I just got a Sonos One (Gen 2) after reading that Airplay was finally working well with it. I was hoping to use it as my speaker when streaming video from my MacBook Pro, but have been hounded by audio issues–even with it connected via Ethernet to my Airport. The audio cuts out if paused for more than a few seconds. The easiest fix has been to go to Volume in the Menu Bar, switch the output device to something else and then back to Sonos. It's a pain to have to do this over and over. The audio comes back without much delay.
I noticed that there is a substantial delay when I go to unpause music that's been paused for a bit as well, but not as bad as when unpausing Netflix or Youtube. The audio also cuts out in minute drops every now and then, which probably just comes from AirPlay sucking up my shitty wifi's bandwidth as I've read in other posts.
Given all the other unresolved issues I have read about and the hassle that was setting this up over the phone since the app's automated setup didn't work, I am thinking I am probably just going to return my speaker. I would rather have a cheap Bluetooth speaker that I don't need to run an additional application for or even have plugged into the wall all the time.
I feel mislead. I don't get the hype for this thing.
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Userlevel 7
+17
You’re using Apple AirPlay. Why would this only be on Sonos?
same problem here… different sources… sonos software is GARBAGE
Sonos speakers don’t ’ONLY’ support AirPlay 2, in fact, that’s the least of their myriad of capabilities.
I use AirPlay 2 on a daily basis, from an iPad, an iPhone, and the MacOS to stream music, and audio from video that I’m playing, all without issue.
There isn’t enough information in your post to hazard a guess as to what networking issue you’re experiencing, so 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 phone folks, they have tools at their disposal that will allow them to give you advice specific to your network and Sonos system.
It’s incredibly frustrating that these expensive products have such terrible compatibility with Apple products.
I have a pair of Ikea SYMFONISK, and I have faced this issue since I got them years ago.
As a user, I don’t care if this was marketed or not as a computer speaker, as someone in this thread stated. AirPlay is a protocol, and it shouldn’t matter if I’m using a phone or a laptop.
For a speaker that ONLY supports AirPlay, there’s a good chance that people will, at some point, use a macOS to stream audio.
What is worse is that even after 4 years, the issue still exists, but Sonos doesn’t admit that there’s a problem and continues to sell the same way as 4 years ago.
Appreciated, but in that case the proper action for Sonos is to ensure their marketing material contains no claim of Airplay compatibility. Or, perhaps more realistically, to accompany such claims with a description of the known limitations.
AirPlay UX is handled by Apple, not by Sonos. When AirPlay 2 in use, the Sonos speakers are merely receivers of data.
As a side note, Apple does not allow anything more than a stereo stream to be sent to a non-Apple device. If you want to send something that is of a higher codec, you must send that to an Apple TV, and have the Apple TV present it to the Sonos through the connection to the TV set.
I received two Sonos One SL speakers today and have been immediately annoyed by this issue, while streaming a show from my laptop.
I was specifically attracted to Sonos because the company’s marketing material touted its compatibility with Airplay. Based on my experience, and those of others in this thread, that claim is half-true.
From the price and the company’s reputation, I had assumed that the UX would be really smooth - at any rate superior to that of the no-name bluetooth speakers from Aliexpress I previously owned (which cost a tenth of the price). Unfortunately, despite the good sound quality, the opposite is true.
Given that this has been discussed publicly for a couple of years, it’s clear that addressing this issue isn’t a priority. A product owner has presumably decided that the cost of doing so outweighs any loss in revenue that might occur from leaving the issue unfixed.
As such I’ll be returning the speakers. I suggest that any other prospective purchasers hoping to use Sonos with Airplay assume that they will encounter the issues described in this thread until the manufacturer demonstrates otherwise.
Why are you assuming that I’m “just venting here”?
Userlevel 7
+17
Look like you too have connection problems. Why not work them out (with Sonos’ help) instead of just venting here.
After all this time, still having this problem. It shows that SONOS is not really concerned with its clients. As a result, in the future, I will be opting for products from other brands. This inaction by SONOS is absolutely unacceptable to me, especially considering the prices of their products.
So great to read this thread. Thanks to all the contributors.
I just bought two Gen 2 SL’s and immediately hit this problem.
I literally had an Arc, two more SL’s, and a mini-sub in my cart ready to overhaul my entire home theatre system and so grateful I didn’t. And now I won’t. I can’t think of a way to acknowledge a problem other than with my wallet.
VLC, QuickTime, streaming apps, and webpages - all the same. Press pause and the audio disconnects when connected via the AirPlay top menu. Whereas my Apple TV and all my old Airport Expresses are rock solid. Sorry Sonos, I guess we’re just not lucrative enough to care about. So I’ll be shopping elsewhere.
As a possibility, its not a Sonos bug, but an Apple thing, that Apple needs to fix? Sonos doesn’t have the capability to go in to Apple’s code base, unfortunately. Both companies tend to be slow to release fixes, but I’ve seen much more active response from Sonos than I ever have from Apple. When it’s Sonos’ fault, that is. When the responsibility is elsewhere, they tend to stay quiet, and not throw their partners under the proverbial bus.
I’ve got the same problem, with multiple Macs and Sonos One SL. One problem is that Apple sells the HomePod (both mini and now the Gen 2 full speaker), which is in many ways a competitor to Sonos. I don’t know the true cause of why they won’t fix, but they may in fact have an incentive to not fix it except for their own speakers, as depressing as that is.
As a possibility, its not a Sonos bug, but an Apple thing, that Apple needs to fix? Sonos doesn’t have the capability to go in to Apple’s code base, unfortunately. Both companies tend to be slow to release fixes, but I’ve seen much more active response from Sonos than I ever have from Apple. When it’s Sonos’ fault, that is. When the responsibility is elsewhere, they tend to stay quiet, and not throw their partners under the proverbial bus.
How have they not solved this? Sonos is baffling sometimes.
Just registered to add that I’m having the same issue. It’s incredibly frustrating. I have two new Gen 2 One SL speakers set up as a stereo pair, connected via AirPlay to a 2021 MacBook Pro running Ventura 13.1
The pair of speakers are called ‘Office’ and Apple Music can be playing happily to Office, but then I pause, and when I start them again, the computer can’t find Office.. I try again, and it finds it immediately.
Following some comments on here, I’ve been trying the AirPlay button within the Music app and directing the sound direct to ‘Office’ from within the App, rather than to my MacBook Pro. This has worked for the last couple of hours. One drawback of this approach appears to be that the volume can no longer be controlled by the keyboard volume buttons, but they can on the Sonos speakers directly.
Userlevel 7
+17
Why not play using the Sonos app? In my experience this is a more stable connection and you can still pause from the Mac app.
I just purchased a Sonos Arc and two Sonos One speakers. I listen to music while I work and have to pause frequently, and every time it fails to play unless I switch audio devices and switch back on my Mac, just as described in this two year old thread. Since Sonos has apparently done nothing to fix it, I am sadly going to have to return everything. :-(
Came here to solve a similar issue in having. No issue for me with playing music to the ones throughout my home from my iPhone even when I play pause.
but my issue is I just got an arc and using it to airplay from my Apple tv (plex currently). Every time I pause and then resume even for a few seconds the sound goes out and I need to switch outputs and back. Quite ridiculous I used to think sonos worked quite well with the Apple ecosystem but I’m having lots of issues with my Apple TV and sonos (another one related to Apple TV is every time I play a new video I need to switch my audio output to the arc )
This is still an issue unfortunately. I may whip up a little status bar utility for Mac to resolve the issue. Bonus points if I can make it default to using Sonos Airplay on first open.
I wanna give an update to this because I think I found the guilty part: it’s probably spotify and Airplay 1!
i tried out Apple Music now and there’s no problem with Airplay and the Sonos then. I then read on the internet, that Spotify doesn’t support Airplay 2 yet so that would be an explanation! It’s still sad that pausing and playing with Airplay 1 is a problem on the Sonos but at least there is hope that Spotify will upgrade to Airplay 2 in the future.
I now tested this with my roam and it’s the same problem. I had a call with the Sonos hotline and they told me a work around is to press the play button on the speaker twice. And that actually works. But they couldn’t tell me when this bug finally is going to be fixed which is disappointing. I mean not being to able to pause and play is a major problem in my eyes.
I also noticed that when you pause your music via Airplay and then open up the Sonos app, the Sonos app thinks the music never stopped and is still playing. So it seems like the pause command is not getting through correctly.
My father has a Receiver which also is Airplay 2 capable so I will test in the next days if this happens there too or just with my Sonos.
Since it’s an issue with Apple and AirPlay 2, it’s unlikely that Sonos can do much, they’re merely a receiver of data in this case.
Hello there,
i just found this topic and wanna share my problem:
i have two Sonos 5 and listen to music either from my iPhone or Apple TV via airplay 2 to it.
everytime I pause music for some time (a few minutes) and press play again the music won’t play again though the Sonos.
weirdly: when I watch YouTube or Netflix on my Apple TV with the Sonos connected, I don’t have this probleM so the audio starts right away again. When I use Spotify or Apple Music and stop it it won’t come back.
it seems like when listening to audio via Airplay 2, the connection goes to idle mode or something and doesn’t wake up again.
it’s really bothering. Is there any chance Sonos will address this problem soon?
I have the samt problem with my IKEA symfonisk products.
I have the bookshelf, lamp and frame that I use as background music in my home.
When i play from my macbook pro 2017 (OS: Monterey 12.0.1) and paus the music I can't start playing to the devices without switching the output speaker back to the computer and then reconnect to the speakers again. (spotify, youtube, netflix)
Symfonisk lamp, bookshelf and frame:
OS: S2
Version: 13.4.1 build: 66423300
When I play from my Iphone I dont have this problem. (Iphone 12 pro 15.1.1)
But it takes about 5-10 seconds until the music starts from the phone after I press play again after pausing.
Same problem here.. regardless of source device (iMac / iPhone) or model (Play 5 / One SL)… very frustrating
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