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Sonos Play:3 stereo pair goes out of synchronisation

  • 8 January 2021
  • 6 replies
  • 144 views
G

The stereo pair I have created (Play 3 speakers with Sub) has been fine most of the time but would occasionally would go out of synchronisation; resetting the pair would rectify the problem.  Now, however, this problem happens all the time and after only a few minutes so I have to reset every 10 to 15 minutes or revert to mono!  I have not been able to make any contact with sonos so wondered if anyone in the Community had experienced similar problems and if so could offer any advice please?  Thank you.

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Best answer by ratty 8 January 2021, 22:51

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6 replies

ratty

How are the speakers all connected to the network? Where are they located? Are any close to other electronics? 

When you talk of “resetting” is that simply powering them off and on again?

Stanley_4
Userlevel 7
Badge +22

In addition: Next time it happens submit a diagnostic and post the number here asking Sonos staff to look into it.

G

Thanks for your reply ratty,

The speakers are connected to the network using WiFi.  They connect through a Google Nest WiFi to the router.  The speakers are mounted on a wall 1.5 metres (4 foot 6 inches) above the floor and about 2 m (6 feet) apart.  There is a TV about 1.5 m away but it has always been there, it is not powered on when the problem occurs and this problem has only got worse suddenly over the last few months.

By resetting, I mean that I “remove stereo pair” using the Sonos app on my phone, then “set up stereo pair” to bring them back.  This brings them back into synch for a while but then, over a period of 15 mins to an hour, they go out of synch again with as much as half a second lag on one of the speakers.  I have tried powering off and back on a few times but this seems to have no effect.

Thank you Stanley_4; I will do as you suggest tomorrow.

Best regards and grateful thanks to both.

ratty

Google WiFi can be troublesome for a Sonos system in WiFi (“wireless”) mode. It’s conceivable that your speakers have connected to different Google pucks, potentially on different channels. This could be compromising bond performance.

With Google WiFi the advice is typically to wire a Sonos device to the primary puck, putting the system into SonosNet (“wired”) mode. This may be difficult given the location of your speakers. As it’s a non home theatre setup it would be okay to wire the Sub if that was feasible. Otherwise you could get a Boost and wire that instead. 

Feel free to wait for a diagnostic to be reviewed before purchasing anything additional. There’s a remote chance that one Play:3 has a hardware fault rather than this being a wireless issue, but such faults are rare.

G

This is really helpful ratty, thank you.

I had not considered the mesh WiFi as being a potential cause.  However, I recently changed from one ISP to another and, significantly, the new supply comes into the house via a different connection at a different location; accordingly, the primary mesh WiFi puck was moved.  Thinking back, this was about the same time that the problems began!

I have just checked the WiFi connections to the 2 speakers; both are connected to the 2.4 GHz WiFi, however, one is connected to the primary puck and the other to a different puck; I believe you have captured the problem.  I will try moving the secondary puck to a new location further from the second speaker, in order to force both speakers to connect to the primary puck and see how that goes.

The most important thing is, however, that you have allowed me to understand why the problem is occurring and so I can now effect a solution by hook or by crook, so thank you very much.

Best regards,

Ginge

G

Here’s an update ratty,

I have temporarily removed the “offending” secondary puck altogether, connected (associated) the sub to one Play 3 then created a stereo pair with the other Play 3.  I’m now listening to the radio and it all sounds fine; it’s early days (20 minutes) but I feel confident from the logic of it all that you have solved my particular problem.

Over time, once I have established that everything is working in synch long-term once more, I’ll try re-establishing the other puck upstairs to boost WiFi in other parts of the house (the main reason for having Mesh WiFi in the first place!); I will, of course, make sure that neither Play 3 hops across to the other puck!!

Well done and thank you indeed.

Best regards

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