Sonos Arc Muddy/Bottoming out Bass

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

No - don’t agree - continual improvements and updates show progress and support. One reason I have a SONOS ecosystem is because I know there will be continuous updates and improvements. I have purchased other products that stop receiving updates within a year. As I have posted before - My ARC sounds great - no complaints at all - Just watched ‘Enter the Dragon’ - no not ATMOS but still sounded better than my Playbar. Mine is not going back - I know it will just get better. It always has.. I’ve been a fan for 11 years now.. 

Well they laid off 12% of the workforce. But the stock is rockin.. and the direct to consumer sales are up 400% - this is NOT after the ARC but before - The company has always been solid - 

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/24/sonos-says-its-cutting-12percent-of-global-employees-because-of-covid-19.html

https://seekingalpha.com/news/3586479-sonos-extends-on-recent-rally-5-push-higher

https://s22.q4cdn.com/672173472/files/doc_financials/2020/q2/FINAL-2Q20-Sonos-Shareholder-Letter-5.6.20.pdf

That’s horr

Yeah they are really keeping us up-to-date here… yesterday I turned off my sub just to check: yep still distortion (must say my eq is +5 but my Beam didn’t have any issues with that)

this isn’t a dig honestly but can you hear the problem on my video just because ears hear things differently - if you can hear it then I’m more and more believing hardware faults on some units 

That sound is an issue: no doubt. I Just listened to that scene on my arc and have to say that it doesn’t sound brilliant as tight as I would like but nothing like as bad as your recording.

i am not sure of your recording is making it sound worse: I can see how a recording of mid could end up sounding like yours.  
 

I am running it from Apple TV using the latest “fix” update on Sonos. 

It sounds exactly like that in real life - I too using Apple tv4k Netflix and latest fix from sonos

How are people getting on with Sonos ‘support’ - tbf they are emailing me once a day with things to try today it was try turning trueplay and loudness off… same drive clip just as horrible but have to get the volume 5 higher before it starts…..

Just tried this and its absolutely faultless, actually sounds pretty phenomenal. Guys this HAS to be a hardware problem. Im actually anxious about updating to the latest s/w version as I bet it will make it worse.

You are running over half volume if you go into the app (maybe 60%?) trueplay and loudness on with NO sub?

no with sub at any volume my ears could tolerate, I can try without sub but the thing just sounds awful without, but so did the beam tbf, its unreal the difference sub makes to the soundbars sound signature, almost as if they were completely designed to work in tandem

ok just tried without sub, and aside from there being a disappointing lack of bass, the distortion is there, but nothing like the level you are experiencing, and this is pre update. whether sub is masking the issue, or  stoping arc from reproducing them I don't know, but I suspect the latter.

With sub I can push up to 80% with ease (eq bass +6) when watching 6 Underground intro. No problem at all, also with music, . Turn the sub off → problems

That’s the problem though guys all the reviews said it has so much bass it doesn’t need a sub unless you are listening at high volumes and as you have rightly said the bass isn’t much more than a beam - and the beam doesn’t distort… so why is this over twice the price for a little extra length?

I agree with you, as a standalone, I would expect WAY more, anybody that says a sub isn't needed really hasn't heard the it, it isn't even slightly comparable, and it isn't just the bass, the mids are smoother and better articulated.

Did you update?, if so any difference with sub and surrounds?

Yep I did update. But i still think the Arc is missing midrange.

surrounds sound just fine with the sub turned on. 

Nothing new but another review confirming the bass/tin sound issues that the users have been experiencing: Rtings Review

Review was before 12.0.1 update, also without a Sub.

Yup - hopefully they will update the review soon.  However, it’s the first time I’ve seen a reviewer acknowledge the bright/metallic sound signature.

And? It should be able to stand up without the sub as so many of the original reviews and reviewers said? Also the Playable which it replaces had phenomenal bass in comparison and didn't have these issues.

The 12.0.1 fixed one frequency band but the issue is still massively prominent. watch Drive on Netflix without a sub 35:00 exactly 60% volume, you will see it was not fixed just temporarily botched.

I can confirm this - huge difference in bass response when I turn off the sub.

In comparison to 12.0.0 or 12.0.1? Have you read the Playbar review on rtings site?

I’m not sure what you mean but I am saying 12.0.1 still is riddled with issues, yes it fixed a particular frequency i.e the toystory bass issue but its still heavily prevalent when you don't have a sub, Eminem - Without Me over 50% for example and the film I mentioned. But I watched rampage yesterday any deep explosion scene the bass just caves and sounds horrible even if it is only a couple of seconds at a time.