Skip to main content

I have a Beam, 2 Play1 wireless speakers, sub for my SONOS system. My TV is a Sony X940E Bravia and my 4K player is a Sony UBP X700. I’ve just discovered that unless I turn my audio output on my TV to PCM, most of my 4K discs will not play sound. Unfortunately playing PCM on my SONOS Beam is underwhelming. Streaming Netflix in Dolby 5.1 sounds better. I’m wondering if I have any options. Would it be better to purchase a different 4K player or dump SONOS since this has to do with their refusal to obtain DTS licenses. Is there a converter of some sort I can get? Thanks!

There are a few Blu-ray/UHD players that can convert DTS to Dolby audio like the Samsung UBD-K8500. I believe the Xbox One consoles also have this option. But you will still be limited to lossy Dolby Digital 5.1 from your UHD discs on the Beam.

For the best audio, you should find a sound bar that supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:X audio that you can directly connect your UHD player to so you can hear the full lossless Dolby TrueHD/Dolby Atmos and DTS-HD Master Audio/DTS:X soundtracks from all of your UHD and Blu-ray discs.


Thank you for the reply - do you have a recommendation on a sound bar/audio system should I decide to leave SONOS for a competitor?


Here are a few sound bars that have gotten good reviews:

  • JBL Bar 9.1
  • Vizio Elevate
  • Samsung HW-Q950T

If I were concerned about ‘optimum’ audio, I wouldn’t go with a sound bar at all, I’d go with a wired speaker system of some type.

No, I haven’t done so, Sonos is fine for my needs, but you could look at non-Sonos sites, such as the Home Theater Forum, or the AVS forum for lots of discussion.