Next generation Playbar 2018?

So they should do full stereo (multichannel stereo) option

If you mean stereo at full volume out of the Playbar/Playbase and the surrounds, it does for music. Set the surrounds to Full in the Settings for the room, and you will get the equivalent of 5 channel stereo for music sources.

What has been asked by many people, already for a long time, is to have the the same 'Full' option for TV audio as exists for music.
Yes, its not going to fit all TV viewing but would be good for music sourced via the TV (music/concert DVD/bluray, music TV channels, youtube etc) and also sporting events.

So the exact opposite of what anyone into home Theater would want.

Got it.

My opinion:

- 80% of people owning an home theater configuration do not listen to 5.1; because of many things: broadcasters not broadcast 5.1, Sonos does not decode 5.1 (just dd), most of the sources are not 5.1, use TV for music listening... And why buy so good and expensivespeakers to let them off most of the time? And developing full stereo is by far more simple than implementing codecs or fake 5.1.

- 50% people live in little flat appartments, not in theaters; they have noises around and not complete silence, they want immersive sound to forget about the noise around. And they cannot turn up the volume too much when they are on the sofa because of the neighbors especially in the evening/night I need to have surround sound as well near my ears.

Do you find it reasonable?
Hope so.

Camillo

Every one of my TV stations broadcast in 5.1, HDTV in the US requires it, and I don't watch non-HD channels. For the very few that broadcast in 2.0 because the source material is 2.0, there are other modes like Pro-Logic (Sonos says it's mode is Pro-Logic-like) for those who complain (like below) that not all speakers are not in use (not me).

For music, I listen to stereo sources in stereo, I care not a whit about what speakers are in use or not in use, I want the source as recorded.

Agree to disagree.

Every one of my TV stations broadcast in 5.1, HDTV in the US requires it, and I don't watch non-HD channels. For the very few that broadcast in 2.0 because the source material is 2.0, there are other modes like Pro-Logic (Sonos says it's mode is Pro-Logic-like) for those who complain (like below) that not all speakers are not in use (not me).

For music, I listen to stereo sources in stereo, I care not a whit about what speakers are in use or not in use, I want the source as recorded.

Agree to disagree.

here in UK hardly any music channels on TV are in 5.1. Sonos' 'pro-logic like' efforts are woefully bad such that the rear speakers are mostly silent (in TV mode) without a 5.1 source - hence the reason you see so many topics by those with a Playbar and 'Play x' rear speakers saying they dont work !

here in UK hardly any music channels on TV are in 5.1. Sonos' 'pro-logic like' efforts are woefully bad such that the rear speakers are mostly silent (in TV mode) without a 5.1 source - hence the reason you see so many topics by those with a Playbar and 'Play x' rear speakers saying they dont work !

I don't play music channels on my TV. Why would I? I have Sonos. 😃

I honestly rare think about whether the audio is coming across in true 5.1 or not. I don't really want to spend much time thinking about. In truth, it sort of makes me feel old because I can't always tell what speaker is producing which sound. I mostly just don't want it sound bad, and it never really does. I want it to be 5.1 if it can, but if it's not, I'm not going to spend any time messing with the configuration.

That said though, I do really like having the full stereo mode for non-tv sources. I do occasionally listen to amazon music through the fire tv as I like the visual feedback though. It would be nice to have the sonos option to switch full stereo in those scenarios, but I doubt I would bother with it. Ideally, and maybe this isn't possible, I'd rather Amazon have a configurable option on the firetv to output the audio in stereo instead of 5.1 when playing music...since it knows when music is playing while the playbar would not. Probably too much to ask for though.

Denon announces new HEOS HomeCinema HS2 soundbar

The HS2 has AirPlay, Bluetooth and support for hi-res music, with Alexa functionality coming later in the year.

Denon's latest foray into the home cinema arena comes in the form of the HEOS HomeCinema HS2 - a 4K-compatible soundbar and subwoofer pairing, packed full of features.

Read more at https://www.whathifi.com/news/denon-announces-new-heos-homecinema-hs2-soundbar#3BFETbi5haHuDeId.99

Funny, I remember Denon promising Alexa functionality as coming early last year. 😉

Wonder what Sonos patents this new device infringes on?

here in UK hardly any music channels on TV are in 5.1. Sonos' 'pro-logic like' efforts are woefully bad such that the rear speakers are mostly silent (in TV mode) without a 5.1 source - hence the reason you see so many topics by those with a Playbar and 'Play x' rear speakers saying they dont work !

I don't play music channels on my TV. Why would I? I have Sonos. :D
To watch the music videos whilst listening to the music :?

Sonos Faces New Competition As 24 Bit Bluesound Slashes Prices

Source:
https://www.channelnews.com.au/sonos-faces-new-competition-as-24-bit-bluesound-slashes-prices/