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Sonos Arc - Metallic Sound

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T
Userlevel 1

 

@tgx how has the bar done with normal cable tv viewing after your new true play tuning? If not Have you tried anything like YouTube TV or Hulu? 
 

I suppose the soundbar works best with dolby encoded sources. With pure stereo sources the performance is good but not exceptional.

I think a proper trueplay calibration is crucial for the Arc to sound good. 

A proper Equalization feature is however sorely needed so that you could shape the sound according to your own personal testes. I’m speaking of multiple eq bands or parametric eq. Bass and treble controls  are not enough.

Tgx

A
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@Scott - Sonos Hi there. I have submitted my feedback through the form. It does not really have any particular movie or time stamp information as I am facing the issue in all the DD5.1 content. Currently, dialogue sound hollow like they are coming from a laptop speaker. This happens only when playing DD5.1 files. Stereo 2.0 Youtube sounds good- dialogue sound fuller. 

Arc has been tuned with an older iPad pro which fixed the the harsh treble issue i was having before.

Another feature request: Please give us the control over center channel, at least the volume control if not EQ. Sometimes, dialogues become quite and I have to raise the volume to hear them. Then things get super loud when action scene comes up. I dont like the sound quality I get with the night mode.

S
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@LittleStes I spent several hours today re-tuning to get a better sound from the Arc because of my specific obsession with wanting a warmer sound from Hamilton in Disney+.  A few things that immensely helped my sound today was moving the Arc to the front edge of my TV stand (more for Atmos-specific firing) and the way I did the Trueplay tuning...I followed Peter Pee’s reco on YouTube (“How to place the Sonos Arc for best Atmos effect”) towards the end he talks about how to hold the phone/iPad mic when tuning and following that really helped my sound be much fuller. I do hear some places where the vocals are still bright and a little bit of the “ssss” effect but none of that comes through when testing with Avengers Endgame wormhole battle scene or with Mad Max Fury Road on 4K Blu-Ray, just Hamilton (and I can more than live with that for now).   After re-tuning, I only use EQ to pull treble to -2 (probably more personal preference) and it sounds much better to me.  Now if only we could have a speaker-specific EQ...

D

Hi there!

 

Can somebody please help..

 

I bought both the arc and sub (gen 3) this week. I am coming from a cheap logitech 5.1 system, but sadly this (as it sounds now) doesn’t seem like a worthy upgrade..

The lows are incredible (with the sub), but the mids are pretty absent and highs to present. This makes the total profile seem metallic/hollow, instead of warm.
 

Do I perhaps have a faulty arc??

What to do?

 

Kind regards,

David

 

C
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@Jean C. 

Here is a diagnostic after playing the Dolby Atmos demo above on XBox One.

704248715

artem
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Hi! 2 months ago, I bought Arc to replace Beam, and also noticed too unpleasant high frequencies. But overall, the sound was much richer than with Beam. Then, as I understood, the firmware update was released, and, in addition, I launched TruePlay several times through the iPhone 11 Pro Max. Then I didn't watch movies for a while, and I didn't track the moment when the sound was corrected. But now I can say for sure that the sound has become excellent. And it can't be addictive. All my guests say it's the most incredible sound they've ever heard. I use Arc + 2 One SL without SUB in combination with LG OLED B9 65". Now every time I watch a movie, I get great pleasure. I advise you to make TruePlay through another phone, or very carefully clean ALL the grids of microphones and speakers on your phone.

Sonos Arc / Sonos One XL x 2 / Sub gen 3 / Sonos Play 5 gen 2 x2 / Sonos Five x2/ Sonos Connect Amp gen 2 + Monitor Audio CP-CT380IDC x4 / Sonos Boost / LG B9 65" Oled / PS5
K
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For testing purposes I just unplugged my arc and watch some tv using the (mediocre) built in tv speakers. I’m astonished what a relief this is for my ears. No more bright piercing voices. 
 

just stunned how bad the arc is....

Try retuning with a different device, preferably an older one, if you can. Having updated the Arc software and retuned with an older device, the harshness is pretty much gone. I mean there is still some favoring of treble frequencies in spots, but nothing like before. Generally it sounds good to an unpicky ear. If you are saying your TV speakers sound better, you might need to get your Arc replaced.

I did all that you said. Treble did go way, but the dialogues were unchanged. My TV speakers have the same dialogue quality. can’t tell the difference. You would think a soundbar with a dedicated center channel would have much better vocals, but no. I don’t think the airplay functionally and lack of few wires is worth $799.Good luck.


exactly this. I just wanted to reply with exactly the same story. 
 

ps I tuned with an iPhone 7

Ken_Griffiths

Correct, ambient and full only affect music, as I mentioned, part of my problem is also vocals in songs. I do change that to see if it affects the vocals, however, with all my testing I realized “talking” is the weak point here, whether in songs or movies. 

@Ken_Griffiths, you might find it funny, I definitely don’t have any iphones in my immediate friend/family circle. I can for sure find one and try what you suggest to, but if that’s the case, it sucks that the product is configured in a way to only cater to a certain group of users.  

Bruce and I are just users, like yourself and simply trying to help - often Trueplay can sort these kind of issues. The reason why iOS devices are used is that their microphones are a certain known standard, whereas in many Android devices they can vary considerably by make/model, so that’s why borrowing an iPhone might be helpful and it’s something you only need to do once in most cases.

A

I agree. Mine just sounds off and not what I expected at all - especially after listening to so many other Sonos products over the years. Being that Sonos is reluctant to help with with an RMA at the moment I still have mine. I’m going to wait to see what happens with next week’s update for the bass issue and then make a final decision on a return. 

Oops. I accidentally tagged your answer as the best. don't know how to fix it. @Ryan S

Ohhh. I dunno either! 

B
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Given the disparity between owners about the sound quality was racking my brain for other variables and wondered about the wall mount. We know that the arc adjusts it's output/eq based on being wall mounted. Out of curiosity are any of the people struggling with this using their device freestanding? 

 

 

Yes, plenty of people reporting this issue are not using the wall mount, including myself. I think the disparity is more about personal taste, expectations, experience/knowledge, and environment. Trueplay is primarily meant for room correction, and it very well may be working better in some environments vs. others. It definitely does not seem to be striking a good balance. 

I continue to think the Arc has a naturally ‘bright’ sound signature, which can allow it to be more detailed and precise, but it should not need to come at the cost of midrange. Many people, especially as they age, are less sensitive to the higher frequency ranges that this thread is most concerned with, so that can account for some of the difference in opinions. That said, I think it’s less about overemphasised highs, and more about a lack of midrange that the eq isn’t helping with at all.  And some people just don’t know what they’re missing, imo.

M
Userlevel 5
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Hmm...thats worrying….

Come on Sonos! please give us some information of this problem, otherwise all kinds of negative stories/theories will flood the internet!!!

Potentially leading to Sonos brand damage….

If there is a problem, just admit it...that’s called damage control….(ignoring it hoping it will blow over is an illusion)

Agree all seems bit to quiet on here from the Sonos end, really hoping a software fix can sort these issues out.

P
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For testing purposes I just unplugged my arc and watch some tv using the (mediocre) built in tv speakers. I’m astonished what a relief this is for my ears. No more bright piercing voices. 
 

just stunned how bad the arc is.…

 

I wanted to wait for a software updated but right now I feel like I just want to get rid of this thing ASAP. 

This is exactly my experience. It’s now been disconnected and I’ll sit patiently with my £800 ornament whilst I wait for Sonos to get back to me. What a mess!! 

H

@Ken_Griffiths I ended up borrowing a phone and doing what you suggested, the system improved slightly but I still feel the vocals/conversations are trapped in a box (compare to other systems) maybe I contact Sonos support now and see what they can offer.

G
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Reposting what i posted on the Muddy bass thread:

Here is a snippet of the Compression graph from RTINGS.com in red it shows the Arc at high volume and on green it shows the Beam at high volume. There is a noticeable dip there for red, this is not what is expected at that range. Note this only happens at high volume. The other green (mostly flat line) is the Arc at 80dB SPL level (not as loud) which is flat as it is ideal. It is normal for speakers to struggle at higher volumes but theres a clear issue for the bass response for the Arc at high volume.

 

Here is the summary with the score, pretty poor score even lower than Beam and Playbar.

 

 

Here is another score that is lower than expected, and it points to the metallic sound/ tinny sound some are experiencing 

 

Find it hard to believe SONOS didnt test these type of things before pushing the Arc out of the door. So it makes me wonder what is going on….

Of course they tested it. This is the sound signature they want (or the best they could come up with), and this is why they aren’t acknowledging any problem. If you do not like this sound, you are going to have to return it.

K
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I think a lot of the people who are happy with the Arc are coming from listening to tv speakers.  Which in most cases, a Bluetooth speaker would be an upgrade.  You don’t see many people on here coming from another soundbar, and definitely not a decent hifi setup, praising the arc.  Poor or limited reference points.  

 

Not all, I had a Yamaha Ysp2700 previously, £900 soundbar, from what I have played so far I think the ARC sounds great.

 

I had the Yamaha 2500. The Arc l bought was terrible compared to it!! I got the beam and sub plus rear speakers and that was a good upgrade. I will return for the Arc once this business is sorted.

Ken_Griffiths

You should maybe call Sonos.

I did and they told there is an internal limiter to keep the speaker from damage.

I am very confused. What’s the point in powerful speaker if i can’t use its full power.

I mean it sounds very good on 70-75 volume and i would probably never go higher than that. Still this is all very strange to me.

Maybe see what the volume dB level is, using a mobile App, at the point when the limiter kicks in and then see how it compares to the attached chart (as a rough guide). If it’s not that loud, then you might want to go back to Sonos Support and see what they say.

I would put your mobile, out it’s case/cover, say 6-8 feet away out in front (and level) with the speaker to take your readings, using a variety of different audio sources to the point where you notice the limiter.

I use an Arc with an LG C9 TV and in our lounge and I would probably not go too far above 65% volume for ‘loud’ listening, but I appreciate we each hear things differently in our different environments, but hope the suggestion here assists.

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S

I agree with oriboaz.  After countless retuning attempts the past 2 weeks I got it sounding pretty good a couple of days ago. I am not sure where I read this suggestion when running trueplay but it seemed to help. Rather than walk around the room during the second part of the retune, I just remained in the same spot. I waved the iPad in the same general vertical motion but only in my main sitting location. Still not perfect but it is the best it has sounded. 

H

@Ken_Griffiths got it, thanks for the suggestions. Let me see if I can do that here and compare the results.

K
Userlevel 2
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I did find the Arc so harsh and tinny. I had it a week and l just couldn’t get it right.l brought it back to the shop and exchanged for the Beam.

l am very happy with my set up at the moment.If the Arc can be improved-l certainly would consider purchasing again.l intend to audition it a bit more next time.

L
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Sono’s response to this thread has been lackluster so far. I was initially so excited when I pre-ordered the Arc during June, didn't expect it turns out to be a major disappointment. Still hoping for some improvement by next year.:sweat_smile:

C
Userlevel 6
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It’s so strange, why some have issues and some find it good.

Some people have ‘issues’ with soft sweet wine, and prefer a crisp dry. Some prefer processed cheese, others a mature Stilton. Apply same logic to sound. 

 

R
Userlevel 3
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I was on the phone yesterday with tech support and he had me send in the diagnostics from the Sonos app. He said it came back with some bad “bashes”, he would not elaborate, but obviously it is not performing like it should, but I still have a feeling this has nothing to do with the tinny lack of bass. I am afraid this is a hardware and not a software problem :( I am so bummed, I was really looking forward to this being a great speaker, but when I go back to my Playbar, which I still have, I get more bass and a fuller sound. I was doing my best to sell my wife on the fact that it would be great to have this new speaker which costs a lot, but alas, playing the Arc is not helping. And music through it is just awful! The dialogue on movies with the Arc is a bit better, but to loose the lows is a non starter. My setup has the sub and to Sonos Ones as well. 

This is exactly my experience with the Arc.  I just regretfully sent it back to Sonos this morning.  My Playbar doesn't look as nice as the Arc but the sound is so much smoother and voices are way better too.  I just couldn't take the shrillness of the Arc any longer.  Of course I lost my discount code on the return….:tired_face:

 

My advice is to stay with the Playbar or Beam until this is sorted out. 

I have a Playbar and an Arc setup side by side connected to the same tv (as the same time) and on the same network. I keep switching the audio between the 2. I can say that the Arc is not perfect but it does sound way more immersive than the playbar The Playbar sounds great on its own but when comparing it  side by side with the Arc i can really see the benefits of the new soundbar. Still not sure which i will keep.

S
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I just want to add my voice here. I upgraded from the Beam to the ARC (with sub + play1 rears).

I felt immediately, and have continued to feel (after waiting for my ears to adjust), that the ARC sounds thin. Midrange just feels empty, with our without trueplay active.

In terms of my preferences and experience - I have owned several home theater systems, some of which were very high end ($10k+). I LIKE very detailed (aka bright, for some) speakers, having often preferred ribbon-based tweeters (Gallo Ref3s most recently). I’ve also owned and preferred very flat headphones, like the Audeze LCD2s.  All that is just to say that I know what a flat frequency response should sound like, and while the Beam may have been overly warm at times, the ARC seems just dead. 

I was actually pretty happy with the beam’s sound overall for the price, but wanted atmos and a bigger soundstage. The ARC definitely delivers on those aspects, and I think the high-end is quite nice and detailed, so I tend to think this can be fixed with better eq. I’m holding off on a return until Sonos has a chance to address these concerns.

While I respect what Trueplay is doing, especially the simplicity of it, I would really like more control to ‘tweak’ it. At the very LEAST add a mid-range slider alongside the bass/treble. Better would be some kind of advanced mode for trueplay that exposes some of what it’s done, and let us move the needle a bit in terms of certain frequencies. 

 

Edit - I’ve seen reports of using older ios devices for Trueplay, which I will try. I also realized that you can probably ‘fake’ a midrange adjustment by just turning down both bass and treble in equal amounts, so I’m going to play with that too. 

100% agree with Ben here.  Simply put, the Arc has no warmth and doesn’t have the rich, full sound I’ve come to love from Sonos.  I understand that everyone has different ears and “good sound” is subjective but with all of the 10/10 reviews I’ve seen before I received my own, expectations were set high.

I have the new Sub 3.0 + Arc set up, applied the new update, and there’s still something missing from the mid range.  Just sounds like a cheap Bluetooth speaker with an amazing sub.  Previously had a Playbase and even that sounded better.

One can’t help but wonder what several other’s have already shared on this forum about their Arc’s sounding amazing.  I WANT MY ARC TO SOUND AMAZING TOO!  The tech reviews, blogs, and this forum make me believe that I have a defective unit but getting through to Sonos support is a nightmare.  Spent 3 hours on the phone yesterday alone.

O
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It sounds disturbing, waiting for my sub to pair with my Arc.  At the same time I have read about so many who think it works when sub takes over the sub work.  How can it be so different!

There are two separate issues. The sub is fantastic with the low frequencies. I do not have any problems with muddy or problematic bass. This thread, and the problem I am experiencing is with overly exaggerated high frequencies, or lack of midrange. Many TV characters are constantly “shrieking” and “hissing”, for lack of a better term. 
(I find there is a difference between different shows or movies. Some shows are better mixed, in which case the problem is less bothersome. Perhaps this is related to how the AGC is configured on the Arc?)

Ken_Griffiths

@DavidKlein 

It’s difficult to know what you’re hearing, but when you encounter the described poor audio quality issues mentioned (assuming you have the App settings at their default), it maybe best to submit a system diagnostic report and note it’s reference back here and then contact/chat with the Sonos Support Staff via this LINK, (during the usual opening times stated) and maybe see what they suggest.

Sometimes a video recording can possibly assist the Staff too. At the very least, they should be able to identify if there is a hardware fault or not.

Hope that assists.

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