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Sonos Arc Muddy/Bottoming out Bass

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1406 replies

C
Userlevel 6
Badge +11

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.

S
Userlevel 4
Badge +5

I’d like to chime in that after trying out many songs people mentioned in this thread at ~50% volume, I don’t experience any issues with the bass. Not here to gloat or anything, but I just wanted to voice that not all Arc soundbars have this issue. And if you are on the fence about purchasing one because you are reading about this problem, you can still choose to roll the dice, see if you are affected and need to return. In fact my brand new CX TV’s built-in speaker has the exact issue with the bass which was what prompted me to buy the Arc in the first place. I am glad that my Arc doesn’t do this. 

So probably a hardware issue affecting a specific batch ?

Seems so, I’ve read some other people on reddit who say they don’t notice it either. Hardware issue might be a bad thing though, that definitely gonne cause a lot trouble with all the sending back etc. Especially since the Arcs are backordered.

M
Userlevel 3
Badge +3

What is the difference between the hardware numbers? Colour?

i have 1.27.1.8-2.1 (white Arc) and a friend of mine has 1.27.1.8-2.2 (black Arc).

 

he claims not to have problems but he has a sub

W
Userlevel 5
Badge +9

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!

S
Userlevel 4
Badge +4

Yeah, I’m not hearing it on the playbar or beam.  I know what I’m hearing is not how it’s supposed to sound.  The only way it sounds OK is if I turn the bass down drastically (which in reality, doesn’t sound great) or if I pair another $700 product with it.  

I’ve also played many different clips that I tested on launch day that I immediately noticed it on.  All of them present the same issue but some of the clips are better.

I guess I will wait to see what feedback they want on the next phase of the beta.

and maybe this is stupid to say, but I’ll be honest… when I got the playbar, I was pretty blown away and happy.  I can’t say the same with the Arc.  I didn’t want to spend $800 to listen to certain frequencies.  I wanted to spend $800 to unbox, plug it in, play movies and hear better than playbar sound, and that’s not what I’m getting right now. 

What next phase of the beta? It was widely released as the fix. Please include songs, source, timestamp, recording if possible. That is how you report an issue. This is way to wishy washy. Seems like you have a list of trouble content. Let us know 

 

I just assume that if they did a ‘beta’ for this release over the past weekend, if there are still people who are reporting the issue still exists but it’s slightly better then I can only imagine they will continue to work on a solution.  

I’ve listened to Prime, Netflix and bluray remux all before on the Beam and Playbar and never had these audio issues previously.

I’ve gone through and reported many of the things you’re asking throughout this entire thread from day one.  I’m just reporting my experience and it appears there are many others who are in the same boat still as it’s gotten better but the issue still persists.

 

Can you at least provide 1 or 2 specific scenes in widely available content? Let’s say 1 netflix show scene with timestamp and volume level. Also, check if you get ATMOS, if you do check without atmos (maybe this could potentially be compressed atmos issue?!) I do not get atmos.

B
Userlevel 5
Badge +4

Has anyone tried any of these songs or clips on the beam for comparison?

Yes I have.  It's night and day difference.  Beam seems overall just better right now.  If you adjust loudness and bass lower on the Arc it's ok but lacking.  Once it's fixed the Arc is really going to shine like reviews said...at least that is my hope.  I'm crossing my fingers.

A
Userlevel 2
Badge +1

Ftm that being the case is the Arc as amazing as you expected it to be? Did you happen to upgrade from another Sonos Soundbar? 

M
Userlevel 2
Badge

Could someone actually post a video of the issue? I got mine yesterday and doesn’t seem to be having this issue but I am not too sure. Also what is the hardware version for those with the issue, you can find that in the app under System/About My System? Thank you in advance.

 

Did you watch this? It sounds good 90% of the time, but when loud movie scenes or songs hit certain frequencies it sounds like garbage.

 

Yes I have watched it. I also did a 40hz test on Youtube and it didn’t seem to have the static/crackling sound that he has in the video. I am skeptical though, that’s why I wanted someone to post a video of their unit while having this issue and the hardware version.

 Listen to A Milli by Lil Wayne or In My Head by Ariana Grande.. It is present in a lot of music

Y
Userlevel 2

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.

B
Userlevel 2
Badge +2

Replying to @ewolkoff 

The Q90 has up-firing drivers in the soundbar and surround speakers which gives you a 7.1.4 configuration. I’ve never tested the Q90, but the up-firing drivers in the surrounds should you give a better height effect.

if Sonos offered up-firing drivers in the surrounds, you’d then have a 5.x.4 configuration. Another nice enhancement would be for Sonos to enable you to designate an Amp and some number of speakers as up-firing height speakers OR an Amp and some number of ceiling speakers as down-firing height speakers.

B
Userlevel 5
Badge +4

Argh, re-tuned and think it sounds worse.  Maybe it’s just that my ears were listening to the EQ adjusted so it didn’t bottom out as much as it did previously in certain scenes and now the EQ is reset and TruePlay is back on.

Once I turned TruePlay off and adjusted the EQ back, things sounded like they had before though so it doesn’t seem like to me that this update has adjusted anything drastic. 

I’m hoping that at some point we get an update where I can say, ‘there we go, that’s what I was expecting’ but I haven’t had that feeling since owning the Arc unfortunately. 

It would be great to see some release notes on 12.0.3 and the firmware update nonetheless.

K
Userlevel 1
Badge

Well i tried to return my Arc and sub today and I got a message that I am not eligible to return.  I tried to return them back in July 3 and i was told my order was eligible to return until Aug 22.  i decided to wait another month for them to come up some solution on bass issue.   Damn i should have returned them back in July to save me the trouble .    

Waited for a week with no response so i finally called and got the RMA#s.  Personally if a bar that crapped out like that in the bass area is just not acceptable.  Getting a sub to fix a known issue is not the right approach for me and I strongly believe there is some kind of  hardware issue if only some of us are experiencing this. Anyway time to shop for something else.  

B
Badge +3

I gotta say, I got my ARC and Sub last week...Holy Crap is all I can say. The sound is fantastic. Watching the Baptism scene, last episode of Season 3 Ozarks...the gun fire was coming from all over the room. My wife is complaining that the bass is too good. Even crappy commercials sound grate. Music is excellent also.

Krishma M
Userlevel 5
Badge +13

Is it possible for you @Krishma M to post a video similar to what the other community members have?  For example, if you play/record the Drive scene or Eminem’s Without Me at 50% or higher, where many have reported the issue?  I think that will clarify a lot of questions that people have on what their arc should sound like and if theirs is performing as expected (and they just don’t like it) or if something else is going on with their unit.  Thanks.

Hi @Kepps20, as much as I love to do that but we don’t have anything to share but it would be best if we try it with the phone support team. 

I run a setup with no sub but a pair of play 1s as tears are you saying there is still an issue in this setup or this should be resolved and i should seek help too as I have faulty gear? Please clarify.

Hi @pyro225, thanks for reaching out. You shouldn’t have any issues with that. I’m just saying that the issue that we’ve had with the Arc was with no Sub or satellites linked. 

If you still have any questions, please let us know. 

Help others find useful content by clicking the like button and selecting the best answer to your question.
D
Userlevel 2
Badge

That's unfortunately just about what I suspected the case would be for you bbalz. I still beleive that whilst the Arc can hold its own at lower volumes it has always been intended to be used with the sub. I think Sonos have shot themselves in the foot here a bit as it was advertised as a standalone unit and whilst it may satisfy a majority of people there are those of us it doesn't. Rightly so we have the right to complain when such a large amount of money has been spent on the Arc for it to sound poor at anything above 30% volume. Sonos seem to think they have fixed the issue, I think not.

So I have now installed a Samsung system (with sub) and there is no doubt about it the 2 systems are chalk and cheese. On the Samsung bar the speech is clearer, the sounstage appears wider and whilst the bass at lower volumes is less pronounced (but in a good way), at higher volumes...well you may as well be sitting in a cinema, the floor and sofa literally vibrate and shake. I had a smile on my face everytime I thought about it yesterday!

I will be returning my Arc now and whilst I realise I could possibly have added the sub to get a similar experience it would have meant spending another £600 to do so. I bought the whole new system for £800 so this means I haven't had to spend anymore or need to be disappointed with the £800 I have spent.

I really feel for all those invested in Sonos and feel let down by the Arc 'upgrade', which for some has turned out to be more of a downgrade. For those without a problem you are the lucky ones or perhaps just prefer not to hear it given the amount invested in the brand. If I've learnt something from this community (and other Sonos related forums) it's that a fair few Sonos owners will love their equipment whatever the company throws at them. Brand snobbery brings out a lot of idiots and I'm sure alot of you on here will no the ones I'm talking about. Me, I'm happy to not be involved in such infantile games and will vote with my ears not a name that makes you seem elite, your not.

I'll be checking in now and again (without comment) to see if anything can be done to salvage the bass problem only for interest, like many others I fear the hardware is at its limit. I wish you all well and genuinely hope you find a resolution whichever path you may take. 

A
Userlevel 6
Badge +6

Same here, played the 40Hz test tone and bass is all good until volume is 50% and above, then the Arc farts loudly…..

 

Diagnostic confirmation number: 437538094

Same thing. Bass farts loudly like the speaker is blown. I abosultely cant believe what we are getting from such an expensive soundbar.

Diagnostic number: 1497785928

A
Userlevel 6
Badge +6

Yeah, I’m not hearing it on the playbar or beam.  I know what I’m hearing is not how it’s supposed to sound.  The only way it sounds OK is if I turn the bass down drastically (which in reality, doesn’t sound great) or if I pair another $700 product with it.  

I’ve also played many different clips that I tested on launch day that I immediately noticed it on.  All of them present the same issue but some of the clips are better.

I guess I will wait to see what feedback they want on the next phase of the beta.

and maybe this is stupid to say, but I’ll be honest… when I got the playbar, I was pretty blown away and happy.  I can’t say the same with the Arc.  I didn’t want to spend $800 to listen to certain frequencies.  I wanted to spend $800 to unbox, plug it in, play movies and hear better than playbar sound, and that’s not what I’m getting right now. 

What next phase of the beta? It was widely released as the fix. Please include songs, source, timestamp, recording if possible. That is how you report an issue. This is way to wishy washy. Seems like you have a list of trouble content. Let us know 

 

I just assume that if they did a ‘beta’ for this release over the past weekend, if there are still people who are reporting the issue still exists but it’s slightly better then I can only imagine they will continue to work on a solution.  

I’ve listened to Prime, Netflix and bluray remux all before on the Beam and Playbar and never had these audio issues previously.

I’ve gone through and reported many of the things you’re asking throughout this entire thread from day one.  I’m just reporting my experience and it appears there are many others who are in the same boat still as it’s gotten better but the issue still persists.

 

Can you at least provide 1 or 2 specific scenes in widely available content? Let’s say 1 netflix show scene with timestamp and volume level. Also, check if you get ATMOS, if you do check without atmos (maybe this could potentially be compressed atmos issue?!) I do not get atmos.

Can you test what I gave you? I also get DD5.1 only.

M
Userlevel 3
Badge +3

I gotta say, I got my ARC and Sub last week...Holy Crap is all I can say. The sound is fantastic. Watching the Baptism scene, last episode of Season 3 Ozarks...the gun fire was coming from all over the room. My wife is complaining that the bass is too good. Even crappy commercials sound grate. Music is excellent also.

But…… you have the sub

R
Userlevel 1
Badge +1

@Krishma M Is there any sulution yet for the metallic/harsh sounds with volume over 50% ?  

Rick
U

My arc seems fine, I've checked all provided songs/bass tests and I didn't find anything suspicious. I've done it on about 60% volume level. So I think that maybe there were some issues during the update? Or something like that?

A

Definitely waking up to positive news. Thanks and Please keep any updates coming Ryan. 

A
Userlevel 2
Badge

Also I just tested penetrator by pleasurekraft on YouTube. The bass crackling is still very pronounced at volume 32. If the issue persists through this Friday my Arc is definitely going back.😞

 

Try another source, Amazon Prime or Netflix for example, rather than poor quality Youtube videos.

I did played content on Disney plus app. Played captain marvel trailer which I had issue with before update as well. At 1:49 - 1:52 I hear bass still incredibly distorted while the most part bass is very muddy. And culprit is not YouTube.

P
Userlevel 4
Badge +4

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…..

V

Hi folks. The issue with the muddy or bottoming out bass from the Arc in a stand-alone configuration (no satellites or Sub) is no longer occurring. If your system is up to date and still the same issue we need to troubleshoot as normal. I’d suggest checking with the content (TV, Music in Sonos app) if it’s the same. If wall-mounted, does removing the speaker from the wall bracket and setting it on a credenza or table improve the issue? Is Trueplay configured on the Arc? Try to enable/disable Trueplay, if there would be any different. Is the Bass EQ setting flat or adjusted in some way? If it’s all the same after playing around, try to reboot the Arc or reset to its factory settings. 

If the issue still persists, call 800-680-2345 from Monday to Friday from 10 am to 9 pm EST for further steps and resolution. We’re always here to help. Thanks for the patience! 

Hi, @pyro225! Yes, with or without satellites and Sub should work flawlessly with the Arc.

If you all are still having a problem provided with the steps outlined above, it would be best to reach out to our phone support team to check and proceed with a replacement if needed. 

I can imagine how inconvenient it is to all of you and I really appreciate your patience. We’re always here to help. 
 

Interesting. Does anyone have suggestions on what songs to test for this? My Arc definitely bottoms out on the Drive (Netflix Indian Bollywood movie) at 35:00 at volumes greater than 50%. Was wondering if anyone had any other suggestions on which songs on Tidal or Spotify I could test to see if it happens in other places.

I honestly haven't noticed it in everyday use because I rarely go above 50% volume, but would want this addressed with new hardware if I do have a hardware issue.

Thanks

D
Badge

Trinkets Season 1, episode 6, starting at 24:10 and on when she sings and the bass kicks in. 
 

Horribly muddy bass. I’m only at 40% volume. UGH.

I have done a test with this audio clip and I have to admit that it sounds awful indeed. So much so that I analyzed it with a different speaker and with headphones to compare. It's as if the Sonos Arc is playing a wrong sound here, because when I listen to it with another speaker, the bass doesn't sound that intense at all. this seems like a very good example to present to Sonos, because if they listen to this for themselves, they cannot deny that it sounds very strange!
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