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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Fennec104

Lyricist II

Hi @Fennec104

Thank you for the examples. We do not perform any audio conversion, however - if the app reports “Dolby Surround Multichannel PCM 5.1”, then that is what is being supplied to the Arc Ultra’s HDMI port from the TV. As much as I would like it if Passthrough meant “untouched”, some TV manufacturers seem not to stick to this convention.

Hi and thanks for your answer.

My issue is not that the content is somehow “converted” to 5.1. I deliberately send 5.1 to the Ultra, here.

it’s that the same content (multiple versions of the same trailer) sound right when I provide Dolby Atmos to the Arc Ultra, but wrong when I provide 5.1 (I lose the surround effect, since rear is also played from the Arc Ultra, and way louder).

Corry P

Sonos Staff

Hi @Fennec104

Understood - thanks again for the examples!

"Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age eighteen." - Albert Einstein

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Patriekvg

Enthusiast I

Has anyone tested the new system firmware version 82.3-60160 released 7 January 2025?
https://support.sonos.com/en-us/article/release-notes-sonos-system-updates

Since Sonos is not clear about the changes, only stating “bug fixes and improved performance” we do not know if it has an effect on this issue…

By the way: just read the CEO has left. Let's hope the new one will bring more focus (money) to software issues!

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Zorro88

Enthusiast II

Has anyone tested the new system firmware version 82.3-60160 released 7 January 2025?
https://support.sonos.com/en-us/article/release-notes-sonos-system-updates

Since Sonos is not clear about the changes, only stating “bug fixes and improved performance” we do not know if it has an effect on this issue…

I hopefully tested it a few days ago, but 5.1 surround sound is played incorrectly as before.

M

Mindblowerz

Trending Lyricist I

Wow… this issue is still unresolved … noticed it since arc ultra release day. Not sure how such a basic test is missed out during the pre-launch internal product test phase… wonder what other tests were not done…

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DaytonJohn

Lyricist III

We watched Wicked on Amazon Prime today and the overall sound between the Arc Ultra and our Era 100 Surrounds actually sounded excellent (Multichannel 7.1)

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Zorro88

Enthusiast II

We watched Wicked on Amazon Prime today and the overall sound between the Arc Ultra and our Era 100 Surrounds actually sounded excellent (Multichannel 7.1)

We know it, 7.1 sounds excelllent, Dolby Atmos also. We are talking here about a 5.1 surround sound issue…

T

TripleBobatron

Lyricist II

Watching this thread with interest!

I’ve just ordered my first ever Sonos system (Arc Ultra + Sub gen4) with the intention of adding Symfonisk picture frame speakers as rears - because my sofa has to sit flush to the wall.

Although I try and watch Atmos content when available, we do have a lot of content that’s 5.1 only (including UK ota TV broadcasts which are 5.1 Dolby digital). If this isn’t an issue that’s going to be rectified asap (none of this “it’s by design” nonsense) I’ll have to return my system and look elsewhere

Under no circumstances is it acceptable to have rear channel audio playing from a front speaker when there are rears present. Mixing it in when it’s in a soundbar only scenario is fine, but when rear speakers are added to the setup 100% of the rear channel data should be sent to the surrounds - none of it should come from the bar!

As a minimum it should be a user selectable choice

I considered getting the Era 300s and having them up high and upside down (due to sofa against the wall), but as soon as I saw that the front drivers are disabled, and all the surround channels currently play through the top driver, I decided not to waste my money. Again that decision is completely idiotic, and has directly lost you a sale! It should be up to the user what drivers are used for what. If we’re paying for the whole speaker it’s up to us how much of the speaker we get to use!

IMO the back channels should be played through the front driver, surrounds from the side, and overhead atmos from the top

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DaytonJohn

Lyricist III

TripleBobatron - I chose the Era 100s over the Era 300s precisely because the 300’s front drivers are disabled in Surround configurations. With the Era 100s I can just aim the speaker toward our wall hugging couch. Unfortunately the issues with the Arc Ultra 5.1 kind oh messed that up.

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Zorro88

Enthusiast II

I have a meeting with some engineers on Monday to discuss feedback like this that we are receiving.

Hi Corry,

how was the meeting yesterday? Do we all have to sell our Arc Ultra or is there still hope? ;)

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Arc Ultra and Era 100’s

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