App says ARC playing Atmos but it doesn’t sound like it

  • 27 December 2021
  • 32 replies
  • 1725 views
F
Badge +2

I just bought a Sonos Arc to replace the Playbar. My current set up is Arc, Sub, Sonos 1 & One SL as surround speakers. 

After switching over to the ARC I can't really tell a huge difference from the Playbar. It sounds good, but so did my Playbar. I've tried some Atmos movies through my 4k firestick. When playing  atmos movie my Sonos 2 app is telling me it's playing Atmos (movies through HBO Max). I changed a setting on my tv which allowed the Atmos designation to show up on my Sonos 2 app. The fire stick also is set for best sound available. 
 

I’ve moved the ARC so it's about 4” below the tv and in front. It's about 5 feet from the ceiling (flat). ARC is about head level when sitting on couch which is about 8’ away or so. I tried true tuning. I've even played with the Highs setting for the Arc and never noticed anything by doing that. 
 

Do I need to unpair my rear speakers and just do speaker and sub?  I’m not sure if im missing something here. Im disappointed that the sound quality doesn't really feel upgraded considering the price I paid for a new Sonos Arc compared to the Playbar I used to have. 

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.

32 replies

G
Userlevel 7

Samsung QN90BD-Q65BL1

Make sure you have the TV set to these settings:

HDMI-eARC Mode: Auto

Digital Output Audio Format: Pass-Through

And, if possible, test the film Blade Runner 2049 on Blu-ray disc. It has A LOT of height channel effects. On your Blu-ray player, set Digital Audio Output to Auto and set the BD Audio Mix and Audio DRC settings to OFF.

"Receive with simplicity everything that happens to you." - Rashi
Ken_Griffiths

OMG!  There is NO difference in the upward firing speakers from negative zero all the way up to 10 !!  NONE!

If that’s whilst playing Atmos Music audio, then perhaps check the Arc ‘room’ settings and ensure that ‘Spatial Music" audio has not been disabled.

If there’s an issue whilst playing Atmos TV audio and the ‘Now Playing’ screen badge confirms the audio source as Atmos, then perhaps go onto try a few different A/V Atmos sources and if still no joy with the height adjustment control in the Sonos App, then it maybe best to submit a Sonos system diagnostic report from within the App and either note/post it’s reference back here and then contact/chat with Sonos Support Staff via this LINK  and see what the Staff can perhaps suggest to resolve the matter.

M
Badge

Bro, I feel your pain. I had a Playbar. I was SO excited when the ARC came out; Dolby Atmos. I get NO overhead sound whatsoever. And everything “Dolby Atmos” that can be enabled IS enabled. I have 8’ sheetrocked ceilings. I can sit 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 feet from the TV and NO Dolby Atmos overheard sounds at all. I’ve listened & followed Pe’s advice, ALL OF IT, on YouTube, all for naught.  I’ve tried every type of HDMI cable on the market. I have a Sony 4K bluray player that says it supports Dolby Atmos. I have tried EVERY setting possible on the player. Nothing. I even ordered the $1000 Panasonic blu-ray player from the crutch in the field guys--NO difference, so I sent it back. I am now seriously considering selling my entire Sonos system and buying the new Nakamichi Dragon system. To say that I am disappointed is one of the greatest understatements of my life!!

F
Badge +2

100% agree.  I sold my ARC and bought a second sub.  Having the second sub with my living room vs having an ARC instead of a Player was worth it.  Playbar is awesome still.  The Nakamichi Dragon system looks cool.

G
Userlevel 7

Bro, I feel your pain. I had a Playbar. I was SO excited when the ARC came out; Dolby Atmos. I get NO overhead sound whatsoever. And everything “Dolby Atmos” that can be enabled IS enabled. I have 8’ sheetrocked ceilings. I can sit 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 feet from the TV and NO Dolby Atmos overheard sounds at all. I’ve listened & followed Pe’s advice, ALL OF IT, on YouTube, all for naught.  I’ve tried every type of HDMI cable on the market. I have a Sony 4K bluray player that says it supports Dolby Atmos. I have tried EVERY setting possible on the player. Nothing. I even ordered the $1000 Panasonic blu-ray player from the crutch in the field guys--NO difference, so I sent it back. I am now seriously considering selling my entire Sonos system and buying the new Nakamichi Dragon system. To say that I am disappointed is one of the greatest understatements of my life!!

What model TV do you have?

"Receive with simplicity everything that happens to you." - Rashi
G
Userlevel 7

What specific Dolby Atmos content are you testing? Try to find a movie or show with discrete height channel effects. If you have HBO Max, try testing the lobby scene from The Matrix.

Also, with a standard 8 foot ceiling, the ideal seating position to hear the height channels the best is sitting 5-8 feet away from the Arc. If you are seated further away than 8 feet, you probably won’t be able to hear much height channel effects above you.

Set the height audio level on the Arc to at least +5 or +6.

"Receive with simplicity everything that happens to you." - Rashi
F
Badge +2

I've played various action scenes (Justice League, ext...). Maybe the couch is too far?  Unfortunately I have a small room and a door way so I can't move the couch any closer. I might move the Arc upstairs to a bigger room (smaller tv) and see how it does by itself and put the playbar back in its original spot. It's safe to assume though it the Sonos 2 app is saying Atmos then the arc is playing atmos?

Is there any other way people try and test their Sonos system other than movies?  Is there any kind of app that allows atmos to be tested through Sonos speakers?  

 

 

 

G
Userlevel 7

If the Sonos app is showing the Dolby Atmos logo, you should be getting Atmos audio. You can also go to Settings > System > About My System and see what it says after “Audio In:” under the Arc info. It should show “Dolby Atmos (DD+)”.

What specific model TV do you have? What are the audio settings currently set to?

The reason why I mentioned testing The Matrix is because you should be able to CLEARLY hear height effects above you during the first few minutes of the movie beginning with the Village Roadshow logo. Set the height audio level to +10, sit about 6 feet away from the Arc, and start The Matrix. If you can’t hear anything above you, you probably aren’t getting actual Dolby Atmos audio.

"Receive with simplicity everything that happens to you." - Rashi
G
Userlevel 7

Here is a Dolby Atmos 5.1.2 test tones file. Put this MP4 file onto a USB flash drive and plug the drive into your TV to play the file.

http://download.dolby.com/us/en/test-tones/dolby-test-tones_5_1_2.mp4

"Receive with simplicity everything that happens to you." - Rashi
M
Badge

Samsung QN90BD-Q65BL1

M
Badge

I cannot set the Digital Output Audio Format to “ Pass-Through.”   When I try, I get the following message:  “The current audio format input cannot be passed through an ARC connection.”

M
Badge

BTW, all the other settings you suggested, I’ve already done. And I have Blade Runner 2049, (which I love:)  Sonos simply doesn’t project tangible overhead sound thru my ARC. I have tried everything that I can find online...and I mean everything!  All that $$$ and nothing.  GREAT sound, I’ll admit, maybe the best ever...but NO Dolby Atmos overhead sounds. SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!

G
Userlevel 7

BTW, all the other settings you suggested, I’ve already done. And I have Blade Runner 2049, (which I love:)  Sonos simply doesn’t project tangible overhead sound thru my ARC. I have tried everything that I can find online...and I mean everything!  All that $$$ and nothing.  GREAT sound, I’ll admit, maybe the best ever...but NO Dolby Atmos overhead sounds. SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!

Something isn’t right. What audio format is displayed in the Sonos app when playing Blade Runner 2049? Have you tried changing the Digital Output Audio Format setting while the Blu-ray is playing? What is the Height Audio level currently set to in the Sonos app? How far is the Arc from the ceiling? How far are you currently seated from the Arc?

"Receive with simplicity everything that happens to you." - Rashi
M
Badge

Audio format = Dolby Atmos. Absolutely. Yes I have tried changing the doaf. I have set height from normal to all the way to the top. NO change in sound at all.The ARC is 55 inches from the ceiling. As I said, it doesn’t matter how far I am from the ARC. Pe (on YouTube) suggested experimenting with that distance. I have tried EVERY distance. It simply doesn’t matter. Ironically, when I got the email moments ago about your response, I was, and am still, on Nakamichi’s website.  I’m tired of fighting this battle.  Last night, I watched The Matrix in Dolby Atmos. NO overhead sound. None. Nada. Zilch.

G
Userlevel 7

Audio format = Dolby Atmos. Absolutely. Yes I have tried changing the doaf. I have set height from normal to all the way to the top. NO change in sound at all.The ARC is 55 inches from the ceiling. As I said, it doesn’t matter how far I am from the ARC. Pe (on YouTube) suggested experimenting with that distance. I have tried EVERY distance. It simply doesn’t matter. Ironically, when I got the email moments ago about your response, I was, and am still, on Nakamichi’s website.  I’m tired of fighting this battle.  Last night, I watched The Matrix in Dolby Atmos. NO overhead sound. None. Nada. Zilch.

Very odd. I can hear A LOT of height channel effects when I play The Matrix. If you place your ear right next to the upward firing drivers, do you hear any audio being played out of them?

"Receive with simplicity everything that happens to you." - Rashi
M
Badge

Exactly where are the upward firing drivers?

Airgetlam

 

Bruce
G
Userlevel 7

Exactly where are the upward firing drivers?

 

"Receive with simplicity everything that happens to you." - Rashi
M
Badge

It is 1:18a.m. where I live. My wife would kill me if I fired up that system now;)  I’ll try in the morning & respond. Thanks to EVERYONE who has tried to help me. I deeply appreciate it. I sincerely do!!

N
Userlevel 5
Badge +7

Well, it’s official:  I AM getting sound out of the upward firing speakers on the ARC; I can hear it when I bend over & put my ear close. So WHY oh why am I NOT getting overhead sound?  I thought about getting a pair of ERA 300’s since they supposedly support Dolby Atmos, too, but they would only recieve rear sound signals, so IF they did produce overheard sound I would assume it would be minimal at best. I give up. Thanks to everyone who tried to help. This is a great community.


 

thats good, if you've identified the upfiring drivers are working, then we can love to the next potential issues.

the most likely reason you don't hear anything even when switching the height channel audio from minus 10 to plus 10 is because:

The audio is getting blocked: Make sure there is no furniture or objects above the soundbar that can block the audio - some people put their soundbar inside a shelf and it blocks the audio from exiting the shelf, some put it under the TV in a position where the TV blocks the sound - the upfiring audio travels in about a 45 degree angle from the soundbar 

 

Another issue can be your ceiling: Either the ceiling is too high, or the ceiling is not flat, or the ceiling is made from a sound absorbing material. The best type of ceiling for Atmos is a normal or low ceiling height, a flat ceiling and a wood/board type material. The worst  ceilings are high ceiling, vaulted ceilings and ceiling with sound deadening materials 

 

And the 3rd and last potential issue is your seating position. You may be sitting too close or too far from the soundbar, you should experiment to see if moving position might help. In my experience if I sit just two feet too far or too close I won't hear overhead effects, that's how crucial seating position with upfiring speakers 

 

SONOS ARC | SONOS Sub | SONOS Play 1 x 2 | LG C9 OLED | PS5 | RTX3090 Gaming PC | Sennheiser GSP600 Headset | Audio Pro T8L Desktop Monitors
M
Badge

Well, it’s official:  I AM getting sound out of the upward firing speakers on the ARC; I can hear it when I bend over & put my ear close. So WHY oh why am I NOT getting overhead sound?  I thought about getting a pair of ERA 300’s since they supposedly support Dolby Atmos, too, but they would only recieve rear sound signals, so IF they did produce overheard sound I would assume it would be minimal at best. I give up. Thanks to everyone who tried to help. This is a great community.

G
Userlevel 7

Well, it’s official:  I AM getting sound out of the upward firing speakers on the ARC; I can hear it when I bend over & put my ear close. So WHY oh why am I NOT getting overhead sound?  I thought about getting a pair of ERA 300’s since they supposedly support Dolby Atmos, too, but they would only recieve rear sound signals, so IF they did produce overheard sound I would assume it would be minimal at best. I give up. Thanks to everyone who tried to help. This is a great community.

While your ear is next to the upward firing drivers, if you adjust the Height Audio level from 0 to +10, can you hear the difference in volume?

Do you mind posting photos of your setup including the ceiling and sofa?

"Receive with simplicity everything that happens to you." - Rashi
M
Badge

OMG!  There is NO difference in the upward firing speakers from negative zero all the way up to 10 !!  NONE!

Airgetlam

I think you’re missing the other option, that a standard non-Atmos signal has been encoded in an Atmos container, and isn’t carrying all the correct data. I used to have this issue with pre-season football games where the encoded signal in the Dolby Digital carrier was only stereo. Extraordinarily frustrating. 

Bruce
G
Userlevel 7

Thanks for the links!  If my ceiling is 7’ high do you know how this effects seating?  Closer/farther away Vs 8’ ceilings?  Lowering/raising the ARC from the floor?  Just curious options of positioning ARC higher/lower vs moving couch forward/speaker closer (which isn't really an option).  Thanks again!

I shorter ceiling would move the ideal listening position closer to the Arc. So lowering the Arc away from the ceiling should slightly increase the distance of the ideal listening position. But of course you don’t want the Arc to be too far away from the ceiling where it cannot effectively reflect audio. But you shouldn’t run into this problem with 7-foot ceilings. See this diagram:

FYI… I have 8-foot ceilings and my Sonos Arc is positioned 6 feet away from the ceiling. My ideal listening position to hear the height channels the best is 5-8 feet away from the Arc with my head positioned at about the same level as the Arc. I have the Height Audio Level on the Arc set to +6.

"Receive with simplicity everything that happens to you." - Rashi
Terms & ConditionsCookie settings