Word of warning for anyone looking at the Beam to start a 5.1 surround sound system, it will NOT work ideally for any streaming box except the Apple TV. I would suggest really doing your research and/or staying away from the Beam if you want a home theater solution.
The Beam does not support Dolby Digital Plus (DD+) and only supports PCM (poor quality) or Dolby Digital. Why does that matter? DD+ is the current standard. Dolby (the only thing Sonos support) sounds good but is hardly used anymore by anything halfway modern. PCM is the audio equivilent to standard definition TV.
DD+ is the de facto standard for streaming boxes and services. Hulu, Netflix, HBO and I want to say Plex support this standard and only this standard. Those services do not use Dolby Digital. To get Dolby Digital, that means the stream must be downconverted (transcoded) on the fly by either your streaming device or your TV before reaching the Beam. If you do not convert, you are forced to use the poor quality PCM.
Now here's the rub. Few TVs downconvert. If you have one that does? Great! You should have few problems. Thing is though today, few streaming boxes do as well. In fact, the only one that does that I can tell is the Apple TV 4K. The nVidia Shield does not, nor does any modern Roku device. The 2016 Ruku Ultra does, but the 2017 and 2018 models do NOT. Looking at Roku forums, a software update from Roku may have removed that option thus meaning no Roku converts DD+ to D.
I can not believe Sonos is selling a device, geared for home theater, that does not support what is a very common standard. Every single streaming device support DD+ along with all the major players including Netflix and Hulu. It is THE standard, yet Sonos does not support it.
Keep this in mind as you're researching. I find it very disappointing, and will be returning my Sonos products.
WARNING: Beam does not support Dolby Digital Plus, That is a BIG deal
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My TV supports all types (DD+, Dolby 5.1, PCM), but my TV doesn't downconvert DD+ to just Dolby 5.1. I think it sees the Beam supports Dolby 5.1 and PCM, so it tells the source to pass through Dolby 5.1 or PCM. When the source can only do DD+ or PCM, such as Netflix, the TV says that since the Beam doesn't support DD+ then it should do PCM.
I get that perhaps TVs should downconvert DD+ to Dolby 5.1, but obviously some don't. I don't know if it's all Samsungs, or just the ones from late 2016 when I got mine. I did ensure my Samsung was on the latest firmware. Samsungs are a very popular TV brand.
That being said I think the Sonos should support DD+. It's obviously the most popular format simply by virtue of that being the format Netflix decided to go with. Instead of relying on a TV to transcode DD+ to 5.1, of which many seem to not do, why not just support what is the most popular format? I could understand if my Beam was a few years old but it's not.
I get that perhaps TVs should downconvert DD+ to Dolby 5.1, but obviously some don't. I don't know if it's all Samsungs, or just the ones from late 2016 when I got mine. I did ensure my Samsung was on the latest firmware. Samsungs are a very popular TV brand.
That being said I think the Sonos should support DD+. It's obviously the most popular format simply by virtue of that being the format Netflix decided to go with. Instead of relying on a TV to transcode DD+ to 5.1, of which many seem to not do, why not just support what is the most popular format? I could understand if my Beam was a few years old but it's not.
I have an LG TV and it has its own built in Netflix and Prime Apps and I have both Amazon Fire TV and a Roku Stick plugged into its HDMI ports.
Just as an example, my 'Fire TV' Settings are set to Dolby Digital Plus (Automatic) and yet it still plays all audio sources to the Beam in DD5.1, where relevant, including the Amazon Prime and Netflix Apps available on the fire stick. So I’m wondering if the issue here is a limitation of the Samsung TV passing the necessary and relevant audio to the Beam, or if the Samsung TV itself is choosing to fallback to the PCM audio.
There are still a few TV's that do not pass the necessary surround audio from its HDMI connected devices to either the HDMI-ARC or optical ports as described here in this link...
https://www.rtings.com/tv/tests/inputs/5-1-surround-audio-passthrough
Some TVs can only pass 5.1 through, over a certain connection (either digital optical or HDMI ARC), and some can only pass through certain signal types (DTS or Dolby Digital), so it pays to make sure that the TV supports both the connection and signal type that you wish to use.
Anyhow my Beam is working absolutely fine for surround sound with my LG TV over HDMI-ARC.
Just as an example, my 'Fire TV' Settings are set to Dolby Digital Plus (Automatic) and yet it still plays all audio sources to the Beam in DD5.1, where relevant, including the Amazon Prime and Netflix Apps available on the fire stick. So I’m wondering if the issue here is a limitation of the Samsung TV passing the necessary and relevant audio to the Beam, or if the Samsung TV itself is choosing to fallback to the PCM audio.
There are still a few TV's that do not pass the necessary surround audio from its HDMI connected devices to either the HDMI-ARC or optical ports as described here in this link...
https://www.rtings.com/tv/tests/inputs/5-1-surround-audio-passthrough
Some TVs can only pass 5.1 through, over a certain connection (either digital optical or HDMI ARC), and some can only pass through certain signal types (DTS or Dolby Digital), so it pays to make sure that the TV supports both the connection and signal type that you wish to use.
Anyhow my Beam is working absolutely fine for surround sound with my LG TV over HDMI-ARC.
Userlevel 3
Hi Ryan,
I appreciate your replies. My experience with what should be though is a bit different.
For the record I am using HDMI-ARC from my TV to the Beam. The TV is a Samsung KU6300F. Perhaps the limitation exists with Samsung or something, I don't know?
I tested on the 2018 Roku Ultra as well as an nVidia Shield TV. If the source is DD+, such as the Netflix app, for some reason my TV converts that to PCM so that is all the Beam gets. My TV does support DD+, though it is an option that is always greyed out when using the Beam. On my TV under the advanced options, when the source is 5.1 that option is lit up, and when the source is PCM only or DD+ only the PCM option is available.
I confirmed this to be the case in the Sonos app, when Audio In was "stereo". The Roku Ultra nor the nVidia Shield TV was able to send anything except PCM for Netflix and Amazon. I am not sure if any apps use 5.1, I did not test out that.
The Apple TV 4K does the downconversion from DD+ to 5.1 for me, so when I use a DD+ app such as Netflix my TV sees it as 5.1 thus the Sonos does as well. As far as I know, Apple TV is the only device capable of doing this. This is a bit disappointing because IMO I think the Apple 4K device is one of the worst between Shield, Roku and Apple.
My theory? The TV asks what the Beam supports (PCM, 5.1) then sees the output from the device. If it's 5.1, then it'll output 5.1 to the Beam however if it's DD+ or PCM then it outputs PCM to the Beam.
Now onto my issue, I guess. We're relying on TVs and/or streaming boxes to downconvert. Fact of the matter is DD+ is the standard in streaming. Sonos IMO should support that standard that way in case for some reason a user such as myself is stuck with a TV that does not properly downconvert I still have a positive experience with Sonos. While I appreciate Sonos simulating 5.1 with a PCM signal, in my experience 5.1 is by far the superior experience which is what we want.
I appreciate your replies. My experience with what should be though is a bit different.
For the record I am using HDMI-ARC from my TV to the Beam. The TV is a Samsung KU6300F. Perhaps the limitation exists with Samsung or something, I don't know?
I tested on the 2018 Roku Ultra as well as an nVidia Shield TV. If the source is DD+, such as the Netflix app, for some reason my TV converts that to PCM so that is all the Beam gets. My TV does support DD+, though it is an option that is always greyed out when using the Beam. On my TV under the advanced options, when the source is 5.1 that option is lit up, and when the source is PCM only or DD+ only the PCM option is available.
I confirmed this to be the case in the Sonos app, when Audio In was "stereo". The Roku Ultra nor the nVidia Shield TV was able to send anything except PCM for Netflix and Amazon. I am not sure if any apps use 5.1, I did not test out that.
The Apple TV 4K does the downconversion from DD+ to 5.1 for me, so when I use a DD+ app such as Netflix my TV sees it as 5.1 thus the Sonos does as well. As far as I know, Apple TV is the only device capable of doing this. This is a bit disappointing because IMO I think the Apple 4K device is one of the worst between Shield, Roku and Apple.
My theory? The TV asks what the Beam supports (PCM, 5.1) then sees the output from the device. If it's 5.1, then it'll output 5.1 to the Beam however if it's DD+ or PCM then it outputs PCM to the Beam.
Now onto my issue, I guess. We're relying on TVs and/or streaming boxes to downconvert. Fact of the matter is DD+ is the standard in streaming. Sonos IMO should support that standard that way in case for some reason a user such as myself is stuck with a TV that does not properly downconvert I still have a positive experience with Sonos. While I appreciate Sonos simulating 5.1 with a PCM signal, in my experience 5.1 is by far the superior experience which is what we want.
Userlevel 7
+26
I may be mis-reading what you're asking. That TV looks to fully support Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby Digital 5.1, and as you said, if you start with Dolby Digital, that's an option to go to the Beam.
If your Beam is connected over HDMI-ARC, the TV will automatically send Dolby Digital 5.1 to the Beam for any source that starts off with a Dolby Digital Plus or 5.1 signal. If the source starts at PCM, the TV isn't going to be able to change that audio signal into a Dolby Digital signal, because there are only 2 channels of audio to begin with. Even if the Beam is sent Stereo PCM, we do up-mix the sound ourselves, playing a simulated surround sound so your surrounds won't remain silent, even if it's just getting the stereo signal.
If your Beam is connected over HDMI-ARC, the TV will automatically send Dolby Digital 5.1 to the Beam for any source that starts off with a Dolby Digital Plus or 5.1 signal. If the source starts at PCM, the TV isn't going to be able to change that audio signal into a Dolby Digital signal, because there are only 2 channels of audio to begin with. Even if the Beam is sent Stereo PCM, we do up-mix the sound ourselves, playing a simulated surround sound so your surrounds won't remain silent, even if it's just getting the stereo signal.
Userlevel 3
I wanted to clarify that Dolby Digital Plus is fully compatible with Dolby Digital 5.1 per Dolby specifications/requirements. The Beam will also tell whatever device it's connected with via HDMI-ARC that it wants a Dolby Digital 5.1 audio signal, and just about all of the TVs that I've seen will automatically convert Dolby Digital Plus into DD5.1 following that handshake. You should be good to send any Dolby Digital Plus to your TV and it'll send DD5.1 to your Beam over HDMI-ARC.
Well, it does seem as if DD+ is the new standard, so I find it silly we have to jump through hoops to get Dolby to work on what is very modern Sonos equipment.
That being said, my TV is a Samsung KU6300F. Any idea on how to get it to downconvert instead of just pass through PCM? If the source (such as OTA) is Dolby it passes through fine and sounds great. If the source is not Dolby though my only option on the TV is PCM, and Dolby is greyed out.
Userlevel 7
+26
Hi sexyflanders, thanks for sharing.
I wanted to clarify that Dolby Digital Plus is fully compatible with Dolby Digital 5.1 per Dolby specifications/requirements. The Beam will also tell whatever device it's connected with via HDMI-ARC that it wants a Dolby Digital 5.1 audio signal, and just about all of the TVs that I've seen will automatically convert Dolby Digital Plus into DD5.1 following that handshake. You should be good to send any Dolby Digital Plus to your TV and it'll send DD5.1 to your Beam over HDMI-ARC.
I wanted to clarify that Dolby Digital Plus is fully compatible with Dolby Digital 5.1 per Dolby specifications/requirements. The Beam will also tell whatever device it's connected with via HDMI-ARC that it wants a Dolby Digital 5.1 audio signal, and just about all of the TVs that I've seen will automatically convert Dolby Digital Plus into DD5.1 following that handshake. You should be good to send any Dolby Digital Plus to your TV and it'll send DD5.1 to your Beam over HDMI-ARC.
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