intuitive and user friendly which worked so well and turned it into a worse than hateful mess.

PLEASE UNDO THIS AWFUL, HORRIBLE CHANGE.

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353 replies

I am a big Sonos fan but the issue with the queue has totally put me off. I would have spent another £1k on new speakers for my house but have held off. I also do not recommend this to friends now.

If only there was another product of such quality... well Apple are releasing one this Christmas and maybe it is time to sell up and switch.
It's a pretty crappy move by them. Unfortunately for Sonos, it's also a very easily copied feature. Some competitor will figure this out, and then Sonos will be the next Blackberry.Completely ludicrous statement. I absolutely hate the change Sonos made but let's keep some sense of perspective, please.
Userlevel 1
The Denon HEOS is gorgeous, but it would seem their software isn't quite ready to take on Sonos (yet). I'll be keeping an eye on them, though. Their HEOS Bar has all the things the Playbar lacks; HDMI, DTS, etc.

If only there was another product of such quality... well Apple are releasing one this Christmas and maybe it is time to sell up and switch.
Userlevel 1
All I meant by it is that the "magic" Sonos has/had isn't some secret formula the competition won't eventually figure out. It really feels like Sonos doesn't take their most fervent fans seriously. Beg for DTS? Nope. Beg to keep the queue? Nope. Beg for upgraded Playbar with HDMI? Nope. Everyone loves the matte finish SUB; please make more? Nope.

They could have made sure there was no footing for the competition to even move in, but all we got for the last three years was a Playbase and a ruined queue functionality? Well, I guess they did also do away with the need for the bridge and add a microphone to the Play:5 (that we can't use yet.)

It's a pretty crappy move by them. Unfortunately for Sonos, it's also a very easily copied feature. Some competitor will figure this out, and then Sonos will be the next Blackberry.Completely ludicrous statement. I absolutely hate the change Sonos made but let's keep some sense of perspective, please.
We accidentally erased a ques of several dozen songs or more several times nowHow come? If the queue's been edited there's a large warning pop-up front and centre.

add a microphone to the Play:5
Ha! And took away all the original PLAY:5, replacing it with a totally different design.
Userlevel 1
It would seem i don't always get this pop-up? (I'm on iOS, if that matters.) More than once I've tried to play a song from the search and it starts playing, but the rest of my queue is gone and that is now the only song in it. No pop-up, just plays instantly like it used to but replacing the queue instead of adding to it.

And your comment about the Play:5 is fair, though I didn't feel it was significant enough to warrant replacing the Play:5s I have that are just a few years old.

We accidentally erased a ques of several dozen songs or more several times nowHow come? If the queue's been edited there's a large warning pop-up front and centre.

add a microphone to the Play:5
Ha! And took away all the original PLAY:5, replacing it with a totally different design.
Userlevel 7
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How come? If the queue's been edited there's a large warning pop-up front and centre.But if it hasn't been modified it will overwrite without warning. I know such an instance it's more easily replaceable but it still means more button clicks trying to get back to what you were listening to seconds before.
There is so much inconsistency in the app now that it's so difficult or even impossible to know exactly what will actually happen when you select a song - it all depends on how you got to that song (maybe a search) and how the currently playing music was 'arrived' at. Inconsistent results from the same effective action can never really be a 'good' thing in any UI.
It would seem i don't always get this pop-up?Maybe your queue hadn't changed since it was loaded (from a playlist, album, etc)? The logic is that a queue which can readily be recreated by a single action is not protected with the warning, whereas a queue that the user has edited is.

A single track selected from search is inserted (without prompt) after the current track. There have been understandable gripes that in a static queue -- one which hasn't yet been played, or which has fully played -- the 'current track' is track #1, so an insertion from search goes in as track #2.

And your comment about the Play:5 is fair, though I didn't feel it was significant enough to warrant replacing the Play:5s I have that are just a few years old.
The PLAY:5 Gen2 is so utterly different in design and performance from Gen1 that many of us think Sonos should perhaps have called it something different. Given that they can be Trueplay-tuned they'll handsomely see off conventional HiFi speakers -- passive and active -- which are significantly more expensive.
Userlevel 1
A single track selected from search is inserted (without prompt) after the current track. There have been understandable gripes that in a static queue -- one which hasn't yet been played, or which has fully played -- the 'current track' is track #1, so an insertion from search goes in as track #2.

This is good to know. That might explain the lack of prompt before overwrite, at least in some cases. Thanks.
Me problem solving my system would require me to spend a whole day testing my system...For tech support. I just don't have time. I no longer recommend SONOS. Great sound, disappointed in the system...Concerns my RCA input to 5 player.
After so many comments, suggestions, complaints, questions, etc... still nothing in sight on queue management for the next releases... what would it take to get some attention from Sonos??
Userlevel 7
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After so many comments, suggestions, complaints, questions, etc... still nothing in sight on queue management for the next releases... what would it take to get some attention from Sonos??

Sonos are most assuredly aware. Just because they haven't "fixed" it doesn't mean they aren't aware or even that they agree it needs "fixing"!
After so many comments, suggestions, complaints, questions, etc... still nothing in sight on queue management for the next releases... what would it take to get some attention from Sonos??

Nothing. It is obvious Sonos has made their decision.
After so many comments, suggestions, complaints, questions, etc... still nothing in sight on queue management for the next releases... what would it take to get some attention from Sonos??

Sonos are most assuredly aware. Just because they haven't "fixed" it doesn't mean they aren't aware or even that they agree it needs "fixing"!


When my customers ask me for a new product or a change or whatever, I don't tell them that I agree with it or not, I just do it. Customer is always right...

Plus, as a customer, I purchased some functionalities, and after my purchase some of these functionalities are removed... I feel like I've been swindled. It's like buying a car and 6 months later, the car can't turn left anymore because it's been "upgraded"
After so many comments, suggestions, complaints, questions, etc... still nothing in sight on queue management for the next releases... what would it take to get some attention from Sonos??

Sonos are most assuredly aware. Just because they haven't "fixed" it doesn't mean they aren't aware or even that they agree it needs "fixing"!


When my customers ask me for a new product or a change or whatever, I don't tell them that I agree with it or not, I just do it. Customer is always right...

Plus, as a customer, I purchased some functionalities, and after my purchase some of these functionalities are removed... I feel like I've been swindled. It's like buying a car and 6 months later, the car can't turn left anymore because it's been "upgraded"
What preposterous hyperbole. I don't like the change either, but really....
As to the implication that Sonos should implement every suggestion that a few customers demand... they would have been bust years ago on that basis. The real irony is that the change was partly in response to customer complaints about how it used to work! Be careful what you wish for.....


When my customers ask me for a new product or a change or whatever, I don't tell them that I agree with it or not, I just do it. Customer is always right...

Plus, as a customer, I purchased some functionalities, and after my purchase some of these functionalities are removed... I feel like I've been swindled. It's like buying a car and 6 months later, the car can't turn left anymore because it's been "upgraded"


"The customer is always right" is the biggest crock of dung in the history of retail. No, the customer is most certainly not always right. In fact, the majority of the time they are wrong.

Note: I agree with you and I hate the change. But adding every little customer suggestion without any analysis of cost, brand impact, ROI, marketing data, etc., with only the customers whining about it being the single deciding factor is not only absurd, it is commercial suicide.
After so many comments, suggestions, complaints, questions, etc... still nothing in sight on queue management for the next releases... what would it take to get some attention from Sonos??

You need more users complaining on Twitter and Facebook for a start.
After so many comments, suggestions, complaints, questions, etc... still nothing in sight on queue management for the next releases... what would it take to get some attention from Sonos??

You need more users complaining on Twitter and Facebook for a start.
Well I for one will look forward to @Hirsut's explanation of the change ('They have made it behave more like iTunes, the b******s'), and the explanation of how this has rendered his Sonos system as useless as a car that cannot turn left,

What preposterous hyperbole. I don't like the change either, but really....
As to the implication that Sonos should implement every suggestion that a few customers demand... they would have been bust years ago on that basis. The real irony is that the change was partly in response to customer complaints about how it used to work! Be careful what you wish for.....


Agreed, the comparison with the car is too radical... still, I think the argument is valid. I purchased a device with a definite set of functionalities, and now it's been changed because people at sonos think they know better what I need.


"The customer is always right" is the biggest crock of dung in the history of retail. No, the customer is most certainly not always right. In fact, the majority of the time they are wrong.


‎I do believe the customer is always right. Not each single customer, but when a large number of customers request something, they're probably right (and even more when they're already users).

The way I see it, there is a large number of users who preferred it the old way, and many others that like it better like it is now. Allowing the users to choose what interface they want with an option would satisfy everyone and shouldn't be too difficult to implement (I'm not a technical expert though)
Actually, it wasn't Sonos' who thought they knew better, it was a "large number of users" who requested for years that the queue features be changed for iTunes style player controls. So there goes the "customer is always right" theory.
Actually, it wasn't Sonos' who thought they knew better, it was a "large number of users" who requested for years that the queue features be changed for iTunes style player controls. So there goes the "customer is always right" theory.
It's not like there is only 1 type of customer and everyone has the same opinion... there can be several types of customers, all of which can be right, with their own needs. Not everyone uses Sonos for the same purpose (TV, bathroom, party...). Hence the proposition of several interface options to satisfy everyone.

Anyway, this debate about customer is right or not is probably endless.
I'm just disappointed with Sonos... and I can see that I'm not alone
A little light reading for those in this (and other) thread(s):

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alexander-kjerulf/top-5-reasons-customer-service_b_5145636.html

http://www.business2community.com/customer-experience/7-reasons-customers-not-always-right-01816088#TWTy6I03DeKAdXZr.97
Actually, it wasn't Sonos' who thought they knew better, it was a "large number of users" who requested for years that the queue features be changed for iTunes style player controls. So there goes the "customer is always right" theory.
It's not like there is only 1 type of customer and everyone has the same opinion... there can be several types of customers, all of which can be right, with their own needs. Not everyone uses Sonos for the same purpose (TV, bathroom, party...). Hence the proposition of several interface options to satisfy everyone.

Anyway, this debate about customer is right or not is probably endless.
I'm just disappointed with Sonos... and I can see that I'm not alone
That is your right. I can understand your desire for a choice, but this is the particular choice you want. Others want the choice to sort playlists in a particular way, or favourites. Or to change the colour scheme. Or not to show TuneIn as a source because they never use it. Or sort albums by date released, or by date added. On the whole Sonos prefers simplicity and commonality. You can agree with that or not, but it is a defensible approach.
There are also hundreds of other suggested developments that have been made, and Sonos could not even implement all of the sensible ones.
I am on your side on the substance of this particular issue, but I think a sense of perspective is needed.
New to posting here but but motivated by the fact that I've just deleted my que of 50+ tracks AGAIN! I just don't get it sonos... what is the advantage of one touch replacing a que when 'repleace que' is one of the options on the 2nd touch anyway! Also why does it add the entire album to the que by default when I touch one track?!? Maybe I and others are just old and missing something, we talk in terms of albums not playlists and want accuracy over shaving 0.001 of a second off a process!
Userlevel 1
Hi,

This queue clearing issue is beyond frustrating. Once again I had a my queue cleared of 100+ songs because someone clicked on a wrong button. A typical situation at one of my parties is this: The controller is passed around by a bunch of people who then add songs to the end of the queue. Without fail someone does not hear the instructions to not click on the song directly, and then BLAM, queue is gone and I've lost a great curated list of new songs that I had wanted to save. It is not feasible to save the queue before every play or to educate everyone on the destructive nature of an operation that SHOULD NOT BE DESTRUCTIVE. I've been with Sonos wrong it's inception and have consistently been impressed with the design of both the hardware and software. This issue, however is really beginning to piss me off. This is obviously a major issue for many people and to have it not addressed feels like an insult, especially for those of us that have supported Sonos for over a decade and spend thousands of dollars on it's products. I implore the developers and powers that be at Sonos to please FIX this issue.