Trending Lyricist I

Multichannel PCM 5.1 dropping out since 14.10 update

516 replies
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Anyone else experiencing the same issue? Multichannel PCM 5.1 blanks out for a second every 1-2 minutes. I don’t think it’s a bandwidth issue as it works flawlessly with Multichannel PCM 7.1 (thorough test) and Dolby TrueHD Atmos (quick test). And it may have been caused by the Sonos 14.10 update. Setup is PS5→ LG C1→ Beam 2 (via earc).

2 weeks ago before the 14.10 update, I watched a bluray film wherein I had my PS5 transcode the DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio to Multichannel PCM 5.1 (as the C1 does not support DTS) and had no issues. Earlier today, I played a bluray film for the first time in 2 weeks and I encountered consistent audio dropouts every 1-2 minutes. It had the same setup where DTS-HD MA 5.1 → Multichannel PCM 5.1. I tested other bluray discs including the one I watched 2 weeks ago and they all now have the same issue.

Curiously, I’ve been gaming heavily on my PS5 the past two 2 weeks and haven’t had any audio issues. Then I realized that I’ve been using Multichannel PCM 7.1 when gaming on my PS5. So I made some changes under the PS5 sound settings to make it output Multichannel PCM 5.1 instead. Lo and behold, I am now getting the same consistent dropouts in games and even on the PS5 main menu.

I think it’s due to the Sonos 14.10 update as that’s the only firmware update I’ve done in the last 2 weeks. No PS5 update, no LG C1 update. Well actually while I was composing this post, I received and applied the latest LG C1 firmware update and I still have the same issue.

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Pinned Reply By Corry P

Hi @throwawaybeam2 et al

We now recommend you reach out to the TV manufacturer (LG) as this behaviour is also occurring with different soundbar manufacturers (so it’s not a Sonos-specific issue).

Alternatively, please utilize different audio formats from McLPCM 5.1 (e.g., McLPCM 7.1, DD+, etc).

I hope this helps.

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D

Dwarrelpoot

Trending Lyricist I

So my latest reply with a diagnostic number (that I can’t seem to get back) seems to be deleted.

Anyway, I received the optical one way cable this evening and plugged the display side into the beam and the source side into the Tv. It’s fixed. No more dropouts.

Y

yofalat611

Enthusiast I

So; any recommendations for another setup?

If it’s just the bar, the Bose Soundbar 600 outclasses the Beam Gen 2 (plus Bose acknowledges and fixes their bugs unlike Sonos). However, I am more attracted to Sonos’ complete surround setup vs Bose’s.

The bigger issue I think is longerm stability. Given the lack of accountability that Sonos has displayed, we’re just one bad firmware update away from the being completely screwed.

Edit: We should consider ourselves just lucky that the community found workarounds for this issue. But that won’t always be the case.

M

Manofgeek

Lyricist III

Hello,

I recently purchased the optical HDMI cable that @MJW75 suggested in a previous post. It works perfectly, I have had no dropouts in the last week so definitely recommend anyone with this issue to use this cable.

D

Dwarrelpoot

Trending Lyricist I

How’s the latest update in this regard? I haven’t changed the HDMI cable since it’s routed through the wall, but would be curious to knowing it’s fixed as there are no replies in this thread.

E

Elvis33

Lyricist II

How’s the latest update in this regard? I haven’t changed the HDMI cable since it’s routed through the wall, but would be curious to knowing it’s fixed as there are no replies in this thread.

No fixed. The buggy cut sound still there. Replies are dead because the “hdmi cable” make the job for now, but you know who is even more dead? Sonos support.

J

Jacoolh

Lyricist II

How’s the latest update in this regard? I haven’t changed the HDMI cable since it’s routed through the wall, but would be curious to knowing it’s fixed as there are no replies in this thread.

Still not working with a fiber cable. Multichannel pcm 7.1 seems to work fine. As does stereo pcm. So annoying.

J

Jacoolh

Lyricist II

For those that aren’t aware, I posted a work around a few months back. Everyone who has reported trying it has confirmed it works. I’ve not had an issue since doing this.

You need a one way optical HDMI 2.1 cable between the Beam and the TV with the TV at the source end of the cable. This will stop the drop outs. CEC will still work. The only missing feature are the images (screen saver?) sent from the Beam to the TV - which is a pointless feature anyway. These cables are not expensive. The one I bought from Amazon UK was £17 (about $20). If you want more info, read from my post on page 11 onwards.

This did not solve the problem at all.

M

MJW75

Enthusiast I

For those that aren’t aware, I posted a work around a few months back. Everyone who has reported trying it has confirmed it works. I’ve not had an issue since doing this.

You need a one way optical HDMI 2.1 cable between the Beam and the TV with the TV at the source end of the cable. This will stop the drop outs. CEC will still work. The only missing feature are the images (screen saver?) sent from the Beam to the TV - which is a pointless feature anyway. These cables are not expensive. The one I bought from Amazon UK was £17 (about $20). If you want more info, read from my post on page 11 onwards.

This did not solve the problem at all.

Have you put the cable between the TV and Beam with the TV at the source end? You are the first of many saying it didn’t work - so double check everything.

J

Jacoolh

Lyricist II

For those that aren’t aware, I posted a work around a few months back. Everyone who has reported trying it has confirmed it works. I’ve not had an issue since doing this.

You need a one way optical HDMI 2.1 cable between the Beam and the TV with the TV at the source end of the cable. This will stop the drop outs. CEC will still work. The only missing feature are the images (screen saver?) sent from the Beam to the TV - which is a pointless feature anyway. These cables are not expensive. The one I bought from Amazon UK was £17 (about $20). If you want more info, read from my post on page 11 onwards.

This did not solve the problem at all.

Have you put the cable between the TV and Beam with the TV at the source end? You are the first of many saying it didn’t work - so double check everything.

Yes it's the right way around as 7.1 and stereo pcm is working fine still.

P

Paramonos

Lyricist I

I’ll add my 2p worth into the mix. I’ve had the Beam 2 with 2 Era 300’s and a Sub 2 for a few weeks connected to an LG C2 onto HDMI 2 (eArc) with Passthrough and eARC enabled with my PC (Nvidia RTX 4090) connected to HDMI 1 on the TV (I also have a PS5 and Xbox Series X connected to HDMI 3 and 4). I have been getting sound cutting out on HDMI 1 every so often (the Beam 2 seems to ‘reset’). Sometimes the audio won’t come back at all and I have to pull the plug on both the LG and the Beam 2 to get the system working (this works consistently). I’m not sure what’s causing the audio to cut out but it seems to have something to do with switching audio sources, i.e. going from a Dolby Atmos container to 5.1. Anyway, I happen to have a spare Fibr (optical HDMI 2.1) cable which I’ve used for HDMI 2 to the Beams 2 (with the TV as the source, i.e. end 1) as suggested in this thread and this (so far) seems to have fixed the issue - note that I use one of these cables to the other way around from my PC to the TV to get 120 Hz with HDR etc. I’m glad it has worked because this whole setup would have been going back to the supplier at the weekend - so Sonos support, you owe MJW75 a pack of beers!

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