Major dialogue and True play issues

  • 15 October 2021
  • 17 replies
  • 1376 views
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Hi all - I’ve got a new Arc connected to an LG CX (eARC HDMI port, eARC enabled, pass through enabled).

I’m having MAJOR issues with dialogue (and Trueplay). 

For example, when watching a talk show or the news via digital terrestrial tv and the sound is dialogue only, it sounds like the voices are coming from a small muffled box. I held my ear to the Arc and during these kinds of scenes the vocals are only coming from the central speaker(s).

As soon as there is additional sound, say background music or effects, the vocals are boosted and sound perfect! When I hold my ear close to the Arc during these scenes I can hear that the dialogue is now coming out of the centre and also the left and right speakers. In a show where it switches from dialogue to dialogue with additional sounds though, the voices keep going from muffled to perfect. It’s awful. 

What’s worse is when I try a Bly-ray (in this case David Copperfield DTS-HD Master Audio (via a Sony UBP-X800M2) ALL the dialogue sounds muffled! This is in-spite is the dialogue seeming to come from the centre, left and right. 

I’ve toggled with night sound and speech enhancement but can’t tell any difference when I do. 

On top of all this I can’t get true play to work at all after many attempts. I have a iPhone 12 and no case (and checked my microphone ports were clear of any debris) but keep getting a “measurement problem”. I’m in a quiet open-plan rectangular living room and eliminated all background noise. 

Am I doing something wrong? 

Is this muffled dialogue just how the Arc works? 

Do I have a defective unit? 

It’s driving me crazy… if so the Arc is not for me. I had a Phillips Firestorm before at a third of the price that was significantly better!

The only ‘fix’ I have right now is switching to PCM and watching in stereo… only then can I hear dialogue clearly. 

Reviews have been so good I feel it’s worth checking if it’s me… any tips or comments welcome!

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17 replies

G
Userlevel 7

First of all, make sure your TV audio settings are set to this:

  • Sound Out: HDMI ARC
  • HDMI Input Audio Format: Bitstream
  • Digital Sound Out: Pass Through
  • eARC: On
  • Auto Device Detection: On
  • Simplink (CEC): On
  • Auto Power Sync: Off

 

Can you borrow a friend or relative’s iOS device and try to perform Trueplay tuning? If not, you might try deleting and re-installing the Sonos app and rebooting your phone and trying Trueplay again.

 

When you watch “digital terrestrial tv” what type of audio is being reported on the Sonos app on the Now Playing screen?

 

What audio is reported when watching the David Copperfield Blu-ray? If the Sonos app reports “Stereo PCM 2.0”, you need to change the Digital Audio Output setting on the Sony player to PCM so you can get “Multichannel PCM 5.1” audio to play out of the Arc. The Arc doesn’t support DTS-HD Master Audio.

"Receive with simplicity everything that happens to you." - Rashi
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Thanks for response - still no luck.

I didn’t realise Sonos doesn’t support DTS yet but have tried Wonder Woman 1984 with both Dolby Atmos and Dolby 5.1… both have HORRIFIC dialogue. 

In the very opening scene the voiceover still sounds like it is coming from a little muffled box… all the other audio (effects, music etc) is excellent …Movies are unlistenable like this though… I can’t make out a word… I can’t fault the WB ident when I start the disc however!

Settings:

LG CX TV:
eARC HDMI port
eARC enabled
Pass through enabled
HDMI input audio format set to Bitstream 

Sony UBP-X800M2 Player:
Digital Audio Output: Auto (correct setting for bitstream)

Sonos App:
Speech Enhancement on (have toggled with this and Night Sound and it’s making no reasonable difference to dialogue levels)

Curiously with Atmos selected to play, my Sony information menu is saying the movie is Dolby TrueHD 7.1 and my HDMI output is Dolby TrueHD 2.0. At the same time the Sonos app says Dolby Atmos is playing. I think I’ve read elsewhere the Sony menu information can be off though. 

Also, if I downmix to Stereo PCM… dialogue is crystal clear! 

Either way I didn’t pay this much money for this Sound experience… Maybe I have a faulty unit, maybe this is how it’s supposed to be and Sonos isn’t for me…

…any final tips/tricks/comments before I return the Arc and try a Beam? 
 

PS: have tried an iPhone 12 and and iPhone 6 plus and neither will let me tube True Play! 

G
Userlevel 7

Are you using the HDMI cable that came with the Arc?

Try unplugging the Arc from power for a couple of minutes. Also try deleting and reinstalling the Sonos app and close all other apps and disable Bluetooth on your phone before performing Trueplay tuning. You might also try shutting off your AC and unplugging any appliances that could be creating any white noise like a refrigerator.

"Receive with simplicity everything that happens to you." - Rashi
Ken_Griffiths

The Wife & I and several other family members have the Beam in each of our Homes and I have the Arc too. In terms of ‘speech’ I find the Arc and Beam are more-or-less on ‘par’ as far as speech is concerned and that’s whether we play audio sources that are PCM/Dolby (all forms) or LPCM audio. With or without TruePlay. They all sound just fine to us and that’s with a variety of different TV’s from Samsung, LG and Sony.

I can’t ever say that any of us have complained about the dialogue we hear, although we do sometimes mention that switching between the different audio formats may require adjustment of the devices volume level, but the clarity of voices is fine, to our ears. So I’m just wondering if your Arc is perhaps faulty🤔? - maybe try to make a video/audio recording of what you are hearing (PCM and Dolby audio comparison) aswell as taking a system Diagnostic Report and noting it’s reference and then get in touch with Sonos Support to see if they can see/hear a problem with your device.

It’s difficult for anyone here to hear what you are hearing, but a video and diagnostic report may just help others to establish if there is a fault, or whether the Sonos product is just not suitable for the way you hear it’s audio output.

S
Userlevel 4
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Can you grab this file and see if the static noise test it does sounds the same on every channel:

 

https://mega.nz/file/IP4HTAYI#wcOhds2vx4cfOamCTarLxNEC8Rx3zNeIy9P8gtKzfGk

C
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Ok - I’ve tired all sorts of tricks like resetting, checking cables etc. I’m using the HDMI that came with the Arc and my cable between the Blu-ray player and TV I checked at the time was the right kind to carry Dolby Atmos. Indeed the Sonos app says it is playing Atmos. 
 

Stereo PCM sounds FINE - no bells and whistles obviously but everything is balanced. If I put my ear to the speaker the centre channel dialogue sounds crisp. As soon as I switch to 5.1 or Atmos BOOM the centre channel dialogue turns to muffled mumblings. It’s not the hardware, it’s how the Arc is processing and presenting the sound… and to me it’s awful!
 

Each to their own but how anyone else can hear this mumbling and think it’s ok has me very confused. Do all those reviewers have different ears to me? Maybe!  I listen on a low volume (apartment block) but even turning it up temporarily the dialogue was still muffled. Again this doesn’t happen in stereo so it’s not the hardware. 


I generally don’t have issues with hearing and have never had this kind of negative experience with other sound systems. Baffling. A bit of googling seems I’m not alone…

 

As for True play… tried tried and tried again… deadly silenced room, even moved some stuff around in case of echoes… no case on phone and tried more than one device… always get a “measurement issue”.

 

I mean. At least I tried Sonos… but yeah… what a disappointment. I’ll give a Beam Gen 2 a go but if that doesn’t cut it I’ll have to go elsewhere… Not worth the expense to just leave the thing in stereo as the only way I can hear actors! 
 

Sorry a bit moany but really underwhelmed. Not what I was hoping for at all! 

S
Userlevel 4
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Did you try the file I uploaded to make sure you get same static sound from each channel?

Is your app showing 13.3.2 in the about my system?

C
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Did you try the file I uploaded to make sure you get same static sound from each channel?

Is your app showing 13.3.2 in the about my system?


Hey, thanks for the file. I get the same sound at the same level on all channels except the bass which is silent (I’m assuming that’s because I don’t have a separate bass, or should the arc be making some sort of noise?)

C
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Did you try the file I uploaded to make sure you get same static sound from each channel?

Is your app showing 13.3.2 in the about my system?


Hey, thanks for the file. I get the same sound at the same level on all channels except the bass which is silent (I’m assuming that’s because I don’t have a separate bass, or should the arc be making some sort of noise?)


Version is also 13.3.2…

S
Userlevel 4
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Should get sound on the bass without the sub, won't sound like a static sound will be a rumbling sound. Might need to turn volume up a bit to hear it. Also when playing the file does it display Dolby Atmos in the app?

S
Userlevel 4
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Any chance of recording a clip and uploading with the issue sound wise also ?

C
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Should get sound on the bass without the sub, won't sound like a static sound will be a rumbling sound. Might need to turn volume up a bit to hear it. Also when playing the file does it display Dolby Atmos in the app?

I was using Airplay which I thought carries 5.1… it certainly sounded like it! Except, no matter how high I put the volume there was nothing on the bass channel… so maybe I have a defective arc? But then that doesn’t explain why bass sounds more than fine with stereo and music?


I spent 90 minutes troubleshooting with Sonos support today and I couldn’t get satisfactory dialogue in 5.1 or Atmos. We tried so many cable switch-outs, settings, removing other devices etc. All the diagnostic reports seemed ok. So again hardware failure seems unlikely (unless diagnostics can say all is well but I can still have a busted component?)… Again as soon as something was in Stereo no dialogue issues at all! 


I think, I don’t know, the arc either isn’t that great with dialogue in some set ups (others seem to have this issue), maybe my TV is struggling to pass through 5.1 and Atmos properly, or maybe the Arc soundstage isn’t for me. 
 

As for trying True Play tuning… I just gave up on that. Would a faulty Arc explain my endless “measurement problems”? 

Anyway, I’ve decided to return my Arc and try a Beam Gen 2 to see if there is any difference… wish me luck! I’ll update once I’ve tried it…

 

Thanks for all the help, though, appreciated

 

S
Userlevel 4
Badge +3

Sounds more like a defective unit, as I have the exact same TV.

 

Best test you could have done would have been the following:

Unplug all devices except the ARC HDMI cable going into the eARC port on the LG CX.

Use the built in netflix app.

Test a 5.1 & Atmos program and see if the issue still persists.

 

Make sure the following settings are switched on on the LG CX:

Sound out: HDMI ARC.

 

Additional settings:

DTV Audio Setting: Auto.

HDMI input audio format: Bitstream.

Digital sound out: pass through.

eARC: Enabled.

C
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Sounds more like a defective unit, as I have the exact same TV.

 

Best test you could have done would have been the following:

Unplug all devices except the ARC HDMI cable going into the eARC port on the LG CX.

Use the built in netflix app.

Test a 5.1 & Atmos program and see if the issue still persists.

 

Make sure the following settings are switched on on the LG CX:

Sound out: HDMI ARC.

 

Additional settings:

DTV Audio Setting: Auto.

HDMI input audio format: Bitstream.

Digital sound out: pass through.

eARC: Enabled.

 
Thanks! I tried exactly that with Sonos tech support! All those settings and tried The Witcher on Netflix with 5.1… Sonos app was saying 5.1… but the dialogue was still mumbly, muddy and way too quiet. On Stereo - all good. 
 

I could have tried another arc, but hey let’s see what the Beam Gen 2 can do… I’ve a small place and neighbours to think of so maybe the Arc was over-kill for now anyway…

S
Userlevel 4
Badge +3

Trueplay probably would have sorted it out. Mine doesn't sound that great until I use Trueplay.

However I agree it's rubbish you have to even use Trueplay on a device that has now been increased to £900 and doesn't work with Android. Only reason I have an old iPad purely to tune Sonos with it. 

Hopefully they utilise the inbuilt mic at some stage and get rid of the app tuning side of things. 

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Update: solved(ish).

 

I’ve just tried a Beam instead and OH MY. Night and day difference! All the mumbly muddy dialogue has gone with 5.1 and Atmos. Fantastic sound. 
 

I have no idea if it was a faulty Arc or just how the Arc was playing with my TV. But hey, the Beam is doing a great job and I’ve saved half my money. 
 

Moral: if you’re really not happy with the sound you’re getting it’s worth switching the hardware.

S
Userlevel 4
Badge +3

Probably the arc I'd say. Myself and 3 friends all have the arc and the CX TV and we have no issues. Glad you're happy with the beam though, enjoy :) 

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