Sonos Arc value or lack of

  • 30 January 2023
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To be fair. Positives about the Sonos Arc is that it is far better in clarity and sound quality than the TV speakers.

When I watch Supercross the announcers are easy to hear and not mushed together along with the engine sounds etc. The whole broadcast is much more enjoyable.

Usually tv shows, etc. we constantly had to change the volume and the sound coming from the TV was irritating on our ears and our nerves. Not so with the Arc soundbar.

neg.: There is no separation with Arc as far as right and left channels or surround sound. Sound all comes from the bar directly as one.

This is my experience.

Yours could be different.

side note: any of you had experience with the TV models that use the screen as a speaker?

Thoughts and experience?

Is it just like a sweet sounding electrostatic speaker that has GREAT highs and mids in the sweet spot but falls off sharply outside the sweet spot? Electrostatic speakers also need something like at least a sub for the low end.

Does the screen get worn out by it acting as a speaker?

Thank you again folks.

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I did all of this yesterday. None of it got me atmos.

I do thank you for your attempt to help me and the community!

Maybe just double-check there are no further firmware updates for your TV on the Vizio site too, just in case. 

I updated everything yesterday.

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@furacaopr .  You may well be correct that this offers a solution to the OP, and it is definitely worth checking out before buying any form of audio extractor.  But DD+ over Arc is a necessary condition for getting Atmos, but not sufficient. My 2016 LG TV will output DD+ but cannot process Atmos, and doesn’t have a pass-through option

Yes, you need DD+ passthrough. That's what this TV's bitstream setting does.

Tried bitstream yesterday and it did not change vs auto/Dolby/pcm.

Ken_Griffiths

I’m personally still not entirely convinced that the Vizio TV will support Atmos audio pass-through, but no harm in pursuing these things to check - it’s true an HDMI-ARC port can support DD+, but I’ve not yet come across a TV this old that supports pass-through of Atmos metadata. That’s slightly compounded by the review I read earlier, that made no mention of DD+ and stated that the Vizio TV supported DD5.1/DTS pass-through.

Anyhow, if it doesn’t work, then there’s always the fallback of using an audio extractor (recommended) and that’s likely to provide perhaps better lip-syncing anyway with the video on screen, despite the pass-through option over the TV ports. 

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I did all of this yesterday. None of it got me atmos.

I do thank you for your attempt to help me and the community!

How is your Apple TV connected to the TV? What streaming service are you using? How do you check if you are getting Atmos or not?

Tablo(over the air with a antenna), Hulu, Amazon, Paramount, YouTube and Peacock for Supercross or the politically correct name supermotocross, what ever they want to call it.

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I did all of this yesterday. None of it got me atmos.

I do thank you for your attempt to help me and the community!

Maybe just double-check there are no further firmware updates for your TV on the Vizio site too, just in case. 

And if you cannot get this to work, then just to reiterate, you will need one of the HDMI-ARC audio extractors mentioned.   (I use the Arcana.  It is pricey, but a fraction of what it would have cost to replace a top-of-the-range LG OLED.  It also cured the lip sync issues for which the LG TV was responsible.

Edit - but you need to be sure you have followed @furacaopr’s suggestions precisely before you give up on that.

I will look into the boxes to add into the chain. 

F
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nor the Apple TV (when set to its default LPCM multichannel codec) as that codec requires HDMI-eARC - you need to set the audio format to ‘off’ and select (DD+) Atmos audio.

@ProUSAConstitution, just one last thing before adding a new box to the set, have you tried the above settings in your Apple TV?

J

I did all of this yesterday. None of it got me atmos.

I do thank you for your attempt to help me and the community!

How is your Apple TV connected to the TV? What streaming service are you using? How do you check if you are getting Atmos or not?

Tablo(over the air with a antenna), Hulu, Amazon, Paramount, YouTube and Peacock for Supercross or the politically correct name supermotocross, what ever they want to call it.

Do you have the necessary subscriptions to get Atmos, e.g. Paramount Premium?  I am not sure any video on YouTube plays in Atmos, or even surround.  Likewise most OTA.  No Atmos on Hulu as far as I am aware, and there isn’t much Atmos content on Amazon.

Airgetlam

Just as a note, both of my two Vizios (and I don’t remember the designations of them offhand) do Dolby Digital Plus…..but only from the internal apps. They can not pass through an external HMDI Dolby Digital Plus signal. I’d confirmed that with Vizio several (3? Maybe?) years ago. My trust in Vizio to deal effectively with outside sources of audio are slim (and none). They’re great, inexpensive monitors, but I don’t choose to use their internal apps, as I’d prefer not to have Vizio tracking my viewing habits.

Yes, I also carry a tin foil hat. 

Bruce
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nor the Apple TV (when set to its default LPCM multichannel codec) as that codec requires HDMI-eARC - you need to set the audio format to ‘off’ and select (DD+) Atmos audio.

@ProUSAConstitution, just one last thing before adding a new box to the set, have you tried the above settings in your Apple TV?

I checked on my Apple TV 4K older model. I did not see a way to change "audio format to ‘off’ and select (DD+) Atmos audio."

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Just as a note, both of my two Vizios (and I don’t remember the designations of them offhand) do Dolby Digital Plus…..but only from the internal apps. They can not pass through an external HMDI Dolby Digital Plus signal. I’d confirmed that with Vizio several (3? Maybe?) years ago. My trust in Vizio to deal effectively with outside sources of audio are slim (and none). They’re great, inexpensive monitors, but I don’t choose to use their internal apps, as I’d prefer not to have Vizio tracking my viewing habits.

Yes, I also carry a tin foil hat. 

My Vizio stuff is not great. The p65-e1 tv was their best model(was supposed to be almost as good as Samsung/Sony/LG) at the time is just meh/passable and the sound bar same. The soundbar was newer than the tv and it sparked a few times and gave up. Glad it did not catch fire and burn our home down with us in it!

Not a Vizio fan.

Next tv I am thinking Samsung/Sony maybe LG.

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I searched for Atmos content and I found Jack Ryan on Amazon prime that had a little marker that said it was Atmos. so I tried playing that and adjusting the settings. still no Atmos from the Sonos Arc Soundbar.

J

I searched for Atmos content and I found Jack Ryan on Amazon prime that had a little marker that said it was Atmos. so I tried playing that and adjusting the settings. still no Atmos from the Sonos Arc Soundbar.

No.  Still no Atmos TO the Sonos Arc Soundbar.

And I don’t think there is a little marker that says it is Atmos.

Ken_Griffiths

I searched for Atmos content and I found Jack Ryan on Amazon prime that had a little marker that said it was Atmos. so I tried playing that and adjusting the settings. still no Atmos from the Sonos Arc Soundbar.

I would give Vizio Support a call or email them and ask if your TV is capable of passing through Atmos audio (DD+ compressed only of course) - at least you will know one way, or the other. The chepest answer here though is still to add one of the audio extractors mentioned. I use the Feintech extractor switch and that works well, as does the Arcana apparently. I’ve seen mixed reviews on the OREI device, so perhaps that one needs researching some more, but cheaper than a new TV and that then perhaps leaves room to consider then adding the two surrounds to the setup too.

J

@ProUSAConstitution .  sorry to shout bur THIS IS NOT A SONOS ISSUE.  You just don’t seem to get this.  You seem to be playing sources that are not offering Atmos through a TV that can’t process or output Atmos even if you input it, then expressing surprise that the Arc isn’t playing Atmos.

I have tried to help.  If you want Atmos, subscribe to Disney+ or Netflix Premium and either get a new TV or bypass your Vizio TV for audio using one of the extractors already mentioned.

That is the solution.  I now wish you well and hope you get a solution that works for you.

Ken_Griffiths

Note too, that the Amazon Prime App can vary across devices - not all may show the Atmos logo, but perhaps just ensure you’re not misinterpreting the Audio Description logo for Atmos content, see the attached image showing the two logos - sometimes people see AD and expect Atmos, but Jack Ryan is definitely available (on compatible devices) encoded in Atmos audio for its original soundtrack, but if there is something along the path to the Arc that does not support Atmos (eg the TV), the audio sent will fallback to the lowest common denominator, usually DD 5.1 or PCM stereo in some instances.

 

 

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John B

You must not have read my last post, or something else is going on with your thoughts and post of seeming frustration, I do not know.

The way we and a lot of people use forums: is to communicate and learn from each others trial and error, experiences and knowledge.  But for this to be efficient and right/factual, we need the whole picture and facts/truth. So that's why in my last post I stated that I physically found a movie or TV show that according to Amazon prime is listed as Atmos specifically. I tried that and the sound bar did not produce Atmos. It was only dolby 5.1 and I did try multiple different settings on the TV. It changed on the S2 app as being PCM or 5.1 NOT Atmos.

So I am using the process of elimination and passing that information on to the other forum members knowledge. I understand that a main problem is that the tv is the failed link in the chain. But I wanted to be positive with the test and results and not just assume.

I did this so we all have the whole picture and facts of what is going on.

Are you saying Amazon is lying when it says Atmos, it is not? Or are you saying I am a thick headed Moron due to continuing to post information here?

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Also I called Sonos and they said adding a sub or surrounds does NOT improve or effect the Soundbar in any way.

Some of us hoped that the crossovers would send the proper information off to the other speakers thereby making the Soundbar work less and cleaner, etc.

My impression was the person was just reading a script and may or may not have understood my language or the tech/science.

I have read opposing information in forums addressing this question, people trying to improve the Soundbar and not just add fill to the room.

F
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@ProUSAConstitution, I don't have an Apple TV, so I don't know if these apply, but worth a shot:

You can't play sound in Dolby Atmos if Quick Start is turned off in Settings. To check, go to Settings > Apps > iTunes Movies and TV Shows > Quick Start.

 

Audio format: By default, Apple TV uses the best audio format available. You can change the audio format if you’re experiencing problems with playback. Select Audio Format, then select Change Format and choose either Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital 5.1, or Stereo.

 

When testing these, be sure the Vizio is set to bitstream and the cable is connected to its HDMI1 (ARC) port.

 

EDIT: The cable that comes from the Sonos Arc connected to Vizio's HDMI1 (ARC). The cable that comes from the Apple TV to any other HDMI port

P
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@ProUSAConstitution,

Also note the Apps built into the TV are not the ones to use for your testing - nor the Apple TV (when set to its default LPCM multichannel codec) as that codec requires HDMI-eARC - you need to set the audio format to ‘off’ and select (DD+) Atmos audio.

Maybe try an episode of Jack Ryan (series 3) on Amazon Prime as a test and see what displays on the ’Now Playing Screen’ for the Arc in the Sonos App.

Apple TV will automatically send Atmos over DD+ in its default setting (as long as the Atmos option is turned on in settings). It is smart enough to change from LPCM to DD+ when on an ARC-only HDMI port.

I can even toggle my HDMI port between ARC and eARC and Apple TV will seamlessly alternate Atmos formats.

If you have Apple Music, I would recommend turning on one of the playlists “Made for Spatial Audio” as all the tracks will be Atmos and you’ll have lots of pleasant testing material running.

Ken_Griffiths

Apple TV will automatically send Atmos over DD+ in its default setting (as long as the Atmos option is turned on in settings). It is smart enough to change from LPCM to DD+ when on an ARC-only HDMI port.

I can even toggle my HDMI port between ARC and eARC and Apple TV will seamlessly alternate Atmos formats.

If you have Apple Music, I would recommend turning on one of the playlists “Made for Spatial Audio” as all the tracks will be Atmos and you’ll have lots of pleasant testing material running.

Thanks, I didn’t realise that the ATV audio format would auto-switch and detect the port in use by the Receiver, 👍

F
Userlevel 3
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That rings me a bell. If the Apple TV is connected to a regular HDMI (non-ARC) port on the TV, would it be able to send Atmos over DD+?

Because this TV has just one ARC port, which is being used by the Sonos Arc.

P
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That rings me a bell. If the Apple TV is connected to a regular HDMI (non-ARC) port on the TV, would it be able to send Atmos over DD+?

Because this TV has just one ARC port, which is being used by the Sonos Arc.

Yes, that’s how it works. ARC returns the audio channel coming in from the other HDMI ports, and the built-in TV apps. 

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@ProUSAConstitution,

Also note the Apps built into the TV are not the ones to use for your testing - nor the Apple TV (when set to its default LPCM multichannel codec) as that codec requires HDMI-eARC - you need to set the audio format to ‘off’ and select (DD+) Atmos audio.

Maybe try an episode of Jack Ryan (series 3) on Amazon Prime as a test and see what displays on the ’Now Playing Screen’ for the Arc in the Sonos App.

Apple TV will automatically send Atmos over DD+ in its default setting (as long as the Atmos option is turned on in settings). It is smart enough to change from LPCM to DD+ when on an ARC-only HDMI port.

I can even toggle my HDMI port between ARC and eARC and Apple TV will seamlessly alternate Atmos formats.

If you have Apple Music, I would recommend turning on one of the playlists “Made for Spatial Audio” as all the tracks will be Atmos and you’ll have lots of pleasant testing material running.

Surprised when I do this the S2 app just says Apple Music, not what format is playing. No 5.1/pcm/atmos.

Ken_Griffiths

Apple TV will automatically send Atmos over DD+ in its default setting (as long as the Atmos option is turned on in settings). It is smart enough to change from LPCM to DD+ when on an ARC-only HDMI port.

I can even toggle my HDMI port between ARC and eARC and Apple TV will seamlessly alternate Atmos formats.

If you have Apple Music, I would recommend turning on one of the playlists “Made for Spatial Audio” as all the tracks will be Atmos and you’ll have lots of pleasant testing material running.

Surprised when I do this the S2 app just says Apple Music, not what format is playing. No 5.1/pcm/atmos.

Seems rather clear the TV is not supporting pass-through of Atmos audio. I would still personally suggest you consider using an audio extractor, like Arcana/VAX04101 to bypass the TV altogether, or just live with DD/DTS 5.1 audio … and maybe get the suggested HT surrounds.

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