Avid Contributor I

If you're experiencing audio delay issues, read this

551 replies
261743 views

I've been living with lip sync issues (audio behind the video) since I got my Playbar about a year ago but I finally decided to do something about it. After multiple conversations with Sonos support and the LG's support people (they kept blaming each other for the audio delay), I decided to email Sonos' CEO about the issue.

After a few hours, I got a reply back from him, CCing a team manager who was going to look into the issue. We scheduled a call and he had me send various diagnostics to him. He said that the engineering team was going to investigate and get back to me.

A week later, I got an update. He told that they are still working on the issue. He also said that only one other person had reported the same issue (I assume that means that only one other person with an LG TV). So, if you're having audio delay issues and you've tried all other troubleshooting, reach out to Sonos support and have them look into it. If it helps you might mention my reference number, which has already been escalated:

Keep in mind that my setup is pretty straight forward (LG C6 OLED TV connected directly to the Playbar via Optical, audio playing from the built-in apps) and every single thing LG and Sonos suggested, including going into the TV's service menu and changing things there.

I know there are multiple post on the topic so hopefully we can solve at least some of the issues causing audio delay.

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.

Show previous replies

S

sbreingan

Lyricist III

Why would that seem odd? You've even proven your case, by using an HDMI extractor. Given that, how could it be anything other than the TV at fault?

And it's possible that all of these manufacturers have purchased the part in question from the same place.

Yeah fair enough, although the HDMI splitter has just added delay on the video front meaning I can fix the sync in the Sonos app. Maybe all soundbars have the same problem and most TV's aren't capable of outputting multi-channel audio without delay.

Either way, it's just a frustrating situation when I bought the Sonos to simplify things.

Airgetlam

I'll certainly agree with the frustration part of that. Sometimes we end up paying for all of the extra technology we use in our daily lives.

Bruce

RedFive

Lyricist II

I've experienced so much frustration with the combination of the Sonos Playbase + Sub, and the LG OLED65E7P. At this point, I wish I had never invested in the Sonos gear to begin with. It gives me no joy to say that, as the other aspects of the Sonos system are fantastic, and I really appreciate the recent addition of AirPlay to the Playbase.

I've tried two different HDMI switches with optical audio extraction, and found that neither one was sufficient for my system. While audio extraction definitely solved the audio / video sync issue, other unacceptable problems were introduced into the mix. Neither of the devices properly supports Dolby Vision or 4K at 60Hz, and each of them added undesirable glitches to the video with every connected source. For the reference of others in this thread, these are the ones I've tried so far:

Has anyone else been successful with the combination of an LG OLED display, a Sonos Playbase (or Playbar, I suppose), and a third-party device in-between to resolve audio / video sync? If so, can you please share your experiences and the devices that you used to achieve this?

At this point, I'm thinking I should just scrap the Sonos system altogether and buy a receiver and some decent speakers. It's not as attractive, nor as flexible as a Sonos system, but at least I could guarantee audio / video sync with surround sound support.

Thanks to everyone who has been providing help in this long and ongoing thread. I've definitely been helped by many in here, and I really appreciate it.

A

alexander_8

Trending Lyricist I

@RedFive If you are willing to stick with the faulty TV, you can introduce a home cinema amp with support for switching both picture and sound (as long as it has toslink output).

P

Pablo1975

Lyricist I

I have same issue. Persisted with LG support - they replaced motherboard eventually but made no difference either. Still have audio delay.

A

ainsley002

Renowned Enthusiast I

Has anyone tried using an HDMI to optical adapter taking the sound out of the TV via ARC? (or is this what you mean by Audio extraction?). this is a common issue across all types of TVs, it seems, going out of the TV to Sonos via optical. My solution until Sony fixed it was an optical switch so that I could go directly from the source (Sky Q in my case) and switch to the other optical channel when I wanted other sources. As I said in an earlier post, Sony did have a solution for the problem but it was initially unusable due to picture issues when the SYNC function was in use.

R

Rab63

Lyricist I

For those of you that may be blaming Sonos for this issue, I have an LG OLED C8, and an LG SK10Y soundbar, and I have the same sync issues when the sound on my DirecTV box is set to Dolby. For the work around I have a question: my DirecTV box has HDMI, and Digital Audio Out (RCA jack, not Digital Optical). Soundbar has Digital Optical and ARC. Can somebody please recommend the exact configuration and products to use which are available in US?

Airgetlam

In every case that has been "solved", save one that I can recall, the "fix" has been to pull the audio out of the HDMI stream before it goes into the TV, so that the TV can't add any additional delay to the data stream.

So, Rab63, in your case you could wire your soundbar directly to the DIrecTV box's optical output, and should be fine. Of course, you then lose the ability to have anything else connected to the soundbar, like DVD, game consoles, etc.

Everyone that I've seen report back on the use of an HDMI Switch/extractor has indicated that it works for them. So you'd plug all "source" devices into the switch/extractor, pull the audio out for the soundbar (of any type, Sonos usually, because this is a Sonos board), and send the video on to the TV via an HDMI connection.

Bruce

M

mattiasl74

Contributor I

I have had same issue, but think it was solved on my LG OLED65C8PLA activating setting "AV-sync" and "bypass". Is this perhaps a new setting?

R

rubaflo

Lyricist III

Issue with using an HDMI Switch is that Sonos won't play DD+; so any streaming service (Netflix, Hulu, Prime, HBO) will get played as PCM/Stereo by Sonos as they ALL use DD+. So you either need to go through something that will transcode DD+ into DD (LG TV should theoretically do this, Apple TV 4k is only other one that will do this) or you get crappy stereo sound...

Show more replies

Sign up

Login to the community