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Sonos 2 interface non intuitive app on phone extremely frustrating

  • February 6, 2021
  • 8 replies
  • 139 views
R
  • RoHa
  • Contributor I
  • 4 replies

I’m new to having Sonos and am setting up my TV stereo after I got a bass box from my dad, which he doesn’t use anymore. Got two One SL and am considering which soundbar to get.

However, I’m already frustrated by the software interface, which I simply find lacking and being non intuitive compared to the quality of the sound. Maybe it is because I am generally not using streaming services and have connected a library with the music from my laptop? Help is of course appreciated if there are solutions to these issues:

  1. The app on the phone somehow wants to only play one or two songs at a time. No explanation why or any obvious reason why it does this.
  2. Took ages to add YouTube to the list of services and have no way of searching for music and playing it. Personally I don’t really use YouTube, but when people come by and want to play something they particularly like, it’s a little embarrassing having to get my old portable Bose speakers, simply because we’re unable to play anything new from YouTube on the Sonos speakers.
  3. Had expected a more defined equalizer for this kind of sound, but seems that is not the case, right?   
  4. Album view of the Sonos Library does not work for me at all. Instead of being one album with two ‘CD’s’ the system lists them as 30 Albums, one for each song. Can only use the folder view and that shows no art work.  

Best answer by Airgetlam

  1. Sounds like you may have a case of either wifi interference, or potentially a duplicate IP address issue. Review the FAQ I’ve linked and apply any potential fixes there. I’d be tempted, in the lesser chance of the latter issue, to do a simple network refresh, too. Unplug all Sonos devices from power. While they are unplugged, reboot your router. Once the router comes back up, plug back in your Sonos devices.

  2. Could certainly be a result of the issues caused by 1.

  3. The only equalizer present are the small modifications exposed in the controller. They do not favor modification by a multi band set of sliders, going more for direct pass through of the sound. 

  4. This could be another result of the issues in 1. The failure to load the data properly is an indication of the speaker losing the ability to maintain a constant connection to your router, and wherever the data is stored.

You may want to submit a system diagnostic within 10 minutes of experiencing this problem, and call Sonos Support to discuss it, or post the diagnostic number here for a Community Moderator to pick up.

There may be information included in the diagnostic that will help Sonos pinpoint the issue and help you find a solution.

When you speak directly to the phone folks, there are more options available beyond just the diagnostic analysis. 

My suspicion is the evidence they might find in the diagnostic would support my answer 1. 

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8 replies

Airgetlam
  • Airgetlam
  • 42477 replies
  • Answer
  • February 7, 2021
  1. Sounds like you may have a case of either wifi interference, or potentially a duplicate IP address issue. Review the FAQ I’ve linked and apply any potential fixes there. I’d be tempted, in the lesser chance of the latter issue, to do a simple network refresh, too. Unplug all Sonos devices from power. While they are unplugged, reboot your router. Once the router comes back up, plug back in your Sonos devices.

  2. Could certainly be a result of the issues caused by 1.

  3. The only equalizer present are the small modifications exposed in the controller. They do not favor modification by a multi band set of sliders, going more for direct pass through of the sound. 

  4. This could be another result of the issues in 1. The failure to load the data properly is an indication of the speaker losing the ability to maintain a constant connection to your router, and wherever the data is stored.

You may want to submit a system diagnostic within 10 minutes of experiencing this problem, and call Sonos Support to discuss it, or post the diagnostic number here for a Community Moderator to pick up.

There may be information included in the diagnostic that will help Sonos pinpoint the issue and help you find a solution.

When you speak directly to the phone folks, there are more options available beyond just the diagnostic analysis. 

My suspicion is the evidence they might find in the diagnostic would support my answer 1. 

Bruce
R
  • RoHa
  • Author
  • Contributor I
  • 4 replies
  • February 7, 2021

Dear Bruce,

Thank you! There definitely was something about the connection. 

I did manage to solve no. 1 - which is already a good step forward.

In terms of no. 2 How is YouTube connected? Do I have to add likes or even playlists so that sonos will play them? I clicked some likes to show up in the list, which worked, but they are not played - says cannot play due to access being denied. No explanation.

  1. so be it. :)
  2. Still not resolved, but seems to only happen with one album.At least the system plays different audio formats without complaints.

Still not convinced by the interface, but as long as there is no alternative, I’ll probably just have to swallow it.

In my opinion a pity that such a strong sound system should limp due to its software interface.

Thanks!!!

Rolf 

Airgetlam
  • Airgetlam
  • 42477 replies
  • February 8, 2021

You add the YouTube service in the Sonos controller. 


https://support.sonos.com/s/article/2757

 

 

 

Bruce
Airgetlam
  • Airgetlam
  • 42477 replies
  • February 8, 2021

Just a small note. As evidenced in many, many threads in this forum, the engineers at Google have done an extremely poor job integrating the Sonos API to their servers, so you may run in to issues once you start to use it.
 

Since all music streamers use the same API, it’s not a Sonos issue, otherwise all streaming sources would have the same issue, which they don’t. 

Bruce
R
  • RoHa
  • Author
  • Contributor I
  • 4 replies
  • February 8, 2021

I see, thanks.

Yes I added Sound Cloud, which shows up my liked music just fine. YouTube I haven’t really been using in an organized manner (playlist or likes), which is probably why I am having more issues with it. 

The article you posted tells me how to add a music service, which I have done. The issue is that adding YouTube has been a non starter for me. I have three liked video’s and none of them plays, displaying the error message that access is denied (This might be a YouTube issue - albeit still resulting in not being able to use the service).

I cannot search anything through the Sonos interface either. - What does it actually search? Certainly not all of YouTube, which should deliver thousands of results, no? So it only searches my playlists or likes? 

Airgetlam
  • Airgetlam
  • 42477 replies
  • February 8, 2021

Sonos isn’t a video player, so you won’t see any video’s audio streams in the Sonos system. It will only reference / search audio streams from YouTube Music, and not YouTube. 

Bruce
R
  • RoHa
  • Author
  • Contributor I
  • 4 replies
  • February 8, 2021

Of course, sorry was referring to audio only. But shouldn’t the system be able to take any kind of sound from audio or video and play it over my speakers?

Now I am limited in what I can play over the Sonos speakers, a clear disadvantage to Bluetooth or classic stereo with aux input.

In situations like youtube, I would suggest a brazen override to just play simple audio. Why does Sonos care about limiting access to free YouTube services? Is this an advantage to your customers, who are at the end of the day buying the hardware?

The integration now is unusable from a classic music stereo perspective if you ask me. 

Thank you for your help, - Bruce.

melvimbe
  • melvimbe
  • 9848 replies
  • February 8, 2021
RoHa wrote:

Of course, sorry was referring to audio only. But shouldn’t the system be able to take any kind of sound from audio or video and play it over my speakers?

 

 

To be more accurate, Sonos is primarily amultiroom streaming system, but several of their devices have aux inputs (RCA) where you can connect any audio source you like, including what comes with video.  However, the audio is delayed/buffered slightly for multiroom audio.   Sonos of course has device also with HDMI-ARC/optical input for use with TV audio, no buffering when played to the local room.  There is also the Sonos Move which has a bluetooth mode.

 

RoHa wrote:

Now I am limited in what I can play over the Sonos speakers, a clear disadvantage to Bluetooth or classic stereo with aux input.

 

It’s a tradeoff.  you’re giving up the ability to play everything immediately for the advantage to play everything anywhere in the home.  It honestly isn’t an issue as often as you think.

 

RoHa wrote:

In situations like youtube, I would suggest a brazen override to just play simple audio. Why does Sonos care about limiting access to free YouTube services? Is this an advantage to your customers, who are at the end of the day buying the hardware?

 

Sonos doesn’t care, Google does.  Google won’t allow playback of youtube on devices that don’t have video playback capability.

 

RoHa wrote:

The integration now is unusable from a classic music stereo perspective if you ask me. 

Thank you for your help, - Bruce.

 

Well, it’s not a stereo system, it’s a wireless whole home audio system.  That said, you can most likely get what you need if you pick the right products.

Danny
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