playbar and comittment for DTS playback firmware upgrade
I have just added the Sonos Playbar to my samsung smart TV and have discovered the lack of DTS functionality through reading this forum. I find it disappointing that the best we can get is a stereo effect through the playbar? My originial search was based on identifying a way of using my existing Onkyo nr509 AV Amp with the playbar however that appears to be a no go option as well. The concept of buying and adding the playbar as a step change to the surround sound system I had has left me feeling I have done the wrong thing? Slightly cheated in a sense too, I hear what Sonos are saying that the majority of content is streamed and agree we use netflix however I also enjoy having a collection of Bluray discs and feel Sonos should fulfil both requirements. If anyone can give us an idea as to when this may be re-considered as it looks like Sonos have closed the subject down from reading through the forums. Do I revert to my old system and return the Playbar to John Lewis could buy a couple Play3's instead?
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Hey what a coincidence, everyone else in this thread is a lawyer too, mate.
Userlevel 1
I too am a lawyer that randomly visits website blogs about products I don't own. I think we should sue the government for letting Sonos form a company and sell products to people.
I am so glad that there is more competition in the maket from the likes of Bose , lg and other s. When I read the official reply I just laught about it as it has never been about dts . For a system of over 2000 pounds you just expect it works out of the box , irregardless of that you don't use that functionality. Like Nokia, blackberry or Kodak who owned the maket as they invented it, it migh just be down to late to listen. Don't worry Sonos , keep the track you are taking to see who laughs and cries ...
Userlevel 3
Klipsch has shown a wireless home theatre system done right at CES. It's going to be a lot, lot, lot more than what sonos offers at present but competition has seen the brilliance of wireless and is catching up, the death knell has sounded fir sonos http://www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/klipsch-shows-reference-premiere-wireless-home-theater/
Userlevel 1
Big statement to make really. Whilst I do think Klipsch makes excellent equipment, one major thing for SONOS is their SUB. Hands down the best SUB in its class and I've only heard SUBs In the $10k range perform as good. On top of that, not everybody wants big floor standing fronts.
Userlevel 7
+22
Very big statement in that I think of playbar as compliment to a while home Sonos system. Why would Klipsh making a nice soundbar have any bearing on the sonos whole home network and its success. I'm sure klipsh is nice. I have always found the sound too "bright".
Userlevel 3
I like sonos and and have invested deeply into there home theatre system (ur right the sub is so epically awesome) the point I'm trying to make is that what sets sonos apart from the rest pack is the freedom of wireless. This is something from what I've seen and read the other can't do with the same simplicity and finesse as sonos. Klipsch from what I've read has and it has the quality to match
Anyone who is reading this is in all likelihood deeply invested in the system. I'd say it is unlikely they would just bin it. The call for dts seems a small issue to me, one they could fix. However it isn't just dts, there is also what Netflix uses.
Userlevel 1
I think you'll be surprised at what SONOS has planned for 2015. Remember that SONOS only has to implement a software change to enact any number of speakers in surround.
Userlevel 1
er what? The SUB might be a fine piece of equipment, but compare it to an SVS SB-2000 or even 1000 and you'll wonder what you're talking about...
Userlevel 1
Whilst I haven't personally heard that particular SUB I do rate Velodyne as having the best SUBs on the market. I've heard plenty of good SUBs that completely lose their crap when playing songs like Limit to your love-James Blake.
I think there is something that those of us who come on these forums tend to forget. That is how totally, and I mean TOTALLY, unlike the typical Sonos target customer we are. As a Sonos reseller I know that what the vast majority of potential Playbar purchasers want is something that fits in with their new or existing Sonos system for music, and makes the TV sound a lot better than the TV's own speakers. That's all.
They have never heard of DTS or Klipsch, and probably never will. They all love the Playbar when they've got it. I think Sonos will survive a while yet.
John
I'd agree with that. What brought me here was that I originally got a sub and watched a film and wasn't convinced the sound was "amazing". So I started looking into it and realised it was just pumping stereo out via the TV. I hadn't realised the TV was not passing dolby sound around. Sonos certainly are not very open about the reality here. When I realised you need to plug the optical cable in directly things were fine, it is still a pain to have to keep switching the lead, but at least I now get 5.1. I use my PS4 to decode DTS and things are good. What worries me more is that Netflix is coming to Australia soon and they use a different thing again and my understanding is that the optical cable can't carry this, so it would be similar to DTS. I'm not sure if my PS4 would decode this or not? Anyone? That would be a pain.
I guess the fact that i had to learn all of this is very frustrating...a product I thought just worked, doesn't and it is really being misold as an easy solution. I'd actually be fine with them if when sold the sellers were honest about the need to plug the optical cable directly into your satellite, ps4 etc. But they aren't. I do wonder how many people are getting a reduced quality sound just because they aren't aware. That to me is unfair and if it was my company i would feel bad about that.
I am so glad that there is more competition in the maket from the likes of Bose , lg and other s. When I read the official reply I just laught about it as it has never been about dts . For a system of over 2000 pounds you just expect it works out of the box , irregardless of that you don't use that functionality. Like Nokia, blackberry or Kodak who owned the maket as they invented it, it migh just be down to late to listen. Don't worry Sonos , keep the track you are taking to see who laughs and cries ...
I am so glad that there is more competition in the maket from the likes of Bose , lg and other s. When I read the official reply I just laught about it as it has never been about dts . For a system of over 2000 pounds you just expect it works out of the box , irregardless of that you don't use that functionality. Like Nokia, blackberry or Kodak who owned the maket as they invented it, it migh just be down to late to listen. Don't worry Sonos , keep the track you are taking to see who laughs and cries ...
Very simply sonos should not market their product as a hifi home theater if its not going to support the better formats, in fact should not market it as a home theater system at all if there is no plan to change. "Gee why are people upset that we don't and refuse to support DTS" ... "Sir maybe its because we marketed it that way". Thanks for wasting my 1300$ ... Hopefully I can get most of it back on eBay or something...
Userlevel 1
So for every person on here talking about SONOSs marketing of being a home Threatre system. Would you then agree that the majority of sound bars shouldn't claim to be anything but 2.1?! I mean seriously a single Soundbar even though it can decode the 5.1, two of the channels are surrounds.
Userlevel 1
Any soundbar with sub that has enough speakers to have 5 separate discrete channels, that does Dolby AND DTS, can correctly claim 5.1. There is no issue there. Side firing drivers for the surround channels can have a decent effect in creating virtual surround. Have a look at the Yamaha YSP soundbars, they do this brilliantly. The problem lies in the decoding. Most of these soundbars , even the cheap ones, actually have HDMI ins, so the audio gets decoded in the soundbar. Dolby, DTS, it's not even an up-sell for other brands; it's just expected to be there. It's such a standard spec. The PLAYBAR on its own is equipped to output 5.0. The two catches are of course the TV has to pass the audio, which most TVs don't, and even if it does, the source has to be Dolby, which eliminates most blu-rays of the past few years. No inputs on the PLAYBAR. Such a simple feature, but overlooked. Even ONE hdmi in would have made a difference. So instead you get 2.0 out of the playbar, mixed to a fake 5.1. Same thing with the added play 1s, they won't make a difference to the audio, as the majority of content and sources will be 2.0 mixed to a fake / virtual 5.1. So technically, despite the price for buying into a complete HT system, Sonos is one of the few that should NOT be able to make the claim.
Except if you connect the optical lead directly to the source. Then it is all good, dts apart. But I agree they really have misold a product. And presumably not everyone rushed out and bought the sub and surround all at once, so it is probably too late to return before you realise.
You are really left having to buy a switch as a work around or change the leads constantly... My current predicament.
Userlevel 3
I use my Xbox to decode DTS to DD which passes through the TV, but looking to get the ultra HD Blu-Ray at the back end of this year. My concern is if these are able to decode DTS to dd too or am I going to be stuck with a faux 5.1 sound.
Hi Rich. Most Blu-ray players won't transcode DTS to DD5.1, but several Samsung models will. Whether that will continue to be the case on the Ultra HD models I cannot say, but it's worth taking a look.
John
Userlevel 3
Hopefully the samsung will continue to do DTS to dd, or maybe Dolby digital will become the standard for ultra HD Blu-ray's.
Userlevel 1
the difference is I actually use my full name so you can google to see who I am. Not all of us are keyboard warriors
Are we talking here Sonos not wanting to add the dts support as it would be admitting to their competitors? It seems dts is licensing “sonos” like technology to other manufactures http://listen.dts.com/pages/play-fi Do we have management involved in the decision of not to implement it as it goes against company strategy or legal barriers
It could be anything but I don't believe it's solely related to Play-Fi, as other companies are supporting DTS decoding while not supporting Play-Fi
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