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Sonos Arc - Metallic Sound

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T

I’ve played with my ARC+sub every way possible and the mids are still lousy with music. The Arc is tinny and hollow, sort of sounds like a 80-90’s portable stereo (not the boom box). It get’s worse the higher the volume, to get some sort of lower mids you have to turn it up, then the sound seems to get muddled like the ARC is overwhelmed. 
Source seems to play a part; Music off my phone via AirPlay isn’t not good, music (XM, Amazon) through the Sonos app is eh, same with music off YouTube off my TV’s app. It’s a sound bar, I’m not expecting rattle the house music, but this is really poor, my truck’s OEM stereo sounds better, not kidding.

 

The ARC (w/sub) is pretty good with movies and tv shows, unfortunately not $800+$700 good. I wanted the clean wireless look in my house and could live with this being tv/movie only, but not at the cost. I’m going to return them and maybe if Sonos corrects this I’ll repurchase. A broader EQ would have been a help, but maybe that would have just shown a design problem instead of leaving people to wonder. 

Sonos.

A lot of people have report this problem.  I have until 31 Jan to return my to Amazon.  I really do not want to do so.  TV is okay (sort of), but streamed music, sadly, is not.

 

Please respond so I know if this will be fixed.

 

Thank you,

 

 

Are you using Trueplay? If so Peter Pee has quantified the sound profile changes depending on which IOS device you use to perform the tuning on.  The results can vary massively & I have started a topic here with links to his video. Below is the link to the new thread, I hope this can help.

 

Trueplay with newer iPhones causing issues?

S

Sonos.

A lot of people have report this problem.  I have until 31 Jan to return my to Amazon.  I really do not want to do so.  TV is okay (sort of), but streamed music, sadly, is not.

 

Please respond so I know if this will be fixed.

 

Thank you,

 

J
Userlevel 1
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I’ve played with my ARC+sub every way possible and the mids are still lousy with music. The Arc is tinny and hollow, sort of sounds like a 80-90’s portable stereo (not the boom box). It get’s worse the higher the volume, to get some sort of lower mids you have to turn it up, then the sound seems to get muddled like the ARC is overwhelmed. 
Source seems to play a part; Music off my phone via AirPlay isn’t not good, music (XM, Amazon) through the Sonos app is eh, same with music off YouTube off my TV’s app. It’s a sound bar, I’m not expecting rattle the house music, but this is really poor, my truck’s OEM stereo sounds better, not kidding.

 

The ARC (w/sub) is pretty good with movies and tv shows, unfortunately not $800+$700 good. I wanted the clean wireless look in my house and could live with this being tv/movie only, but not at the cost. I’m going to return them and maybe if Sonos corrects this I’ll repurchase. A broader EQ would have been a help, but maybe that would have just shown a design problem instead of leaving people to wonder. 

G
Userlevel 7

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:

Don’t expect the sound profile of the Sonos Arc to change much. The majority of Arc owners love how it sounds and aren’t experiencing the issue discussed on this thread. Your best bet would be to accept what you currently have or find another soundbar that you will be happy with.

"Receive with simplicity everything that happens to you." - Rashi
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:

Y

........I currently own 2 Play:1, 2 Play:3, 1 Five, 1 Amp and am pleased with the fullness, warmth and richness of these components.  I expected and hope for the same from the Arc, but it’s a mess.  I hope they plan to address the concerns expressed by many in a future software update.  Otherwise, I’ll need to return the Arc.  It’s not an enjoyable experience at all.

I really wouldn't wait for developments that'll change things to your liking, note this forum question is marked 'Answered" as far as Sonos is concerned.

Many folks are happy with the sound though like you I found it unpleasant compared to other Sonos products. 

I think your best bet regrettably is to accept this product isn't for you and return it and move on.

I have been following forums (including this one) about this and I agree with Bernardo’s assessment. I have not had the chance to listen to the ARC but I am quite sensitive to treble  and midrange harshness so I am very reluctant to try it. I still might try it as Sonos offers a return window. Beyond my individual concerns, it does appear that there is a split among users. Judging from amazon reviews on the ARC, most seem to love the sound. It is not clear what use cases this refers to (maybe only movies and background listening only) so we cannot draw conclusions. Most amazon reviews rate the ARC highly. There are some (few) reviews that identify the upper midrange and treble harshness: https://www.flatpanelshd.com/review.php?subaction=showfull&id=1591262781

and 

https://www.rtings.com/soundbar/reviews/sonos/arc

I found the flatpanelshd review quite well written and it seems to describe the issue quite well. 

Most other magazine reviews focus primarily on the HDMI connectivity problems but do not mention issues with the sound quality. 

My sense is (not scientific) that there is indeed a group of people who find the ARC to be harsh and tinny but I do not see Sonos taking any corrective action on this. It may be that this is the sound ‘flavour’ they intended for the ARC all along and perhaps a majority of users are fine with it. A parametric EQ would be the remedy but again.. I don’t see this being implemented by Sonos. 

I think that (sadly) for those of us who find the ARC sound to be harsh and tinny, a different product will serve us better.

 

B
Userlevel 3
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........I currently own 2 Play:1, 2 Play:3, 1 Five, 1 Amp and am pleased with the fullness, warmth and richness of these components.  I expected and hope for the same from the Arc, but it’s a mess.  I hope they plan to address the concerns expressed by many in a future software update.  Otherwise, I’ll need to return the Arc.  It’s not an enjoyable experience at all.

I really wouldn't wait for developments that'll change things to your liking, note this forum question is marked 'Answered" as far as Sonos is concerned.

Many folks are happy with the sound though like you I found it unpleasant compared to other Sonos products. 

I think your best bet regrettably is to accept this product isn't for you and return it and move on.

G
Userlevel 7

Have sonos responded to this?

We have recently bought the Sonos Arc & Sub Woofer but are struggling to get the right balance.  Voices are sometimes faint and are overpowered by the action/music noises.  I have tried the enchanced speech but that just makes it sound very tinnie.  Also we note that voices go up and down in volume on a regular basis.

Our room is relatively small and I have done the Trueplay.  I've tried the settings with and without this but it makes little to no difference.  At the moment I have the following, which is the best I have managed so far:

 

  • No night time or speech enhancements
  • EQ Bass at 0
  • EQ Treble at -2
  • EQ Loudness on
  • Trueplay on
  • Sub Audio 0

I think that's all I can alter.

 

Any thoughts on this set up?

If the action/music sounds are too overpowering, turn on Night Sound. This will lower the dynamic range of the audio so loud explosions and music will be played at a lower level.

"Receive with simplicity everything that happens to you." - Rashi
G
Userlevel 3
Badge +4

Have sonos responded to this?

We have recently bought the Sonos Arc & Sub Woofer but are struggling to get the right balance.  Voices are sometimes faint and are overpowered by the action/music noises.  I have tried the enchanced speech but that just makes it sound very tinnie.  Also we note that voices go up and down in volume on a regular basis.

Our room is relatively small and I have done the Trueplay.  I've tried the settings with and without this but it makes little to no difference.  At the moment I have the following, which is the best I have managed so far:

 

  • No night time or speech enhancements
  • EQ Bass at 0
  • EQ Treble at -2
  • EQ Loudness on
  • Trueplay on
  • Sub Audio 0

I think that's all I can alter.

 

Any thoughts on this set up?

K

I received the Arc 5 days ago.  I went from a receiver and bookshelf/surround speakers to the Arc/Sub/One set.  My listening experience went from warm, full, rich and enjoyable to unpleasant and somewhat painful.

My previous setup sounded disciplined and focused - the sound appropriately filled the room.  The Arc setup sounds like a scattered mess with manic sound separation, including painful highs, and a tinny/metallic/echoey sound profile.

I read through the comments and tried running Trueplay from all of my ios devices (some older, some newer) and it still sounds echoey.  At this point, I have turned off Trueplay (to reduce the echoey effect), turned off the Sub (to bring back some of the mids to the Arc and to somewhat reduce the piercing highs) and have the treble turned all the way down.  Disappointing, to say the least.

I currently own 2 Play:1, 2 Play:3, 1 Five, 1 Amp and am pleased with the fullness, warmth and richness of these components.  I expected and hope for the same from the Arc, but it’s a mess.  I hope they plan to address the concerns expressed by many in a future software update.  Otherwise, I’ll need to return the Arc.  It’s not an enjoyable experience at all.

Y
Userlevel 2

Has anyone found a fix for this yet? It is very clear when you listen to the S’s in dialogue.

I have tried True Playing with my iPhone X, 2 old iPhone 6’s, and an iPhone XR - not much difference with them.

I have treble set to -4 and bass to 3. It hasn’t changed after getting the Sub too.

S
Userlevel 2
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I was one of the early people complaining about the sound as you can track back on this thread. I was completely disappointed the first time I played it. It sounded closed off & small. 
 

I actually started the process of returning my Arc right up until they released the big firmware updates. I waited to see if the updates would help and I’m glad I did. I’d say I’m now content with the sound. It’s pleasant and sounds good paired with the sub. With that said, I absolutely think it’s overpriced. I went to Costco today and they had the Arc in stock right next to the Beam, a Playbar, a sub $200 Bose soundbar, Klipsch 5.1 system, a $239 Yamaha soundbar, and a Samsung soundbar (not sure the model). My wife and I both agreed that the little $239 Yamaha and Bose soundbars sounded as good for a fraction of the price. The Bose has spooky imaging.

 

To sum it up, I’m happy with the sound now but think there are some serious contenders for way less money. 

J
Userlevel 1

I think this is definitely a software issue more than a hardware - reason being, after you use the Trueplay it plays a tone to show you its complete and the depth and range of that tone is completely different than when I’m watching it with a movie. You can hear the capability it has. I’ve just tried a retune and played “Man Of Steel” more specifically, the scene where superman first learns he can fly. When he’s flying through the air there is no rumble, when he hits the ground there is no thud at all.
 

As a test, I set my Ones to a stereo pair and watched the same scene on my phone and airplay’d the audio to the speakers - it was much closer to the sound I was expecting from the Arc. It wasn’t perfect but I felt way more engaged and a part of the scene. How can an iPhone and £280’s worth of speakers out do £800’s worth of sound bar?! Makes no sense. 

J
Userlevel 1

As one of the earlier people reporting this issue, I thought I’d offer an update on my experience.

Initially, I found the ARC very harsh, ‘tinny/metallic,’ and lacking midrange. My original post describes it in more detail. After recalibrating with an ‘old’ iphone 6, it was better, but not as good as I thought it could be. After the 12.1 update, I retuned with my 11” iPad Pro (2018), and made sure NOT to move around the room, but just wave the iPad around the couch area, it was at least AS good, but seemed slightly less harsh than the iphone 6 tune. 

After living with the arc for 4+ months, I am satisfied with the sound, and DO think it’s better on all metrics than the Beam. I still have the Beam, and recently played with it a bit and I’m reminded that, while it definitely emphasises midrange more, it really lacks detail in the high end, and the soundstage is dramatically smaller. 

I don’t listen to much music on this system, and when I do, it’s mostly for background/ambiance. If I were focused on music, with TV secondary, I would not recommend the Arc. But it does a pretty dang good job with home theater. I no longer find it distractingly harsh, but I admit that’s just as likely due to my ears/brain adapting as any changes Sonos has made.

Things I would like to see change in order of likelihood:

  1. Sonos could provide more control over the sound profile of a tuned system. My preference would be some kind of ‘advanced’ mode that shows you the eq settings it had detected, and let you customise them a bit. Let people who understand sound, and know their preferences, take more control. AND all eq settings should be able to be saved separately for music vs. tv playback.
  2. Sonos could allow adding left/right main speakers to a surround setup. I would LOVE to spend the money on two Fives to add as main left/right. I could get a bigger soundstage, more punch in the mids, and the arc could be freed up to focus on center/height/virtual-surround). For stereo music, I would want JUST the Fives and the sub to be active. 

 

Ahh a customer allowed EQ would be a DREAM!! Here’s to dreaming 

J
Userlevel 1

@rick.f I’m sat here listening to my One SL at an 8th of the volume on my iPhone - it’s kicking out more depth and bass than the Arc when it’s turned up! WTF!? Can’t believe it.

B
Userlevel 2
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As one of the earlier people reporting this issue, I thought I’d offer an update on my experience.

Initially, I found the ARC very harsh, ‘tinny/metallic,’ and lacking midrange. My original post describes it in more detail. After recalibrating with an ‘old’ iphone 6, it was better, but not as good as I thought it could be. After the 12.1 update, I retuned with my 11” iPad Pro (2018), and made sure NOT to move around the room, but just wave the iPad around the couch area, it was at least AS good, but seemed slightly less harsh than the iphone 6 tune. 

After living with the arc for 4+ months, I am satisfied with the sound, and DO think it’s better on all metrics than the Beam. I still have the Beam, and recently played with it a bit and I’m reminded that, while it definitely emphasises midrange more, it really lacks detail in the high end, and the soundstage is dramatically smaller. 

I don’t listen to much music on this system, and when I do, it’s mostly for background/ambiance. If I were focused on music, with TV secondary, I would not recommend the Arc. But it does a pretty dang good job with home theater. I no longer find it distractingly harsh, but I admit that’s just as likely due to my ears/brain adapting as any changes Sonos has made.

Things I would like to see change in order of likelihood:

  1. Sonos could provide more control over the sound profile of a tuned system. My preference would be some kind of ‘advanced’ mode that shows you the eq settings it had detected, and let you customise them a bit. Let people who understand sound, and know their preferences, take more control. AND all eq settings should be able to be saved separately for music vs. tv playback.
  2. Sonos could allow adding left/right main speakers to a surround setup. I would LOVE to spend the money on two Fives to add as main left/right. I could get a bigger soundstage, more punch in the mids, and the arc could be freed up to focus on center/height/virtual-surround). For stereo music, I would want JUST the Fives and the sub to be active. 

 

R
Userlevel 1
Badge +1

@Krishma M ?

Rick
S

So, is there a fix?  There are multiple forums on this/similar sound concerns.  I want to love the ARC, but either can’t hear it or it becomes painful.  However, you can hear that the real sound is in there somewhere and at times, you get to hear some of it and then, ugh.

Need to know if I return.

 

Thank you.

R
Userlevel 1
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@Jack33 Same story here no reply from Sonos at all…. 

Rick
J
Userlevel 1

I had to join to comment in the hope that Sonos sort this out. I’ve got 2 Sonos 1’s and I was amazed when I first heard them, so I was excited to get the arc. After spending some time with it, It definitely lacks mid range depth for sure and is definitely too bright. Music can sound OK but movies lack that oomph that I’ve heard from other (much cheaper!!) soundbars. Hopefully an update will sort this - the thing has enough woofers and speakers to get a more full sound surely?!

I truetuned it, but I’ve turned that off now as that made it sound even worse. Please sort this Sonos!!!

B

Tried a different phone. Hasn’t worked for me. Think I’ll have to return. Such a shame. Maybe it’s just difference tastes 

S

While searching the community posts for some indication of the angle of the upward firing speakers on the Arc (anybody know if it’s 15 or 20 degrees off the vertical?), I see people are complaining about tinny sound from their Arc. I found this on YouTube which suggests there is an issue using certain models of iPhone with Trueplay when calibrating your system...

 

B

New to Sonos. Having the same problem. Will have to return at this rate. Is the beam much better? I’d try that with the sub and surrounds if so, otherwise it might need to be a different brand! It’s so tinny and harsh!

J

Hi, I’ve just received my Sonos arc and Sub gen 3. I’m having the same issues as others here. Watching Tv news is unbearable with this thing, the highs are extremely high and voices sound extremely tinny with absolutely no depth. Dolby Atmos on Netflix and music is ok though. Having spent a lot for this setup in Argentina, I’m kind of disappointed. 

R
Userlevel 1
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Why is there no answer yet, there have been several updates last months, but the ARC still sounds metallic. 😔

Rick
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