Contributor I

Question

Arc Ultra + Era 100 Surrounds

302 replies
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Arc Ultra and Era 100’s

Anyone else have this setup and noticing that the Era 100’s as rears are doing less work with the Arc Ultra when compared to the standard Arc? I’m barely noticing any audio coming from the rears even with the surround volume turned up to maximum. I swapped my original Arc back with the Era 100 surrounds and tested the same Atmos movies on the Arc and the Arc Ultra, and there is a significant difference/reduction in the signals being sent to the Era 100’s in the rear channels with the Arc Ultra. Increasing the “TV Level” setting for Surround Audio in the Sonos app increases the front surround volume coming from the Arc Ultra but the signals coming out of the ERA 100 rears are almost non existent.

Is this behavior the result of how the Arc Ultra processes surround channels, and should be considered normal operation?

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Pools-3015

Prodigy I

When you setup the Ultra, did you do Advanced Tuning? If so, try retuning using only Quick Tuning.

Many users have found that Advanced tuning the Ultra, lowers the volume for Subs and surrounds.

K

kdth_jhspk69

Renowned Enthusiast I

I'm in the same situation and I haven't done any trueplay tuning

P

Patriekvg

Enthusiast I

Same problem (Ultra + Era 100 surrounds). Thought I was one of the very few who are disappointed and must be crazy. Even thought there might be a defect in mine.

Tried encreasing the volume of the surround speakers, but the rear speakers just don't get the right signal. Performed TruePlay several times, does not help. The Sonos app says it is playing Dolby Atmos, so the source should be good.

It's a joke a 1400 Euro setup does not even let you manually tweak the settings for the soundscape. A diagnostic test sound to check if all drivers are working is also missing in Sonos app.

Pools-3015

Prodigy I

Same problem (Ultra + Era 100 surrounds). Thought I was one of the very few who are disappointed and must be crazy. Even thought there might be a defect in mine.

Tried encreasing the volume of the surround speakers, but the rear speakers just don't get the right signal. Performed TruePlay several times, does not help. The Sonos app says it is playing Dolby Atmos, so the source should be good.

It's a joke a 1400 Euro setup does not even let you manually tweak the settings for the soundscape. A diagnostic test sound to check if all drivers are working is also missing in Sonos app.

When you setup the Ultra, did you do Advanced Tuning? If so, try retuning using only Quick Tuning.

Many users have found that Advanced tuning the Ultra, lowers the volume for Subs and surrounds.

K

kdth_jhspk69

Renowned Enthusiast I

I have the same problem with the Arc Ultra + Sub Mini + 2 One's

Z

Zorro88

Enthusiast II

I have the same problem with the Sonos Arc Ultra and Era 100 Rears. But that's not all. I have played test sounds (Dolby Atmos and 5.1). Sounds that are only intended for the rear speakers are played twice, at the rear AND front at the same time. And to make matters worse, the sound at the front is louder than from the rear, so that you can no longer hear the rears properly. Something seems to be completely wrong. With my previous Beam Gen 2, the surround experience was perfect. There was no sound coming from the wrong speaker.

Of course, I tried to calibrate my system with Trueplay. Extended Trueplay, standard Trueplay, Trueplay off. Always the same problem with quiet rear speakers and incorrectly played channels to the front.

jgatie

I have the same problem with the Sonos Arc Ultra and Era 100 Rears. But that's not all. I have played test sounds (Dolby Atmos and 5.1). Sounds that are only intended for the rear speakers are played twice, at the rear AND front at the same time. And to make matters worse, the sound at the front is louder than from the rear, so that you can no longer hear the rears properly. Something seems to be completely wrong. With my previous Beam Gen 2, the surround experience was perfect. There was no sound coming from the wrong speaker.

Of course, I tried to calibrate my system with Trueplay. Extended Trueplay, standard Trueplay, Trueplay off. Always the same problem with quiet rear speakers and incorrectly played channels to the front.

What’s the source of the test files? Note that if you are playing the files from standard (free) YouTube, all files are in PCM stereo, not 5.1 or Atmos, even if they are labeled that way.

If the test files are being played from another source and you are playing them through the TV, you may not have your surrounds configured correctly. Are they actually configured as surrounds, or are you grouping them. Grouped speakers would give the results you are seeing, whereas a surround configuration would play in discrete channels.

M

Marek123

Contributor I

I have the same problem. Sonos arc ultra, sub 3, sonos one as surround. Surround sound is so weak, i can even notice it. TV sound in surround speakers is set to max. The difference is minimal. Do you have any idea how to improve it?

jgatie

I have the same problem. Sonos arc ultra, sub 3, sonos one as surround. Surround sound is so weak, i can even notice it. TV sound in surround speakers is set to max. The difference is minimal. Do you have any idea how to improve it?

It all depends on the source and your expectations. Surround content is never going to give you a repeat of the fronts. It’s going to be atmospherics and directional queues. Unless the source is an action film with bullets whizzing past or things flying around or overhead, you probably aren’t going to hear much.

That said, you need to be sure you are playing actual surround content. Check your now playing screen. In the icon that shows the source, it should say “Dolby Atmos” or “DD 5.1”. If it doesn’t, either your source isn’t surround, or you need to change the settings on your TV and/or source device.

Note that YouTube content is always in 2.0 stereo, unless you are paying for a premium subscription.

Z

Zorro88

Enthusiast II

What’s the source of the test files? Note that if you are playing the files from standard (free) YouTube, all files are in PCM stereo, not 5.1 or Atmos, even if they are labeled that way.

If the test files are being played from another source and you are playing them through the TV, you may not have your surrounds configured correctly. Are they actually configured as surrounds, or are you grouping them. Grouped speakers would give the results you are seeing, whereas a surround configuration would play in discrete channels.

I have the Arc Ultra since day one and tried already mostly everything, except resetting the speakers. I tested alteady multiple sources: test files from USB-Stick which is connected to the TV, movies from Apple TV 4K, an Apple TV sound test App… Always the same problem. I already tried all the TV sound settings: Auto, Pass Through… It doesn’t fix my problem.

Of course the rears are configured as surrounds and are not grouped as speakers.

In the Sonos App I always see the correct sound format like Dolby Atmos, 5.1… And again: I had before a Beam Gen 2 with Era 100 surrounds. This system didn’t have this problems.I just replaced the soundbar. I first experimented with the settings when I had this problems. And I’m looking daily for new App updates and firmware updates. Everything is up-to-date.

The only temporary solution that improves my rearspeaker problem a bit is to change the surround audio to +6 (or more).

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Arc Ultra and Era 100’s

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