Not sure where to post but I need to chime in. I love this forum, but a question for all the complainers of DTS not being supported. Did you actually research before you purchased this very expensive equipment? I have read so many people whining “I’m going to return my Sonos” or I’m selling my gear” or “wahhhhhh I’m not buying Sonos unless they give me DTS”. I spent hours researching before I even went to the store to give it a listen. It very clear and in no way hidden that this equipment is geared towards streaming media and music. It clearly states that DTS is not supported. To be honest, I didn’t even know people still watch DVDs! Wait....are VCRs still around too?? People think that Sonos is not listening. I believe they are listening and their answer is NO. They have a very specific brand with one goal in mind. Add music easily throughout your whole home. I think the 5.1 is a bonus but it’s not their claim to fame. I have the 5.1 set up and a couple Play 5s and could not be happier with them. Movies AND Music sound great.
Please stop complaining. If the equipment is not exactly what you want, don’t buy it and please don’t whine that you would buy it “if”. Should I call Apple and tell them I’ll buy thousands of dollars of their brand if they “would simply integrate windows 10” to their interface? Ok, enough venting for 1 day. Phew, that felt good! Bring on the hateful comments, I can handle it.
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.
Page 7 / 7
That's not to say that trends won't change, and Sonos needs to pay attention to what codecs people are using. Absolutely they do. It was leaked a while back that Sonos sent out a customer survey asking about interest in Dolby Atmos. I think that shows that they are at least looking at trends.
Netflix / streaming services for now only deliver compressed image and sound due to bandwith issues. If bandwith became less of a problem Netflix would move to HD sound. Why wouldn't they? They have done so in the past.
Then Sonos for home cinema will be truely obsolete.
Atmos is irrelevant since Sonos only does 5.1. I'm talking about higher quality sound with more detail.
Everybody would be enjoying higher definition sound, except Sonos users, who will be stuck on 30+ year old dolby digital or select the stereo track.
But thats the future. Currently, if you want uncompressed image and sound, UltraHD Bluray is your only option. The difference between physical and streaming in terms of quality is still immense. That means, that if you want the best quality you don't end up at Sonos. That is not something I knew when i bought Sonos, I only found out once I owned it.
IMHO, nobody concerned with having the "best quality" home theater sound would ever consider a soundbar in the first place.
That's not to say that trends won't change, and Sonos needs to pay attention to what codecs people are using. Absolutely they do. It was leaked a while back that Sonos sent out a customer survey asking about interest in Dolby Atmos. I think that shows that they are at least looking at trends.
Netflix / streaming services for now only deliver compressed image and sound due to bandwith issues. If bandwith became less of a problem Netflix would move to HD sound. Why wouldn't they? They have done so in the past.
Then Sonos for home cinema will be truely obsolete.
You're assuming that Sonos HT products don't have the ability to update firmware accordingly. I can't say that's true for the Beam and Amp, but the others are surely limited by the optical connection.
Atmos is irrelevant since Sonos only does 5.1. I'm talking about higher quality sound with more detail.
I brought up atmos to show that Sonos is looking at the market. Perhaps they will introduce new products or setup where atmos, or something approximating it, is supported.
Everybody would be enjoying higher definition sound, except Sonos users, who will be stuck on 30+ year old dolby digital or select the stereo track.
Right. Because everybody except Sonos users have AV equipment that supports whatever HD codec happens to be dominating the market in a few years?
But thats the future. Currently, if you want uncompressed image and sound, UltraHD Bluray is your only option. The difference between physical and streaming in terms of quality is still immense. That means, that if you want the best quality you don't end up at Sonos. That is not something I knew when i bought Sonos, I only found out once I owned it.
Correct, we're talking about the future.
You're correct. We do in fact see that same argument when it comes to the price point on existing Sonos components. I'm pretty sure its human nature. I'd still like very much to see the market response to such a device though.
Userlevel 3
+5
Not all streaming services are doing the lossy Dolby Digital 5.1. Many, in the attempts to get and retain customers are starting with 4k broadcasting and adding DTS, Dolby HD, and even Dolby Atmos. That, and if one wants the best video with the best sound, Blu-Ray, 4kBlu-Ray with DTS and up is actually like being in the theater. To decode other than Dolby Digital there are licensing issues and while I am not an engineer I assume a chip issue also. The only solutions one can find is when pruchasing a new 4kHDTV, or UHDTV ask, research and make sure that one can choose what is output into the optical output. Many people don;'t know that the vast majority of manufacturers in the past basically 'dumbed down' the audio it was receiving for the optical output. You may have HDMI inputs to the TV and it can decode Dolby Digital 5.1 and up but the Optical Output is done in just stereo. It works fine with SONOS bit it is not 5.1 decoding. I have a Sony XBR-49X900e in the bedroom that gives me that choice. In the media room. I have a great picture Panasonic 60" ZT Plasma that was the last model anyone made in plasma so it only outputs in PCM/Stereo. Many Disc players have the option of choosing the audio output though and in my case I can choose Dolby Digital for that and I can input an item to it using and HDMI connection. Well to have a Ps4, AppleTV, DTV for inputs yo one place I had to add a simple HDMI switch box. It works and sounds fine but would be mush better if SONOS just decoded everything.
The SONOS Playbars don't have and HDMI(arc) input and bandwidth and chip issues make a firmware upgrade a virtual impossibility. The majority of the newer Soundbar manufacturers all are starting to decode pretty much everything better than Dolby Digital. Some may thing you are getting 5.1 in what you have set up but it is very possible you are not, You can simply open the Sonos controller app and check the Sonos in the upper left corner. Click on 'about my SONOS System' and your entire systems will appear. As you read down you can see what the audio input is. You may be surprised that what you think is 5.1 is just stereo. I did for. long l time until I listened closely, learned and figured a few things out. In my book, one should just be sure what one is paying for.
The SONOS Playbars don't have and HDMI(arc) input and bandwidth and chip issues make a firmware upgrade a virtual impossibility. The majority of the newer Soundbar manufacturers all are starting to decode pretty much everything better than Dolby Digital. Some may thing you are getting 5.1 in what you have set up but it is very possible you are not, You can simply open the Sonos controller app and check the Sonos in the upper left corner. Click on 'about my SONOS System' and your entire systems will appear. As you read down you can see what the audio input is. You may be surprised that what you think is 5.1 is just stereo. I did for. long l time until I listened closely, learned and figured a few things out. In my book, one should just be sure what one is paying for.
...
Userlevel 3
+5
If they do I will likely be early in line to upgrade what I have now. I am already considering the Samsung HW-N950 soundbar that includes rears as my next purchase. If the sounders don't catch up, it will be Emotiva with all separate speakers. I would prefer to keep a bit of the cost down but basically if it truly sounds better, I will pay up.
A £50 Samsung Blu-ray player solved it for me (on the fly DTS to DD conversion), but I knew I'd need to buy that before buying the Playbar.
For what it is and what we use it for the Playbar in 5.1 works perfectly well.
For what it is and what we use it for the Playbar in 5.1 works perfectly well.
Userlevel 3
+5
true, they don't decode anything for surround or audio other than mono. stereo, Dolby Digital 5.1. They do fit he majority of streamers but what they stream is already changing.
Userlevel 4
+5
It’s all my fault......??♂️
Userlevel 7
+22
Should have passed DD 5.1 from TV but your bluray or source may have been the DTS only part. Of course always a concern when it comes to the many soundbars that have been made with the toslink Dolby Digital standard.
If you want a system that works with every standard and keeps doing so into the future then you want to buy an independent speaker setup, choose what setup you want first
A) 5.1
😎 5.1.2 or 5.1.4
C 7.1
D) 7.1.2 or 7.1.4
E) 9.1
F) 9.1.2 or 9.1.4
Once you know which of the above you want, then the next step is to go buy all those speakers (so if you want 7.1.2 you need 9 speakers and 1 sub woofer)
Now that you have the speakers, congratulations, these speakers will work with every standard right now and for the next 50 years
The last step is to buy your AVR reciever and this is what does the magic, you just need to get a reciever that is enough to power your speakers and supports all the standards that you want, now in the future when new standards are release all you have to do is buy a new reciever 🙂 You will never again have to sell or buy new speakers, you just have to get a new receiver if you want to get new standards (and this is cheaper than buying a new playbar)
I should have 5.1 now (playbar + sub + 2x play3), I want to keep it that way, maybe in the future I will take 3 separate speakers, not a playbar...
But, without the playbar, I have no idea where I can buy a good reciever that works with the sonos sub and play 3's.
If Sonos sell those, I didn't know...
Maybe there is a part of this or another forum where I can find info about this, so I can already learn about it before I really need it?
It's not that I don't like Sonos, the play 3's are very good, and the sub is just great. The only problem is I can't play all and/or Sonos app says "sound not supported"...
Hi all!
Enjoying my two Play 3's (deezer music), and wanting to add a playbar/playbase. Reading numerous posts about DD+, DTS, Atmos not supported by Sonos, I checked my viewing lists and habits...
80 percent of my time I watch digital TV channels (I live in Croatia), with stereo sound in MP2 format, audio bit rate from 192 to 256 Kbps!
Weekends I watch a movie, mostly in 5.1, AC3, audio bit rates from 400 to 1500 Kbps.
For that I think a Playbar/Playbase should do.
I am curious, what do you expect from your Sonos gear?
Best to all
Neven
Enjoying my two Play 3's (deezer music), and wanting to add a playbar/playbase. Reading numerous posts about DD+, DTS, Atmos not supported by Sonos, I checked my viewing lists and habits...
80 percent of my time I watch digital TV channels (I live in Croatia), with stereo sound in MP2 format, audio bit rate from 192 to 256 Kbps!
Weekends I watch a movie, mostly in 5.1, AC3, audio bit rates from 400 to 1500 Kbps.
For that I think a Playbar/Playbase should do.
I am curious, what do you expect from your Sonos gear?
Best to all
Neven
Let’s see what’s next.....?
Hey Sonos, when we getting that outdoor speaker??? Hahahaha jkjk
You forgot the group of disappointed people wanting to pair a play-1 and a sonos one. And I remember also the poor guy asking for a digital clock in his play-1 because he uses it as a clockradio in his bedroom. 😃
Not to cause problems, but I play DTS audio all the time with the my Sonos connect. Run coax digital out of the connect @ fixed volume into the preamp which recognizes and decodes it properly. Feeding the Connect with a subsonic server. Not using a playbar or anything like that, though.
Where did you get your information and is there information available for other audio standards? Do you know if it's common for rates to vary from company to company due to negotiations and such? Do we have any idea what Sonos currently pays in licensing fees in general, not just for audio standards, but for access to music services and use of voice assistant technology?
Just to keep the flames really going ...let’s now talk about Dolby Atmos and DTS:X 😃
I guess that’s a little bit 'over the head' of some users ... ha ha
These sort of threads and conversations will probably continue on forever in the community. I think the OP (jannabana69) has made his point.
I guess that’s a little bit 'over the head' of some users ... ha ha
These sort of threads and conversations will probably continue on forever in the community. I think the OP (jannabana69) has made his point.
Rumour has it that the PlayBar will support HDMI 2.1 and Alexa/AirPlay-2, but there is perhaps still the licensing issues for some things, like DTS. So my guess is it will still just support the same codecs as the current PlayBar. We shall have to see in 4 weeks time.
Userlevel 1
Rumour has it that the PlayBar will support HDMI 2.1 and Alexa/AirPlay-2, but there is perhaps still the licensing issues for some things, like DTS. So my guess is it will still just support the same codecs as the current PlayBar. We shall have to see in 4 weeks time.
If it's a new product I'm guessing DTS could be added and the license cost priced into the retail price. As it's a a new product only new sales would likely be affected by the license fee as there would be no previous sales.
I use to rage on sonos for lack of dts and hdmi. I did not do any prior research. I already had a sonos speaker in every room, so it seemed natural for me to buy the playbar for living room. Apple-fanbois queue for the newest phone on release day, without any research, and the whine over no mini jack. Guess i was a bit of a sonos-fanboi, as i got the playbar as soon as i noticed it, without any research.
I spent more than 300€ on work-arounds for dts/hdmi for the playbar, but i never got the result i was looking for.
So after three years with the playbar i finaly sold my playbar+sub. No regrets!
So after i got my new soundbar, sub and wireless rears, it dawned on me - Sonos Connect (not amp)! Add a sonos connect to your new tv surround speaker system, and bam, you have the whole package: DTS, HDMI, Atmos, what ever, but it still acts like a speaker in the sonos eco system.
Looking back i realise i was never the right target audience for the playbar. The sonos 5.1 setup was my first attempt at getting some surround sound. Before that i had always used 2 stereo speakers to push sound from TV, so i never even thought about sound formats like DD or DTS were different, since everything works on stereo in stereo.
I got 90% of my money back after selling the 3 year old playbar + 2 year old sub, so i gave heos 5.1 a shot. Movies sound more emersive, and heos handles DD 5.1 better than the sonos. The heos app is a beta version, and the speakers are not as sexy as sonos (except the sub). For audiophiles i think heos might be a better way to go, but i am no audiophile.
The sonos connect is attached to my heos system, so the heos system is part of the sonos ecosystem. So when we want music/radio from the heos speakers, we go through the sonos app and select the sonos connect (called "living room").
If you want a comparison of heos 5.1 and sonos 5.1 go here:
https://en.community.sonos.com/home-theater-228993/sonos-5-1-vs-heos-5-1-6808083
I think we started sonos almost 10 years with the connect (ZP90), and my wife never had a problem with playbar only outputting DD 5.1. I just hated that after ripping a 70 Gb movie file, which looked amazing on my 4k HDR screen, would only output stereo on my 5.1 sonos package.
Propper surround from amp or simulated 5.1 with a soundbar + sonos connect = win!
Cheers,
I spent more than 300€ on work-arounds for dts/hdmi for the playbar, but i never got the result i was looking for.
So after three years with the playbar i finaly sold my playbar+sub. No regrets!
So after i got my new soundbar, sub and wireless rears, it dawned on me - Sonos Connect (not amp)! Add a sonos connect to your new tv surround speaker system, and bam, you have the whole package: DTS, HDMI, Atmos, what ever, but it still acts like a speaker in the sonos eco system.
Looking back i realise i was never the right target audience for the playbar. The sonos 5.1 setup was my first attempt at getting some surround sound. Before that i had always used 2 stereo speakers to push sound from TV, so i never even thought about sound formats like DD or DTS were different, since everything works on stereo in stereo.
I got 90% of my money back after selling the 3 year old playbar + 2 year old sub, so i gave heos 5.1 a shot. Movies sound more emersive, and heos handles DD 5.1 better than the sonos. The heos app is a beta version, and the speakers are not as sexy as sonos (except the sub). For audiophiles i think heos might be a better way to go, but i am no audiophile.
The sonos connect is attached to my heos system, so the heos system is part of the sonos ecosystem. So when we want music/radio from the heos speakers, we go through the sonos app and select the sonos connect (called "living room").
If you want a comparison of heos 5.1 and sonos 5.1 go here:
https://en.community.sonos.com/home-theater-228993/sonos-5-1-vs-heos-5-1-6808083
I think we started sonos almost 10 years with the connect (ZP90), and my wife never had a problem with playbar only outputting DD 5.1. I just hated that after ripping a 70 Gb movie file, which looked amazing on my 4k HDR screen, would only output stereo on my 5.1 sonos package.
Propper surround from amp or simulated 5.1 with a soundbar + sonos connect = win!
Cheers,
After having a general rant at Sonos Technical about DTS i received this reply "Sorry to hear of your dissatisfaction at our choice of Dolby Digital for the surround sound on our Sonos Home Theatre system. Maybe an upcoming product might provide the experience you are trying to achieve. Check out the Sonos Beam with HDMI-ARC connectivity here..."
Is this a hint?
Is this a hint?
Is this a hint?
What makes you think "Sonos Technical" made this decision, and thus deserving of a "rant"?
Do not take it personally, that poster makes a living out of detracting from the point in order to "back Sonos" to the hilt!
Oh dear. That is very sad
That's interesting. I am not sure if there is a home market for Atmos. Presumably people like Sonos because it cuts down on speakers, wires etc. To listen to Atmos properly i.e. not a sounder that kids on, that's another two speakers in the living room. Too many for me.
Page 7 / 7
Enter your username or e-mail address. We'll send you an e-mail with instructions to reset your password.