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Sonos Play 3 dying?

  • 17 October 2023
  • 20 replies
  • 516 views
S

Hi,

I’ve got the following SONOS speakers at home:

1x Play:3 (ethernet)

2x Play:1 (paired) (wireless)

1x Beam Gen 1 (ethernet)

1x Roam (wireless)

These are all on static leases on my router. I’ve noticed that recently the Play:3 drops sound periodically, I usually have this paird with the Play:1s and this also drops sound when paired. When I tried to factory reset the Play:3 or unplug it I find that it takes a bit of effort to get it back into the system.

 

Any thoughts on whether this might be a sign that it has developed a fault? I initially had it wireless and had these issues so I figured I would try it via ethernet but am now finding that this too is seeing the same issues. The problems seem to resolve themselves for a while if I power cycle the speaker.

Am I right in thinking that the speakers are running their own mesh network? I have a Unifi access point but only see the Beam on there, maybe it’s too far away from the other speakers.

 

Any ideas? Do I need to replace the Play:3?

 

Thanks

 

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Best answer by Airgetlam 17 October 2023, 23:21

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20 replies

Airgetlam

So far, no issues at all with my pair of PLAY:3s. Have you sent a diagnostic in, and called Sonos support?

Bruce
S

I have not, I must have wrongly assumed that I wouldn’t get suppport on a device that’s almost ten years old but I’ll give that a go instead.

It’s been fine since I powercycled it a few days ago, hopefully the logs will tell us more.

Thanks

Airgetlam

Certainly can’t hurt, other than taking your time. 

Bruce
T

Over the past year my Sonos Play:3 has exhibited the same problems as smittyuk.  Sound will drop out intermittently and also not show up in Sonos app on all devices (iPhone, iPad).  I have a static 2.4 network that it connects to and when I check my router app I will see it connected but only for the last few minutes. Then it might show up in Sonos but then be gone. Power cycling restores the desired behavior for a few days, maybe a week. Today no luck on power cycling. I did I reset and it required I do it twice before it “registered”. I usually have it grouped with a newer Roam SL. I sent diagnostics to Support so we will see if they reply.  Like smittyuk, it is 10 years old, but my hope was that a speaker of that quality and price, it would last. 

Airgetlam

You may note that in Diagnostics - How do they work? thread, Sonos doesn’t automatically respond to diagnostic submissions, you need to call Sonos Support directly to discuss it.

The diagnostic is a recording of what the Sonos has seen/done in the last 10 minutes or so, which is why you have to run one fairly soon after the event, but then I suspect the submitted diagnostic lives in a db for a long period of time, so I’d imagine if you can’t call in for a week or two, you’d still be OK, they would still be able to pull up the data. 

Bruce
Stanley_4
Userlevel 7
Badge +22

I’s use your router’s DHCP page to set static/reserved IP addresses.

Power down all Sonos, reboot the router and then power the Sonos back up.

T

The Sonos is on a dedicated 2.4 ghz network, not shared SSID with 5ghz, and is set up with a static IP. Router is on a schedule to reboot every night. I have had the speaker for 10 years and this has only been happening the past year or so.  Frustrating at times. And usually corrected after a power cycle of speaker, although the last time I had to reset the speaker and add back in. Other Sonos speakers in the group, though newer, do not have this problem. 

buzz

We cannot rule out a hardware issue. The diagnostic will help sort this out.

Stanley_4
Userlevel 7
Badge +22

To be clear: You have each Sonos set with a static/reserved IP address using your router’s DHCP configuration page?

T

Yes, on the DHCP server page for my router I have reserved unique IP addresses associated with the MAC addresses of the Sonos speakers. Only the play:3 goes offline. The One SL and Roam have never had an issue. I am a Comp Sci guy so I am very familiar with the router configuration/setup. The speaker can be steady for days and then not appear on the app. If I check my router wireless client list, the speaker appears but will indicate that it just connected minutes ago when all other devices will be since about 2am when I reboot my router nightly. I started rebooting the router nightly because I think the speaker tends to stay active longer before having to power cycle. 

U
Userlevel 2

I have been having the same issue and have been on the phone with Sonos a few times about it. Last call was with a very helpful representative where she described seeing memory issues in the diagnostic reports.

Sounds like my Play 3 is running out of memory after time, a power cycle relieves it temporarily but then it returns. 

Unsure if this is a bug caused by recent update or long term issue caused by Play 3 specs lagging behind those of more recent speakers. I was offered an out of warranty replacement giving me 30% off new speaker so will likely be taking this up.

Your situation may be different of course but thought I’d share the above if it helps.

D
Userlevel 2
Badge +3

Sounds similar (although not exact) as an issue I am having with my Play 3 - please see Connected Speaker loses all volume | Sonos Community

T
Userlevel 5
Badge +4

I have been having this exact issue for a number of months now, Sonos Support implied it was a WiFi issue which I don’t believe is the case as the signal is solid and it shows as connected on my network. I’ve also tested on 2.4 and 5ghz and there is no difference, I get the exact same issue. 
 

I run a mesh wifi system with a wired backhaul, and without Sonos net all of my speakers function perfectly apart from my Play 3. Like others, a power cycle fixes it but the audio drop outs and ‘cannot find Sonos product’ comes back fairly quickly.

 

I have a Play 1 connected to the same WiFi mesh node in the room next door which runs perfectly.  
 

The same issues occur when I run via Ethernet and use Sonos net which is another reason why I don’t think it’s my WiFi.  
 

Like others, my Play 3 is now 10 years old but it was working perfectly fine and my setup has not changed, I suspect it’s a Sonos update that’s causing it.
 

It’s good to know it’s not just me as I was about to try and spend effort changing network settings which I’d rather avoid. 

T
Userlevel 5
Badge +4

Update from me now that I’ve fixed the issue. 
 

I replaced my Play:3 with an Era 100 yesterday and all of the issues have disappeared and my Sonos system is far faster than when I had the Play:3 on. 
 

It’s worth noting that the Era100 is in the exact same position, plugged into the same outlet and connected to the same Mesh Node so there is clearly an issue with older Play:3 speakers.

 

Really impressed with the Era 100, it produces a much nicer sound than the Play:3.

User16440
Badge

I was having the same problem with y PLay:3. This really seems like an end of life issues. I factory reset, reset router powered on and off and …. and ……. and……..and then just bought a Era 100 to replace it. Agree, sound is better. 

Now I just need to figure out how to remove the Play:3 from the app. Can’t believe it is not as simple as “Remove Speaker From System” ….. apparently have to doa  factory reset and then ignore its set pop-up in the app. 

 

Cheers

jgatie

I was having the same problem with y PLay:3. This really seems like an end of life issues. I factory reset, reset router powered on and off and …. and ……. and……..and then just bought a Era 100 to replace it. Agree, sound is better. 

Now I just need to figure out how to remove the Play:3 from the app. Can’t believe it is not as simple as “Remove Speaker From System” ….. apparently have to doa  factory reset and then ignore its set pop-up in the app. 

 

Cheers

 

Just wait, it will remove itself from the app in a few days.  It requires a passage of time because there are those who temporarily take speakers in and out of their system, and it saves them having to add it back every time they do. 

C

I am experiencing exactly the same issues with my Play:3 speakers - they keep dropping out after they’ve been running/ connected for a few hours. The only solution seems to be to power cycle the speaker and it’s ok again for a while. My system includes 2 Play:1s, 4 Play:3s and 1 Sonos Playbase.

I have tried everything (rebooting my router, factory resetting all my speakers, reserving (fixing) the IP addresses of all speakers, trying different music sources). Always the same result - the Play:3 speakers start dropping out intermittently at first and then permanently off. Until I switch them off and then on again (power cycle). Then they work ok for a few hours. It seems like it might be a memory issue (cache not emptying?) and it only started happening in the last couple of months - previously everything worked perfectly - so I’m wondering if a Sonos update has caused all this.

I have owned these speakers for about 10 years, but I would not expect them to become obsolete as I have invested quite a lot in my system.

Airgetlam

Duplicate (yet again, so triplicate?) post, see my response to your thread. 

Bruce
C

Thank you and apologies, I didn’t know whether to reply to similar threads or create my own so opted for all! I will try your suggestions.

J

I I have owned these speakers for about 10 years, but I would not expect them to become obsolete as I have invested quite a lot in my system.

How are your 10 year old laptop and mobile phone performing these days? ;)

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