Enthusiast II

Answered

Sonos Arc Muddy/Bottoming out Bass

1406 replies
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Beyond thrilled to receive the new Sonos Arc. True played my room and I have loudness on as well connected to LG B8 using Tidal and Spotify. Most of the sound range is phenomenal, aside from the bass. At even half volume the woofers are extremely muddy and sound terrible. Not sure if this is because I have under two hours of use but I wasn’t expecting to have to break-in the speaker. I own set of speakers next to it in the same room (KEF LS50W) and the difference is night and day. There have also been posts on Reddit regarding this issue. It is interesting given no reviewers have mentioned this issue but more than a few recipients have. Has anyone else experienced similar issues? Turning loudness off helps but it is disappointing for such a highly anticipated product.

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Scott - SonosAnswer

Sonos Product Management

Hello everyone. I’m a product manager at Sonos. Thank you for sharing your experiences with Arc. The development team is monitoring this community and listening to your feedback.

As we do with all Sonos products, we’ll continue to improve the experience for Arc through numerous software updates into the future. Last week we issued our first update (12.0.1) to fix a bug some customers were experiencing with low-frequency distortion at higher volumes.

If you have specific music tracks or timestamps for TV shows and movies that you want to bring to our attention, please use this form. It is helpful if you can submit a diagnostic when you’re listening to the content. Instructions for doing so can be found here.

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Redraider3403

Enthusiast I

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??

Completely agree. As of right now, this thing just doesn’t sound all that good. I’m willing to wait for the fix, but the reviews that claimed the arc didn’t need a sub are WAY wrong. If you can’t afford the sub there are MUCH better options out there.

Feel like a little kid that just opened an NES system on Christmas day then immediately told I can’t play it until I finish my vegetables :(.

Still very curious if anyone has a working Arc and happy with the sound??

Maybe you should create a different troubleshooting topic for this. This post refers to the muddy bass issue. And that is being addressed by Sonos. IF there is a different issue (not saying there is) but IF then you create a different topic and everyone with that issue will show up there/

I am a bit confused by this because I had the playbar and I think the Arc sounds better. The bass is definitely stronger on the Arc as well ( when I dont push it to loud volumes I dont have any muddy issues). Are you mostly listening to music? For movies and TV the voices are very clear and loud. After trueplay of course. The details are there too. I think it sounds pretty good. Waiting for my sub to arrive today which I heard improves things further

There are like 9 people on both sides of your post with a consensus that the sound is thin and lacking midrange. Either you have a unicorn arc with magic sound or you have a different ear than the general population. I’d imagine you will be exposed to just how much the arc is lacking once you add the sub to your setup.

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sebas1509

Enthusiast II

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??

Completely agree. As of right now, this thing just doesn’t sound all that good. I’m willing to wait for the fix, but the reviews that claimed the arc didn’t need a sub are WAY wrong. If you can’t afford the sub there are MUCH better options out there.

Feel like a little kid that just opened an NES system on Christmas day then immediately told I can’t play it until I finish my vegetables :(.

Still very curious if anyone has a working Arc and happy with the sound??

Maybe you should create a different troubleshooting topic for this. This post refers to the muddy bass issue. And that is being addressed by Sonos. IF there is a different issue (not saying there is) but IF then you create a different topic and everyone with that issue will show up there/

I am a bit confused by this because I had the playbar and I think the Arc sounds better. The bass is definitely stronger on the Arc as well ( when I dont push it to loud volumes I dont have any muddy issues). Are you mostly listening to music? For movies and TV the voices are very clear and loud. After trueplay of course. The details are there too. I think it sounds pretty good. Waiting for my sub to arrive today which I heard improves things further

There are like 9 people on both sides of your post with a consensus that the sound is thin and lacking midrange. Either you have a unicorn arc with magic sound or you have a different ear than the general population. I’d imagine you will be exposed to just how much the arc is lacking once you add the sub to your setup.

Other option is the 9 of you have different ear than the general population? I’d imagine SONOS has sold waaaaay more than 9 arcs. Regardless please make a thread for the issue you are talking about because it crowds the bass muddy software issue thread, and doesnt really get visibility if its a separate issue make it stand out create a page etc.

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Reefy

Enthusiast I

Other than the muddy bass, I noticed that the Sonos Arc sounds a little too metallic and sharp to my ear. The sound is just not engaging, at times it's uncomfortable to listen. Is anyone else facing this issue?

I saw a reddit post with someone having the same concern as me:

https://amp.reddit.com/r/sonos/comments/ha7w7y/sonos_arc_sounds_extremely_tinny_metallic_and/

Agree with you 100%

I agree as well. I couldn’t find the right word for it. But metallic sounds abiut right. And yes everyniw and then uncomfortable. Like piercing to the ear.

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AndrewLC

Enthusiast I

So far you lot are all making me keen to stay with my Beam + Sub….

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ggmogollonAuthor

Enthusiast II

Other than the muddy bass, I noticed that the Sonos Arc sounds a little too metallic and sharp to my ear. The sound is just not engaging, at times it's uncomfortable to listen. Is anyone else facing this issue?

I saw a reddit post with someone having the same concern as me:

https://amp.reddit.com/r/sonos/comments/ha7w7y/sonos_arc_sounds_extremely_tinny_metallic_and/

Agree with you 100%

I agree as well. I couldn’t find the right word for it. But metallic sounds abiut right. And yes everyniw and then uncomfortable. Like piercing to the ear.

This seems more like a room setup/ environment problem than a sound problem. Does your room lack dampening like curtains and a carpet?

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arpatil1

Enthusiast II

Other than the muddy bass, I noticed that the Sonos Arc sounds a little too metallic and sharp to my ear. The sound is just not engaging, at times it's uncomfortable to listen. Is anyone else facing this issue?

I saw a reddit post with someone having the same concern as me:

https://amp.reddit.com/r/sonos/comments/ha7w7y/sonos_arc_sounds_extremely_tinny_metallic_and/

Agree with you 100%

I agree as well. I couldn’t find the right word for it. But metallic sounds abiut right. And yes everyniw and then uncomfortable. Like piercing to the ear.

This seems more like a room setup/ environment problem than a sound problem. Does your room lack dampening like curtains and a carpet?

Nope. Adequate sound absorption materials- living room is entirely carpet, huge couch etc.

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arpatil1

Enthusiast II

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??

Completely agree. As of right now, this thing just doesn’t sound all that good. I’m willing to wait for the fix, but the reviews that claimed the arc didn’t need a sub are WAY wrong. If you can’t afford the sub there are MUCH better options out there.

Feel like a little kid that just opened an NES system on Christmas day then immediately told I can’t play it until I finish my vegetables :(.

Still very curious if anyone has a working Arc and happy with the sound??

Maybe you should create a different troubleshooting topic for this. This post refers to the muddy bass issue. And that is being addressed by Sonos. IF there is a different issue (not saying there is) but IF then you create a different topic and everyone with that issue will show up there/

I am a bit confused by this because I had the playbar and I think the Arc sounds better. The bass is definitely stronger on the Arc as well ( when I dont push it to loud volumes I dont have any muddy issues). Are you mostly listening to music? For movies and TV the voices are very clear and loud. After trueplay of course. The details are there too. I think it sounds pretty good. Waiting for my sub to arrive today which I heard improves things further

There are like 9 people on both sides of your post with a consensus that the sound is thin and lacking midrange. Either you have a unicorn arc with magic sound or you have a different ear than the general population. I’d imagine you will be exposed to just how much the arc is lacking once you add the sub to your setup.

Other option is the 9 of you have different ear than the general population? I’d imagine SONOS has sold waaaaay more than 9 arcs. Regardless please make a thread for the issue you are talking about because it crowds the bass muddy software issue thread, and doesnt really get visibility if its a separate issue make it stand out create a page etc.

https://en.community.sonos.com/troubleshooting-228999/sonos-arc-metallic-sound-6843110

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ggmogollonAuthor

Enthusiast II

Other than the muddy bass, I noticed that the Sonos Arc sounds a little too metallic and sharp to my ear. The sound is just not engaging, at times it's uncomfortable to listen. Is anyone else facing this issue?

I saw a reddit post with someone having the same concern as me:

https://amp.reddit.com/r/sonos/comments/ha7w7y/sonos_arc_sounds_extremely_tinny_metallic_and/

Agree with you 100%

I agree as well. I couldn’t find the right word for it. But metallic sounds abiut right. And yes everyniw and then uncomfortable. Like piercing to the ear.

This seems more like a room setup/ environment problem than a sound problem. Does your room lack dampening like curtains and a carpet?

Nope. Adequate sound absorption materials- living room is entirely carpet, huge couch etc.

Funky. Im stumped then

Smilja

We have identified a bug that has potential to cause distortion when playing bass-heavy content at higher volume levels on Arc. Our team is working on the fix now. We expect the software release to be implemented as early as next week. I'll share any additional updates here.

Thanks. Will the fix be applied for the Sonos One too?

I don’t believe this particular bug affects the Sonos One, but I’ll raise it with the team just in case.

I tested this yesterday. 2 of my 4 are affected definitely

No they are not, the distortion is normal. Are you expecting the small ONE to be as potent as floor standing speakers at higher volumes?

»And the world is like an apple whirling silently in space, Like the circles that you find in the windmills of your mind.« (›Windmills Of Your Mind‹ [1967]. Music by Michel Legrand ; English lyrics written by Alan & Marilyn Bergman)

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Seeky

Prominent Collaborator II

We have identified a bug that has potential to cause distortion when playing bass-heavy content at higher volume levels on Arc. Our team is working on the fix now. We expect the software release to be implemented as early as next week. I'll share any additional updates here.

Thanks. Will the fix be applied for the Sonos One too?

I don’t believe this particular bug affects the Sonos One, but I’ll raise it with the team just in case.

I tested this yesterday. 2 of my 4 are affected definitely

No they are not, the distortion is normal. Are you expecting the small ONE to be as potent as floor standing speakers at higher volumes?

According to your logic the Arc isn’t affected either.

This definitely is not how a speaker is supposed to sound when feeded with 40 Hz:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/vvy3npst5lmwuto/One40hzlouder.m4a?dl=0

You’d expect it to either stay entirely silent because it can’t reproduce the tone, or to limit the amplitude when it gets too high so it could break the speaker , but not to have it bounce up and down as it does on the One and the Arc.

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