Cannot Play Some Tracks, Error "Not Encoded Correctly"

  • 12 October 2014
  • 44 replies
  • 15537 views

I have recently started having an issue where some tracks will not play with the error "track not encoded correctly".  I have moved my Sonos Bridge away from my wireless router to see if this helps, and although response times are a lot quicker I am still unable to play some music.  I have generated a diagnostic report - 4066834.

The issue only seems to have started when I installed a new router, so it is very possible that this is causing interference due to the signal being better.  My bridge is hard-wired to the router so I have probably moved it as far as I am able.

Many thanks in advance for any help you can provide.

This topic has been closed for further comments. You can use the search bar to find a similar topic, or create a new one by clicking Create Topic at the top of the page.

44 replies

Same problem her. My diag number is 5612282
Any advice?
Userlevel 7
Badge +20
Same problem her. My diag number is 5612282
Any advice?


Hi MrHau,

We're investigating this issue and have created a support ticket for you: 160331-001726. Please give us a call and reference that number. You can find our phone number here.
Mine is doing it for Apple Music only... Skipping songs partially played and giving me the encoding message. Diagnostic 6254717.
Userlevel 7
Badge +20
Mine is doing it for Apple Music only... Skipping songs partially played and giving me the encoding message. Diagnostic 6254717.

Hi Briman.

There's quite a bit of wireless interference showing up which is causing communication errors leading to the errors you've described. Please start by changing the Sonos wireless channel, here's how.

It may also help to look around your Sonos units for any third party device which could be creating a wireless signal. If you find any such device, try moving it away from your Sonos units to see if that helps.
Hi, I bought my Sonos 5 on Thursday and I have battled since to play music from my library. Most of my files are mp3, a good percentage are wav and some are flac and alac. none of them plays. I am a bit disappointed. I bought a Bose soundtouch 30 and sold it after a week to buy Sonos but now I am back to square 1. I have read most of your suggestions but none of them works, "cannot play file, …not encoded correctly is all I get.
After a file fails to play, submit a diagnostic and post the reference number here. A sonos tech will evaluate the diagnostic and get back to you.
Hi, the diagnostic ref number is 7185960
Userlevel 7
Badge +20
Hi, the diagnostic ref number is 7185960

The diagnostic report shows that your Sonos speaker can't decode the music files. Did you rip the files yourself? Please check this guide to see the bitrates for music that Sonos can play.
thank you, that does not help. I am trying to play carbon based lifeforms FLAC. No I did not encode it myself, I bought it like this. I have stated in my previous post that I have read all your suggestions and none works. I thought Sonos was a good alternative to Soundtouch but now I am starting to doubt. I do not want to play Spotify anymore, I want to play my music.
I have now connected the Sonos directly to my NAS WDMycloud via ethernet cable. Sonos is setup to hookup to my router but when I disconnect the cable Sonos disappears. My diagnostic ref is now 7186185
I saw this suggestion from a technician (to connect directly to the NAS, without connecting to the router first) in another post. How do I find the path to the NAS now? There is no valid option in the setup for the library
Userlevel 7
Badge +20
I saw this suggestion from a technician (to connect directly to the NAS, without connecting to the router first) in another post. How do I find the path to the NAS now? There is no valid option in the setup for the library

It would be a good idea to continue troubleshooting on the phone. Please call us up and reference case number: 170313-002045. You can find our contact information here.
I also having this problem, has been for a long time now, I will play an album and some songs are skipped with the error "Enable to play the sond is not encoded properly" these are songs that used to play ok and play fine in other players
My confirmation number is: 7356866.
Have you checked the tracks wherever they are on your system, to see if they conform to the supported formats?
The format is AAC 44100 Hz, the entire album (Les Miserables) was encoded by iTunes at the same time using the same parameters, the files are stored on a NAS, and most of the tracks in the album plays fine, but a few give me that error. Currently I am listening to them in iTunes and they all play fine.
Understood. Note that the Sonos player (built in to the speaker, not into the app) is not the same as iTunes. In fact, that's why many of us are hoping that Apple follows Spotify's lead in integrating the "cast to Sonos" feature that Sonos has published.

Since you seem to be able to cause it to occur on the same tracks repeatedly, I will have to defer to Sonos to take a look at your diagnostic, and see what information they can glean from your log files.

I hope you're able to resolve this issue quickly!
Thanks for you help
Well, not sure I was any, but you're welcome in any case. I'm watching this thread to see what the Sonos reps have, I'm always up to learning something new.
I've recently started getting the same issue with a number albums.

The files worked fine until I started using an Amazon Echo Dot in my office. My music library is largely iTunes based and stored on a local NAS.