Question

Sonos system on works in compressed mode


We installed your (6) Play:3 and used a bridge (ethernet) to connect it to a cable box rca. The problem that we are having is that unless the system is set to compressed, it crackles in and out. We have tried every channel option, put the line level to the highest, made sure drivers were updated. We are using a Ubiquiti LR PRO APs for our wifi system.

Your confirmation number is: 7262290.

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13 replies

Hi....But what music sources are you using? The settings you refer to only apply to a line-in, and the Play:3 doesn't have a line in. I am puzzled......
As mentioned above, we are using (2) SONOS Connects which are the inline units. We are only pushing audio through the systems.

We have a Pandora MOOD box that pushed red/white RCA to SONOS Connect , which the Connect then pushes to SONOS Play:3's

EDIT: SORRY, I am talking about the CONNECT, not the Bridge.
I think it best just to let Sonos Support examine the diagnostic. I will just say that it's a shame if you have to rely on a line-in, as this is not the ideal way to use Sonos and the bandwidth requirements are relatively high. Also, is there a major issue in using the compressed setting?
If someone can point me in the direction of unputting a cable box into the Sonos system I am all ears.

The compressed setting makes the audible a second behind the video playing. Because of the buffer it lags. But if I set it to auto or noncompressed, it jitters in and out. Out wifi system is commercial grade so we shouldnt have this issue. We also tried putting the connect boxes on ethernet instead of wifi and it didnt help.
The buffering has to do with the Sonos system preparing the data for syncing across all speakers on a 2.4Ghz channel. You can't get around that, using a Connect, it's functioning the way it was designed to, so that multiple speakers can carry the same sound stream.

If you're trying to "sync" with a video screen, you should be using a Playbar, which connects to the screen with a optical connection (TOSLINK), and syncs to its surround speakers using a 5Ghz band, which is less distance, but much faster. But in their Connect and other speakers, any input will be delayed around 70 to 75ms. You could use a pair of those Play:3s with a Playbar as surround speakers, and the rest could be just for music. However, if you grouped all speakers together, the Playbar and "surround" pair of speakers would be synced with the video, and the rest of them would have that slight delay.
Basically, with the exception of the Playbar, Sonos is a music system not an AV system. The Connect was not fundamentally designed for the use to which you are putting it.
I have read so many threads that stated this was possible.

So you are saying use the playbar, and then sync the play3 to the playbar? Is the 5ghz on my wifi or the sonos wifi?
What you are seeking to do is indeed possible, and it may be that the diagnostic will show up network issues that can be dealt with, and then you will be able to use the system uncompressed and with an acceptably small audio lag. Let's see what it shows up. But the Connect is fundamentally designed for turning a legacy hifi into a Sonos player, with the line-in originally intended for legacy hifi gear like CD players and turntables. Yes it can be used for TV audio, but it isn't designed with that in mind.

With the Playbar you could only sync the two bonded surround speakers for TV audio, all speakers could sync for music.

As I said early on, let's see what the diagnostic shows as it may be that the existing setup can be made to work OK.

(BTW, the 5GHz is just a bit of technical detail. It is used between a Playbar and its bonded Sub and/or surrounds and is internal to Sonos - it does not involve your wifi 5GHz band.)
Gotcha. I gave the diagnostic number in first post. How long does it take for sonoos to review it?
It varies.....might be hours, might be days, won't be over the weekend so you might want to call Support. Incidentally, how are you linking it all together to play through the Play:3s? I think best is to set the Connect as the Autoplay Room for the line-in, then group starting from the Connect, so that it is the "group controller". That may be what you are doing anyway.
Another not-well-known trick is to set the line-in device setting as "airplay device", even though it isn't. This should give you a smaller delay than with compressed, but maybe enough buffer to allow Sonos to stream uninterrupted. Delay still may be more than you would like.
Hi gearspinners. it looks like you've already received a lot of good information from John B and Airgetlam, and we've taken a look at your diagnostic. The report is showing lots of wireless noise around the Cable Box connect, which affects the data being broadcast. The audio stream from the TV is a higher data rate than standard music services, so the stream is more apt to be affected by this interference. I would start by looking for anything electronic/electrical around the CONNECT and see if you can move that source away from Sonos. Also let's also get rid of the wireless information that's stored inside your Sonos players. To do so, open the Sonos app and go t
o: Settings > Advanced Settings > Wireless Setup > Next > Reset.

Please let us know if the performance changes.
Hi Manny,

The connects are sitting on a shelf in a server room. However, there is no other wifi signals in that room. We have the boxes connected to the network via cat6.

What wifi signals is it showing, im curious.