Hi All
We are happy to announce to all Arc Ultra owners that the latest Sonos system update (issued today) includes a change to the behaviour of the “TV Level” surround setting slider option, in response to your feedback.
Previously, the slider had an effect on the apparent volume of the Arc Ultra itself, as the Arc Ultra is involved with the rendering of the rear channels, even when rear speakers are present.
Now, the new behaviour of the “TV Level” setting will be that it will only affect the rear drivers/speakers, rather than the rear channels. The result of this is that when adjusting “TV Level”, you will no longer hear the audio coming directly from the Arc Ultra increase or decrease with the slider. Instead, you will only hear the surround speakers raise or lower their volume with the slider.
I hope you all enjoy the change we’ve made - happy listening!
Please note that I am keeping this thread separate from the threads already extant in relation to Arc Ultra and it’s audio profile. I will link to this thread from them, but as many of the threads are now rather murky in terms of exactly what they are referring to, I wanted to avoid implying that this change will address all complaints made in any particular thread.
I hope this helps.
While I don't want to throw anyone into a “bad listener” bin, expectations for the surround experience vary. Many new surround users expect to be smacked in the back of the head by surround energy. Less than this the user feels that the surround is not working. Their first few films should be action movies with lots of “boom” in the rear. Even then the surround levels should be elevated above what more experienced viewers feel is realistic. We’ve been through this before. In the early days of stereo a curtain was drawn between the left and right half of the orchestra. This was often characterized as “ping pong” stereo because the focus would abruptly jump between left and right — in order to prove that the recording and playback were stereo.
A bad initial choice for a new surround user would be a city street scene or outdoor country scape. While the viewer will probably not directly perceive the surround channels, the audio scene will collapse if the rears are muted.
Perhaps there should be two surround settings, “ambient” for more seasoned viewers and “progressive” for new users.
Hey @buzz a few of us suggested this to @Corry P and he wrote a piece and was on our side. It looks like he’s been told to “leave it alone”, as he’s not mentioned it since and hasn’t replied.
It increasing looks like Sonos is less likely to action customer requests now as they have “world class” sound engineers who believe sound from behind you, should be virtualised from a sound bar in front of you 
I shall be moving away from Sonos for a surround sound option now as it’s more of a ‘kids toy’ that a replacement for a surround sound system. Especially as you can’t configure basic options like this, or reduce the incredibly loud centre channel!
Hi @Gavalar
Hey @buzz a few of us suggested this to @Corry P and he wrote a piece and was on our side. It looks like he’s been told to “leave it alone”, as he’s not mentioned it since and hasn’t replied.
It was not written at your prompting. I am still on “your side”. It is not the case that I have been told to “leave it alone” - I have not been told any such thing. And, if we did not want to discuss it, I would have made it impossible for anyone to reply to this thread, for a start.
I shall be moving away from Sonos for a surround sound option now as it’s more of a ‘kids toy’ that a replacement for a surround sound system. Especially as you can’t configure basic options like this, or reduce the incredibly loud centre channel!
We literally just changed it so that you can now configure the option.
Remember - there is no direct mapping between the channels of a soundtrack and the drivers on the speakers. Multiple drivers are used to render each channel, and those drivers are not relegated to rendering just one channel each.
For what it is worth, I (still) agree with you on the centre channel front, personally - no manager has swayed me in that respect, and nor have any attempted to do so (they would fail if they tried).
I hope this helps.
Hi @Gavalar
Hey @buzz a few of us suggested this to @Corry P and he wrote a piece and was on our side. It looks like he’s been told to “leave it alone”, as he’s not mentioned it since and hasn’t replied.
It was not written at your prompting. I am still on “your side”. It is not the case that I have been told to “leave it alone” - I have not been told any such thing. And, if we did not want to discuss it, I would have made it impossible for anyone to reply to this thread, for a start.
I shall be moving away from Sonos for a surround sound option now as it’s more of a ‘kids toy’ that a replacement for a surround sound system. Especially as you can’t configure basic options like this, or reduce the incredibly loud centre channel!
We literally just changed it so that you can now configure the option.
Remember - there is no direct mapping between the channels of a soundtrack and the drivers on the speakers. Multiple drivers are used to render each channel, and those drivers are not relegated to rendering just one channel each.
For what it is worth, I (still) agree with you on the centre channel front, personally - no manager has swayed me in that respect, and nor have any attempted to do so (they would fail if they tried).
I hope this helps.
Hi @Corry P I was under the impression that the piece you wrote was in response to the feedback we all gave you on what needed to change?
You gave us an option to turn the rears down. You didn’t give us the option to stop sounds from behind coming from a sound bar in front. Regardless of what has been thought up by the sound Engineers, this is not correct.
Will a ‘centre’ volume slider be provided soon please? If so, this will correct another issue.
Why was there such a dramatic change recently regarding virtualisation which strongly contradicts what Sonos said before about (words to the effect of), Era 300’s complete the rear half of the Atmos bubble? Before the rear sound came from the rear drivers and side sound from side drivers.
Nothing against you personally @Corry P as you are trying to evoke change. It just sounds like your hands are tied. I am personally very grateful you are listening as you are the only viable channel to have a resolution here.
Hi @Gavalar
Hi @Corry P I was under the impression that the piece you wrote was in response to the feedback we all gave you on what needed to change?
Well, in a round-about way, yes. All I was trying to do was clarify a technical query I had and I ended up in a meeting.
Will a ‘centre’ volume slider be provided soon please? If so, this will correct another issue.
I don’t have that information.
Why was there such a dramatic change recently regarding virtualisation which strongly contradicts what Sonos said before about (words to the effect of), Era 300’s complete the rear half of the Atmos bubble? Before the rear sound came from the rear drivers and side sound from side drivers.
The only change was to the non-technical wording explaining very technical and proprietary processes - no behaviour was changed until now. I am not entirely sure as to what you are referring, however - I think I was off work around this time. If you could outline the change made, perhaps I can enlighten you.
Nothing against you personally @Corry P
I should hope so!
It just sounds like your hands are tied. I am personally very grateful you are listening as you are the only viable channel to have a resolution here.
I would not say my hands are tied - here I am, replying to you. It is completely normal for us not to announce something until it is imminent, or already available, such as with this change we have just made.
I hope this helps.
Hi @Gavalar
Hi @Corry P I was under the impression that the piece you wrote was in response to the feedback we all gave you on what needed to change?
Well, in a round-about way, yes. All I was trying to do was clarify a technical query I had and I ended up in a meeting.
Will a ‘centre’ volume slider be provided soon please? If so, this will correct another issue.
I don’t have that information.
Why was there such a dramatic change recently regarding virtualisation which strongly contradicts what Sonos said before about (words to the effect of), Era 300’s complete the rear half of the Atmos bubble? Before the rear sound came from the rear drivers and side sound from side drivers.
The only change was to the non-technical wording explaining very technical and proprietary processes - no behaviour was changed until now. I am not entirely sure as to what you are referring, however - I think I was off work around this time. If you could outline the change made, perhaps I can enlighten you.
Nothing against you personally @Corry P
I should hope so!
It just sounds like your hands are tied. I am personally very grateful you are listening as you are the only viable channel to have a resolution here.
I would not say my hands are tied - here I am, replying to you. It is completely normal for us not to announce something until it is imminent, or already available, such as with this change we have just made.
I hope this helps.
Hi @Corry P what I meant was… when I first had the original arc, with the era 300’s, side sounds came from the side drivers and rear sounds came from the rear drivers from the arc 300.
This was updated last year when the arc ultra came out where the 300 drivers (side drivers loudly, with rears and top tweeter quietly) played all at once for side and rear sounds. Not independently like before.
This is what many people have brought up and would like reverted. I don’t want sounds from behind me, coming from the side drivers (tweeters) from a sound bar in front of me.
Hopefully we will have a centre volume slider in time as well.
Hi @Gavalar
The behaviour of Era 300 surrounds has not been changed on Arc Ultra from how it was on the original Arc.
Hopefully we will have a centre volume slider in time as well.
Personally, I hope so too.
Just installed an update for Arc Ultra and only for it, none for my other speakers.
(Era300-Sub 4-SL)
Can't see any changes in the App nor any info about the update 
And now an update to their App :)
Moderator edit: removed picture with serial number
@Corry P
Thank you – this update was fantastic and has improved my experience with the system tremendously.
It was my one and only criticism I had with the system. It was absolutely amazing besides that. But that one element was indeed quite frustrating I have to say.
Therefore: Incredibly happy that this was fixed!
I am just ever so slightly worried about features like that changing again in the future if Sonos comes to a different conclusion. While I know how quicky complexity increases in software, please hear my plea to not take away behavior in tue future, but to add a different behaviour as an option. E.g. if this change would have been implemented the other way around, I would now feel as if you ruined my expensive system with a software update.
But I digress and would like to emphasize again: fantastic update that made this stunning system fir me finally utilize its full potential. Thank you to to the Sonos team for listening and implementing this fix!
