Skip to main content
majelbstoat
Contributor I
November 14, 2020

PS4 Pro outputting PCM via LG CX shows Multichannel PCM 7.1 for Sonos Arc, but rear surrounds have no audio

I have the Arc, Sub, and Sonos 1 in a surround setup, connected to an LG CX via eArc. Previously I had the PS4 outputting Bitstream (Dolby), and Sonos reported Dolby Digital 5.1.

The fix that added LPCM to Sonos Arc recently went live, so I updated PS4 Pro to output PCM, and the HDMI input on the TV to PCM. (The output remained Passthrough). After doing this, the System Status page for Sonos shows Multichannel PCM 7.1.

However, I now get no rear surround audio in games like Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. (It’s not faint, there’s really none.) I get the full surround experience if I change it back to getting Dolby Digital 5.1. On the PS4 Home screen, I do get sound from the rears in PCM 7.1, albeit very faintly, compared to Dolby Digital 5.1.

Does Sonos not downmix the extra channels properly? It’s kinda bad that a higher fidelity signal sounds worse.

    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.

    127 replies

    Show previous replies
    Nuhk
    Contributor I
    December 15, 2020

    I thought Multichannel PCM or LPCM was the better audio quality and that’s the new codec Sonos supports or maybe LPCM is different….as for the water it was coming specifically from a window and would only play on the channel I was facing that’s how I tested it, and yeah I tested it with horizon zero dawn and the last of us 2 to name a few

    iBoyley
    Trending Lyricist I
    December 27, 2020

    Still no LPCM improvement on my CX with the latest 03.21.09 fw gents

    ledzep1
    Headliner II
    December 28, 2020

    Still no LPCM improvement on my CX with the latest 03.21.09 fw gents

    Isn't Sonos working on the fix?

     

    A few posts above mentions this.

     

    *I see you tweeted the CEO for an update.:thumbsup:

    ledzep1
    Headliner II
    January 7, 2021

    Any updates on this, they said they were aware of it at the beginning of December.

    GenAckbar73
    Lyricist III
    January 8, 2021

    How long can it take to correct this bug?

    In my believe it should be enough to correct the channel mapping in the ARC, which is obviously wrong at the moment. Shouldn’t that only be a matter of days??

    iBoyley
    Trending Lyricist I
    January 13, 2021

    Anyone able to tell if this has been resolved in the 12.2.3 update? Can’t find any release notes 

    GenAckbar73
    Lyricist III
    January 13, 2021

    Anyone able to tell if this has been resolved in the 12.2.3 update? Can’t find any release notes 

    12.2.3 is not a system update. 
    Only app (at least for me). 

    iBoyley
    Trending Lyricist I
    January 14, 2021

    I emailed their CEO earlier today and received a response back from one of their senior software engineers 

     

    “Patrick forwarded your Email concerning LPCM down-mix issues and I can give you an update on that. The engineering team is currently working on the issue as we speak. There are two steps here, one is to correct the downmixing in the case where there are no discrete surrounds and the other is when there are discrete surrounds. We have completed the first step and we are testing the fix and now working on the second step.

     

    At this time I am unable to give you an exact date for availability of the SW fix but know that we are addressing it and when I know more, I will let you know.”

     

     

    Hopefully it’s not that far away

      Naekyr
      Enthusiast II
      January 19, 2021

      At least they say they are testing it this time.

      I’m pretty sure they did not test the LPCM update before they launched it, given that it took the community about 5 minutes to find all the problems with the downmixing lol.

      I’m not having any issues for my content as I’m lucky the devices I use let me force 5.1 instead of the default 7.1 but I feel for the people that are stuck with 7.1 downmixing issues, hopefully it’s working for you soon so you can experience high fidelity surround sound on all your devices and apps.

      SONOS ARC | SONOS Sub | SONOS Play 1 x 2 | LG C9 OLED | PS5 | RTX3090 Gaming PC | Sennheiser GSP600 Headset | Audio Pro T8L Desktop Monitors
      ledzep1
      Headliner II
      February 10, 2021

      Is this issue only with the LG CX?

      Anything in DD 5.1 on apple4k tv is output as multichannel pcm 7.1

      Blurays on my oppo203 in 5.1  output as 7.1

      setting series x to uncompressed 5.1 outputs as multichannel pcm 7.1

       

      Unsure if this topic relates to the same issue, can someone from Sonos please confirm, I have had this issue since the LPCM update you released, and it would be nice to know if it is indeed an issue with the Sonos?

       

      Thank you

      Show more replies
      Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement