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ProUSAConstitution
Avid Contributor I
January 30, 2023

Sonos Arc value or lack of

I just hooked up and finally got the Arc working. 
in my opinion, unless I am missing something the Arc is in NO way worth $900!

My Arc only displays 5.1 in the S2 app NOT ATMOS!

One of the multiple seemingly all foreign( I mention foreign due to our language differences and therefore difficulties of communication) Sonos employees I tried to get the Arc working with , said ATMOS is just marketing and no different or better than Dolby Digital 5.1.

 I am seriously thinking of returning the Arc and buying some self powered Yamaha HS8 studio speakers for $800. 
In my opinion the the dynamics, sound quality, and overall enjoyment will be far superior with 2 quality self driven studio monitors. For less $.
Prove me wrong?

What do you think is a better way to go for the $900 usd.

 I’m just trying to be honest and factual. 

All productive comments are welcome!

No BS or propanda please. 
Thank you and best wishes to all. 

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ProUSAConstitutionAuthor
Avid Contributor I
January 30, 2023

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. 

    furacaopr
    Prodigy III
    January 30, 2023

    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?

    John B
    January 30, 2023

    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
    Airgetlam
    January 30, 2023

    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
      ProUSAConstitutionAuthor
      Avid Contributor I
      January 31, 2023

      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."

      ProUSAConstitutionAuthor
      Avid Contributor I
      January 31, 2023

      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.

      ProUSAConstitutionAuthor
      Avid Contributor I
      January 31, 2023

      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.

      John B
      January 31, 2023

      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
      Ken_Griffiths
      January 31, 2023

      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.

        John B
        January 31, 2023

        @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.

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