Retired Community Manager

14.12 Update

Changes to volume mapping and impact on Sub output

Thank you for your feedback regarding the recent 14.12 software update with Enhanced Clarity for Arc.

In this update, we made a change to Arc’s audio profile to improve dialogue clarity and the overall sound experience. This change is based on feedback from our listeners in the field and brings Arc in line with our other Home Theater products, resulting in a more accurate representation of the sound as intended by the content creator.

The updated tuning adjusts the spectral balance of Arc+Sub to achieve a more accurate representation of the sound and an improved sound experience. While the Arc+Sub output capability remains the same, the mapping of volume across the 0-100% range has been adjusted with this release which means low and mid volume levels are relatively lower compared to the previous tuning so you may need to adjust the volume slider to achieve your pre-update volume level. The maximum volume and bass output are unchanged. We acknowledge that this change was not made more clear in the release notes and in the future we’ll be sure to make sure we communicate these rare changes more effectively.

Please note, we have identified an issue for some users of Arc, Beam and Ray whose configuration includes a Sub (with or without surrounds), who may find their Sub output is lower than desired after performing a new Trueplay tuning.

Users with Beam or Ray bonded with Sub can increase the Sub level for a more powerful low-end response, however this won’t have the same impact for Arc users. Customers using Arc bonded with a Sub (and/or surrounds) who find their Sub output is lower than desired following performing a new Trueplay tuning, should temporarily disable Trueplay on Arc until this is addressed by an upcoming software update.

Trueplay tunings for Home Theater configurations without a bonded Sub are unaffected, including standalone soundbars and those bonded with surrounds only.

If you would like any assistance adjusting the sound of your Home Theater setup, the community is here to help. You can also contact Sonos support.

Moderation edit:

With the 14.18 software update, the above mentioned issues have been addressed, and the Enhanced Clarity for Arc adjustments are retained. There was a clear preference within our community for the previous volume settings, and these have been restored. This will be apparent immediately after updating to 14.18. The Trueplay issue has been fixed. Customers who experienced a lower Sub level after performing Trueplay after updating to 14.12 will need to update their systems and then perform a new Trueplay tuning in order to address these improvements in their system. Customers will hear a more powerful low end response, meaning any Sub level adjustments made after 14.12 should no longer be required.

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walkychalky

Trending Lyricist I

14,14 is almost as bad as 14,12, I bought my ARC + Generation 3 Sub + SL One surrounds directly from SONOS. They owe me over $2,000. The sound that I am listening to after the two updates is not the same sound that I bargain for, i.e., the sound that I got when I bought the system with 14.10. So many of you are in the same mess. I am an attorney. Class action lawsuit, anyone? We need to do something to stop SONOS, which I consider to be the Robin Hood of the audio equipment world. My letter to the President and CEO of SONOS has not produced a reply. My calls to SONOS support has only resulted in them telling me what I already know,..my system is no longer in the 45 day return period. I am ready, willing and able to create a YouTube video that shows me burning the SONOS equipment. Such a video witl be SONOS’ Tiananmen Square! Comments, please.

14.14 was not meant to fix the issues of 14.12.. they are still working on it.

They should be embarrassed by how long it is taking.

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Keithmac

Virtuoso

Even Caroline herself has left the company...

What makes you make this statement?

If you click on their profile, it says “Retired Community Manager”, but it used to say just “Community Manager” previously. Maybe that’s how they figured out that?

Edit: Their LinkedIn profile says that they indeed have left Sonos. Hope someone else has been assigned to communicate on this.

Probably the only employee with any integrity at Sonos and she's seen how these updates have played out and promptly left!.

Zeek78

Enthusiast II

This is the start of the end of my favourite sound company ☹️ From now on I will start buying speakers from another company. I was just about to pull the trigger on 2 Sonos Fives for my turntable , but now I have second thoughts. I have been looking around and there are many new interesting speakers on the market. I will try to find a brand that doesn’t change the sound profile after a year or two 🙈

M

MkAlUd9

Trending Lyricist I

I feel like the tone of this thread is too forgiving, If you bought a Ferrari then overnight they decide to turn it in to a Skoda without warning, and, intentionally too. Seriously what the **** Sonos

Moderator Note: Modified in accordance with the Community Code of Conduct.

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Kumar

I will try to find a brand that doesn’t change the sound profile after a year or two 🙈

Irreversible sound profile changes should be left for the next new product launch. People that have bought the existing model, it should be assumed for a thing like a speaker, bought it for the way it sounded when they bought it.

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nick776

Trending Lyricist I

I would like to know if this problem is impacting all generations of Sonos Subs. I have an Arc and a Gen 2 Sub. Is the problem the same for Gen 1, 2 and 3 Subs or does it only impact combinations of Arc and certain Generations of Subs?

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Pottsy320

Enthusiast I

Have a listen!

Since the update, the sub sounds "one note". Sounds greater or less than the one note are lost, and setting the sub level is difficult, because it depends on the source material. There are response curves around that back this up

The centre sounds like it's coming from a cardboard box. Or a plastic box. Like a TV speaker.

The surrounds to me sound like they are not diverting bass to the sub, and their volume level is non linear. So low level surround effects are lost and high level are too loud. It's as if they made a mistake with levels when they changed the overall volume response curve (which they did), leaving the surrounds and sub on the old curve. So the placement of sounds is lost.

My Beam with no sub and no surrounds is an easier listen.

K

Keithmac

Virtuoso

This is the start of the end of my favourite sound company ☹️ From now on I will start buying speakers from another company. I was just about to pull the trigger on 2 Sonos Fives for my turntable , but now I have second thoughts. I have been looking around and there are many new interesting speakers on the market. I will try to find a brand that doesn’t change the sound profile after a year or two 🙈

My Daughter uses a Play:1 and was mulling over a voice activated Sonos for her, we mainly use them with Spotify and Alexa.

The Amazon Alexa Studio Speaker looks interesting, same price give or take as a One.

We use whole house occasionally with Sonos but not enough to justify buying an ARC and all the problems that come with it. Downside to that is I have a redundant Sub and Surrounds.

Such a shame the route Sonos has taken with their flagship soundbar, 6 months ago it would have been a no brainer upgrade for our Playbar.

K

Kumar

My Daughter uses a Play:1 and was mulling over a voice activated Sonos for her, we mainly use them with Spotify and Alexa.

The Amazon Alexa Studio Speaker looks interesting, same price give or take as a One.

I am a big fan of Echo tech as a front end and all my 5 Sonos zones are now driven by Echo Dot or Show units, leaving Sonos as dumb speakers of the legacy type for the most part. Even a play 1 pair+ Sub set up is on those lines, with a Connect in between for just its line in jacks.

But I would not recommend Studio without a good audition. Once used to the natural sound of the Play 1, the Studio can take some getting used to.

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ratdaddy

Contributor I

I do not like the new sound profile either. I find movies in 5.1 are not affected as badly… but TV shows and 2.0 feeds, these programs sound flat, lifeless and remind me of an old school sound, like my old 13 inch black and white TV with a mono speaker. The vocals are reasonably clearer, but at the cost of the overall sound impact, this in not a good compromise.

Sonos, please allow for a “toggle” to allow the profile to be restored to previous settings, or revert back.

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Changes to volume mapping and impact on Sub output

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