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Sonos Arc - Metallic Sound

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G
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I just want to add that my initial true play attempts with iPhone Xs resulted in the harsh metallic unbearable sound signature. Even reducing treble didn’t help. When the Bass fix update arrived, I added sub and did Trueplay with iPhone 7. I am happy to report that the metallic sounds have all gone and my treble is back to 0. There is definitely something going on with the mic filters and how sonos is processing the Trueplay with different gains. Its been about 10 days and countless listening sessions and I am satisfied with the way its sounding for music and movies. It think its a Software issue and Sonos really need to test it with multiple iOS devices to see how the sound signature differs and compensate for the differences in Trueplay tuning.

I also turned with iPhone 7 and feel vocal’s are still way too harsh, definitely better than iPhone X tuning which is unbearable, but still very high pitched. This needs to be fixed ASAP. 
 

it feels like dialogue completely takes over the overall sound and just way too “in your face”, even with dialoge enhancement and loudness turned off.

N
Userlevel 1
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I just want to add that my initial true play attempts with iPhone Xs resulted in the harsh metallic unbearable sound signature. Even reducing treble didn’t help. When the Bass fix update arrived, I added sub and did Trueplay with iPhone 7. I am happy to report that the metallic sounds have all gone and my treble is back to 0. There is definitely something going on with the mic filters and how sonos is processing the Trueplay with different gains. Its been about 10 days and countless listening sessions and I am satisfied with the way its sounding for music and movies. It think its a Software issue and Sonos really need to test it with multiple iOS devices to see how the sound signature differs and compensate for the differences in Trueplay tuning.

C
Userlevel 6
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So you did not move at all? You did all the tuning on 1 spot?

There are 2 steps, the first you hold the phone where you sit watching the TV, stationary, I think this is for the surround calculation.

The second step, I think for EQ,  Sonos App asks you to walk around the room waving the phone. I didn’t do this to get best results for me. I just waved the phone a foot above and below ear height along the sofa, back again, and repeat. I was keeping the phone moving slowly, but in a concentrated space, ie where your ears are most of the time. The iPhone speaker needs to hear the high frequencies, if it has a cover and/or there is dust/pocket fluff in Mic, it will affect Trueplay.

Carpet will help :)

K
Userlevel 3
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Fairly large living room. Square layout. Flooring not sure (feels like marble or granite).  No curtain or carpet. 

My room setup is not really optimal, but I do expect decent audio quality.

Can you try another Trueplay? I got best results just waving up and down along the sofa, rather than waving around whole room, make sure you remove iPhone cover and check mic for dust/fluff:

https://en.community.sonos.com/home-theater-228993/optimum-trueplay-6842990

 

 

 

So you did not move at all? You did all the tuning on 1 spot?

K
Userlevel 3
Badge +1

Not sure why this problem is still not acknowledged by Sonos. That harsh treble is just present across all contents I played. 

Feels like I'm still using TV speaker but with better bass. I had occasions I was using TV speaker and I thought I was using the Arc.. that is how bad the sound is to me..

 

Izy1987: you're description of the problem is very recognisable. Could you describe you're room? Large open space, hard floor, etc…?

 

Fairly large living room. Square layout. Flooring not sure (feels like marble or granite).  No curtain or carpet. 

My room setup is not really optimal, but I do expect decent audio quality.

My desktop speaker costing 1/3 of the Arc's price performs better in the same environment.

 

Interresting, I also have a large livingroom (L-shaped) with hard flooring, getting a carpet in the living area this week.. 

 

I might try the Arc in my bedroom (small, carpet, curtains) to see if there is a difference. Of course this is no solution. The Arc is designed for large livingrooms, the Beam for small/medium. But it might lead to some explenation/insight. With a possible solution: better truplay tuning in large rooms?

C
Userlevel 6
Badge +11

Fairly large living room. Square layout. Flooring not sure (feels like marble or granite).  No curtain or carpet. 

My room setup is not really optimal, but I do expect decent audio quality.

Can you try another Trueplay? I got best results just waving up and down along the sofa, rather than waving around whole room, make sure you remove iPhone cover and check mic for dust/fluff:

https://en.community.sonos.com/home-theater-228993/optimum-trueplay-6842990

 

 

 

L
Userlevel 3
Badge

Not sure why this problem is still not acknowledged by Sonos. That harsh treble is just present across all contents I played. 

Feels like I'm still using TV speaker but with better bass. I had occasions I was using TV speaker and I thought I was using the Arc.. that is how bad the sound is to me..

 

Izy1987: you're description of the problem is very recognisable. Could you describe you're room? Large open space, hard floor, etc…?

 

Fairly large living room. Square layout. Flooring not sure (feels like marble or granite).  No curtain or carpet. 

My room setup is not really optimal, but I do expect decent audio quality.

My desktop speaker costing 1/3 of the Arc's price performs better in the same environment.

K
Userlevel 3
Badge +1

Not sure why this problem is still not acknowledged by Sonos. That harsh treble is just present across all contents I played. 

Feels like I'm still using TV speaker but with better bass. I had occasions I was using TV speaker and I thought I was using the Arc.. that is how bad the sound is to me..

 

Izy1987: you're description of the problem is very recognisable. Could you describe you're room? Large open space, hard floor, etc…?

C
Userlevel 6
Badge +11

IF (and thats a big IF) the room is part of the problem, shouldn't trueplay make it sound better? Now trueplay makes it sound worse...

No IFs, a room will definitely make a difference to sound. If you ever walk into an empty unfurnished room, its sounds very different when you walk in again when its carpeted and furnished.

If too much sound is bouncing around it will smear imaging and in many cases cause the overall sound to be bright and fatiguing. The trend amongst speaker manufacturers is to make speakers that are already too bright (to make them sound more "exciting" during sales demos) so in a room with too much sound reflection, these speakers can be extremely irritating. Certain wall surfaces such as glass or drywall which are popular in modern condo style apartments are atrocious when it comes to treble information and in many cases will echo because there are so many reflections. This destroys imaging as well as intelligibility of speech and transients. Drums especially can blur together so badly that you can't hear individual notes anymore. Voices can have terrible "esses".

 

https://www.planetofsoundonline.com/pages/fixing-your-room-acoustics

If Trueplay is making your setup worse, I would try another Trueplay, and focus on the area you are listening, and if possible try another (older) iDevice.

K
Userlevel 3
Badge +1

Have you ever been in a room where the audio, be it music or a movie soundtrack, sounds really “tinny” or “crisp”? It’s what we refer to in the industry as “bright”. Taming bright speakers is a big deal if you want to maintain clarity without achieving a harsh or unruly sound. While a loudspeaker can be responsible for this, it can also be the effects of a room. A room can also “muddy” the sound by creating a reverberant effect that reflects the sound back into itself over and over again. Most rooms aren’t large enough to create an actual echo, but if they are made of concrete, hard surfaces and lots of glass, the effects can be detrimental to your listening enjoyment.

http://www.audiogurus.com/learn/speakers/taming-bright-speakers/902

 

IF (and thats a big IF) the room is part of the problem, shouldn't trueplay make it sound better? Now trueplay makes it sound worse...

 

Thinking about this...its obvious trueplay is broken (new ios devices especcialy), so fixing treuplay could potentially resolve in a less bright sound in these kinds of enviroments…..

K
Userlevel 3
Badge +1

Have you ever been in a room where the audio, be it music or a movie soundtrack, sounds really “tinny” or “crisp”? It’s what we refer to in the industry as “bright”. Taming bright speakers is a big deal if you want to maintain clarity without achieving a harsh or unruly sound. While a loudspeaker can be responsible for this, it can also be the effects of a room. A room can also “muddy” the sound by creating a reverberant effect that reflects the sound back into itself over and over again. Most rooms aren’t large enough to create an actual echo, but if they are made of concrete, hard surfaces and lots of glass, the effects can be detrimental to your listening enjoyment.

http://www.audiogurus.com/learn/speakers/taming-bright-speakers/902

 

IF (and thats a big IF) the room is part of the problem, shouldn't trueplay make it sound better? Now trueplay makes it sound worse...

C
Userlevel 6
Badge +11

Have you ever been in a room where the audio, be it music or a movie soundtrack, sounds really “tinny” or “crisp”? It’s what we refer to in the industry as “bright”. Taming bright speakers is a big deal if you want to maintain clarity without achieving a harsh or unruly sound. While a loudspeaker can be responsible for this, it can also be the effects of a room. A room can also “muddy” the sound by creating a reverberant effect that reflects the sound back into itself over and over again. Most rooms aren’t large enough to create an actual echo, but if they are made of concrete, hard surfaces and lots of glass, the effects can be detrimental to your listening enjoyment.

http://www.audiogurus.com/learn/speakers/taming-bright-speakers/902

 

K
Userlevel 3
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Meanwhile at Sonos headquarters..” Sh*t, this topic about tiny, harsh treble isn't dying out by itself...what to do? keep silent or not?….”

K
Userlevel 2
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Maybe there is a bad batch. Mine sounds great after 2-3 weeks daily use. Arc + surrounds + sub. Replaced a Beam 5.1 system, which replaced hardwired Denon AVR and NHT 5.1 speakers. 

The Arc-anchored Sonos system much better than the Beam, and while not getting as really loud as well as the AVR-based system the quality of sound is more or less on par for me. 

Atmos is effective in my usage  as well.

Did you find sound harsh on initial set up? I have the same set up as you which l bought a few days ago.l am wondering if indeed a running in period is required.

K
Userlevel 3
Badge +1

Not sure why this problem is still not acknowledged by Sonos. That harsh treble is just present across all contents I played. 

Feels like I'm still using TV speaker but with better bass. I had occasions I was using TV speaker and I thought I was using the Arc.. that is how bad the sound is to me..


+1 same experience here....

Z
Userlevel 2

This is what I predicted. People are trying to explain: like this is what is supposed to sound like and Sonos wil not fix this. 
 

all because Sonos is dead silent about this problem. Not give us an answer if it will be fixed/ tuned or not. 
 

I have a 100 day return period. But for me this way all the fun is gone.  Really thinking of returning the arc ASAP.  Then I can move on. Maybe try Bose soundbar 700.

I am thinking of doing the same. Enough with this nonsense. Will buy the Samsung Atmos soundbar

Has its own issues. Good luck!  

LOL, man I just can’t seem to catch a break! 

S
Userlevel 2
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Not sure why this problem is still not acknowledged by Sonos. That harsh treble is just present across all contents I played. 

Feels like I'm still using TV speaker but with better bass. I had occasions I was using TV speaker and I thought I was using the Arc.. that is how bad the sound is to me..

 

Yup. 

L
Userlevel 3
Badge

Not sure why this problem is still not acknowledged by Sonos. That harsh treble is just present across all contents I played. 

Feels like I'm still using TV speaker but with better bass. I had occasions I was using TV speaker and I thought I was using the Arc.. that is how bad the sound is to me..

A
Userlevel 6
Badge +6

This is what I predicted. People are trying to explain: like this is what is supposed to sound like and Sonos wil not fix this. 
 

all because Sonos is dead silent about this problem. Not give us an answer if it will be fixed/ tuned or not. 
 

I have a 100 day return period. But for me this way all the fun is gone.  Really thinking of returning the arc ASAP.  Then I can move on. Maybe try Bose soundbar 700.

I am thinking of doing the same. Enough with this nonsense. Will buy the Samsung Atmos soundbar

Has its own issues. Good luck!  

Z
Userlevel 2

This is what I predicted. People are trying to explain: like this is what is supposed to sound like and Sonos wil not fix this. 
 

all because Sonos is dead silent about this problem. Not give us an answer if it will be fixed/ tuned or not. 
 

I have a 100 day return period. But for me this way all the fun is gone.  Really thinking of returning the arc ASAP.  Then I can move on. Maybe try Bose soundbar 700.

I am thinking of doing the same. Enough with this nonsense. Will buy the Samsung Atmos soundbar

S
Userlevel 2
Badge +3

Just curious are most people, specifically those with sibilance and harsh treble using Trueplay? I have a surround setup with the Arc + Sub + Play 1’s and I find the default EQ to not be bright at all and in fact a little flat and boring. Definitely not anything I would consider bright. Turning on and using Trueplay however with my iPhone X, wife’s iPhone XS or 2017 iPad results in a very bright and harsh sound. All bass (sub is great) and a lot of bright high end and not a lot of midrange or overall warmth in the sound. Retuning with my wife’s very old iPad Mini (probably like a 2014 model or so) however resulted in much better sound that I’m happy with it. 
 

This doesn’t just apply to the Arc. Trueplay results in a brighter, different sound with my other Sonos speakers too so I retuned them all with the old iPad Mini. I think the Arc soundstage just amplifies it even more. So I think the device used for tuning makes a difference which I didn’t believe at first when I read it here until I found one that worked well. 
 

If people are finding the non Trueplay default EQ overly bright though, can’t say I have that issue.

 

Of course. We just spent $800+ so you better believe we’re exhausting every option to get it to sound right. 

 

Mine is going back to Sonos. I truly believe there is a bad batch of these out there. 


Oh I get it believe me. I retuned with 4 different devices after all so I’m exhausting all options as well. Overall, I’m happy now but wasn’t initially. With Trueplay off it sounds lifeless, with it on way too bright until I found the one iOS device that gave me a tuning I liked.

 

The 45 day return window is pretty solid thankfully if you’re not happy and gives people enough time to really test it out and maybe for Sonos to fix or update the tuning based on initial user feedback.

G
Userlevel 4
Badge +3

Maybe there is a bad batch. Mine sounds great after 2-3 weeks daily use. Arc + surrounds + sub. Replaced a Beam 5.1 system, which replaced hardwired Denon AVR and NHT 5.1 speakers. 

The Arc-anchored Sonos system much better than the Beam, and while not getting as really loud as well as the AVR-based system the quality of sound is more or less on par for me. 

Atmos is effective in my usage  as well.

P
Userlevel 2
Badge +1

I use trueplay. To my ears, brightness and harshness is there even without trueplay. It’s more pronounced with trueplay. I have Arc + sub + 2 sonos ones. 
I tried trueplay with various devices: iphone 11 pro, ipad air latest gen, iphone 6s. The latter was the best, but still too harsh.

Exactly same setup and experience as me 

O
Userlevel 4
Badge +6

I use trueplay. To my ears, brightness and harshness is there even without trueplay. It’s more pronounced with trueplay. I have Arc + sub + 2 sonos ones. 
I tried trueplay with various devices: iphone 11 pro, ipad air latest gen, iphone 6s. The latter was the best, but still too harsh.

S
Userlevel 2
Badge

Just curious are most people, specifically those with sibilance and harsh treble using Trueplay? I have a surround setup with the Arc + Sub + Play 1’s and I find the default EQ to not be bright at all and in fact a little flat and boring. Definitely not anything I would consider bright. Turning on and using Trueplay however with my iPhone X, wife’s iPhone XS or 2017 iPad results in a very bright and harsh sound. All bass (sub is great) and a lot of bright high end and not a lot of midrange or overall warmth in the sound. Retuning with my wife’s very old iPad Mini (probably like a 2014 model or so) however resulted in much better sound that I’m happy with it. 
 

This doesn’t just apply to the Arc. Trueplay results in a brighter, different sound with my other Sonos speakers too so I retuned them all with the old iPad Mini. I think the Arc soundstage just amplifies it even more. So I think the device used for tuning makes a difference which I didn’t believe at first when I read it here until I found one that worked well. 
 

If people are finding the non Trueplay default EQ overly bright though, can’t say I have that issue.

 

Of course. We just spent $800+ so you better believe we’re exhausting every option to get it to sound right. 

 

Mine is going back to Sonos. I truly believe there is a bad batch of these out there. 

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