Something needs to happen. You don’t just cut off speakers and say that it was doing it wrong the whole time when no one even complained the 300’s were bad in any way, shape, or form.
 

It’s even more frustrating hearing the company who made the speakers describe the speaker itself exactly the way it supposed to play/function in those YouTube videos. 
 

lmao it’s like a “woops - we described our product completely wrong - our bad. Here’s the way it supposed to function a year and half later” 

Can we please be honest with eachother?

There was literally a video where one of sonos senior VPs was explaining how the rear channels were being output from the inner drivers of the Era 300s. And I say that there WAS a video because it was promptly taken down by Sonos as soon as it was posted in here. That was really scummy btw.

Let’s at least stop pretending all your customers are stupid

Hi ​@superlollo 

Yes. The video is still here: https://www.sonos.com/en-us/sonos-live, but was taken down from the YouTube channel as part of a general clean up, as I understand it, along with other videos. I agree that the timing was lousy.

The statement made in the video agrees with the statement in print on the Reddit event, which I quoted above. It does seem like this is going win the contest over the information in my documentation - it was this that I was waiting for clarification over, and still am. Official documentation is official documentation, and I have to stick with it, which is why I - and others - have been seeking clarification over this apparent mistake. I apologise for any confusion or consternation caused as a result, but we are trying to rectify matters.

Please know that we are listening to the feedback you are all providing, we are presently investigating the reasons for the feedback, and I personally think it very likely at this point that changes will be made.

I hope this helps.

Thanks for your answer, I appreciate it. Currently the inner drivers are completely disabled, it’s not like the volume is only lower. If it actually is lower, it is 95% lower, you can’t hear anything unless you put your ear right next to it (touching it). At that point you might as well turn it off.

I’m sure it wasn’t like that a couple of months ago, you could clearly hear it. Even in trueplay configuration, both quick and advanced, the inner drivers don’t emit any sound at all.

Having some sort of setup in the app where you can specify your surround placement (corner, close to a wall, no wall) would be extremely beneficial. My B&O speakers have such a setup and it’s not like B&O is a huge software company or anything. Even better, some separate volume sliders for left/right surrounds.

If Sonos is afraid that the user will screw it up, just add an “advanced” mode in the app that enables those functions only for those that want to use it. My router has something similar, when you login you can only see some very basic config options, but then there’s the “expert” menu which allows you to do all sort of stuff at your own risk.

Hi ​@superlollo 

You have made 3 good points there, and I added them all to the document that will be passed to the people who decide such things. Thank you.

Maybe it needs an extra button too, to revert to Sonos’ Standard Configuration. Make it a two-click process: “Reverting to Standard Configuration will erase all user customisation settings for this room. Are you sure you wish to proceed?”

I feel like such a fool, I went through 3 months of waiting for the fix for the og Arc and sub problem and forgave and forgot too easily, I foolishly went onto to purchase the Era 300’s when they came out and paired with the Arc (the inward drivers worked as then described for rear sound, up firing driver worked as they should, you would only hear them fire when sounds were supposed to be from above) 

But then even more stupidly I laid out more cash for the Arc Ultra, so to now being totally gaslit by Sonos by removing all the original information and videos of how the Era 300’s work and sticking your heals in and saying this was all by design is utter garbage, who on earth would mix hight channel sound with rear channel sound and fire it all to the ceiling ? It is beyond belief, my guess this is in an attempt to kill anymore bad press after the latest backlash over the app but you have done completely the opposite I'm afraid.

I was mulling the idea of replacing my hi-fi amp to Sonos before this but not a cat's chance in hell now.

Hi,

I wrote this in the wrong thread apologies, tweaked here.

My issues with the Arc Ultra and the 300’s are as follows…

Front width play the Arc Ultra side channels and outside 300 channels.

Side channels play the same as above, I.e the Arc Ultra side channels and the 300 outside channels.

The rear channels, you guessed it! Play from the Ultra side channel and the SAME side channels on the 300’s (not the rears).

Atmos front height channels play on the Ultra and the 300’s heights channels. The rear height channels also play on the Ultra’s height channels and the 300’s rear channels.

it should all be independent, I.e. the ultras side channels play front width channels.

The side channels should play the era 300 side channels.

the rear channels should play the era 300 rear channels.

The atmos height channels front and back should play separately.

The OG Arc did 7.2.4 perfectly. The Arc Ultra does 5.2.2 and it’s a mess!

I understand sonos might want to play some of the side channels from the side of the ultra arc, I.e. 20% relative volume, with the sides playing at full volume to help increase the Atmos bubble, but this is not common.

The rear channels should play rear content independently though, it’s mad how the rear drivers in the 300 are completely disabled.

The front and rear Atmos height channels should be independent from each other.

​@Corry P is looking into this though. I hope the ‘Engineers’ fix this, say it was an error and get people on board. This is where Sonos has let itself down, by not listening to customers.

Hi Cory, I know it’s only been 8 days since this response I’m quoting from you but has there been any update such as anyone actually looking into this, or is it still on the back burner? 

The current setup is especially bad with 5.1 if you don’t have a perfectly shaped room. 
in 5.1 the surround channels should come from the inner drivers, at least give us the option 

Hi ​@Snoomuffin 

I have prepared a response, but it is awaiting editing and approval - this may take some time yet, but it is in progress.

Great thanks 

Can anyone test their height channels on the arc ultra to see if they are bouncing off the ceiling?

I tried Toy Story 4 and at 46:06 on Disney+ when buzz is on the prize board he hears the plush toys talking above him and it is supposed to be coming from the right front height channel on the ultra. Instead it sounds like it is coming from the bar itself. It also sounds louder than the other non-height channels in the ultra which is how I can tell it should be using the height channels. I got an 8ft ceiling with +5 on height. 

I tested out the height channels via a Dolby Atmos test, and the front channels work as should so it’s really odd the movie would sound different.  Maybe Disney+ is bugged?

I tried asking on reddit but not much feedback. 

I tried it and yes it sounds like it's coming from the centre and right channels of the Arc Ultra with just a change in tone and with a hint of it coming from above,  but far from convincing… I've not heard the film with any other system so not sure how it would differ..

Ok so I’m not the only one. Saves me time from exchanging out the unit, haha.

thanks for your help! 

Hi ​@Corry P 

Do you have any updates for us?

Hi ​@superlollo 

Nope - If I did, you’d be reading it already.

Please assume that remains the case until I do say something. Thanks.

This thread is a bummer.  I was planning to replace my rears and literally had a pair of 300 ready for checkout when I came across this thread.  Hopefully it gets resolved because as of now, I will not be making that purchase.  

It’s time for un update!

Thanks to all for the contributions - this thread explains a lot - Dolby Atmos music has been a real disappointment on an immersive set (arc ultra, sub 4, and two era 300).  At present, I’ve simply split the system to (a) arc ultra for television, and (b) era 300s and sub 4 for music. A much better experience for music but entirely sub optimal overall. Had I read this thread earlier, I wouldn’t have made the purchase. I feel we all need a rapid and stable resolution. At present, I really couldn’t recommend Sonos to anybody

Hey Lozbass.  since you’re new to Sonos. I wanted to make sure that you knew that you can disable Spatial Music (Atmos) in the settings for the room with your immersive set if it’s just Atmos songs that are bothering you. It forces the stereo version of the song when disabled.  I’ve turned off spatial music because the quality of Atmos music is just too variable track to track.
 

I also recommend checking out “full” vs “ambient” in the surround audio setting. Switching it to “full” only impacts music and plays stereo music through the 300’s vs some iffy sounding fake surround version of a stereo song.  

 

Also, I wanted to add that I found this thread trying to figure out why my the rear left and right channels weren’t playing correctly for Atmos content and am hoping for a better response from Sonos. The 300’s cost too much to disable half the speaker.  Firing the height driver to represent the rear channel makes no sense when you have a pair of drivers pointing in the direction of the rear channel.  Using the height driver for rear channel effects also take away from the actual height effects. 

Thanks rboard for taking the time to respond in detail to my comments - this is really helpful.  As I’m still acquainting myself with the system, I hadn’t thought of disabling Spatial but will do so this evening.  I’d been using the ‘full’ setting for music too as I’d agree entirely re: the ‘ambient’ fake surround rendering (‘iffy’ is a polite way to describe such output!).  I’d also agree entirely re: the cost-performance relationship - I’m somewhat baffled with respect to how a mistake of this magnitude (mis-implementation of Dolby Atmos) could escape unnoticed to market release.  That said, mistakes happen - I’ve made plenty - and its the way that a company/individual handles resolution that’s really important. I’m waiting and hoping for something fast… thanks again rboard, really helpful and it’s clear that I’m one of many experiencing disappointment

Agreed. It’s been over 30 days. Kind of ridiculous if you ask me.

+1

tired of waiting for a statement that was supposed to be ready and awaiting authorization one month ago

It’s on the back burner. Their excuse is probably to focus on everything else but the era 300 issue because well “it still works”.