Avid Contributor I

If you're experiencing audio delay issues, read this

551 replies
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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.

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Show previous replies

Airgetlam

Do you have another source you can test with other than the firestick? I don’t have much experience with one, and would prefer a more traditional device such as a DVD player.

Have you checked the audio settings on the Firestick? For instance, a quick google search brought up this:

To make sure the audio settings on your FireTV stick are correct, go to the Home Screen (Pressing the Home button on the Remote), enter into Settings, select the Dolby Digital Output option and make sure that Dolby Digital Plus is set to off.

Having Dolby Digital Plus turned off would be important.

Bruce

Ken_Griffiths

Thank you so much for all of your help. I have a switch here at home I am going to try first prior to making a purchase to see if that helps solve the problem. Thank you all that responded and answered my questions. Stay safe out there!

Ok so I connected everything to the hdmi switch. Ran the optical cable from the switch to the play at and one hdmi to the television since the switch has all other cables running into it and I still have a bit of a delay. Do I need to turn off any audio processing on the tv or is that now pointless?

It is rare to still have lip-sync delays when using a switch/extractor, I’m wondering if it’s one of the interconnecting cables that is causing the issue here and if you are able to perhaps swap them for another?.. most unusual. 🤔

V

vinman61855

Contributor I

Voice sync delay issue Sonos Playbar, Sub, 2 Play:1s, Sony Bravia TV and Xfinity cable

I am having the same problem with a Playbar, Sub and 2 Play1s as many others. For months, A temporary fix for me has been to change the channel and then immediately come back to the channel I was watching. And it’s fixed for a little while. Then the delay returns. Thinking it was the cable box I called Xfinity and got a replacement cable box. That didn’t fix it. Then I played with the delay options in the Sonos settings. That didn’t work. So I disconnected the optical cable and went back to TV audio. Guess what? No sync issues Sonos! So I’m guessing that it’s the optical interface that’s the problem. I am really angry about this because a lot of people are experiencing it, not just me or us. I am referencing your case # 171023-002526 and will post my own on this

Sonos, please help us.

Ken_Griffiths

Voice sync delay issue Sonos Playbar, Sun, 2 Play:1s, Sony Bravia TV and Xfinity cable

I am having the same problem with a Playbar, Sub and 2 Play1s as many others. For months, A temporary fix for me has been to change the channel and then immediately come back to the channel I was watching. And it’s fixed for a little while. Then the delay returns. Thinking it was the cable box I called Xfinity and got a replacement cable box. That didn’t fix it. Then I played with the delay options in the Sonos settings. That didn’t work. So I disconnected the optical cable and went back to TV audio. Guess what? No sync issues Sonos! So I’m guessing that it’s the optical interface that’s the problem. I am really angry about this because a lot of people are experiencing it, not just me or us. I am referencing your case # 171023-002526 and will post my own on this

Sonos, please help us.

vinman61855,

To perhaps help confirm, (or maybe refute?), that it’s possibly your PlayBar at fault here, have you tested to see if there are any audio-delay/lip-sync issues, when you bypass the Sony TV completely and use an audio extractor/splitter instead? It would be well worth exploring that option, I think, particularly, as I suspect the Sony Bravia TV may not support audio ‘pass-through’ on its HDMI/optical ports, like you see nowadays on some of the recent LG TV’s.

Here are three ‘randomly’ chosen examples of splitter/extractors that other users have posted in the community here in the past, which some have used to test with their TV and found that such a device has 'often' resolved their lip-sync issues with a Sonos HT product, where it proved to be their TV’s processors ability at fault and unable to 'process' the surround audio signal quickly enough through the TV’s HDMI/Optical port’s:

….and just to add that playing PCM audio to the stereo 'only' internal TV speakers is a different thing entirely to asking the TV to process surround sound audio and pass it out through its optical port to a ‘5.1 audio Receiver'. That’s a bit like comparing Apples to Pears.

D

Dennis_15

Lyricist II

I have same issue with my Sony ~ it suddenly start few month ago (I belive) and it happens in the middle of seeing a movie or TV - it not right from the start. I then have restart TV and then it will be fine again …. is there a solution for this?

Ken_Griffiths

I have same issue with my Sony ~ it suddenly start few month ago (I belive) and it happens in the middle of seeing a movie or TV - it not right from the start. I then have restart TV and then it will be fine again …. is there a solution for this?

Is this whilst you are playing a movie from the internal TV tuner, a built-in TV app, or is it from another source like a connected cable TV box etc? Without knowing the exact detail of what you are referring to, it’s rather difficult for anyone here to suggest a solution. If restarting the TV usually solves the matter, then it sounds like it might be your TV that is at fault here… I would perhaps just check with the manufacturers website and ensure the TV is using their latest software/firmware update.

D

Dennis from FL

Avid Contributor III

I just installed my 5.1/Playbar on my LG OLED 65” and first thing I noticed was a lip sync issues with my cable box stations - especially live news. In the past - I have also tested Martin Logan soundbars and also a wired Marantz receiver with a passive soundbar on the same TV. I had no issues with the receiver except when I used optical (I briefly used optical to get the LG smartTV apps like Netflix) . I tried to resolve and fiddled with the lip sync adjustments in the TV but could never get it right.

I don’t remember any sync issues with the Martin Logan Vision (optical input only) but it definitely had an audio dropout problem - the first two or three seconds was lost on new stations or music files.

I also don’t have any sync issues now when my source is other than the cable box. Like Apple TV for instance. I was going to test the optical from the cable box directly to the Playbar.

I also have a Sonos Beam on a bedroom LG LCD set and it is OK.

D

Dennis from FL

Avid Contributor III

Voice sync delay issue Sonos Playbar, Sun, 2 Play:1s, Sony Bravia TV and Xfinity cable

I am having the same problem with a Playbar, Sub and 2 Play1s as many others. For months, A temporary fix for me has been to change the channel and then immediately come back to the channel I was watching. And it’s fixed for a little while. Then the delay returns. Thinking it was the cable box I called Xfinity and got a replacement cable box. That didn’t fix it. Then I played with the delay options in the Sonos settings. That didn’t work. So I disconnected the optical cable and went back to TV audio. Guess what? No sync issues Sonos! So I’m guessing that it’s the optical interface that’s the problem. I am really angry about this because a lot of people are experiencing it, not just me or us. I am referencing your case # 171023-002526 and will post my own on this

Sonos, please help us.

vinman61855,

I think you hit the nail on the head. Seems logical that the TV isn’t processing fast enough. But I don’t have a problem with my Apple TV -- only my cable box. I’ll test a BluRay later today and report back

The first choice in extractors above is the only 4 port 4K/Dolby Vision and it isn’t available anymore. All four of my sources have optical out so I can test if it is my LG OLED output that’s the problem by just temporarily bypassing the TV optical out.

D

Dennis from FL

Avid Contributor III

While I agree with your irritation, this isn’t something that Sonos can be involved in.

Well…..if Sonos is aware of it, they should state the product works fine on TVs A, B, C, but not on E, F

They are counting on a Toslink output without a cross manufacturers standard.

This is annoying to me because I have the same TV and I had no sync problems before Sonos.