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Discuss Arc, Beam, Playbar, Playbase, and the entire Sonos home theater experience. How do you set up a Sonos 5.1 system? Which Sonos work with your TV? Ask your home theater questions here.

  • 8,827 Topics
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Ryan S
Ryan S
started this topic

Understanding Dolby Atmos and Sonos Arc

One of the most exciting features of the new Sonos Arc is its ability to play Dolby Atmos sound. As with all relatively new technology, it’s...
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AjTrek1
AjTrek1
started this topic

Sonos Home Theater Speaker: Comparison Chart

Published 5/10/20 Exciting things are happening at Sonos. They have just announced the June 10, 2020 release of a much anticipated addition...
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  • 28
Ryan S
Ryan S
started this topic

Enabling CEC on your TV for Beam

Sonos Beam, the smart, compact soundbar for your TV is now available. We've collected some of the best resources for Beam in the thread here...
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8827 Topics

Ryan S
Ryan SRetired Community Manager
published in Home theater

Understanding Surround Sound and SonosTips & Tricks

This article will help clarify what surround sound is, and answer some common questions about using Sonos surround sound setups. So if you’re wondering: Why don’t I hear anything from the rear speakers? How do I make surrounds louder? My surrounds aren’t working? Or something of that nature, this thread might be for you.   What is surround sound anyway? Surround sound is TV and movie content that surrounds you with the audio based on how it’s intended to be heard. When talking about 5.1 audio, surround sound is dedicated mixing for six channels. You’ve got the front left and right channels, along with the front center, and the rear surround channels as well. When it’s working correctly, you should hear the audio mixed for each specific channel play out of that side.   Surround sound does not mean the front and rear speakers are mirroring the same audio. We’ve heard some requests to make a mode or setting to allow this in the future, but don’t have any announcements around doing so.   W

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1 year ago
AjTrek1
AjTrek1
posted in Home theater

Sonos Home Theater Speaker: Comparison Chart

Published 5/10/20 Exciting things are happening at Sonos. They have just announced the June 10, 2020 release of a much anticipated addition to their family of Home Theater speakers. That being the Sonos Arc with Dolby Atmos.   An obvious question is how will the Arc fit into the Sonos line-up apart from the fact that it is capable of bringing the Dolby Atmos experience to home theater entertainment? Hopefully the chart below will answer some of those questions.  As you review the chart keep in mind that those points highlighted in blue are footnoted. The Sonos Amp has been added to this group; although not technically a speaker, it can be used in Home Theater to power 3rd party speakers for left/right front channels or Sonos in-wall (left/right) architectural speakers by Sonance.  Doing so it approximates the Center channel referred to as a “phantom center”. It can also be used to drive a pair of 3rd party speakers (typically book shelf or in-ceiling) as surrounds. Sonos in-ceiling

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jgatie
1 year ago
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BkanuContributor I
asked in Home theater

What is the best way to incorporate Sono Arc to wired speakers and Denon Amplifier?

I am in process of upgrading my home theater system. Currently I have wired speakers and Denon Amplifier. For daily use I want to use Sono Arc. However to watch movies I would like to incorporate sono arc to my wired system. Few options I came across: 1) Use Sono Amp and connect the rear speakers, however it would not power the sub. 2) Use Sono Sub but it only connects to Sono Arc not to non-sono amplifier. 3) Keep the current system “as is” for movies and Sono Arc for daily; Bummer...

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3 hours ago
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Mano11Contributor I
asked in Home theater

14.16 is released, any luck in improvement?

14.16 is released, any luck in improvement? 

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R
4 hours ago
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darshakparmarContributor II
asked in Home theater

Arc+Sub combination: Using out-of-the-box without network, internet, and S2 app (pure hardware mode)

I am wondering if there is a possibility to use Arc+Sub combination as a home theatre unit out-of-the-box (or call it sonos pure hardware mode) without connecting to a network, going through the setup process, and without the S2 app? Such an option will be very useful when you are setting it up in a location where you don’t have a phone, don’t have a local network (wired or otherwise), and of course thus – don’t have internet.I tried this with Arc alone and works pretty well. Just unbox it, power it on, connect to the TV with eArc and it’s good to go. TV will control the volume via eArc. However, there is no way to make Arc and Sub communicate with each other. If Sonos can come up with an option where you just tether both devices via the ethernet port and they establish communication automatically.I understand such a setup will not benefit from streaming, EQ setting, or any other control for that matter. But it will be great to have such an option where you can simply unbox the system,

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ratty
7 hours ago
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darshakparmarContributor II
asked in Home theater

Direct connection between Sonos Arc and Sub Gen 3?

I recently bought Sonos Arc + Sub Gen 3. I was wondering if there is a way Sonos Arc can connect directly with Sub Gen 3 (without being depedent on WiFi). Similar to how Samsung Q950A or JBL Bar 9.1 does.

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ratty
7 hours ago
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ClarkKent77Avid Contributor I
asked in Home theater

No Dolby Or Dolby Atmos With Blu-Ray Player?

I’ve got the Sonos Surround Set. Just bought the Samsung QD-OLED, which has eArc.  I am now able to get Dolby Atmos and Dolby 5.1 etc through Netflix and Disney Plus, etc. However, when I put in some Blu-Rays where I should be getting Dolby or Dolby Atmos, all I’m getting is Stereo PCM. At the moment, my Blu-Ray player (Sony Ultra HD) is connected to the TV via HDMI cable. The Sonos Arc is connected to the TV via another HDMI cable. Am I missing something? I’ve looked at the menu on the Blu-Ray player, and I can’t see any settings that might need changed. Does anyone know how to sort this? 

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C
9 hours ago
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PsioneerContributor I
asked in Home theater

AAC 5.1 Confusion

So according all sources AAC 5.1 codec is not supported for Sonos home theatre products, specifically in my case, the Playbase [with 2x Play 1’s and a Sub]However, my PC is my media source, connected to the Playbase via an optical cable.I have long suspected I’m getting surround sound from AAC 5.1 encoded files - but this is not possible right?However I’ve just downloaded an AAC 5.1 test file:Fraunhofer Test Filewhich seems to deliver accurate 5.1 sound.Confused.Is it possible that my PC’s soundcard is decoding the audio channel before sending it down the optical cable and is bypassing the Sonos processing? 

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ratty
1 day ago
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andrew richardsContributor I
posted in Home theater

Sonos Arc audio keeps cutting out.

I have a sonos ARC and sound keeps cutting out for 1-2 seconds and then picks back up. My sonos was fine for about 1 week after purchasing but now the sound will cut out periodically. Here is my diagnostics number 103248445. How can I fix this issue?

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T
2 days ago
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slongChezTrending Lyricist I
posted in Home theater

LG CX - LPCM 7.1 Issues (Possibly Resolved)

Hey everyone,Not sure if anyone else has noticed this, but after the latest LG CX firmware update, I am now receiving the proper Multichannel PCM 5.1 output on my Sonos system. Previously on either of my consoles via Xbox Series X or PS5, LPCM 5.1 content would always come out as Multichannel PCM 7.1 even if the console is set to A/V Receiver and 5.1.Not sure if this was either fixed by the latest Sonos updates or the LG firmware update. This is related to this issue.Please read if you have encountered issues with 7.1 LPCM playback on Sonos via an LG TV

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S
2 days ago
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ngkayContributor I
posted in Home theater

Problem adding surrounds to Beam

Trying at add a pair of Symfonisk bookshelf speakers as surrounds to my Beam. I set them up and confirmed they were working individually. Then I tried adding them as surrounds.I go thru the setup and it fails saying “There is a problem adding your surrounds. Check the network connection and make sure your products are powered on. Try again.” They are powered on and network is working fine (could play music up until starting the setup).Pressing “Try again” instantly gets the same error. If I exit the setup, the Living Room (where the Beam is) now says “Living Room (+?+?)” and I have “Remove Surrounds” in the rooms menu. I tried playing something in 5.1 but no sound is coming from them. The 2 Symfonisks are also now gone from my system and I need to factory reset them to get them to appear in the app again.How do I setup the surrounds properly without error?

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Airgetlam
3 days ago
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darshakparmarContributor II
posted in Home theater

Volume level sync with TV

I started using Sonos Arc today with Sony Bravia XR X90J. I can see that there are mulitple layers of volume control. Volume level control in the App Volume level control that appears when phone’s volume buttons are pressed (appears as CAST volume control, I am using an android phone) Volume level control on TV which in turn controls the volume of Arc via HDMI eARC Master Volume limiter in the App advanced settingsWhat I have observed is that the volume level displayed on TV is not synronized with what it shows on the Sonos App. Also, Sonos App volume control overrides TV’s volume control - acts like a master volume knob! For example, I kept raising TV volume to 90% and yet, Arc was barely audible. I also checked the volume limiter in the App and it was at 100%. At first, I thought it’s an issue with the overall output of Arc, later I realized the regular volume control on the App was at 10%.Shouldnt the App’s volume control increase when TV sends command to Arc to increase the volume

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D
3 days ago
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Bo33bContributor I
asked in Home theater

Beam Atmos Test?

Best method to test/demo Beam gen2 Atmos - Maybe similar to 5.1 system where various speakers (LF, RF, LR, RR, C, SW) are emphasized? Or some Atmos content with specific known "Height" points etc...Not exactly sure what I expected from Beam/Atmos but somewhat disappointed.... Connected via eARC to latest LG OLED. Sonos App shows "Atmos Content" (Prime, Netflix Premium) connected. TruePlay calibrated. Use area is approx 20 by 14 w/sloping 19->12 foot ceilings, listening 10 foot front-center from Beam.Thanks!

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3 days ago
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Macx214Contributor I
asked in Home theater

airplay sonos

Wanting to airplay a video from ipad to my sonos beam which is then connected to a monitor. Does the beam only output audio and no video?

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J
3 days ago
RangerDog
RangerDogAvid Contributor I
posted in Home theater

Upgrading TV seems to also force a Sonos upgrade, which leads to more choices.

Currently I have an 8+ year-old TV that has performed well but it is heading toward an honorable retirement. It is mounted in a corner of the viewing room on an articulated wall mount as will its larger, more technically adept replacement (LG QNED85AQA) with such new feats as Dolby Atmos, Dolby Vision and I’m hoping enough simplicity to learn how to use it. I will also attach an Apple TV (latest available currently) since I love the interface. I also requirement a second box from Dish TV to give me local channels and traditional viewing. (This is non-negotiable for other household members.) For audio the current setup is a Sonos Playbar mated to a early Sonos Subwoofer and a pair of Play:1s for rear channel. I imagine I’ll hook the Playbar up via optical to start while fiddling with the TV and sorting the video. This is also where I listen to music so I can maintain a happy status quo in that capacity. Once that’s sorted no doubt I will want the Atmos effect. Literally, a 2-minute stor

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Airgetlam
3 days ago
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futurecrnawebbContributor II
posted in Home theater

7.1 surround sound

Is there any plan for Sonos to ever make us all happy and support 7.1 surround sound? I love the Arc but it takes up 3 channels. 

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Stanley_4
3 days ago
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matthewgeorgegContributor I
asked in Home theater

Have to turn tv off and on multiple times for audio to work

Hi i’ve been having a problem with my set up for some time now.  I have Sky Q which i watch on a samsung tv. My sonos bean is connected by arc hdmi, and there are 2 play 1’s connected vis the wifi as surround sound.  Often, but not always, when I turn on the TV the sound does not work. Sometimes it will play sound for around 1 second, then go off. Other times, just no sound.  To get it to work I have to turn the TV off and back on, usually a few times - sometimes 8 or more times! Quite frustrating.  Can anyone help with this issue??  Ive read a few similar ish posts and have restarted my equipement, checked TV is on autoplay, and am all up to date.  I have also just swapped the HDMI lead in case that was a problem. Time will tell.  Thanks!

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M
4 days ago
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HuggybabyContributor I
asked in Home theater

PS5 to Sonos Beam 2 down mixing LPCM 5.1 to Stereo PCM

Hi all, I have a challenge for you…I have a PS5 connecting to the game port on a Samsung Q90 TV and then the Q90 connecting to to a Sonos beam Gen 2 via the E-arc port. I have 2 x Play:1’s serving as surround speakers. I have the ps5 set to output the audio stream as bitstream to the TV. TV is set to “pass-through” on the audio settings. I am trying to play a blu-ray from the PS5 which I can see (from the PS5 screen) is outputting as LPCM 5.1, 48khz. However, when I look at the Sonos app it shows up as Stereo PCM, so it seems to be down mixing. If I put my ear really close to the rear surrounds I can just about hear a faint noise, but it’s not what you would call surround sound. Has anyone come across this? I think the config is okay - if I play a blu-ray from the ps5 using Dolby true-HD 5.1 it plays fine in all it’s surround sound glory and shows up on the sono app as True-HD. I am also getting good surround sound from Amazon Prime, so I think this problem is related to LPCM 5.1 only.

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H
4 days ago
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skeller23Contributor I
asked in Home theater

Blu-ray player for LG C1 and Sonos Arc?

I recently upgraded to an LG C1 with my Sonos Arc (running in home theater with a pair of Ones and a sub) and love it...until I tried to get a new UHD player (Sony X700) that supports Dolby Vision and ran into the dreaded problem where DTS signals are only getting downmixed as PCM Stereo. I’ve read the monster thread on this topic (linked below) on the Panasonic UB820 and it seems it has the same issues.What’s incredibly frustrating is that clearly the TV is capable of passing through LPCM properly if the player converts DTS to it, as I have this working with DTS tracks on my Xbox Series X and PS5 -- but neither of them support Dolby Vision for disc playback (so frustrating).I’m willing to spend money to solve the problem but do not want to get an HD Fury Arcana if I can at all avoid it because I don’t want to add an HDMI switch to my setup and I think that’s unavoidable with multiple components and the Arcana. Worst-case scenario I suppose I will use the PS5 for discs with DTS tracks

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G
4 days ago
Cheezy2
Cheezy2Avid Contributor I
asked in Home theater

Volume difference when switching between TV and music

There is a significant difference in volume when switching from TV to music on my soundbar, ones, sub 5.1 system. Comfortable listening on the TV becomes way to loud when switching over to music. Have to remember to turn down the volume when switching over. Is there any way to adjust this so the volume is the same for both.

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L
4 days ago
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bigboyz989Contributor I
asked in Home theater

After update to version 14.12, subwoofer sound problem, sound volume is low

After updating to version 14.12, I re-tuned the trueplay tuning, the result is that the subwoofer sound is small, position, sub audio is 0, but the volume is low. I'm using a Gen 3 sub woofer.Hopefully sonos will fix this bug soon thank you

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G
4 days ago
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throwawaybeam2Contributor I
posted in Home theater

Multichannel PCM 5.1 dropping out since 14.10 update

Anyone else experiencing the same issue? Multichannel PCM 5.1 blanks out for a second every 1-2 minutes. I don’t think it’s a bandwidth issue as it works flawlessly with Multichannel PCM 7.1 (thorough test) and Dolby TrueHD Atmos (quick test). And it may have been caused by the Sonos 14.10 update. Setup is PS5→ LG C1→ Beam 2 (via earc). 2 weeks ago before the 14.10 update, I watched a bluray film wherein I had my PS5 transcode the DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio to Multichannel PCM 5.1 (as the C1 does not support DTS) and had no issues. Earlier today, I played a bluray film for the first time in 2 weeks and I encountered consistent audio dropouts every 1-2 minutes. It had the same setup where DTS-HD MA 5.1 → Multichannel PCM 5.1. I tested other bluray discs including the one I watched 2 weeks ago and they all now have the same issue. Curiously, I’ve been gaming heavily on my PS5 the past two 2 weeks and haven’t had any audio issues. Then I realized that I’ve been using Multichannel PCM 7.1 when ga

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R
5 days ago
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nick776Trending Lyricist I
posted in Home theater

New Behaviour with 14.16

I finally got the chance to tinker around with 14.16 today.  I have an Arc plus Sub Gen 2.  Oddly enough, when I turn TruePlay OFF it totally neuters the bass on my system.  When it is on it sounds powerful and authoritative, more so than before.  I was not prompted to re-run TruePlay as others were upon downloading 14.16.  Has anyone else noticed more pronounced bass with 14.16 with TruePlay ON as opposed to the other way around (the “work around”)?  Specifically, has anyone else noticed better bass with Arc plus Sub Gen 2 when running 14.16?

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J
5 days ago
J
JeroenVREnthusiast II
posted in Home theater

Update 14.16

Where is it?

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Ken_Griffiths
5 days ago
Salty Pug
Salty PugContributor I
posted in Home theater

Can I connect my Apple TV and gaming systems to a AV receiver and Sonos Beam to my TV’s eARC?

I have a LG C1 OLED TV with a Sonos Beam, Sub, and two Plays for my rear audio. My Beam is connected to my LG’s eARC for audio. I also have a very heavy gaming set-up that includes a PS5, Xbox Series X, Gaming PC, Nitendo Switch, and an Apple TV.I want to take advantage of 4K 120hz gaming, but also keep my Dolby Atmos for my Apple TV and gaming when available. I don’t have enough HDMI inputs on my TV to hook everything up. Would a AV receiver like the Onkyo NR-6100 work if I used that to just hook all my gaming systems and Apple TV into it and then connect that one of the TV’s HDMI 2.1 ports and keep the Sonos Beam connnected to the TV’s eARC or would there be audio pass through issues with that? If that wouldn’t work is there any HDMI 2.1 switches that anyone can recommend?

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Airgetlam
6 days ago

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