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SONOS speakers largely under-exploited.


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SONOS speakers largely under-exploited. Being an audiophile for a long time, I notice that the qualities of the Sonos speakers are of great precision and of great quality. On the other hand it is spoiled at the level of the system which manages them, in effect the application does not offer in ANY WAY to adjust the sound to the top level with an equalizer (10 bands and +). Since every style of music is NOT EQUALS AT ALL, a professional sound system such as SONOS should give us the choice by offering us a QUALITY EQUALIZER option. This has not been the case for many years god knows why. It seems to me that it is not necessary to be an expert in sound to understand that if you want to listen to classical music, hip hop or even pop or country, each style of music requires its own configuration to have sound quality AND UNFORTUNATELY Sonos is ignoring this problem. 
Will there be someone one day who will eventually make SONOS understand how does a quality sound system work?
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Best answer by Xander P 13 May 2021, 16:50

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Also audiophiles - We need a 10+ band equalizer to tailor the sound to our preferences!

The direct opposite to the above lot are the audiophiles that disdain even the presence of tone controls on their preamps/amps because even when flat, the associated circuitry “corrupts” the virgin signal. So some amps even have a defeat switch to take that circuitry out of the signal path. A switch that is corruption free?:grin:

There are all kinds of audiophiles down the rabbit hole that they live in. They do serve a useful purpose though - their compulsive upgrading keeps up the supply side of the consequently excellent value used HiFi kit market.

Audiophiles - The Port needs to be bit-perfect or it’s useless to us audiophiles!

Also audiophiles - We need a 10+ band equalizer to tailor the sound to our preferences!

Couldn’t the OP just use the existing bass and treble sliders to reduce those frequencies, thereby increasing the midrange in comparison?

He could, if he was not so hung up on having a mid range slider just because his car has it.

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Couldn’t the OP just use the existing bass and treble sliders to reduce those frequencies, thereby increasing the midrange in comparison?

First time posting! I think an equalizer would be a great addition. Everyone has personal preferences to how they like to hear their music. If you like music flat & as it comes from the recording studio then great don’t bother using the tone controls/equalizer and if it sounds better (to you) after you’ve done some tone adjustments then that's just as good. Surely its all about choice and this is (I would have thought) a relatively simple addition that would enhance the flexibility of the system.

 

 

I am no leader and I never claim that the universe endorses all I say, but talk away...😂 ..it may make up for not having the third slider.

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@Kumar

so those that want the jazz that you do

Sad to find that asking for an additional sound option is considered jazz for you.

 

Full marks to you for tenacity, though 

I send you back the compliment, for my part, I just bring an idea, but sad to see that when the idea does not go in the same direction of the leaders of the forum like you then you think that you are going to shut up people. Unfortunately, you haven't found the right guy.

 

 

John, your opinion may not reflect the opinion of the general public.

 I hope potential Sonos customers won't read this.

Erm...neither does yours though you claim that here at the end of the quoted sentence by speaking for all people, while John does not do so for his opinion:

having a 3 choice of adjustment is NORMALLY the basis of things as in all the other daily devices that I use and that all people use 

And I do hope that potential Sonos customers read the entire thread so those that want the jazz that you do, do not buy Sonos.

Full marks to you for tenacity, though :joy:

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@John B

Sonos is not a charity for the benefit of persons who self-identify as audiophiles. Sonos presumably includes features that enough Average Joes will value and use.

What you regard as 'basic functionality' is something I regard as useless at best. Let's just agree to differ. 

John, your opinion may not reflect the opinion of the general public. I'm sure if Sonos would do a poll on their official page indicating that they would like to add new features to personalize their sound, I'm sure many would be delighted and the votes would tilt in my favor. We can not just trust the opinion of the same 5 people who take stubbornly pleasure against my idea since the beginning of this post.

 

Sonos is not a charity for the benefit of persons who self-identify as audiophiles.

I do not agree those who are willing to pay 3k and more for a setup are those who appreciate music beyond the general average. I hope potential Sonos customers won't read this.

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I have not read the whole thread but to the OP… look at Roon it may do what you want with Sonos although at a cost.

 

https://help.roonlabs.com/portal/en/kb/articles/dsp-engine

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To the OP, have a look at Roon as it may have the features you are looking for although at a cost.

 

https://help.roonlabs.com/portal/en/kb/articles/dsp-engine

@nik9669a

It's just because I want a wireless system and I want a system that works with the smartphone. Also I want the speakers to be small and I wanted them black (blackout). So Sonos was the one that interested me but I didn't check all the controls and settings possible before buying. I told myself that all the basic functionality should be there for the price. I believe that Bose does not have a mid-range as well, I find it unfortunate that year after year the user is made to fit into the cake mold and we always lose things for no reason. Normally the more possibilities there are the more interesting the product are, now nowadays it seems that it has become the norm to lighten things as much possible for average Joe.

Sonos is not a charity for the benefit of persons who self-identify as audiophiles. Sonos presumably includes features that enough Average Joes will value and use.

What you regard as 'basic functionality' is something I regard as useless at best. Let's just agree to differ. 

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Sonos don’t feature it, Bose don’t feature it; nor do Naim or Bluesound, as I understand it. Perhaps there’s a reason no one is offering it? 

You may benefit from creating your own system, then, rather than relying on some large corporation who has to make a profit and doesn’t have your specific needs at heart. 

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@nik9669a

It's just because I want a wireless system and I want a system that works with the smartphone. Also I want the speakers to be small and I wanted them black (blackout). So Sonos was the one that interested me but I didn't check all the controls and settings possible before buying. I told myself that all the basic functionality should be there for the price. I believe that Bose does not have a mid-range as well, I find it unfortunate that year after year the user is made to fit into the cake mold and we always lose things for no reason. Normally the more possibilities there are the more interesting the product are, now nowadays it seems that it has become the norm to lighten things as much possible for average Joe.

@Corry P Got it thanks, I thought it to auto adjust the volume levels based on the sound levels in the room. Now there is a suggestion for Sonos that has merit:-).

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Hi @Kumar

Variable Loudness - which I once had on a Yamaha Hi-Fi - is nice though.

@Corry P What’s that or...how does that work?

The Yamaha had an adjustable Loudness control, and as far as I remember, the instructions went along these lines:

  • Turn up the volume to the highest level you’re ever likely to have it
  • Adjust the Loudness so the bass and treble sound balanced
  • Turn down the volume and never touch the Loudness control again

 

For those who don’t know, the Loudness control on audio equipment is to address the fact that bass and treble balance differently at low volumes, and bass needs to be boosted when the volume is low.

I believe many people just opted to keep Loudness on, and this gave rise to the common Bass Boost features/controls in the ‘80s.

@nik9669a : (this post is not meant for the OP.)..why get Sonos speakers? Could it be, from the opening post, this quoted? 

I notice that the qualities of the Sonos speakers are of great precision and of great quality.

Which is why the rest of his beef with Sonos is so puzzling and pointless. I mean, how much can a mid range slider do, to improve this state of affairs that the existing controls can’t?

But, I give up.

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@Kumar

Kumar, I don't understand why you are trying to ridicule the fact that I want a mid-range slide just because my car has one. Obviously you did not understand anything of my words which was simply to make you understand that having a 3 choice of adjustment is NORMALLY the basis of things as in all the other daily devices that I use and that all people use... I understand that Sonos does not want to elaborate on a precision equalizer to facilitate the user experience and I respect their choices, but Sonos should provide us a minimum of 3 sound adjustment slides as mentioned above...

@Thewizard2000   I’ve followed this thread, and your comments still leave me wondering: if Sonos has a feature missing, which is such an essential one to you, why buy Sonos products? There are so many hifi and audiophile products available and all the others of them that you’ve bought have at least 3 tone adjustments, except Sonos. Why get Sonos speakers?

Variable Loudness - which I once had on a Yamaha Hi-Fi - is nice though.

@Corry P What’s that or...how does that work?

I am happy for you. Over and out.

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@Kumar

Kumar, I don't understand why you are trying to ridicule the fact that I want a mid-range slide just because my car has one. Obviously you did not understand anything of my words which was simply to make you understand that having a 3 choice of adjustment is NORMALLY the basis of things as in all the other daily devices that I use and that all people use . There are people who like it flat, there are people who like the treble sound to smash the eardrums, there are people who like it with a lot of bass, there are people who don't like bass at all and there are people like me who like to slow down the midrange. I understand that Sonos does not want to elaborate on a precision equalizer to facilitate the user experience and I respect their choices, but Sonos should provide us a minimum of 3 sound adjustment slides as mentioned above and I believe Sonos got it and I trust them with the following.

 

 If Sonos does not want to hear anything then just AT LEAST put us a slide to control the mid-range, at least I will have the feeling to have the equivalent of settings as in my old car.

My memory isn't all wrong; the quoted conveys a sense to me that you want this on Sonos because your old car has it.

Being an audiophile for a long time, I notice that the qualities of the Sonos speakers are of great precision and of great quality.

And since you claim this, here is some constructive advice for you to take or discard. 

Sonos speakers are not tuned by Sonos to be any different than how the typical modern day home HiFi speaker is tuned in the design stage. All are meant to deliver a natural sounding mid range in the typical home albeit with a slightly boosted bass for the warmth that most listeners prefer, when the EQ controls are set to flat. This is different from how studio monitors are tuned for studio applications - these usually sound sterile/bass light in the home.

But all rooms are not alike, hence Sonos also provides the two EQ controls for tweaking, that are enough for most Sonos users, even for those that are familiar with very high end - read that as expensive - home audio equipment. Beyond that, there is Trueplay tuning, that can be turned off if you don’t agree with the Sonos opinion of how the speaker should sound in your room.

If none of this delivers what you want, there is something very unique about your room acoustics, or what you prefer as a sonic signature, and Sonos speakers are not for you. Nor will many modern day HiFi speakers be. And this situation will not change merely by the addition of a mid range control in the Sonos menu.

Unless, as I think you say elsewhere, you want the midrange slider just because the system in your car has it. In that case, you have to wait for Sonos to deliver it, or get another system that has it.

For now, OP will better served by a discussion on how best to use the features that ARE present to tweak what he wishes to - the mid-range. Over to him...since he seems to think for some reasonthat this is not possible.