Avid Contributor III

Answered

Multichannel PCM on Arc

328 replies
54144 views

Are you really not supporting multichannel PCM on the newly announced Arc?

Why? It’s not a licensing issue this time.

It seems like there is always something missing with your home theater products.

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.

DitteAnswer

Hi all,

We hear you. With a software update today, Arc now supports multi-channel LPCM, bringing new immersive sound experiences for gaming, Blu-ray discs, and more. To get support for multi-channel LPCM on Arc, download the latest Sonos S2 update from the app store and then update your system in the Sonos S2 app. After updating the app, go to Settings > System > System Updates > Check for Updates.

All the best,

Ditte

Show previous replies

Airgetlam

I’ll reiterate. The device is the Sonos Arc. Not the Sonos ARC. ARC stands for Audio Return Channel.

Bruce

N

Nicholas M

Sonos Employee

Is LPCM = Dolby Multi-Channel PCM?

No. Dolby has nothing to do with PCM.

Dolby Multi-Channel PCM is the label used for a Dolby MAT container signal that contains PCM and metadata vs. a Dolby MAT container that contains TrueHD.

I work for Sonos but the views expressed here are my own.

R

ramesh231

Trending Lyricist I

Is LPCM = Dolby Multi-Channel PCM?

No. Dolby has nothing to do with PCM.

Dolby Multi-Channel PCM is the label used for a Dolby MAT container signal that contains PCM and metadata vs. a Dolby MAT container that contains TrueHD.

This is what I see on my Sonos app when I play a DD 5.1 content..

pretty confusing not knowing if my Sonos Arc is producing the right sound or it has a bug interpreting the Source audio Content as it doesn’t match what it says on the source title vs on Sonos system info

N

Nicholas M

Sonos Employee

Is LPCM = Dolby Multi-Channel PCM?

No. Dolby has nothing to do with PCM.

Dolby Multi-Channel PCM is the label used for a Dolby MAT container signal that contains PCM and metadata vs. a Dolby MAT container that contains TrueHD.

This is what I see on my Sonos app when I play a DD 5.1 content..

pretty confusing not knowing if my Sonos Arc is producing the right sound or it has a bug interpreting the Source audio Content as it doesn’t match what it says on the source title vs on Sonos system info

The Arc is likely not confusing the input. It’s more likely that the source content is DD 5.1 but the source device is deciding to decode it and wrap it in a MAT container before passing it onto the next link in the HDMI chain for consistency reasons.

I work for Sonos but the views expressed here are my own.

R

ramesh231

Trending Lyricist I

Is LPCM = Dolby Multi-Channel PCM?

No. Dolby has nothing to do with PCM.

Dolby Multi-Channel PCM is the label used for a Dolby MAT container signal that contains PCM and metadata vs. a Dolby MAT container that contains TrueHD.

This is what I see on my Sonos app when I play a DD 5.1 content..

pretty confusing not knowing if my Sonos Arc is producing the right sound or it has a bug interpreting the Source audio Content as it doesn’t match what it says on the source title vs on Sonos system info

The Arc is likely not confusing the input. It’s more likely that the source content is DD 5.1 but the source device is deciding to decode it and wrap it in a MAT container before passing it onto the next link in the HDMI chain for consistency reasons.

: If you see my testing results on Sonos Beam, Beam is receiving Dolby Digital 5.1 content from the TV ( Netflix App on Samsung Q70T → TV HDMI eARC → Sonos Beam’s ARC HDMI connection - Sonos Beam ) with the same settings. The only difference here is the Sonos Arc ( Netflix App on Samsung Q70T → TV HDMI eARC → Sonos Arc eARC HDMI connection - Sonos Arc ) which is receiving Dolby Multi-Channel PCM 5.1

N

Nicholas M

Sonos Employee

Is LPCM = Dolby Multi-Channel PCM?

No. Dolby has nothing to do with PCM.

Dolby Multi-Channel PCM is the label used for a Dolby MAT container signal that contains PCM and metadata vs. a Dolby MAT container that contains TrueHD.

This is what I see on my Sonos app when I play a DD 5.1 content..

pretty confusing not knowing if my Sonos Arc is producing the right sound or it has a bug interpreting the Source audio Content as it doesn’t match what it says on the source title vs on Sonos system info

The Arc is likely not confusing the input. It’s more likely that the source content is DD 5.1 but the source device is deciding to decode it and wrap it in a MAT container before passing it onto the next link in the HDMI chain for consistency reasons.

: If you see my testing results on Sonos Beam, Beam is receiving Dolby Digital 5.1 content from the TV ( Netflix App on Samsung Q70T → TV HDMI eARC → Sonos Beam’s ARC HDMI connection - Sonos Beam ) with the same settings. The only difference here is the Sonos Arc ( Netflix App on Samsung Q70T → TV HDMI eARC → Sonos Arc eARC HDMI connection - Sonos Arc ) which is receiving Dolby Multi-Channel PCM 5.1

Right, each device has different audio format capabilities in part due to the bandwidth available over ARC vs. eARC. These capabilities are communicated to the TV in a couple of ways.

MAT is only available over eARC so only the Arc advertises this to the source. It is ultimately up to the source device what format it transmits. In your case it decided to prefer MAT over DD since it is available on Arc.

I work for Sonos but the views expressed here are my own.

R

ramesh231

Trending Lyricist I

Is LPCM = Dolby Multi-Channel PCM?

No. Dolby has nothing to do with PCM.

Dolby Multi-Channel PCM is the label used for a Dolby MAT container signal that contains PCM and metadata vs. a Dolby MAT container that contains TrueHD.

This is what I see on my Sonos app when I play a DD 5.1 content..

pretty confusing not knowing if my Sonos Arc is producing the right sound or it has a bug interpreting the Source audio Content as it doesn’t match what it says on the source title vs on Sonos system info

The Arc is likely not confusing the input. It’s more likely that the source content is DD 5.1 but the source device is deciding to decode it and wrap it in a MAT container before passing it onto the next link in the HDMI chain for consistency reasons.

: If you see my testing results on Sonos Beam, Beam is receiving Dolby Digital 5.1 content from the TV ( Netflix App on Samsung Q70T → TV HDMI eARC → Sonos Beam’s ARC HDMI connection - Sonos Beam ) with the same settings. The only difference here is the Sonos Arc ( Netflix App on Samsung Q70T → TV HDMI eARC → Sonos Arc eARC HDMI connection - Sonos Arc ) which is receiving Dolby Multi-Channel PCM 5.1

Right, each device has different audio format capabilities in part due to the bandwidth available over ARC vs. eARC. These capabilities are communicated to the TV in a couple of ways.

MAT is only available over eARC so only the Arc advertises this to the source. It is ultimately up to the source device what format it transmits. In your case it decided to prefer MAT over DD since it is available on Arc.

Can’t agree more with your explanation. Thank you!

So in an ideal cases what is the best format that the TV should be transmit to Sonos Arc over eARC for a DD 5.1 content? I some how feel that the DD 5.1 that is outputting from Xbox / Apple TV 4K ( using pass-through ) and transmitting to Sonos Arc sounds better than Dolby Multi-Channel PCM 5.1 via native app on the TV.

N

Nicholas M

Sonos Employee

Is LPCM = Dolby Multi-Channel PCM?

No. Dolby has nothing to do with PCM.

Dolby Multi-Channel PCM is the label used for a Dolby MAT container signal that contains PCM and metadata vs. a Dolby MAT container that contains TrueHD.

This is what I see on my Sonos app when I play a DD 5.1 content..

pretty confusing not knowing if my Sonos Arc is producing the right sound or it has a bug interpreting the Source audio Content as it doesn’t match what it says on the source title vs on Sonos system info

The Arc is likely not confusing the input. It’s more likely that the source content is DD 5.1 but the source device is deciding to decode it and wrap it in a MAT container before passing it onto the next link in the HDMI chain for consistency reasons.

: If you see my testing results on Sonos Beam, Beam is receiving Dolby Digital 5.1 content from the TV ( Netflix App on Samsung Q70T → TV HDMI eARC → Sonos Beam’s ARC HDMI connection - Sonos Beam ) with the same settings. The only difference here is the Sonos Arc ( Netflix App on Samsung Q70T → TV HDMI eARC → Sonos Arc eARC HDMI connection - Sonos Arc ) which is receiving Dolby Multi-Channel PCM 5.1

Right, each device has different audio format capabilities in part due to the bandwidth available over ARC vs. eARC. These capabilities are communicated to the TV in a couple of ways.

MAT is only available over eARC so only the Arc advertises this to the source. It is ultimately up to the source device what format it transmits. In your case it decided to prefer MAT over DD since it is available on Arc.

Can’t agree more with your explanation. Thank you!

So in an ideal cases what is the best format that the TV should be transmit to Sonos Arc over eARC for a DD 5.1 content? I some how feel that the DD 5.1 that is outputting from Xbox / Apple TV 4K ( using pass-through ) and transmitting to Sonos Arc sounds better than Dolby Multi-Channel PCM 5.1 via native app on the TV.

I would leave your settings as they are if you are getting the higher bandwidth formats (MAT or TrueHD). I can’t explain why DD would sound better with the same content unfortunately.

I work for Sonos but the views expressed here are my own.