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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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65 replies

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ProfessorFrag
Enthusiast II
February 1, 2023

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

In the app, go into Gear Icon → System → About My System. It will tell you what format is being played by any speaker playing.

Couple things to double check:

  1. In the Apple TV Settings under Video and Audio → Audio Format, make sure that the Change Format is “off” (not Dolby Digital!) and that the Dolby Atmos toggle right below it is set to “on”. Example.
  2. You have to be playing Apple Music from the Apple TV. The Sonos App unfortunately uses a low-end version of Apple Music. No Atmos or even lossless. Whenever you post about playing something for testing, please include the device on which you are playing it.
Outburst
Enthusiast II
February 1, 2023

With the Apple TV it will definitely not work. The Apple TV uses Dolby MAT for Atmos and therefore requires an eARC port on the TV for Atmos playback. OP is best off to test with the TV apps but given the age of the TV I doubt it supports Atmos. 

furacaopr
Prodigy III
February 1, 2023

With the Apple TV it will definitely not work. The Apple TV uses Dolby MAT for Atmos and therefore requires an eARC port on the TV for Atmos playback. OP is best off to test with the TV apps but given the age of the TV I doubt it supports Atmos. 

Or try it with another streamer: Roku, Fire TV, etc

ProfessorFrag
Enthusiast II
February 1, 2023

With the Apple TV it will definitely not work. The Apple TV uses Dolby MAT for Atmos and therefore requires an eARC port on the TV for Atmos playback. OP is best off to test with the TV apps but given the age of the TV I doubt it supports Atmos. 

This is incorrect. I have an Apple TV. If I turn off eARC on my TV, Sonos app displays Dolby Atmos (DD+).
 


If anything, eARC Dolby MAT has a long-running compatibility problem with Sonos Arc. If you use eARC with Apple TV, consider turning off Atmos as Sonos advised me and I have done. You can read all about that here.

 

Outburst
Enthusiast II
February 2, 2023

Interesting, it doesn’t work for me, maybe that’s a feature on the newest Apple TV? I also don’t have any pop sound issues described in the thread, but I’m using the 5th gen Apple TV. 

ProfessorFrag
Enthusiast II
February 2, 2023

I use a 2021 Apple TV 4K, AKA 2nd gen 4K. 

Mr. T
Mr. T
February 2, 2023

In the majority of cases, Apple TV 4K requires an eARC connection for Atmos, however, there are a few televisions (some LG and Samsung TVs that I have read about) which can convert the Dolby MAT output from Apple TV into Dolby Atmos (DD+) to work over HDMI ARC.

Never had any issue using Apple TV with eARC enabled on my LG C1. I did experience a couple of pops using an older Samsung TV with a One connect box, which was resolved with an HDFury Arcana. This was before I even had the Apple TV.

    ProfessorFrag
    Enthusiast II
    February 2, 2023

    My TV is a Sony 900H. It is possible that it’s the TV converting to DD+. It’s not obvious to me how I could check for that. 

    John B
    February 2, 2023

    @ProUSAConstitution . I did read your post that said you had found an episode of Jack Ryan with a little marker to indicate it was in Dolby Atmos. Did you read the posts from @Ken_Griffiths  and from me indicating that what you took to be an indication of Atmos was possibly not that? Does your "little marker" include the words "Dolby Atmos" in full? If so then you have an Atmos source.

    ProUSAConstitutionAuthor
    Avid Contributor I
    February 3, 2023

    Would you buy the Soundbar again knowing what you know now?

    What would you buy instead?

    Is Atmos far better sounding, more channel separation, surround, something?

    not psyched about spending another $330 to get the Soundbar to work!

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