Skip to main content

Okay, this one is perhaps a tad nutty but bare with me a second. I came across a Reddit post where they claim with streaming music in ‘Ambient’ mode (Surrounds), they hear different program material perceived on the rears but not happening on the front ‘stage’. Replies were - they are clearly nuts or yes, DSP is tweaking the surround image. 

I assumed Ambient was simply rolled off a bit where Full meant the rear volume was hotter. Both being mirrors of L/R channels. In ‘Full’ that’s exactly what it sounds like. But… in Ambient, things seem to change. 

Standing in the center of the room, I caught what he’s talking about. I hear seemingly panned rear reverb trails and isolated bits like stick taps on the high hat from the rears only. Sometimes backup vocals are heard rear, not present or are weaker in the front. At first I thought it may be different size enclosures, different tweeter responses, reflections or placement. But in Full or when TV audio plays in PCM 2.0, it sounds mirrored as expected.  Nope, rule out the box difference doing this. 

I watched a YouTube with the Sonos CEO and lead engineer. They discuss DSP used in their products to ‘make a small box sound big’. I think there may be a splash of "pseudo-acoustic" treatment and/or “psychoacoustic” processing going on here with Ambient mode. They quite proudly use it in the Beam. I have a Harmon Kardon info unit in my car where if you increase the Surround’ effect, it sounds very similar to the noticeable stuff I catch in rear Ambient mode.

I know Sonos claims no ‘Surround’ effect is artificially generated using a TV input. That’s a good thing for movies. Sports fans may disagree as Yamaha DSP can sim a way larger stage er, stadium. Pretty sure there’s pseudo/psycho stuff going on there. The Psycho element could be on the listener (me) in this case, but I swear there’s trickery at play. 

I believe they may have snuck in some DSP time-space enhanced goodness for music. Specifically used in Ambient mode. A dash of delay, a tad of psycho, with a sprinkle fresh pseudo spiced to taste. 

 

Hello ​@No_Distortion4Me, welcome to the Sonos Community!

Okay, this one is perhaps a tad nutty but bare with me a second. I came across a Reddit post where they claim with streaming music in ‘Ambient’ mode (Surrounds), they hear different program material perceived on the rears but not happening on the front ‘stage’. Replies were - they are clearly nuts or yes, DSP is tweaking the surround image. 

Regardless of the Reddit posts, what do you hear and how do you experience music from your Home Theater Sonos setup?

What kind of music are you listening to, and do you hear any difference between them? Speaker placement and room size/decoration can affect the audio performance in serious levels.

Experimenting with the available space and completing Trueplay Tuning, if available, after every change to test how it feels for you, can improve the experience.

With my response your thread moved to the top of the latest activity list, maybe other Community users would like to chime in and share their experience, thoughts and feedback.

 

what do you hear and how do you experience music from your Home Theater Sonos setup?

What kind of music are you listening to, and do you hear any difference between them? Speaker placement and room size/decoration can affect the audio performance in serious levels.

 

Hi, didn’t know the forum was monitored. :)

What I’m hearing was sort of ‘critical listening’ with a new system that’s TruePlayed. The ‘effect’ is only duplicated with more open music like jazz or something with ‘air’ and instrument layers. Hard to define but dance, pop, or E-bass material is too busy to detect this. It is noticeable only in Ambient mode. 

I wanted to test the little theater setup for music use. Maybe background or low volume. I first listened to PCM 2.0 as well yummy 5.1 filing the room with goodness from the TV source. Had a good idea it may sound decent with tunes. But to my surprise, it sounded very good with uncompressed Sonos Radio stream. I was immediately reminded of the Redit post hearing different bits front to rear. The ‘stage’ should be defined left/right looking at the TV where front/rears are level controlled only. All modes should sound the same in 2.0, Ambient (lower level) or Full (same level as front) playing music. But... Ambient adds  depth, phase magic or something making that mode unique from the others. 

I use the system in Ambient and play far more music through the thing than I imagined. I have a snotty stereo system who’s sub is now shoved in the corner making way for the wee Sub Mini. Thing is, I like the coloration, ambient goodness, and more of a triangle sound stage than the L/R classic image. Actually, when in ambient, sound is hard to tell direction in my 12X18’ room corrected with RTA. It’s surround sound-ish. 

I just wanted to upgrade to a better soundbar and ended up becoming a Sonos Fan Boy. Who knew? 
 

Terms & ConditionsCookie settingsAccessibility statement