14.14 has NOT fixed Subwoofer issues, at least not for us


Userlevel 2

It’s pretty disappointing that Sonos has put out another update, yet the problem with the sub is still there. I have done everything I can, including removing the sub out of my network, re-installing, changing settings, turning off trueplay etc. still the Sub is mediocre now at best. We spent quite a bit of money for this type of return on our investment? SONOS, you’re really letting us down. I do read some reviews where some people don't have an issue, But I suspect this may be what Peter Pee was referring to. as its affecting some but not others. 

 

We are getting to the point where, if things don't get fixed in a hurry, we will ditch Sonos all together and go back to a tried and true dedicated system. My wife and I enjoy our cinema time at home, especially since the whole pandemic thing took place, we watch a lot of movies at home. We downsized our home in 2019 and decided to downsize our HT system as well (came from Marantz, SVS 7.2 Home theater system). We had towers, center channels, height speakers and surrounds and two giant SVS subs that thumped the entire home, and when watching movies, we never had issues with voice clarity or subwoofers not rumbling. In came Sonos and we were delighted. However, we did have to give up a bit of vocal clarity, but it was fine. We were exited to hear Sonos had come up with an update to fix that, but then...Bam, sub issues galore. 

Here’s what we want sonos. Give us the thump back. Give us access to set center channel levels at our discretion, not yours, and before you push updates, please make sure it doesn't affect other areas that are so imperative to the Sonos set up we all have. The sub is such a vital part of our set ups. 

In all, If it becomes apparent that Sonos doesn't really want to fix the Sub issue, we will jump ship. and I’, assuming other will too. Fix it, or we’re gone..


This topic has been closed for further comments. You can use the search bar to find a similar topic, or create a new one by clicking Create Topic at the top of the page.

10 replies

@Robdizzle73,
The workaround that the Sonos Staff mentioned early on, is also what Peter Pee suggested, so perhaps try the suggestion each mentioned, until a firmware/software update resolves the matter for you.

If it doesn’t work for your HT/Sub setup, then you may have another coincidental issue, in which case, you are perhaps best to submit a system diagnostic report and post the generated reference number back here, then go onto contact Sonos Support via this LINK and see if they can perhaps assist you further. 

And there was zero indication that the release of the latest round of software was intended to address that issue, something, given the feedback in the announcements thread, I’d think they would have/will do. 

Userlevel 2

Thanks for the input, and I get it,  But True Play turned off, still doesn't make the sub what the sub should be. I’m pretty technically and mechanically proficient, So there’s no other issues other than the what the 14.12 update did really did a number on the output of the sub. The sub worked superbly before 14.12. This isn't something anything other than an new update should fix.  I get what Peter has suggested, but that is not a fix, it’s a band aid until a proper ix is worked out. I guess what bothers me more is that since then, 14.14 came out and should have fixed the issue. If am I Sonos, the sub issue should have been priority #1. Instead they push an update with enhancements and make no mention of it fixing or addressing the sub issue.  Not running true play is not a fix. We dont have options really to fix sound to our liking at all. We aren't given an option like an EQ to adjust levels ourselves (other than the levels of surrounds volume). What we really want, or what I want for sure is the ability to adjust levels all around. A simple thing like instead of 14.12 would have been to give the user the ability to raise or lower center channel to our liking, just like we have for the surrounds. Is this harder to do that we think? Maybe. Or it could be Sonos just doesn't want us to have that type of control, much how Apple only wants you to be able to use their device they way they see fit To me, coming from a dedicated system that I had full control over every aspect, seems like something Sonos should try and provide to an extent . I’m not looking for anything like I had with a dedicated system, other wise I would have stayed with it, but just the bare EQ levels to suit to our liking. Sound is subjective, and Sonos would be smart to give us the ability to adjust levels of center, front rears and Atmos to our liking. I just hope they come out with an update expressly addressing the sub issue, and also, maybe giving us the control we want, what 14.12 should have been. 

I’m not convinced there was an appropriate time to address the issue, and then test it to be sure that something else got “broken” before this particular release was made. 

Nor do I perceive, given the post at the beginning of that thread, that Sonos is ignoring the issue, but I just don’t think there’s enough time between those two releases to get that “fix” in.

I kind of expect that to be in the next release….but then I’m not sure I have a good handle on how much research and effort was needed to track down why things changed as much as they appear to have with many folks. And then, once that’s identified, how much time is needed to address that in code, and then do the internal (and I assume external) testing necessary.

Am I happy about the length of time between software releases? Never. Am I unhappy about how little information Sonos includes in their release notes? Always. Do I understand the complexity of releasing software with updates? Yes, unfortunately so. 

There are EQ Bass/Treble, Sub-Volume and Front/Rear TV/Music Audio-Level slider controls, aswell as a loudness option in the App already.

So, with Trueplay off, you should find enough control there to restore your Sub output level - Our Sub will easily shake the room here with both TV and music audio, if I play with the customisation controls mentioned.

If you are still not able to achieve that, then there is likely something else amiss with your system, in which case Sonos Support is perhaps still your best bet.

Userlevel 2

I agree on the time thing, however, why not wait, figure it out and come out with the fix, along with the enhancements in the same update? 14.14 gave us hope that it addressed the sub issue, but it didn't. in fact, why not officially let us know they are working on it? Users have to come to this site and navigate through a maze of info just to get to the point of a note from them telling us how to band aid it till further notice. I think communication is key here. This should be something communicated on their landing page, not on a tiny column in the back page of the newspaper. Just let us know what’s going on, and what you're doing to fix it along with a possible time frame. My gripe is just not being able to use this product as it is intended to be used, and having to blindly wait for an update leaves a bit of bad taste in my mouth. How long do we have to wait? days? weeks? months? never? We had plans to watch the newly released Top Gun Maverik this weekend, and we are putting that off, until our Sonos system works as it should be. 

In the mean time, I have found myself surfing the web and ending up looking at dedicated HT systems again (and calculating time and costs in my head) more out of curiosity, but also in the back of my mind thinking that I could just sell my Sonos system to some poor schmuck and let him deal with it.  Yes the wife might sigh, and say something like “we’re back to towers and a whole new system eh?” but she loves the sound as much as I do, so we’d both be willing to forego the aesthetics of Sonos, for bulky yet beautiful speakers. But we don't really want to. Sonos is beautiful, practical and when it works, great! Cant say what Sonos has done isn't awesome. Just want it to work the way we all have grown to love. 

Userlevel 2

Ken, yes I know about all of that too, but just me complaining about how much I like what true play has done for my set up and the room my set up is in. I can somewhat achieve that sound, but not to my liking as it was before. It’s like I have to settle for less than I had. I’m not one to settle. I’’ say it again, good on Sonos for trying to fix the center channel clarity. But, instead of them “fixing it” why not give us control over it? In the mean time, they’ve ruined trueplay for those of us with ARC/SUB configurations. Like I said, turning off trueplay is not a fix. its a bandaid. There’s nothing amiss with the system. I just dont like what Sonos lets me achieve on my own without TruePlay. I liked what Trueplay did for my listening. 

 

@Robdizzle73,
Only iOS controller users have the option to Trueplay their Sonos speakers anyway - many more Android users don’t even have that luxury and rely on the customisation controls mentioned. So any fix is presumably not going to be much different for those users in any case.

That’s why my thoughts are, that if you cannot achieve getting your Sub-level back to near where it was with the available customisation tools, when Trueplay is disabled, then there maybe something else happening with your setup.

If you think that might be the case, then I am just suggesting to contact Sonos Support to see what they can perhaps discover from your system diagnostic.

Switching Trueplay off and adjusting the features mentioned within the App, should be able to resolve the Sub issue, which is exactly what Peter Pee’s findings showed as being the case too …and that was backed up with his frequency output comparison charts in his YT videos.

Userlevel 2

Again, I’m not questioning the work around.  I just happen to really like what TruePlay does for my set up vs turning off Trueplay to bring back the Sub and adjusting limited levels of sound and volume from there. It is not the same.  I understand what you are saying. Also, the fact that Android users cant use TruePlay isn't my concern since I am on Apple. My issue is I that have paid for a system that has updated it’s software, and rendered TruePlay useless, for now. I like what TruePlay does, or did.  And turning it off and using the available customization tools does not give me the previous quality of sound I enjoyed. Like I said, sound is subjective. So maybe yours ears are different than mine. I’ve already done turning off trueplay, and playing with settings from there.  Yes I get the sub back, but the Spatial sound I had with TruePlay just isn't there now. It’s lacking, it’s not as profound and well rounded. It’s a bit flat, and not as rich and deep. At least to me. You keep going back to something else being wrong with my system. There is not, but I appreciate your input on that and the advice. In the end, my gripe is that Sonos keeps making changes no one wanted. And wont or haven't give us the changes we do. There are some people that don't like TruePlay.  I do. I happen to think that is the exact reason I like Sonos so much. Even with my dedicated system, we had calibration mics and ran Audyssey calibration software as starting point, and then from there we could fine tune and tweak levels of everything imaginable. Sonos does not give us the ability to have a simple dedicated EQ and give us more control. Even Peter Pee has suggested time and again for Sonos to do that. Yes, I like what Sonos lets us do, but its not enough in my opinion. But I was fine with that because TruePlay, at least for me, did a really good job of placing said levels exactly where I want them, other than center channel vocalization. To me, if they cant give me the ability to customize center channel, and fix the Sub issue WHILE running TruePlay, it is perhaps a deal breaker. I would rather go back to a dedicated system, where I can get the customization on my terms, not theirs. Thanks for the convo Ken.  

Userlevel 4
Badge +5

Yes I get the sub back, but the Spatial sound I had with TruePlay just isn't there now. It’s lacking, it’s not as profound and well rounded. It’s a bit flat, and not as rich and deep. At least to me.

You’re totally right. I experienced the exact same thing. For music playback I did found another workaround (if you have surrounds). I did set the playback from “ambient” to “full” and reduced the slider to -5, That way the vocals coming from the rear and kinda making the sound spatial. 
 

Nothing the less…. It’s not what we want. We want the old Trueplay back and I’m pretty sure we will. But it takes too long from Sonos to fix this. From a company like Sonos we could expect a quicker response for sure. What also bothers me, Sonos hardly reacts to this complaint on the community. It’s giving me a feeling they don’t really care and letting their consumers down. At least Sonos has to inform us about their progress, about what they are doing to get things right. At this moment, they don’t and the community kind of explodes with comments from unhappy costumers like you and me. 
And then with patch 14.14 there is hardly any information about what is does. What costed me a whole evening figuring everything out again and sadly I had to make the conclusion that Trueplay, after 5 weeks, was still broken. 
I had to reach out to Sonos myself to clear things up, and eventually they admitted the bug was still not fixed. 
I can partly understand that this is not easy to fix and need some time, but at least let us know what’s going on.

We have 2 choices here…. 1. Get rid of the system and invest in something else, or 2. Be patient, and for the time being, try to enjoy the system with Trueplay turned off. 

And given the feedback in the announcements thread, I'd have thought they would have addressed this issue with the release of the most recent round of software, but there was no indication that they had or would do so.