Android and Trueplay

I realize it’s not the same thing exactly, but I think the best way to hear the difference tuning makes is with the Move and it’s auto trueplay.  Let it sit in one location for awhile then move it to a different location in the house.  You can immediately tell that it doesn’t sound as good in the new location until the trueplay fixes things.

This is one area the BOSE 700 wins …..has a little headset mic you wear that you do room correction with. You look stupid while doing it but it works

One can do this for every other tuned speaker by merely toggling true play on/off, something that can be done even with android phones, once the speaker has been tuned via an i device - and the result is close to immediate. Another reason why the restriction around using only the latter for tuning is less of an issue - if the tuned sound is not preferred, one can always revert to the untuned state via the android device.

Since I take care with speaker placement to start with, the differences are not more than very subtle for my play 1 units. But where my bonded Sub is concerned, true play does the job of eliminating bass bloat to a great extent.

I suspect it may do a lot more for the HT products which have to be placed under the TV, which may not acoustically be the best location for them.

Interesting enough, although I have an android that didn’t have the trueplay option, once I ran the trueplay on an Iphone my son had, it appeared as an option on my android. At least I can switch it on and off within the android. You just can’t retune.

Must agree with BlackWatch,

It IS kinda strange (and disappointing) that Sonos is so biased towards iOS when there are more than twice as many Android users out there.

To leave out a feature like TruePlay from Android as well as only supporting AirPlay(2) is simply (In lack of other words) ridiculous,
 

Honestly the Sonos Arc will be my first and last Sonos device unless they change this stance and others.  As others have stated nothing on the Sonos Arc main page mentions TruePlay is iOS only. In my opinion this is very deceptive in their marketing. From the Sonos Arc main page below.

“Tuned to perfection

Trueplay tuning technology optimizes the sound for the unique acoustics of the room where Arc is placed, calibrating the height channels for precise localization.”

The omission of DTS, which I did know going into buying the Arc, is just dumb, charge extra for a DTS model.  A lot of people are going out and buying a HDFury Arcana to solve LipSync issues because of a lack of an HDMI input on the device. Another poor design decision.  If it wasn’t for the rave reviews of the Arc on sound quality I would have passed.

I would gladly buy an approved or official Sonos mic to plug into my android device to run tune my Arc. I work for a Vendor myself and nothing pisses customers off more than a nonchalant answer like borrow a friends iPhone.  Borrowing an iPhone is not easy for me, especially in COVID days, almost all my friends and family use Android. 

Lastly if I decide to move my device to another TV or rearrange my room I need to inconvenience someone else so I can tune my Sonos is absurd.  

I thought when I bought the Arc it was going to be the beginning of a larger Sonos rollout in my house but sadly I will be looking for alternatives.

Thing is, if Sonos had never invented Trueplay and added it as a free upgrade on iOS a few years back, you would probably be delighted with your new Sonos product.  Trueplay sometimes makes little or no difference - it depends on the room.  I haven’t got round to tuning my Arc yet, but love the sound.

Shame you won’t be buying more Sonos - you will miss out on so much.

@John B that is 100% an untrue statement for me.  I have been optimizing my audio environments since my first Yamaha AVR 17 years ago.  I bought the Sonos because it offered this capability.  Every audio system I have purchased has been optimized as well as my video and it is something that I require when purchasing a product. 

So don’t assume what you don’t know.  Shame on Sonos for false advertising for what is a relatively easy and cheap fix to give Android TruPlay support via an external mic. 

And Sonos did not invent “TruePlay” they gave acoustical room optimization a marketing name but the technology has been around for decades. 

Sonos has been complaining about unfair practices from Google and Amazon for loss of customers, and I agree mostly with what Sonos has been saying.  That is another reason I went to Sonos, but if they don’t listen to their customer and come up with lame excuses as to why they cannot support features.  Then that will be why they lose me as a customer not because of Google/Amazon etc.  Customer satisfaction is how you keep customers and I am not satisfied

Loss of customers? I believe the Sonos results showed they had gained 1.8 million households worldwide in the last year. Sonos are taking legal action for patent infringement against certain companies,  as they have done successfully in the past with others. Of course they would protect their intellectual property.

When you say that Sonos doesn't listen to their customers, what you really mean is that your pet feature has not been their top priority. 

You are of course free to think what you like and buy what you like. I wish you well.