Wirecutter no longer recommends Sonos as top

But here we go again. It’s not just the app. The new Sonos service is a combination of completely new app, calling new API’s in updated firmware that interacts with new cloud stuff which the previous app did not, and 3rd party apps don’t either. 

If those new functional routes through the code introduce new behaviour and requires additional interactions that cause issues where before there were not issues, user shouldn’t have to go off and get new routers, networks and completely reconfigure it, unless Sonos publish up front, we are going to make these changes and it requires you to do x,y, and z in preparation. 

As for it being related to router firmware, *if* a major home router maker screwed up a firmware release that caused this level of grief, Sonos Support would start to see a common thread, i.e. make X of router with firmware A.B.C and could issue a support doc saying either don’t upgrade, or if you make these changes it will fix the issue. However 3 months on and none of that is forthcoming, so I think it’s pretty clear that is not a large contributing factor.

They have made too many changes impacting so many areas and clearly haven’t tested properly. 

They MUST have an idea by now what is at the heart of the poor discovery/stability issues and could help everyone hugely if they gave an overview of what’s gone wrong. Then we’d know if there were things we *could* do that might help based on good information, or that we just have to hang tight until they get it right in their code. 

Some people are going to get lucky, others completely the opposite and STILL no-one knows why, which makes most changes like playing a game of pin the tail on the (missing) donkey. 

There maybe a wait-time, but if anyone can’t resolve their Sonos issues, or perhaps do not want to try any suggestions that some other users may suggest here, or the suggestions perhaps do not work, then they can always go onto contact Sonos Support to seek their advice.

If a user prefers to wait to see if a Sonos update fixes things, then that’s up-to them aswell.

Here’s the Sonos Support link:

https://support.sonos.com/s/contact

If Sonos cannot fix it, then at least the data can be provided which may help lead to a fix, but on some (hopefully rare) occasions not everything maybe compatible, such as old SMBv1 only NAS drives (just as an example) and so an alternative solution may sometimes need to be explored. The same can perhaps be said of some other hardware too.

Chasing my tail for 4 months trying to fix this isn’t “sitting back and hoping for a fix”. I’m sure there are many others like my self.

I’m done wasting MY time trying to fix it. And no Ken I’m not going to trash my perfectly good wifi appliances cause you have a new mesh system and it works for you. I’m not gonna reboot my network for the 500th time. I had a perfectly good working system until May 7 and just cause your system works doesn’t mean I’m doing something wrong on my end. 

I've stayed on S1 with no issues, using a Deco S4 Mesh system so all wireless units (8 speakers).

S1 App plays my local files fine.

Most usage though is though Alexa (Spotify) or the Spotify App which also runs flawlessly.

Sonos have only got themselves to blame really for pushing out a half done and relatively untested App with no way of reversing it.

Feel sorry for everyone affected, I'd be livid personally!.

So what are your issues @almazri and other than a network reboot what else have you tried so far? Did you log your issue with Sonos Support too?

I have both S1 and a Sonos App (formerly S2) system and I guess I must be lucky as the new App works okay here on the same network subnet. In my case the Sonos App devices are mostly not S1 compatible.

Just to add though there are still all the other methods of playback/control of devices in a similar way to what you use @Keithmac… here’s a list of those other methods I may sometimes use with my Sonos devices, in addition to the Sonos App…

• Airplay 2 (useful for grouping speakers too)
• Direct Control (PlexAmp/Spotify/Amazon Apps/iBroadcast/Emby)
• Bluetooth Audio
• UPnP/DLNA
• Alexa Voice Services (useful for grouping speakers too)
• Google Voice Services 
• Sonos Voice Control (useful for grouping speakers too)
• TV Apps (YouTube/Chromecast/Plex)
• Line-In audio
• 3rd Party Apps (Soro/SonoPhone/Orto etc.) (useful for grouping speakers too)

I appreciate though that some users are having device discovery issues and in some cases LAN/WAN issues too, but otherwise there’s still plenty of options to help keep the music playing, even without the Sonos App, which is mostly just a ‘remote’ anyway, rather than an audio ‘player’ in its own right.

In relation to the new Sonos App, the only thing I’m missing at the moment is queue management, but that’s in the pipeline - I can’t think of anything else I need personally, for how I use my Sonos Setup.

Many WiFi/network system defaults are catering to external Internet access for phone/pad/Internet, this is relatively simple. SONOS needs a fully functional local network. In an effort to keep things “simple”, some network manufacturers hide or don’t support network functions that must be enabled for the updated SONOS to function properly. SONOS believes that use of these features will be beneficial to SONOS users in the long run.

My networking is similar to Ken’s and it accepted the changes without any fuss. I do notice that there can be lags due to some functions moving to the cloud.

Technology moves forward and at some point it becomes impractical for manufacturers to support all technologies back to day one. Does anyone remember the Centronix printer interface — that was once mandatory on all home printers? I had to recycle a perfectly functional cellphone because the cell towers stopped supporting it.

I just want to add that I do have two (personal) ‘gripes’ with the new Sonos App by the way, to put a bit of a balance on things, so I’m not saying the new Sonos App is perfect - The first issue for me is the time it takes for the "playback options” screen (overlay) to appear. See attached screen capture when playing Bryan Ferry - More than this album).

The second, is the time it takes for the music to begin playing on the chosen player/room, after pressing the play/pause/shuffle buttons from Amazon Music and some other streaming services. (See screen capture recorded a few moments ago starting ‘Local Top Tracks’ playlist).

I just feel the older S2 App (and some other Apps) are quicker at doing these things.

I’m keeping my fingers crossed that some App optimisation later will resolve these things, but it’s not a huge issue and I’m using an old iPhone XR as my controller, so maybe a more modern/faster controller device might perhaps help improve these things too.

Have you checked your network, submitted a diagnostic and called Sonos Support? It will provide Sonos with more valuable information … 

Ditto to all the quoted! Except that my 5 zone S1 system works fine minus a mesh WiFi.

Yes, of course… and my comments are being ‘passed up the ladder’.

Sorry for delay in replying I was just testing something with a Windows library share.

Network-wise, I’ve tried resolving the issues highlighted by assigning ‘App’ & ‘device’ prioritisation (just on those Sonos products with lower SNR readings). Those things are available within the WiFi mesh network configuration software I use. That prioritisation includes the iPhone XR aswell, but I think the phone probably just needs to be retired (purchased 2018/19) and perhaps replaced with a newer/faster model.

The two issues are a little quicker on an Android tablet, but even then I think both actions mentioned could possibly be optimised further. 

The S2 App had a context menu, rather than an overlay, for its playback options, that also allowed a user to select individual tracks from a chosen album, if you perhaps recall that and it was a popup rather than a screen-overlay.

The Amazon Music & Alexa Apps, which seems to be similar, in some respects, to the Sonos App on iOS, is also quicker in similar areas for playback & shuffle.

100%. I chose Sonos primarily for their software, viewing them as the ‘Apple of sound systems’ due to their seamless integration of hardware and software, with a strong emphasis on user experience. However, the recent issues have been disappointing, leading me to believe that Sonos may have compromised on quality assurance. Even three months later, they still haven’t resolved the problems.

Thanks, but this did not make any difference. I hope Sonos support will come through, but after an initial 3-hour session, I am not hopeful. 

Worth a try. Did you try running the setup in SonosNet mode by the way?

I also found the below for some Sony TV models too…

Turning on IP Simple Control
Open Settings
Go to Network and Internet
Go to Home network
Go to IP control
Go to Simple IP control
Toggle On 

https://youtu.be/VXDYspxEClg

Setting  RS232C Control to "Via Serial Port"
Open Settings
Go to Remotes and Accessories
Go to RS232C Control
Set it to "Via Serial Port" 

https://youtu.be/StZc22GENe8

I’m confused, I thought the issue was the Sonos Arc wouldn’t form a surround system with the other speakers, not that an external method of controlling the TV was needed.

Enabling IP based control is for integrating the TV control with an external IP based control system.

The RS232C settings turn one of the Sony USB ports into a serial port. It’s handy for sometimes stopping the strobe lighting when switched off with bias lighting powered from the USB port as well. Sony have a long standing issue across multiple models that the USB port is never really off. Is why my bias light is on it’s own usb power plug 

The ikea speakers I upgraded are certainly having some interesting issues using Qobuz configured as 2.1 in a group with 1 other speaker

For a brief period I did manage to get all 6 (mix of bookshelf and lamps) playing Apple lossless, although adding the Sub Mini then wreaked havoc. They also react very badly in a group when the Apple stream switches between normal and lossless. To the point where some go silent and sometimes need to be fully ungrouped, other times power cycled to get any sound even when they claim to be playing. 

The certainly don’t mix and match in groups or like having the sub attached they way the used to 

So did I, and using S1 in pre S2 hardware, my experience has not changed - all 5 my zones work as flawlessly as my Mac. The sad part is that you are being denied music not because your hardware failed, it hasn’t, it remains excellent. You are being denied the music only because of the ego and incompetence of Spence, and the craven subservience of his direct reports: I can’t speak to their competence. As more and more of the world of Sonos is coming to clearly see, and express. 

As are, by now, almost the entire set of Sonos apologists here, many that are silent now.

Yes the above though used to cause issues with HDMI connected Sonos products and cause them to dropout and lose audio - so it’s worth a shot. Personally speaking I suspect it’s an IP address proxy issue via the Arc and  the router is not happy with that method. Often switching to SonosNet resolves the issue, but it’s not clear (still) if that was tried by the OP, or by Sonos Support too.

Ah, that sounds a firmware related issue and I’d hope things are long past that 

HDMI ethernet was only an optional part of the 1.4 spec that was DOA and they removed it re-purposing the pin for eArc. Sony did implement it in their professional displays and also sold a separate box to connect to, so it could have carried down to consumer products.

Being Wifi enabled, Sonos wouldn’t have needed to implement it, but it is possible firmware between different manufacturer devices didn’t handle the ‘I don’t have ethernet’ or feature enquiry communication very well, or the Sonos HDMI products didn’t handle displays which sent data across regardless when using Arc rather than eArc connections.

Hopefully it isn’t something like that reoccurring following a firmware upgrade. 

I mention it, as it was a Sony TV/Sonos issue in the past and it’s perhaps worth trying as some issues can occasionally return, but as mentioned my thoughts are it’s an IP address issue as some (a few) routers sometimes don’t like the way the Sonos HT devices proxy the IP address to surrounds but most users find that things work okay if SonosNet is used instead of the local WiFi network - again it’s worth trying, if that’s not been tried already.

I appreciate it but the issue is not with the TV. The Arc, which is connected to the TV is working fine. Its 100% the app which either ‘forget’ the other components add, or can see them, but won’t allow adding them to the Arc to create a system.