Contributor I

Feature Request: Delay compensation for Port

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Please introduce a delay compensation for Sonos Port connected traditional speakers. Whatever you connect to your Sonos Port will inevitably introduce additional delays - it’s just a question whether it’s audible.

I have Dynaudio wireless speakers in the Living Room (who use a Port as their source) and a Sonos speaker in my open kitchen (which I keep on selling/re-buying because it’s an annoyance both ways). There is a slight echo effect between these speakers.

Ideally delay compensation would be a feature of the app, where the mic of the phone can be used to bring a sonos port and sonos speakers in perfect sync.

I have no issue with the artificially high pricing of the sonos port, but in return I do expect a well working product - and for the purpose a Port is used that delay compensation IMHO is a core feature that I simply expected to be present.

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K

Kumar

Not sure what you mean. The port is connected to the Dynaudio active speakers via what kind of cable?

Regardless though the signal the Port puts out is in perfect sync with that received and used by other Sonos units.

Also, if you keep the Sonos speakers next to the Dynaudio, is there still an echo?

K

Kumar

Note also that there is no audible delay if you wire the Port to any stereo amp and passive speakers.

ratty

Delay compensation in the Port alone would have to be negative, i.e. requiring a time machine. Tricky.

This issue has been discussed for years. The only option would be to delay all the other players in the group, to allow for the third party kit downstream of the Port. So there’d be discontinuities whenever the Port was added to, or removed from, the group. And what would be the solution if there are two or more Ports in the group, each connected to equipment which injects different delays?

The standard advice is to set the third party kit to a ‘direct’ or ‘pure stereo’ type of mode so as to try and put it into pass-through (or near enough). In your case the wireless lag in the Dynaudio speakers would however be impossible to defeat.

M

mkeyAuthor

Contributor I

@ratti

I generally agree with what you write, but come on, it’s 2021. I need a mere 20ms and if this is technically not possible, then it’s more out of sheer ignorance/laziness. There already is extensive buffering and very likely latency correction mechanisms already exist as well (as there are other latency inducing aspects they need to deal with).

Obviously this is a whole different story for corrections on a seconds scale, but that’s not what I’m asking for / what can reasonably be expected.

@Kumar

I don’t claim that the output of the port is not in perfect sync. What I’m saying is that whatever amp or active speakers you connect, there is always going to be latency - if you’re lucky it’s just small enough that you won’t notice. The 20ms of my Dynaudio’s also wasn’t noticeable until I added that speaker in the Kitchen (before, there were already two more Sonos speakers and another set of Dynaudio’s)

ratty

I need a mere 20ms and if this is technically not possible, then it’s more out of sheer ignorance/laziness.

It’s “laziness” which I for one would wholeheartedly support, if the alternative is costly and potentially destabilising surgery on the longstanding architecture for multi-room sync.

And all for 20ms?! 20 milliseconds equates to only 20 feet in air. In other words, you’d already be ‘suffering’ from that lack of sync, if not more, by standing in the next room. I suggest you consider a rearrangement of your Sonos zones.

M

mkeyAuthor

Contributor I

@ratty

good point. they are about 6m apart and it really sounds about right when standing in the living room with a high volume level in the kitchen - so I guess I’d need something closer to 30-40ms.

regarding rearranging the zones, it’s already my 3rd iteration of buying and giving away again my Sonos kitchen speaker :-)

from normal listening levels upwards it’s perfectly fine to just use the dyn’s while working in the kitchen. It’s more the lower listening levels where it’s really cool to have that Sonos speaker in the kitchen. but then again, I get annoyed by having to group/ungroup or changing volume levels just because Sonos doesn’t feel like adding a latency correction option for the port. Good for Sonos though, as my bro and my mom now, thanks to my previous kitchen speakers now have a sonos system too :-)

ratty

just because Sonos doesn’t feel like adding a latency correction option for the port.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opportunity_cost

K

Kumar

I still don't get it. In my open plan apartment centre that is about 10 metres by 9 metres, I have four Sonos zones that are play 1s, connect amp+ passives, connect+play 1, or connect+amp+passives. When I group all, music in the open space all sounds in perfect sync and there isn't any echo to be heard.

M

mkeyAuthor

Contributor I

@Kumar
My Dynaudio’s are wireless (using some dynaudio specific crap). Means the signal goes from Sonos Port to Dynaudio’s Connect Box and from there wirelessly to the speakers. This causes a 20msec delay that currently can’t be corrected for due to the lack of a corresponding feature in the port.

jgatie

@Kumar
My Dynaudio’s are wireless (using some dynaudio specific crap). Means the signal goes from Sonos Port to Dynaudio’s Connect Box and from there wirelessly to the speakers. This causes a 20msec delay that currently can’t be corrected for due to the lack of a corresponding feature in the port.

As has been stated, it's not the Port which lacks this feature, unless you are decrying the lack of a time machine on the Port.

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