Wirecutter no longer recommends Sonos as top

47 replies
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Dunno maybe Wirecutter should fix their network, reboot, get a new mesh system.
I’m having no issues with the app, must be them. 🤣

But in all (not) seriousness this is very brave of them 🤣

Will be interesting to see what they recommend when they finish redoing the article.

Quote, emphasis mine:

We are completely re-envisioning this guide and will no longer recommend the Sonos multiroom audio platform as the best overall choice. Please see our note at the top of the guide for more details.

After careful consideration, we no longer recommend the Sonos multiroom audio platform as the best overall choice. Sonos recently rolled out a major update to its control app that had a ton of problems, leaving its customers with a much less intuitive experience than they had before. While the company is slowly addressing some of the major issues with the new app, this is not the first time Sonos has hurt customer trust through poorly executed changes.

That said, Sonos still makes great speakers that work well within other wireless control platforms like AirPlay, Spotify Connect, and (in some cases) Bluetooth. So we are not discounting Sonos products entirely. We just no longer hold up the company’s own ecosystem as the best way to interact with the system.

https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/sonos-player/

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sigh

Prodigy II

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!.

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 🤐

K

Kumar

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.

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.

Ken_Griffiths

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 😞

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.

sigh

Prodigy II

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 😞

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.

Ken_Griffiths

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.

H

hilander911

Lyricist III

@hilander911
Here’s a ‘common’ fix for some Asus router too - see if perhaps applies in your case:

Log into the ASUS router.
Under Advanced Settings, click LAN.
Select the IPTV tab.
Enable Multicast Routing (IGMP Proxy) and Efficient Multicast Forwarding (IGMP Snooping.)
Go back to Advanced Settings, and click Wireless.
Select the Professional tab.
Enable IGMP Snooping.

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 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.

A

Audiophylum

Lyricist I

Dunno maybe Wirecutter should fix their network, reboot, get a new mesh system.
I’m having no issues with the app, must be them. 🤣

But in all (not) seriousness this is very brave of them 🤣

Will be interesting to see what they recommend when they finish redoing the article.

Quote, emphasis mine:

We are completely re-envisioning this guide and will no longer recommend the Sonos multiroom audio platform as the best overall choice. Please see our note at the top of the guide for more details.

After careful consideration, we no longer recommend the Sonos multiroom audio platform as the best overall choice. Sonos recently rolled out a major update to its control app that had a ton of problems, leaving its customers with a much less intuitive experience than they had before. While the company is slowly addressing some of the major issues with the new app, this is not the first time Sonos has hurt customer trust through poorly executed changes.

That said, Sonos still makes great speakers that work well within other wireless control platforms like AirPlay, Spotify Connect, and (in some cases) Bluetooth. So we are not discounting Sonos products entirely. We just no longer hold up the company’s own ecosystem as the best way to interact with the system.

https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/sonos-player/

Sonos was a game changer, but when you invest more time in trying to make it work, every minute feels like an eternity (and if I spent the hours at work that I’ve spent on attempting to salvage my system, I’d at least have $2k more in my pocket). Sonos is the Boeing of the audio tech industry. Despite the fact that resale value of the units is still high, I cannot bring myself to polish a turd and sell it to some unsuspecting bloke. I’ll just keep using it in front of the toilet as a “pee step” for my toddler.

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