Dolby Atmos causing audio on Arc to "pop" then cuts out

  • 8 November 2021
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82 replies

S

Xbox Series X user here. Popping only occurs when using “Atmos enabled audio” coming from the Xbox, and never from the Atmos enabled audio of my Sony TV. 

F

I have the same issue with my Sonos Arc / Shield TV 2019 (non pro)

optimistically waiting for a fix

L

Wanted to post an update here since it’s been a while. I’ve been “pop free” for over a month now.  All I had to do was disable eArc on my Sony television.  I have the Arc, with 2 One SLs, and a sub.  Television is Sony X900H.  I can confirm that once I disabled eArc I was able to run Dolby Vision and Atmos content through the Apple TV with no popping.

B

This issue appears to be resolved for me with firmware 14.6.2.

I have the Xbox series X and Atmos content would cause this pop every few minutes. It was pretty awful and definitely unusable in that state. I had to change the Xbox to play 5.1 instead to avoid the issue. 

After 14.6.2 I changed the Xbox back to Atmos and I have played hours of Atmos content via the Xbox through my Sony A80J to the Arc with zero issues.

Nothing else has changed in my setup.

P
Userlevel 6
Badge +5

With eARC disabled, playing atmos content on Netflix and Amazon the Sonos app is stating it is currently playing Atmos content. Conversely, when I disable Atmos on Apple TV with eARC enabled the sound displays as Dolby 5.1 on the Sonos app.

Same for me. It used to be that turning off eARC meant DD5.1 from the Apple TV, which doesn’t do Atmos. Now the Apple TV is sending DD5.1+, which does support Atmos. Of course, you lose other features like the automatic A/V sync and lossless audio that eARC adds.

I’m looking forward to testing DD5.1+ Atmos on Arc when I have time. Maybe we can upgrade Arc support for Apple TV from broken to janky!

G

Just had the issue watching Netflix on through a Roku Ultra on a LG CX TV.  Scared the hell out of me.  

C
Userlevel 1
Badge +1

Hi, same problem here. My config :

  • TV Sony (no arc used, only HDMI display)
  • HD Fury Arcana for eArc compatibility 
  • hdmi Hue Sync (for Light sync and HDMI switch
  • apple TV 4K (gen1)
  • xbox series X
  • sonos ARC+SUB(gen2)+2xONE

My arc is New out of the box this week, and I have only Scary POP with XBOX when I come back on the Dashboard after a Game and when I shutdown my headset, always the night to be sure to wake up affraid my children and wife…

no issue for the moment with my Apple TV 4K, but, I have not a lot of content with atmos because I leave un France and Atmos is not used much.

but games on Xbox use it.

B

Hello,

I have got a same issue. Even after update tvOS 15.3 first beta and Sonos to 13.4.1. Problem is still there.

Airgetlam

Sounds like the XBox is generating this scary pop for some reason….Sonos is just playing what is sent down the wire. 

Bruce
Ken_Griffiths

Hello,

I have got a same issue. Even after update tvOS 15.3 first beta and Sonos to 13.4.1. Problem is still there.

Maybe try switching off the multi-channel LPCM option on ATV and just use the DD+ (Atmos) codec on the device instead - it should hopefully prevent the popping that you’re perhaps encountering occasionally from time to time. Not entirely sure if this is a Sonos/Apple issue, but maybe switch back to LPCM after each device firmware update, to see if the issue is resolved/eventually goes away.

E

I have a Sonos arc and sub setup with a Sony X90H tv and cannot believe that Sonos still haven’t fixed the popping issue. Only ever happens when watching Dolby atmos content. Have had the issue for over a year now. 
 

You can’t market yourself as a premium product and have poor after sales support. Listen to the community Sonos. There’s a serious issue….fix it! 

B

And now on 14.8 the issue is back.

B

I will try to play some movies from native netflix app on my panasonic TV and I will see if the problem is on ATV or Sonos. 

jamie_shaw
Userlevel 3
Badge +3

I will try to play some movies from native netflix app on my panasonic TV and I will see if the problem is on ATV or Sonos. 

I definitely think it’s more Sonos — as I’ve said previously, it seems that the main culprits here are Apple TV and Xbox Series X — both of which use Dolby MAT as their audio format/container.

S

I’ve just stated having this issue. Any progress on a fix?

C
Userlevel 1
Badge +1

Maybe, but before my arc, I have a Beam, and never this issue with my Xbox.

Airgetlam

The Beam, assuming it was Gen 1, wouldn’t have been receiving an Atmos signal. 

Bruce
C
Userlevel 1
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Yes, my BEAM was gen1

P
Userlevel 6
Badge +5

So from my research, this does not appear to be a SONOS issue as it’s a Dolby Atmos issue. Ive been scouring the Microsoft forums and a lot of people are having this same pop/cracking issue when running Atmos content through their XSX or HTPC, even through a proper surround system. 

Could you provide links? I’d like to check this out.

B

I comfirm that!! TV´s netflix app have no problem with Atmos! So I think Apple TV is a winner. I will test netflix tv app with more movies and tv shows, but I think there will be no problem.

jamie_shaw
Userlevel 3
Badge +3

I too confirm this – but it’s a different format. Bravia TVs output Atmos as Dolby Digital Plus.

I've not had any issue with Atmos Blu-Rays playing through PS5 and passthrough (Dolby TrueHD)

M
Userlevel 1

Thanks for sharing the links. I’m afraid none of these match what’s going on with Sonos Arc. Our pop is a loud one-time bang (like furniture falling over) followed by sound cutting out on the Arc but continuing to play on the surrounds. It happens with various sources including Apple TV, Xbox, and built-in TV apps. The common feature appears to be Atmos encoded in Dolby MAT.

The users in your links have rythmic popping and/or crackling sound that does not disable the audio itself, or brief cutouts of sound. The cutouts were a problem with old Xbox software a year+ ago but seem to have been resolved. Rythmic pops and crackles appear on various soundbars and can have a whole multitude of reasons, but again, nothing comparable to the Sonos Arc pop.

The only pop like we have is described by your first Reddit link, which uses a Sonos Arc. I have match framerate and march dynamic range on on my Apple TV (of course I do, who wouldn’t?) and it does not solve the problem.

Ahh good feedback. And yes, my experience with the “pop” is exactly what you described. Regardless, I did NOT have frame-rate match turned on (unsure why) so Im trying that to see if there’s any difference but, based off your reply, Im not expecting there to be. I did also read about the Atmos MAT codec which very well could be the guilty party. 

Im curious, do you also experience issues with other inputs or just AppleTV? I do have a Panasonic UBP420 player so maybe I need to run a few movies through that to see if it also reproduces the issue. 

P
Userlevel 6
Badge +5

I experience the issue, reproducibly, with Apple TV and Xbox. Sonos recommends to turn Atmos off when using those devices. In the main thread on this problem, we had a few others report the pop with Dolby MAT outputting TVs. Apple TV and Xbox users are the bulk however, presumably owing to the devices’ large install bases.

If you have a Blu-ray player that outputs Dolby MAT Atmos, it would be a great test case. We do not have anybody reporting the issue with a Blu-ray source yet. 

M
Userlevel 1

I experience the issue, reproducibly, with Apple TV and Xbox. Sonos recommends to turn Atmos off when using those devices. In the main thread on this problem, we had a few others report the pop with Dolby MAT outputting TVs. Apple TV and Xbox users are the bulk however, presumably owing to the devices’ large install bases.

If you have a Blu-ray player that outputs Dolby MAT Atmos, it would be a great test case. We do not have anybody reporting the issue with a Blu-ray source yet. 

How can I tell if my Panasonic UBP420 outputs MAT Atmos? Im currently giving TG Maverick a run through. So far so good with no pops.

P
Userlevel 6
Badge +5

I don’t know my way around Blu-ray players that much, but here is how I think it works. While playing the content, go into the Sonos App → About My System → Audio In:

If it shows Dolby Atmos (DD+) it’s Dolby Digital Plus.

If it shows Dolby Atmos (TrueHD) it’s Dolby TrueHD.

If it shows just Dolby Atmos it’s Dolby MAT.

 

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