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Sonos Arc - Metallic Sound


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Hi All.

It’s a relief that Sonos has identified the bug that’s causing the bass distortion in Sonos Arc. Thank you @Ryan S for working with the Sonos Communty to identify the problem quickly.

Having said this, I believe that Sonos still needs more work to make the Arc sound as it was advertised. Currently, multiple people on Reddit including myself are reporting the highs being too high which sort of feels “harsh”. This improve the speech clarity and brings out details in the movies, but the warmth in speech is lost because the voices sound thin and metallic (for eg. actors I know having heavy voices don’t sound heavy). I was expecting the mid-range to be a lot better considering the Arc has 8 woofers. 

I have tried TruPlaying twice without success (Turning TruPlay off produces muffled sound). Adjusting the treble also did not help much. Loudness turned on and off does not make a big difference either. May be, this is how the Arc is tuned?!

 Anyone else feels that Arc is over-emphasizing the highs with compromised mids?

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Best answer by Scott - Sonos 3 July 2020, 00:56

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Yes do keep us posted. This has been pending for two months already. I believe quite a few users have already returned their Arc and getting their refund. For those like me who are still holding on to the Arc, we are putting our faith in your company to get things right. 

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Question.…

has anyone like myself who is also having a major issue with this ‘metallic sound’ maybe been to a shop or round a friends or even had a replacement arc and found another arc not to have this issue?

So many people dont seem to have this issue, wondering if there is a large bad batch (unlikely) but still. Also i understand that all the arc’s could have this issue & not everyone notices it due to the fact everyone’s ears and setup’s are different and may not notice it as much.

I was also experiencing bad (metallic) sound from arc+sub, and was just about to deliver it back when I configured trueplay using a newer iPhone. I had previously configured it through a 2 year old iphone and older iPads. Now it sounds as good as I was expecting it to sound.

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I was also experiencing bad (metallic) sound from arc+sub, and was just about to deliver it back when I configured trueplay using a newer iPhone. I had previously configured it through a 2 year old iphone and older iPads. Now it sounds as good as I was expecting it to sound.


I can second this - I borrowed a friend’s iPhone 11 today and went through the TruePlay procedure again and the difference is remarkable. The sibilance from the excessive high-end has been tamed, and mids seem to be much more present.  
 

I had previously used my iPhone 6s to do the procedure (it’s about 4.5 years old now). 

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I was also experiencing bad (metallic) sound from arc+sub, and was just about to deliver it back when I configured trueplay using a newer iPhone. I had previously configured it through a 2 year old iphone and older iPads. Now it sounds as good as I was expecting it to sound.


I can second this - I borrowed a friend’s iPhone 11 today and went through the TruePlay procedure again and the difference is remarkable. The sibilance from the excessive high-end has been tamed, and mids seem to be much more present.  
 

I had previously used my iPhone 6s to do the procedure (it’s about 4.5 years old now). 

We just have to go out and but an Arc and a new iPhone!!!!!!

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I was also experiencing bad (metallic) sound from arc+sub, and was just about to deliver it back when I configured trueplay using a newer iPhone. I had previously configured it through a 2 year old iphone and older iPads. Now it sounds as good as I was expecting it to sound.


I can second this - I borrowed a friend’s iPhone 11 today and went through the TruePlay procedure again and the difference is remarkable. The sibilance from the excessive high-end has been tamed, and mids seem to be much more present.  
 

I had previously used my iPhone 6s to do the procedure (it’s about 4.5 years old now). 

This is very interesting. Having followed this thread for quite some time now, the previous suggestion was to use an older iPhone for “better” trueplay. Previously, before 12.0.4, indeed using an iPhone 6s gave me the best results. 
 

Now, people are claiming that newer iPhones give good results. Can others confirm? Perhaps @Krishma M or @Scott - Sonos could let us know if there was some change in that regard? Having ran trueplay many, many, times before getting acceptable sound, I am somewhat weary of running trueplay yet again, lest the sound will worsen. 

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I was also experiencing bad (metallic) sound from arc+sub, and was just about to deliver it back when I configured trueplay using a newer iPhone. I had previously configured it through a 2 year old iphone and older iPads. Now it sounds as good as I was expecting it to sound.


I can second this - I borrowed a friend’s iPhone 11 today and went through the TruePlay procedure again and the difference is remarkable. The sibilance from the excessive high-end has been tamed, and mids seem to be much more present.  
 

I had previously used my iPhone 6s to do the procedure (it’s about 4.5 years old now). 

This is very interesting. Having followed this thread for quite some time now, the previous suggestion was to use an older iPhone for “better” trueplay. Previously, before 12.0.4, indeed using an iPhone 6s gave me the best results. 
 

Now, people are claiming that newer iPhones give good results. Can others confirm? Perhaps @Krishma M or @Scott - Sonos could let us know if there was some change in that regard? Having ran trueplay many, many, times before getting acceptable sound, I am somewhat weary of running trueplay yet again, lest the sound will worsen. 


Personally I found the trueplay results to be very similar between tunings when using the same device each time. 
 

It does make sense that there’d be some difference when tuning EQ using different devices as they have different mics (although I have to say I didn’t expect the difference to be quite so dramatic). 
 

Perhaps the fact that the 6s has only one mic is the biggest factor here. 

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I was also experiencing bad (metallic) sound from arc+sub, and was just about to deliver it back when I configured trueplay using a newer iPhone. I had previously configured it through a 2 year old iphone and older iPads. Now it sounds as good as I was expecting it to sound.


I can second this - I borrowed a friend’s iPhone 11 today and went through the TruePlay procedure again and the difference is remarkable. The sibilance from the excessive high-end has been tamed, and mids seem to be much more present.  
 

I had previously used my iPhone 6s to do the procedure (it’s about 4.5 years old now). 

This is very interesting. Having followed this thread for quite some time now, the previous suggestion was to use an older iPhone for “better” trueplay. Previously, before 12.0.4, indeed using an iPhone 6s gave me the best results. 
 

Now, people are claiming that newer iPhones give good results. Can others confirm? Perhaps @Krishma M or @Scott - Sonos could let us know if there was some change in that regard? Having ran trueplay many, many, times before getting acceptable sound, I am somewhat weary of running trueplay yet again, lest the sound will worsen. 


Personally I found the trueplay results to be very similar between tunings when using the same device each time. 
 

It does make sense that there’d be some difference when tuning EQ using different devices as they have different mics (although I have to say I didn’t expect the difference to be quite so dramatic). 
 

Perhaps the fact that the 6s has only one mic is the biggest factor here. 

There were also 1 or two app/systemupdates since last time you tuned it? Or you retuned after each update?

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I was also experiencing bad (metallic) sound from arc+sub, and was just about to deliver it back when I configured trueplay using a newer iPhone. I had previously configured it through a 2 year old iphone and older iPads. Now it sounds as good as I was expecting it to sound.


I can second this - I borrowed a friend’s iPhone 11 today and went through the TruePlay procedure again and the difference is remarkable. The sibilance from the excessive high-end has been tamed, and mids seem to be much more present.  
 

I had previously used my iPhone 6s to do the procedure (it’s about 4.5 years old now). 

This is very interesting. Having followed this thread for quite some time now, the previous suggestion was to use an older iPhone for “better” trueplay. Previously, before 12.0.4, indeed using an iPhone 6s gave me the best results. 
 

Now, people are claiming that newer iPhones give good results. Can others confirm? Perhaps @Krishma M or @Scott - Sonos could let us know if there was some change in that regard? Having ran trueplay many, many, times before getting acceptable sound, I am somewhat weary of running trueplay yet again, lest the sound will worsen. 


Personally I found the trueplay results to be very similar between tunings when using the same device each time. 
 

It does make sense that there’d be some difference when tuning EQ using different devices as they have different mics (although I have to say I didn’t expect the difference to be quite so dramatic). 
 

Perhaps the fact that the 6s has only one mic is the biggest factor here. 

There were also 1 or two app/systemupdates since last time you tuned it? Or you retuned after each update?

I retuned it on my iPhone 6s and listened back to a selection of tracks as well as parts of movies before then retuning with my friend’s iPhone 11 and listening to the same tracks and selections (so it was done on the same day with the same software version). 

 

DIfferent microphones have different EQ response curves so I can imagine that having an impact here although it could 

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New app update and firmware update. Just updated

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Any change with the update in the sound?

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Nope, exactly the same, how long is it going to take to sort this out!!!

Any change with the update in the sound?

I did install it and did trueplay dance with iPhoneX. Problem is not solved :-(

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After the new update and new Trueplay it does sound a lot better, bass is still terrible

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I have  Arc + sub + 2 x play 1 And for me This set sounds amazing  in movies. After trutone bass is weaker but much more precise and excelent to everyday watching . 

Just updated app and Arc/sub to 12.0.5, reran Truplay and no change. Trusting in Sonos to address this as I purposely passed the return window and am getting anxious. Not an exaggeration, I have to run at -10 treble just to not be uncomfortable listening to this thing. So disappointing to be nearly 3 months in on something I preordered and still experiencing awful sound. 
 

As an aside, I was at my friend’s again this weekend and envying the warm, rich sound from his Playbar. Even without a sub. I’d take that over this Arc/sub setup hands-down right now. It’s that much of a difference. 

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Just updated app and Arc/sub to 12.0.5, reran Truplay and no change. Trusting in Sonos to address this as I purposely passed the return window and am getting anxious. Not an exaggeration, I have to run at -10 treble just to not be uncomfortable listening to this thing. So disappointing to be nearly 3 months in on something I preordered and still experiencing awful sound. 
 

As an aside, I was at my friend’s again this weekend and envying the warm, rich sound from his Playbar. Even without a sub. I’d take that over this Arc/sub setup hands-down right now. It’s that much of a difference. 

I suspect that if you’re having to run treble that low, something else might be at play in your case. I’m not aware of the problem being quite that severe in most cases. 

Did the iPad Trueplay tuning instead of my iPhone XS, which I initially has used for tuning.

 

The difference is insane - music listening has gone from horrible, to outstanding. Movies are sounding much better also.

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Did the iPad Trueplay tuning instead of my iPhone XS, which I initially has used for tuning.

 

The difference is insane - music listening has gone from horrible, to outstanding. Movies are sounding much better also.

Sounds similar to my experience (although music wasn’t horrible before, just sub-optimal really with scooped mids and accentuated presence). 

It would be good to get some input from the Sonos staff on exactly why the differences are so stark between Apple devices. 

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In my case after the update, everything remains the same, treble at -6 to be able to support television channels and still lacks media. In 5 days I get the arch replacement, to see if it improves anything.

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I really don’t have those severe treble problems. Treble 0 and bass +7 for me is just fine

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Going to re-post this incase any one has any light on this post and missed it…
 

Question.…

has anyone like myself who is also having a major issue with this ‘metallic sound’ maybe been to a shop or round a friends or even had a replacement arc and found another arc not to have this issue?

So many people dont seem to have this issue, wondering if there is a large bad batch (unlikely) but still. Also i understand that all the arc’s could have this issue & not everyone notices it due to the fact everyone’s ears and setup’s are different and may not notice it as much.

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has anyone like myself who is also having a major issue with this ‘metallic sound’ maybe been to a shop or round a friends or even had a replacement arc and found another arc not to have this issue?

 

Or the reverse? ie someone that doesn’t have the issue, been to a friends that does.

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I found that Trueplay makes a huge difference. I highly recommend running Trueplay again if you are unhappy with the sound. I still think that the sibilance can be improved, but overall the sound is much better now. 

 

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has anyone like myself who is also having a major issue with this ‘metallic sound’ maybe been to a shop or round a friends or even had a replacement arc and found another arc not to have this issue?

 

Or the reverse? ie someone that doesn’t have the issue, been to a friends that does.

This as well, will be very interesting to see any peoples feedback here. If i didnt live darn an hour and a half away from my nearest richersounds store, which seems to be the only stores with these on demo, at least anywhere around where i live anyway, i would take my arc to the store and compare against there demo. Anyone feel free on my behalf to do this 😂

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