Contributor I

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Stereo / Left and Right Channel Bug?

34 replies
1916 views

Hello :)

I currently own the Sonos Arc Ultra. This is my first Sonos product. I have already asked google about my problem and searched here in the forum but have not found anything suitable.

My left and right speakers are extremely quiet. I first noticed this when I was watching normal TV. There were two channels that were broadcasting "Stereo PCM" according to the Sonos app. I had to turn the volume up from 10 to 20-26 so that I could hear anything at all. Then I turned on a 5.1 Dolby test video on YouTube to test the whole thing. I immediately noticed that as soon as the sound moved from the center to the left and right speakers, the volume was half as low. However, the Sonos app displayed 5.1. This leads me to the conclusion that it is only due to the left and right speakers.

I have already swapped HDMI cables. Switched everything off, restarted and checked all settings 3-4 times... Soundbar has already been replaced once because of the error. No improvement.

Interestingly, I didn't have this problem with the Bose Ultra or the Samsung Q990C.
Can anyone check this with the Arc Ultra? Is this the case for everyone? Or is the fault more likely to be mine?

Here are the two 5.1 videos I used for testing:

https://youtu.be/lWHFTCCSmks?si=UP4tbQISizP4WV2w

https://youtu.be/2o7wj2hWQNI?si=kuxeWec1S3vtVjjl

Would be nice if someone could test this for themselves.

Kind regards

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Corry PAnswer

Sonos Staff

Hi @KylanX

Welcome to the Sonos Community!

I was able to recreate the experience you are reporting with my own Arc Ultra with the centre channel sounding louder than the side channels.

Given the feedback that the previous Arc model received, I believe this is intentional.

There are three main improvements to dialogue with Arc Ultra via the placement of mids and tweeters and waveguides

One is Improved dialogue through standing wave mitigation with the integration of the Left, Center, and Right array
Improvements to dialogue are expected through adding a waveguide to the center channel and improving evenness of coverage using re-thought left and right arrays
The all-new speech enhancement feature. This gives customers more customization on the dialogue level they wish to listen.

In addition, I believe what you experienced with Stereo PCM is also expected - my nVidia Shield (the Android streaming box) has a dedicated setting just for boosting the volume of PCM sources to the same level as that of Dolby Digital, so I think this and what I mentioned above is compounding to make the Stereo PCM source sound even quieter. You may be able to circumvent this somewhat by telling your TV to always output a specific codec (like Dolby Digital +), but this may have unintended consequences (like preventing better quality formats like TrueHD or McLPCM).

I hope this helps.

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

Show previous replies

Corry P

Sonos Staff

Hi @D700

Honestly, I don’t think it’s going to be a meeting for feature requests.

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

M

Mitchellsx

Renowned Enthusiast II

Hi @D700

I am about to have a meeting with the lead audio engineers regarding just that - it was going to be right now, but it’s been delayed till tomorrow. I can’t say whether any one particular issue will be addressed or not - it’s really not up to me to decide - but I will be taking everyone’s concerns to them, and this is one of them.

...and while you’re in there, they might sell more ERA300s/5s if could enable adding additional dedicated front left/front right speakers and use the ARC (or a Beam) as a center/height channels. Then add a “Dedicated Music 2.1 Mode” to get really crisp 2 channel playback, mimicking a dedicated separates system.

My wall is 25’ wide with a 100” screen/projector smack in the middle. My ERA300s as surrounds are to the sides and behind my seating area and sense of separation is spectacular...the ARC Ultra can’t compete with that amount separation, which makes the volume issue even worse.

Thanks again.

+1 for this feature

D

D700

Enthusiast II

On advice in another thread, I turned off Trueplay and revisited some problematic audio content. Right away, 2 channel music sounded much better. Better imaging, brought vocal to center and added weight to the music. It was easy to A/B compare.

Seems Trueplay and the software needs some work but hardware is capable.

Would love to have an “Advanced - Manual Mode” where I could set my own channel volumes and surround distance, maybe our parametric EQ by channel. I mean, not convenient but it would give folks ability to use the raw hardware.

I’m imagining Sonos Hardware/Software people doing battle in a pit somewhere to build these things.

H

highwayinthesky

Lyricist II

Hi, @Corry P ,

Just wanted to check in; any update on this L/R volume situation from your meeting?

Corry P

Sonos Staff

Hi @highwayinthesky

Yes and no. I have just finished writing the first draft version of an Article with the intent to post it here in the Community, but it does need to be reviewed by many staff from multiple departments, and this process will take while. I - or someone - will post it as soon as everyone agrees that it is what should be posted, but I cannot give you an estimate for when this will be.

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

D

D700

Enthusiast II

Hi @highwayinthesky

Yes and no. I have just finished writing the first draft version of an Article with the intent to post it here in the Community, but it does need to be reviewed by many staff from multiple departments, and this process will take while. I - or someone - will post it as soon as everyone agrees that it is what should be posted, but I cannot give you an estimate for when this will be.

Feature not a bug?

Corry P

Sonos Staff

Hi @D700

No comment, yet.

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

H

highwayinthesky

Lyricist II

Hi @highwayinthesky

Yes and no. I have just finished writing the first draft version of an Article with the intent to post it here in the Community, but it does need to be reviewed by many staff from multiple departments, and this process will take while. I - or someone - will post it as soon as everyone agrees that it is what should be posted, but I cannot give you an estimate for when this will be.

Feature not a bug?

That would be unacceptable. Psychoacoustic trickery is one thing, but it cannot come at the expense of the integrity of the front stage. My set just arrived; it will go back if this is closed as “working as designed.”

Corry P

Sonos Staff

Hi @highwayinthesky

I’d save forming an opinion until after you have turned your new products on! I’d also be wary of confirmation bias - I am very happy with my own Ultra.

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

Stanley_4

Grand Maestro

Ah, staff reviewed papers, I'm so happy to never have to do one again.

Hope your article survives the "Everyone wants to tinkle in the soup." process relatively unscathed.

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