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Sonos Arc vocals left-sided

  • 4 January 2024
  • 6 replies
  • 103 views
M

Hi everyone,

I have recently purchased a Sonos Arc and note that the vocals are left-sided. I have read a few other brief discussions about this issue on here, but I would be grateful for more recent insight into the problem. I'm very surprised that it is not a more prevalent issue for people. I've researched the Arc extensively online and only a couple of people amongst a vast number seem to have mentioned it. 

I know that the central arrangement of the speakers are asymmetrical, with the tweeter to the left of centre. Annoyingly this is proving to be very prominent and distracting. I sit about 7ft away from the Arc. I've tried altering the equaliser settings, loudness toggle and trueplay process, but it's still clearly to the left. I doubt anything will compensate for the physical asymmetry of the speakers. 

Is this really not a big deal to most? 

Thanks. 

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Best answer by Corry P 8 January 2024, 12:35

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6 replies

G
Userlevel 7

You don’t hear or read about it because it isn’t an issue.

Can you post a photo of your room setup? What model TV do you have?

"Receive with simplicity everything that happens to you." - Rashi
M

You don’t hear or read about it because it isn’t an issue.

Can you post a photo of your room setup? What model TV do you have?

Thanks for the response.

Then it's all the more frustrating that it is for me personally then. By design it just seems that the vocals from the three centre speakers coming out unevenly (with the tweeter to the left producing more clear and less distorted dialogue) would be a problem. Symmetry would always seem to be the most reliable layout. I can't recall any other such design in a soundbar. 

Maybe as I sit quite close to the Arc then the speaker separation is more apparent, rather than the sound from the three central speakers merging together more.

I'll see if I get a decent photo of the room setup at some point. 

I have a 77" LG G2. 

G
Userlevel 7

If your ears are that sensitive to the asymmetry of the drivers, I suggest you look for a different sound bar. Unless your Arc is defective, there is nothing Sonos can do. It is the way the sound bar is designed.

 

FYI… for the best quality audio, set your TV to these settings:

HDMI Input Audio Format: Bitstream

Digital Sound Output: Pass Through

eARC Support: On

"Receive with simplicity everything that happens to you." - Rashi
M

If your ears are that sensitive to the asymmetry of the drivers, I suggest you look for a different sound bar. Unless your Arc is defective, there is nothing Sonos can do. It is the way the sound bar is designed.

 

FYI… for the best quality audio, set your TV to these settings:

HDMI Input Audio Format: Bitstream

Digital Sound Output: Pass Through

eARC Support: On

Cheers again for the responses.

I even asked my girlfriend (who doesn't give much thought to sound quality and tech stuff like this) to pick out where the voice was primarily coming from when a song was being played. She quickly said a bit left of centre. Exactly where the tweeter is. Also like me she listened up close along the Arc and pointed out it seemed loudest and clearest from there. It's probably producing the same volume as the vocals from the central midwoofers, but is not muffled somewhat by the bass like it is from those two drivers.

I'll look into having the diagnostics checked. Thanks, will check those tv settings.

 

Corry P
Userlevel 7
Badge +18

Hi @Mattb1705 

Welcome to the Sonos Community!

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
B

Same thing just happened to me. Restarted the Apple TV and somehow corrected itself.  Right Sonos 1 speaker had dialogue. Arc and other surround were working but dialogue only coming from right rear. It’s like the system got confused. All good now, but just in case others experience. Had the system a year and a half and that’s the first time it happened. Don’t know if it was the atv or the Sonos. 

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