Answered

Playbar with surrounds (One) and Dolby digital: Sound dropouts/stuttering

  • 1 March 2023
  • 2 replies
  • 1686 views
V

Hello all,

The following problem: I bought a refurbished Playbar via the Sonos Store and set it up in the living room with 2 Sonos One (Gen 1) as surrounds. Everything has worked so far. 

However, as soon as I watch normal TV or a movie in Dolby Digital 2.0 or 5.1, I clearly hear sound dropouts/ stuttering in both Surround Ones. The Sonos App shows Dolby Digital 2.0 or 5.1. With normal stereo sound (stereo PCM,) the problem doesn't exist.

The following settings/connections:

Router: FritzBox 6590 cable 
Playbar is the only component connected to LAN via cable.
All players show WM:0
The Playbar also shows OTP:
Sonos Net channel: 6
WLAN 2.4 GHz runs on channel 1 (not Auto)
WLAN 5 GHz runs on channel 40 (not Auto)
All components have fixed IP addresses
TV is a LG OLED65BX9
Connection: Playbar directly via optical cable to the TV
OLED TV settings: Audio output is set to optical, and digital audio output: "pass-through" (bitstream).

The problem only exists when the audio output ("Digital Audio Output" setting) on my TV is set to "pass-through". When I set the output on my TV to "PCM" (then the Sonos app says "Stereo PCM") everything runs smoothly, with no sound dropouts/ stuttering.

I watch TV via a Panasonic UBC70 recorder. There, the audio inputs/outputs are also set to "Bitstream". If I set "Stereo PCM" on the Panasonic recorder and set the TV to "pass-through", then there are no dropouts (the app shows Stereo PCM here as well).

The Playbar obviously has a problem processing the incoming and outgoing TV signal when everything is set to bitstream/passthrough (that would be Dolby Digital 2.0 on TV, for example).

What I can rule out:

- Optical cable defect: previously I ran a Playbase in the same network with Ones as surround. There were no sound dropouts at all. The Playbase is now in the neighboring room.
- WLAN interference: There were no problems with the Playbase
- One defect: see above. Everything worked with the Playbase 

 

What can be the problem, what can I do?

Thank you very much!

 

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Best answer by Corry P 2 March 2023, 14:26

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2 replies

Corry P
Userlevel 7
Badge +18

Hi @vortex 

Welcome to the Sonos Community!

The first thing to always try with such issues is to unplug your TV from power for a couple of minutes, at least. This restarts the TV’s software in a way that Standby does not, and can often fix audio stuttering issues.

However, as the stuttering is only noticed on the surrounds, please also ensure that your router (or WiFi Access Point) is not too close (less than 1m) to your Beam - if it is, please relocate it, as the router and Beam will be sources of interference for each other when too close. A reboot of the Beam may also help - unplug for a moment, then give the Beam a minute to boot, and then give the surrounds another minute or so to reconnect before testing.

If you’re still hearing the issue after all this, 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.

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

Hi Corry,

thank you very much for your reply.

Spoke to SONOS customer support and we did some analysis and testing. To make it short: the support assumes a defective playbar, a replacement unit is already on the way.

Thanks al lot!

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