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Sonos Arc Muddy/Bottoming out Bass

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P
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I was on Reddit just wanted to get on this list as well when there is resolution. I love it with the sub but damn previous reviews were way off.

A

I was finally able to get a hold of someone at Sonos yesterday afternoon to help with a return (website wasn’t working for me). I sent mine back. Gonna stick with a Beam for now and might re-buy in the future. Paying for a “premium product” and feeling like a beta tester is not good. And now that it seems this thread has lost the attention of the support staff, who knows when the next update will come and what it will address. 

I’m also going to take some time and research other home audio products. This whole experience honestly put a bad taste in my mouth. Aside from the sub-par sound quality we’re experiencing, having to call and sit on hold various times for a week to get to a rep also isn’t acceptable. Things are definitely stretched thin with COVID, and I honestly don’t mind long hold times but their phone system abruptly disconnected me while I was in hold more than three times. It’s just not a great way to handle customers. 

gregmelnyk
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One thing I forgot to mention. The overall volume is low as well. With my Beam setup, most movies were acceptably loud within a 42-50% volume range. The Arc is currently at 62% and I’d still consider upping it another 5-10% if I were to sit and watch a full film to get my previous results. 

S
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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 (theres another post for that issue)

 

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….

@Scott - Sonos @Jean C. 

Ryan S
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Thanks so much guys! We really appreciate your help tracking this down

Mark good posts by pressing the like button, and select the best answer on questions you've asked to help others find solutions.
S
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Could be just me but there’s also a significant lack of mid-range even with the Sub 3.0.  I hear the “bass” issue when I turn off my sub leaving the Arc to play by itself.  The fullness of sound returns when the sub is on but the Arc ends up sounding like just a bunch of tweeters coupled to a bass bin … not something I’m used to even with my Five and several Play 1s.

Ended up calling Sonos service yesterday before jumping on here and they’re very reluctant to return or exchange.  Hope this is fixed by next week.

… For other’s with 5.1 Arc + Sub set ups … just me??

R
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Could be just me but there’s also a significant lack of mid-range even with the Sub 3.0.  I hear the “bass” issue when I turn off my sub leaving the Arc to play by itself.  The fullness of sound returns when the sub is on but the Arc ends up sounding like just a bunch of tweeters coupled to a bass bin … not something I’m used to even with my Five and several Play 1s.

Ended up calling Sonos service yesterday before jumping on here and they’re very reluctant to return or exchange.  Hope this is fixed by next week.

… For other’s with 5.1 Arc + Sub set ups … just me??

I agree with you. My issue is not simply the bass at higher volume. The overall sound even at lower volume is not great. The balance is off. Something just isn’t right. 

buzz

There are multiple layers to the software. Some layers are installed at the factory and are not part of a user update. What if there are multiple production stations and one of them installed a defective software layer?

I don’t think that we yet know if this is a hardware or software issue and what percentage of the shipped units exhibit the issue.

Even at light speed it will require a few days to get a unit back to the lab and start researching the root cause. Due to COVID-19 concerns, the lab is probably not working with a full staff. If an engineer needs to travel to the production facility, there could be delays.

I am aware of another manufacturer’s product where a model had a nearly 100% failure rate during or just after the warranty period. The manufacturer took care of its customers and most were pleased and willing to purchase more of the manufacturer’s product. This is certainly an embarrassment for SONOS, but it does not need to be terminal.

Patience is required.

M
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Got the sub today, easy set up as always.  I can confirm that the sub takes care of the arcs bass issues.  All the films I've watched which had the distorted bass all sound spot on now.  That's with the sub set to -3

we really gotta stop saying “bass issues “ the bass issue was fixed already with yesterday’s firmware.


​​​​

if you properly updated and have any issues you might have a defective unit but the widespread bass issue was fixed 


The bass issue most certainly is NOT fixed. My arc is updated and still sounding like crap on the low ends, especially in movie scenes. It’s not a lack of bass, it sounds like something is seriously wrong with the speaker. Maybe I have a lemon here, but it sounds like I’m not the only one!

S
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I think the people who have been using SONOS products for years may have more patience and willing to give them some time to get it right, while especially those who bought Arc as their first SONOS product may not… It make lot of sense! 

Nah that’t not it. I have been with Sonos for 2 years and my Beam had 0 issues since day one. People expect the same from a product that costs as much as 2 Beams. That’s not much to ask of a premium brand like Sonos. Consistency

Yes, that’s true!

I’m going to be patiently waiting to replace my Beam until I see further update on this.  I thinking that by December this kind of quirk should be fully resolved.  

This reviewer has been pretty reliable in his objective approach.  It may be worth following him.

 

 


THIS is what surprises me the most. Wouldn’t the standard test for a speaker involve going through a test program with all the possible frequencies, recording the response and checking if everything is alright?

D
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Sonos really need to get on top of this now. What HiFi say this: “There are vast quantities of deep, weighty and tuneful bass, but the lower frequencies never overwhelm and even at its loudest and deepest, the Arc remains remarkably composed” yet the rtings review highlights the bass issue (pre-firmware) that we all notice. It’s still not right with the new firmware. 

The what hi-fi review is so good. As where many many others. What was different other than firmware and/or production issues with customer units? 

 

 

I stopped reading the junk that whatHifi puts out. They don’t actually do any testing. They just write and give stars according to how much they are being paid by the sponsors. Or if they are not paid, they just go in accordance to whatever marketing material they are given. If they did any form of testing even at the most rudimentary level or even just a listening test, they would have noticed that the bass is in no way vast , deep, abundant, weighty nor tuneful. Composed at loudest and deepest? This is just one of many times you can catch them doing shit job ‘fake Reviewing’ stuff. 
 

Basically whatHifi has a vocabulary of 100 words they randomly pick to deliver a review. Some words costs more. But honestly, their reviews are worthless. Not worth the paper it’s printed on, Nor the bandwidth it’s delivered through. 

M
Userlevel 2

I think the people who have been using SONOS products for years may have more patience and willing to give them some time to get it right, while especially those who bought Arc as their first SONOS product may not… It make lot of sense! 

Nah that’t not it. I have been with Sonos for 2 years and my Beam had 0 issues since day one. People expect the same from a product that costs as much as 2 Beams. That’s not much to ask of a premium brand like Sonos. Consistency

Yes, that’s true!

I’m going to be patiently waiting to replace my Beam until I see further update on this.  I thinking that by December this kind of quirk should be fully resolved.  

This reviewer has been pretty reliable in his objective approach.  It may be worth following him.

 

 

Thanks for sharing. I think this guy is on to the problem. When this issue is heard in normal content it for sure makes the rattle and almost cracking/breaking noise.

A
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Can I get some clarity on this issue, sorry didn’t read the entire thread. Is the issue occurring with tv’s that have ARC port or eARC or both? Have people tried using a different HDMI cable to eliminate the possibility of a faulty one in the box? If this issue is so wide spread how was something like this missed during engineering/software testing before being put into production? Are the units not tested across all volume ranges with multiple tv’s or avr’s to test for issues and compatibility? I don’t mean to be an ass but I am a dev and if I release something to production without testing that it doesn’t break other things I would be getting chewed out. My unit hasn’t arrived yet but this issue would be a deal breaker. I am somewhat an audiophile and this would drive me nuts so confidence for now is pretty low.

Thanks!

Could someone please answer? Also IF this is a hardware issue and the drivers cannot handle higher volumes and lower frequencies then no amount of software patching will help. It’ll be just masking the issue. So if you’re getting close to your return window it may be a good idea to do it but to each their own.

Thanks!

We all have the same questions and haven’t got any answers. You are right. I am Engineer too, and I still can not believe this kind of issue just slipped through all the testing. This does not speak well about the company’s design cycle. Especially when they advertise so much about working with filmmakers and music directors.

R
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Just talked to couple guys at Best Buy and they mentioned they have spoken to SONOS about this (they are well aware of the complaints on this board) and everything they heard was basically the lot of you got a “bad production”. Take it for what its worth

I wouldn’t believe anything the guys at Best Buy said

S
Userlevel 4
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The rating from RTINGS is quite bad, the Beam performed better than the Arc.

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

I hope Sonos will fix it soon, otherwhise it´s going back to the dealer.

As i mentioned on Reddit. I love RTINGS have been using their website for 4 years at least. But their soundbar reviews are non-sensical. I believe their measurements. But I don’t think that quite translates to the audio experience one gets with the product.

 

An example of this is the Beam and Playbar. I previously owned the playbar and have many friends and my brother with Beams in their living rooms. While I say the beam is a good product there is no way in hell they compare. Yet, RTINGS gives the Beam a higher score for mixed use, for MOVIES?? I just cant justify that. If you watch a movie with a playbar you feel so much more immersed in the content compared to a Beam.

 

Edit: They also compare SONOS soundbars be it the beam, the playbar or the Arc with other soundbars that come with Sub plus rears (even if those are more expensive) and say things like the $1000+ Q90R is better than the $600→ $700 playbar (obviously if you have a sub and surrounds youll get better surround, better low end, etc etc etc). They have yet to evaluate sonos soundbars with surrounds or with the sub. 

 

I do still find their measurements valuable but I wouldnt use it to compare or estimate which soundbar is better. That is just so subjective, and theres a lot that you just cant evaluate from frequency ranges, dymaic range etc. I am an engineer myself and while I understand those terms and measurements. They just dont quite encompass the whole picture on how much you will like a soubdbar.

A

I’ve had my ARC installed for a week and I am experiencing the same bass issue. I hope the software update addresses this. The frustrating thing is if it doesn’t, it forces owners into purchasing a sub to address a manufacturing error. Let’s see the results. Makes me wonder why the ARC wasn’t bundled with a sub from the get-go if it can’t handle bass. 

Even with a Sub the bass from there Arc is not 100% perfect. The update needs to address it. if it doesn’t and there are still issues, the answer shouldn't be spending more money on a Sub. The answer should be returning the Arc. 

S
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if y'all are so upset and think this is unacceptable, then return it. period. mistakes happen, if you stretched your budget so thin buying a luxury item you probably didn't need to get it anyways. this thing has been out for 5 days. give them some time and they will fix it. check back in a month and buy it again, easy.

J
Userlevel 4
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Everyone know that sonos will continue to improve Arc and tweak the sound for a long time. This is just the start I understand the frustration and that some people are not willing to risk it. But they just finished development on their new soundbar. Now it is all about improving and bringing new features to us. Thats what most of the team focuses on. This email makes sense to me. This is a weird time at sonos and in the whole world for sure

 

To be fair, we do NOT “know” that Sonos is going to tweak and/or improve the sound of the Arc for a long time.  At best, we can say “everyone HOPES” Sonos will continue to tweak and improve the Arc.  But there are no guarantees in life.  Laying off a large chunk of their support staff after prematurely releasing a half-baked “flagship” product is not a great way to inspire confidence in the consumer.

B
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@Scott - Sonos, @Jean C.: A number of people in multiple threads in this forum have proposed that Sonos allow greater manual control over EQ.  Probably finer-grained EQ control than just highs, mids, lows. I think that would go a long way towards addressing some of these issues since people’s listening experiences are so subjective. I have a pair of ear buds that come with a killer EQ app and it’s that app that really makes the difference. This of course assumes that the issues people are reporting are not hardware issues.  And even that might not be enough and Sonos may want to consider providing app control over the “effects” like surround and height.

I’m a software engineer and I realize that this is not something Sonos could pull off overnight.  Just wanted to add my vote to this request.

G
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I’ve made this thread into a drinking game. Every time that same video appears you take a drink. Harsh midrange? Drink. S2? You know it. The only thing you can’t drink for is muddy bass, the thread topic.

You’re gonna blackout when Ryan posts that the update is released lol 

B
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New one arrived and hooked up. 

2007 (so July 2020) is on the back above the Arc logo, so you can compare the previous post with my old build, if I’m even providing the right information on that. 

Initially I thought it might have sounded a little better.  I didn’t trueplay tune, I didn’t add my surrounds and just listened to the clips I’ve found where the bass sound muddy for me.  I played those clips and they sounded maybe a little better?  I tried to turn the bass up to +5 to amplify the muddy bass and it didn’t seem as apparent.  I turned it back down to 0 after that.

I then Trueplayed (iPhone 6s) and added my surrounds and immediately noticed the same sound as my previous Arc.  (EQ is reset from this and I didn’t adjust it)

I’ll be shipping back my old Arc as it’s required and keeping this new Arc but sadly have to report that I think it sounds the same as the previous one.  Perhaps it’s Sonos expectations that they sound like this and you need a sub to truly hear it sound good, which is a big bummer.

My hope is that the rumored future ‘testing’ that was mentioned on Reddit is true and that we still have tweaks/issues they are addressing and that the support teams are a bit disconnected from that. 

 

If I was within my return window, I would likely return it but sadly I’m not.  I have to put my faith into Sonos and hope that some future testing comes that improve things… crossing my fingers.

V
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Hmm I just updated, and no more muddy bass, 40hz tone can be heard without bottom on it out /clipping. Also to me, it seems that they also did some other tweaks, music seems more “fuller” which is nice.

K
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Anyone still having problems with the ARC post-patch/update should post in the new topic at https://en.community.sonos.com/troubleshooting-228999/sonos-arc-post-build-58178180-6843904

 

Because this one is marked as answered they might not be looking here anymore.

The new one is also set to the “troubleshooting” category for more luck.

Game programmer and music enthusiast
A
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That seems very strange since he has been dealing with one of the biggest issues Sonos have ever had with a new product, and has done a great job of helping preserve their credibility through it all. 

R
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I used to have the playbar but the Arc is so disappointing. I have raised a ticket for my Arc and have sent them video and voice recordings. Bottom line is that unless they find a miraculous fix ASAP its going back and I am happy to go back to the playbar because that was immense! I just can't belend they've waited 7 years to make a soundbar that sounds as poor as this does in low frequencies. I am really disappointed 

I just reordered a playbar. Will have a playbar and an arc. Will most likely return the arc. Sonos support told me today that an arc fix might be coming this week. 

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