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App latency - what's the point of Sonos anymore?

  • October 19, 2024
  • 8 replies
  • 358 views

Our Sonos app takes about 20 seconds (!) to connect to our system. Simply trying to turn down the volume takes almost half a minute. Once connected it’s a little faster, but still takes several seconds to do anything, and by the time it catches up, you have already tried several controls, which means the whole thing just goes nuts.

This has been the case for nearly a year. I’ve tried everything - rebooting/reinstalling everything, changing wifi channels, IP conflicts, removing all sources of interference, moving components closer to the router, one component at a time, alternative control apps. Nothing helps. I understand networking - it’s not my network.

If this continues into 2025, I need to start looking into ditching Sonos. I really don’t want to do this, but this lack of control has seriously degraded the main benefit of Sonos. Sonos continues to put out new products (just launched one the other day) yet this massive issue persists. Yes, a lot of us have invested significant time and money into Sonos, but at some point I have to think of it as a sunk cost and switch to something else.

I have an old Sonos 1 system elsewhere, and it works great. Can’t we just go back to that app?

When is this going to be fixed?

Best answer by BMZ

nmcape wrote:

Our Sonos app takes about 20 seconds (!) to connect to our system. Simply trying to turn down the volume takes almost half a minute. Once connected it’s a little faster, but still takes several seconds to do anything, and by the time it catches up, you have already tried several controls, which means the whole thing just goes nuts.

 

I have an old Sonos 1 system elsewhere, and it works great. Can’t we just go back to that app?

When is this going to be fixed?

Older devices like p:1 and p:3 have latency issues with the new app control protocols, at least that’s what some posters allege. Do you own older speakers? A way to rule out your network is to try to control your system with a desktop app. This uses the old upnp control. If you are able I would give it a try. 
 

Also your profile lists s:1 capable devices. If it’s accurate you could switch to s:1 and lose all the aggravation. Literally no downside to doing this. 

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8 replies

Airgetlam
  • 42622 replies
  • October 20, 2024

20 seconds is certainly not what I experience, and certainly suggests a local network issue. I’d do three things.

First, review the data in the the wifi interference FAQ, and apply as many solutions from that as possible.

Second, I’d do a network refresh, by unplugging / powering down all Sonos devices, then rebooting your router. Give the router a couple of minutes to come back up before plugging back / powering on your Sonos devices. Your explanation isn’t very clear as to what order and when these things you mention were done. Some of them might be helpful, but if the network wasn’t refreshed after, it wouldn’t matter much. Order is extremely important in this process, too. 

Third, if neither of those two options work, I would recommend that you submit a system diagnostic within 10 minutes of experiencing this problem, and call Sonos Support to discuss it.

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 Support staff, they have tools at their disposal that will allow them to give you advice specific to your network and Sonos system.

It’s easy to blame the change of the controller, but in many cases, as in yours, I expect, that isn’t the source of the issue. 


Forum|alt.badge.img+2
  • Collaborator II
  • 64 replies
  • Answer
  • October 20, 2024
nmcape wrote:

Our Sonos app takes about 20 seconds (!) to connect to our system. Simply trying to turn down the volume takes almost half a minute. Once connected it’s a little faster, but still takes several seconds to do anything, and by the time it catches up, you have already tried several controls, which means the whole thing just goes nuts.

 

I have an old Sonos 1 system elsewhere, and it works great. Can’t we just go back to that app?

When is this going to be fixed?

Older devices like p:1 and p:3 have latency issues with the new app control protocols, at least that’s what some posters allege. Do you own older speakers? A way to rule out your network is to try to control your system with a desktop app. This uses the old upnp control. If you are able I would give it a try. 
 

Also your profile lists s:1 capable devices. If it’s accurate you could switch to s:1 and lose all the aggravation. Literally no downside to doing this. 


Forum|alt.badge.img+9
  • Prodigy I
  • 146 replies
  • October 20, 2024

I experience the same thing, but not as bad. The app takes a long time to respond (3-5 sec. which feels like an infinite amount of time) I therefore stopped using the App when it comes to adjusting the volume, I use my remote control for Apple TV. If I listen to music or watch TV/movies, the volume responds immediately when I use the remote control.

I miss the old days when you could adjust the volume up/down on the side buttons on the phone and it worked immediately, but it's Apple's fault we don't have this anymore.


Forum|alt.badge.img+1
  • Collaborator I
  • 23 replies
  • October 20, 2024

I’ve been seeing this since the May 6th update, which seemed to break alot of things. You might want to consider another vendor. Sonos has not shown an ability to fix all the stuff they broke with their “new software.”


  • Author
  • Contributor I
  • 1 reply
  • October 20, 2024
BMZ wrote:
nmcape wrote:

Our Sonos app takes about 20 seconds (!) to connect to our system. Simply trying to turn down the volume takes almost half a minute. Once connected it’s a little faster, but still takes several seconds to do anything, and by the time it catches up, you have already tried several controls, which means the whole thing just goes nuts.

 

I have an old Sonos 1 system elsewhere, and it works great. Can’t we just go back to that app?

When is this going to be fixed?

Older devices like p:1 and p:3 have latency issues with the new app control protocols, at least that’s what some posters allege. Do you own older speakers? A way to rule out your network is to try to control your system with a desktop app. This uses the old upnp control. If you are able I would give it a try. 
 

Also your profile lists s:1 capable devices. If it’s accurate you could switch to s:1 and lose all the aggravation. Literally no downside to doing this. 

Great suggestion! I tried the desktop app (macOS) and it was much faster. Not instant but only 2-4 seconds to respond. The phone app still takes forever to connect to the system. Next step is Sonos support I suppose. 


Forum|alt.badge.img+2
  • Collaborator II
  • 64 replies
  • October 21, 2024
nmcape wrote:
BMZ wrote:
nmcape wrote:

 

 

Great suggestion! I tried the desktop app (macOS) and it was much faster. Not instant but only 2-4 seconds to respond. The phone app still takes forever to connect to the system. Next step is Sonos support I suppose. 

Yeah good luck hope they can help you. 


  • Lyricist I
  • 2 replies
  • November 23, 2024

Regarding latency issues from phone app, I have the same problem. I have several thousand dollars in S1 speakers which I once loved. After many calls to Sonos and reboots nothing works. All the nonsense about this “not” happening must be opinions written by Sonos software engineers. Sonos support has confirmed (with me) that this issue exists and advised it would be fixed in August. There is probably a billion dollars (S1) of customer gear out there being mismanaged by Sonos software. My desktop app works fine but I can’t run to my desktop every time I want to change songs or adjust volume.


Stanley_4
  • Lead Maestro
  • 11223 replies
  • November 23, 2024

S1 hasn't had the S2 latency issues, unless they added them in the new update.

I'd look to Sonos having issues with your network, ones other devices may not have.


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