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When watching movies the noise and music is way too loud relative to the dialogue. I have enhanced speech dialogue on as well as night mode and ambient mode. I’ve tried lowering the max volume and then I just can’t hear the dialogue. I’ve also lowered the bass all the way. Any suggestions? I have the play bar and Sonos one speakers 

Not really, although ‘Ambient mode’ doesn’t have an effect on the TV input, only when streaming to the device. 

Are you certain the PLAYBAR is receiving a Dolby Digital signal? What does the ‘now playing’ screen on your controller show? If it is stereo, you certainly could get a better experience by checking your TV’s settings, and the settings of any device feeding the TV, to ensure they’re set for Dolby Digital (5.1) and nothing ‘higher’, like Dolby Digital Plus or Atmos, since neither of them can be carried across optical, or be properly processed by the Sonos PLAYBAR. 


Thank you! I know I have it set to some version of Dolby. I will check as soon as I get back home. It may be atmos. Could a potential issue be the hdmi cable I use? 


A Sonos Playbar does not do HDMI, it’s optical only. Are you sure it is a Playbar?


Yes it was a thinner wire. I will check as soon as I get back tonight. I bought them in 2020 if that helps. It’s a Sony tv. I was able to click some sort of speech enhancement mode on the tv as well as the Sonos app. But on the Sonos app it’s just sliding a bar it does not give me different options in terms of how much to enhance the dialogue. I typically just use it for action movies and I just find myself having to lower it after an action scene and then increasing the volume after they start speaking. Im hoping the issue is what type of Dolby version I have selected. Should I have the max volume at around 75% or lower? 


It’s definitely a playbar. The Sonos one speakers are generation 2. Also, it’s for my studio not a house so maybe it’s just too loud of a sound system? Thank you for all the help. 


Hi ​@Dodge9220 

Welcome to the Sonos Community!

Sorry to hear of this issue you are having with being unable to hear dialogue on your Playbar.

Given that you have enabled Night Mode and Speech Enhancement, I don’t think there is much you can do, short of ensuring that the drivers in the middle of the Playbar are still firing by placing your ears close to it.

I do recommend not basing your findings on the results of one or two movies - please try other content to see if there is an improvement. Some movies just have difficult-to-hear dialogue.

If you find that any of the drivers in the Playbar are not firing, I recommend you get in touch with our technical support team who have tools at their disposal that will allow them to give you advice specific to your Sonos system and what it reports.

I hope this helps.