Contributor I

Sonos Arc Ultra + DTS-X / DTS-HD MA - Unlock the audio formats!

41 replies
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Hello everyone!

Ive recently bought the Arc Ultra, Sub Gen 4 and 2x ERA 300s and love the sound and sleek system design. Its fantastic!

However, I was shocked to find that i cannot play my UHD Blu-Rays with DTS-X and DTS-HD MA audio.

While i appreciate there are licensing costs associated with the formats, let the CUSTOMERS decide if they want it. Add a $10 or $20 one time fee which customers can pay to “activate” DTS if they want it.

This is supposed to be a premium soundbar, but only supports Dolby…. its extremely odd.

Would love peoples thoughts and if there is planned DTS integration (beyond DTS 5.1 which is dated!)

Many thanks

J

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S

Silverthorn

Prodigy II

Who’s to say DTS formats won’t gain traction again. Not having it seems odd.

"I saw the Stooges and the MC5"

Airgetlam

Maybe Dolby Pro-Logic, or mono will make a resurgence, too!

Bruce

S

Silverthorn

Prodigy II

Maybe Dolby Pro-Logic, or mono will make a resurgence, too!

They eventually added support for Dolby pro logic. I heard it myself with my Playbase Panasonic setup. Not having full DTS support at this price point is gouging the customers.

Seems they will add things that don't cost them. Given the latest finance reports maybe that will help them limp along a bit longer.

"I saw the Stooges and the MC5"

106rallye

I would not benefit much from being able to use these formats since my 2019 Samsung TV does not recognise them, but since I hope to use my Sonos stuff longer than the TV, having it would be nice.

I suppose there’s not technical reason why these formats do not work on Sosnos - they where able to ad normal DTS to my Beam (gen 1) via a software update.

sigh

Prodigy II

Maybe Dolby Pro-Logic, or mono will make a resurgence, too!

They eventually added support for Dolby pro logic. I heard it myself with my Playbase Panasonic setup. Not having full DTS support at this price point is gouging the customers.

Seems they will add things that don't cost them. Given the latest finance reports maybe that will help them limp along a bit longer.

Exactly, the addition of the original DTS AC3 codec seems to coincide with the patent expiring at which point it became royalty free. What is currently branded as DTS-CA (core audio) and DTS-HD, DTS-X has royalties/licensing fees.

S

sjw

Local Superstar

Even having simple DTS would make many users’ setups much simpler. DTS—X and MA etc. all carry the lower quality DTS audio.

Mr. T

Even having simple DTS would make many users’ setups much simpler. DTS—X and MA etc. all carry the lower quality DTS audio.

Sonos has supported basic DTS for at least a couple of years now.

sigh

Prodigy II

That would be interesting. I’ve always worked under the assumption that XPERI, who owns DTS, was still charging a fee for use of their codec. Between that, and the (perceived) small number of people who want it, it never seemed to make financial sense for Sonos to pay for licensing across every single speaker they make, for an extremely corner case. But that’s an assumption. Even if the licensing cost is zero, the cost of writing and maintaining the codec isn’t, and given the small numbers of people (albeit vocal) who ‘want it’, it just may not be on Sonos’ roadmap. Especially as it seems to be waning in use, in favor of Atmos. That doesn’t change all the previously encoded discs, of course, but if it is truly a fading codec, I can see why Sonos isn’t anxious, especially right now, in adding it.

Except they already have the development and test costs for the royalty free DTS/AC3 codec. Part of that cost on the development side is likely reduced by it being an included codec in whatever main audio library they are using, (ffmpeg maybe)

Given how long they haven’t paid for DTS licenses and what they brand as home theatre products being targeted at streaming services not home theatre, they aren’t likely to add it now. If they were targeting home theatre then there would be more than just the lone hdmi arc port and full DTS support on the more expensive products from day one.

Even having just a single hdmi with passthrough would be better than the current offerings, but that previously would have lead to more churn on the hardware side to stay relevant as hdmi versions were replaced and more significantly for Sonos, lower margins or an even higher price for an already over priced range of products.

sigh

Prodigy II

Even having simple DTS would make many users’ setups much simpler. DTS—X and MA etc. all carry the lower quality DTS audio.

They do. The royalty free DTS/AC3 codec, which is the 5.1 core has been in the home theatre products for a while now.

What they can’t do is market having DTS Core Audio (DTS-CA) support or branding because that is tied up to Xperi rebranding the DTS offerings and falls into royalty/licensing.

S

sjw

Local Superstar

Aah, I hadn't realised it was also on Arc Ultra, apologies. I'd mistakenly read the issue as being unable to play the discs (at all) with the DTS-X audio, not that they could play but not with the the higher bitrate audio.

Having said that, I still find it bizarre that a nominal licensing fee in an ‘Ultra’ premium, top of the range product is an issue - especially when all rivals do it.

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