Sonos Beam low volume


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Got my Beam today (16th) and am pleased with it so far, but I'm having to boost the TV volume much higher that it was with the TV speakers. Without the Beam the TV was at about the right volume at a setting of 30 whereas via the Beam it needs to be in the 70's to 80's (and thats nearly maxed out) to get the same perceived volume

It's a Sony Bravia TV with the Beam connected via the HDMI ARC and a pair of Play:1s as surrounds.

Anybody got any suggestions as to either TV or Sonos settings. I've played TV Level slider from the app. but it doesn't seem to make much impact?

I'll continue playing about in the meantime

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58 replies

following, installing my beam tonight with optical to LG TV and hoping the volume issue doesn't come up for me. I read beam have IR so in using a Roku, I have a remote adapter for volume so hoping to program that to the Beam like I did with my old soundbar.
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Similar issue here. For me it's just certian channels on the Sky HD box need to be turned up to 7 or 8. Others are fine. using a Beam on a Sony Bravia KDL50w829b via hdmi arc. There are no fixed/variable volumn options on any device as far as I can tell.

Skybox is set to output DD over hdmi
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Also similar issue here, with a Samsung TV.
When using the cable setup box, sound level is a lot lower and less "wide" / powerfull than playing music.
Using the Netflix or Amazon Video App. sound level is in between, but there sound landscape is a lot closer to the Music.

I noticed that in the "About My Sonos System" with the Setup box sound is stereo, when using Netflix or Amazon, I have dolby surround.
Possibly there is a TV setting to be tuned
Following. Same issue. I have Sony Bravia as well.
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Thanks for sharing, everyone. We'd love to look into this with you. Think you can ;submit a diagnostic from your Sonos system when you have audio playing that you had to turn way up, and if you have any channels that are fine at lower volumes, can you also send a diagnostic with those playing?

Also, the model number of the TV you're working with would be great, and the source of the channel/content would be helpful.
Closely following this also. Have same issue with Samsung.
Beam sounds fantastic when playing music via the App. Sound via TV is no improvement
Did you submit the diagnostic that was asked for in the post before yours? If so, perhaps posting the number here so that this "Ryan" person can look at it might be helpful.
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Submitted. TV is a Bravia Kdl50w829b. Using a Beam via hdmi arc and a pair of Play 1s
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Beam sounds fantastic when playing TV via PLEX.
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Submitted. TV is a Bravia Kdl50w829b. Using a Beam via hdmi arc and a pair of Play 1s
Looks like the diagnostics under your account didn't go through properly, this can happen due to a number of things. It'd be best if you can give us a call on our support line when you have some time to look into this. We're pretty busy this week with the launch and the software from last week, so it might be good to wait just a bit first.
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I've got my Beam yesterday and been experiencing the same issue.

I got a new Sony android tv and set up the beam via arc HDMI as the Sonos app has shown.

My tv is on volume 10 and my Beam 54.
Is there a way I can fix tv on 30 and then use my Beam from that point?

I've sent a diagnostic through the Sonos app and now I'm waiting for some help! 😃
Same issue as original post. TV slider is all the way up to 80s to get same perceived volume as previously only needed 30s to get that level. (Even at 90% volume, the sound is loud, but not overwhelming, which I would have expected at that level).

I have turned the TV internal speakers off at this point, and the volume slider via the Sonos App and the TV display are in sync as they should connected via HDMI ARC, but the sound volume is a lot less than expected coming from the Beam with 2 Play1s as Surrounds.

Watching this thread as it develops.
I have the same issue using the HDMI-ARC connection to my Samsung TV. Interested to see how this one plays out. Also,how do I submit diagnostics?
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I've sent a diagnostic through the Sonos app and now I'm waiting for some help! :D

I have the same issue using the HDMI-ARC connection to my Samsung TV. Interested to see how this one plays out. Also,how do I submit diagnostics?

You can submit a diagnostic from your Sonos system using the steps on that linked page. Keep in mind, that just submitting a diagnostic doesn't send a message to our support team. You need to give us a call or contact the team directly with your confirmation number in order to get help. Also, a diagnostic alone doesn't help too much if they don't know what they're looking for, so please make sure when you contact us you include all the details of what you're seeing.

If you find that your TV volume indicator and your Beam indicator are out of sync, (assuming you're using HDMI and not Optical with the adapter), you'll want to check the CEC and HDMI-ARC settings.This thread may help checking those settings and getting that issue cleared up.
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I wonder if this issue is to do with dd5.1 sources? I’m finding if I watch a movie on sky in 5.1 or via the blu day played on my Xbox that the volume needs to get to a certain point before all channels sound balanced. Once you get there it sounds great but is just too loud for the little one asleep upstairs.

At lower volumes parts of the mix such as quiet voices or music are just way too low. But using might mode or speech enhancement doesn’t entirely fix it as both introduce significant downsides. Tiny voices or in the case of night mode removal of all noticeable bass.

I find that with 5.1 sources the sound bar just isn’t balanced especially at low volumes. Anyone else experienced this?
I've sent a diagnostic through the Sonos app and now I'm waiting for some help! :D

I have the same issue using the HDMI-ARC connection to my Samsung TV. Interested to see how this one plays out. Also,how do I submit diagnostics?

You can submit a diagnostic from your Sonos system using the steps on that linked page. Keep in mind, that just submitting a diagnostic doesn't send a message to our support team. You need to give us a call or contact the team directly with your confirmation number in order to get help. Also, a diagnostic alone doesn't help too much if they don't know what they're looking for, so please make sure when you contact us you include all the details of what you're seeing.

If you find that your TV volume indicator and your Beam indicator are out of sync, (assuming you're using HDMI and not Optical with the adapter), you'll want to check the CEC and HDMI-ARC settings.This thread may help checking those settings and getting that issue cleared up.


I followed the instructions as per Ryan above to get the CEC setup on my Samsung tv, and was then also able to set the tv output to Dolby. This seems to have resolved the problem. So instead on listening to the TV at a Sonos Beam volume of 50, it’s now normal at a Sonos Beam volume of 20-25.

Will monitor and see if the settings are remembered as I change source for consoles and on-demand TV. Thanks.
I wonder if this issue is to do with dd5.1 sources? [...] At lower volumes parts of the mix such as quiet voices or music are just way too low. But using might mode or speech enhancement doesn’t entirely fix it as both introduce significant downsides. Tiny voices or in the case of night mode removal of all noticeable bass.

I find that with 5.1 sources the sound bar just isn’t balanced especially at low volumes. Anyone else experienced this?


Exactly this. Switching the output (from either Netflix or from the TV HDMI settings) to a stereo signal immediately delivers a more balanced mix with clear voices.

With 5.1 I get an overly dramatic mix with massive emphasis on special effects and music, but barely audible voices. To make out what people are saying the volume needs to be cranked up so high I'm afraid my neighbors will start complaining soon.

I'm thinking about getting a pair of Play 1's for surround but not before this 5.1 issue is fixed.
Hello I.am having the exact same issues:1 bought beam today:-

1) Samsung tv
2)sky Q
3) netflix
4)Xbox

I find the sound coming through beam needs to be set to 80 for it to be loud enough even watching via sky q

When watching via Netflix (using tv smart app) the sound only needs to be set at 30.

The beam is is connected fine turns tv off etc so.cec is working as it should.

It comes up as receiver in settings and listed as stereo.

This surely can't be right to have such poor output from device?

Ps what does airplay do? As when I click beam it doesn't do anything

Thanks
Oh and it shows pcm in my settings
I am having the exact same problem and have spent the last 1+ hour troubleshooting over the phone with no solution. The conclusion was that there is a disparity with EQ levels in which my TV (Samsung UEH6400) delivers audio to the BEAM compared to what I play at source i.e. Spotify etc. I was also informed that there is a beta feature that alows for Advanced EQ settings that may resolve this in the future.

My concern is that I have a very expensive Music Streaming speaker (I already have a Play 5) that can't output sound near the levels of my internal TV speakers. This is extremely disappointing and it looks like my only option is to return the beam and get a refund.

Before I do this are there any estimates as to when this advanced EQ features will be delivered or are there other known fixes that will resolve this issue and a delivery date?
*Stupid question*

But how are you all getting numbers showing your volume? Before I got the beam, whenever I changed the TV volume, it showed it in numbers which I liked. As I normally aimed for 10 as the perfect volume.

But since adding the beam and two play 1’s when I change the volume on my TV I don’t get any numbers, just an up or down arrow flashing depending which direction I’m going so I have to guess/listen if it sounds about right.
Have been seriously unimpressed with my Beam from day 1, I have so many variable performance issues it is embarrassing when someone says ooh.........you have the new Sonos, how is it?

It is a bundle of excrement so far! Holding out for a software fix, but why do I need to?

No Napster functionality for Alexa and such poor volume control, either so low you hardly hear it or so high the neighbours complain, and little control in between!
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*Stupid question*

But how are you all getting numbers showing your volume? Before I got the beam, whenever I changed the TV volume, it showed it in numbers which I liked. As I normally aimed for 10 as the perfect volume.

But since adding the beam and two play 1’s when I change the volume on my TV I don’t get any numbers, just an up or down arrow flashing depending which direction I’m going so I have to guess/listen if it sounds about right.


This is correct behavior for Samsung TVs and arc.
Maybe someone at Sonos missed to test the Beam with Samsung?
Dave.....I get numbers, mostly, but they jump in increments of 2? No idea!

Have tried playing with TV settings, no idea what I am doing, but it may have worked on my Sony Bravia????

Go to settings/ system settings/ sound/ advanced/ set Dolby Digital plus out to off.

Setup// AV setup/ Audio Out to fixed/ Digital Audio out to Auto1/ HDMI signal format to HDMI3 enhanced.

Absolutely clueless but it may have given me control of volume???
I am having the exact same issue with my Beam - previously my Sony Bravia (Model XBR-65X750D) was set to 30 or so for normal watching. After plugging in my new Beam via HDMI ARC, I have to turn it all the way up to the 80s to get the same level of volume. However, when I stream audio directly to the Beam using AirPlay 2, the volume is way too loud. I have reset all my TV sound settings back to default and have not been able to make any progress regarding this issue. Has anyone discovered a fix? I'm debating plugging in my optical cable with the adapter to see if that works better - although I'd really like to be able to use Alexa to control a few things.