Question

Trueplay Bass Distortion on Play:1


I recently set up Trueplay on a couple of Play:1s that I own. When testing out the post-Trueplay calibration sound I discovered bass distortion once I dialed up the speaker to about half-way on the volume bar (my EQ had bass and treble right in the middle and Loudness was turned off). At first I thought it was an issue with my speaker, but turning off Trueplay removed the distortion issue. The best way to describe the distortion is that it is a deep popping bass sound like occurs intermittently (maybe once every couple of seconds, but that depends on how bass heavy the song is).

Anyone else having this issue with a Trueplay-tuned Play:1?

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161 replies

Userlevel 5
Badge +4
Hi Macollin,

You should submit a diagnostic through the app under [Settings] > [Advanced Settings] > [Submit Diagnostics], and then post the diagnostic number here for a SONOS member to assist with. Then I would suggest re-tuning your PLAY:1's and see if that helps. Mostly a re-tuning will resolve it but submitting the diagnostic first will help SONOS understand it and maybe why it occurred.

Best regards!
Thank you for the reply!

I have submitted the diagnostics and the confirmation number is 5189189. This is with Trueplay turned on.
Userlevel 5
Badge +4
Awesome! They can take a look at the tuning from there.

I did encounter this once with my PLAY:1's but I simply re-tuned and it was perfect. Not sure what the cause is though.
Userlevel 2
I too have noticed the distorted bass on my new Play:1's - it's an intermittent problem, but very distracting when all of a sudden the bass is really strong and then dies back. I've turned off the Tuneplay feature and lowered the bass manually, but I still here it occasionally. I'm hoping there's a software fix soon?
From here it is difficult to know what is happening. One possibility is that something near the PLAY:1 is being excited by certain bass notes. This would be very sharply tuned and only a few tracks might excite this resonance.

I have noticed very aggressive bass from time to time -- prior to Trueplay. and after Trueplay. It is always the same music service tracks that have the issue. I have separately tested the PLAY:1's and have not been able to prove that they have any issues.
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I have exactly this too. It's since updating the software to Trueplay. The low drum notes distort, sound bloated and overpowered and then get pulled back a little. It's also like a low popping noise.

It's not dissimilar from poor quality streams or low digital sources, but my sources are lossless and any case sounded fine before. Turning off trueplay just makes the sound overall bad, so I really want this sorted!
Userlevel 6
Badge +3
I have exactly this too. It's since updating the software to Trueplay. The low drum notes distort, sound bloated and overpowered and then get pulled back a little. It's also like a low popping noise.

It's not dissimilar from poor quality streams or low digital sources, but my sources are lossless and any case sounded fine before. Turning off trueplay just makes the sound overall bad, so I really want this sorted!

Hello Detailme, this is very odd. The update will not change in any way the sound unless you use TruePlay. Also, when TruePlay is turned off the Sonos speaker should be returned back to the way it was.
I would like more information about your Sonos device and the device in question. Mind submitting a diagnostic and replying with the confirmation number? Here's an article explaining how: How to Submit Diagnostic
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Hello Max p, thank you for your reply. Ok I have two Play 1's, one is worse that the other. This is the diagnostic number for the worst one:5273094

Couple of things to note, I have tried to retune trueplay several times but it is still the same.
As I mentioned above, with trueplay off, the sound is very flat. The sound was great on the last software (pre trueplay). Many thanks

Chris
I'm sure you realise that Trueplay tuning cancels all previous EQ settings? If you'd tweaked the bass or treble beforehand, and not readjusted them post tuning, then with Trueplay OFF it could indeed sound a bit flat.

As for the popping with Trueplay, I've also heard this intermittently. It's not related to a specific unit; a brand new PLAY:1 did just the same. The bass in a PLAY:1 is already heavily EQ'd in the DSP to provide decent bass from such a small speaker. If Trueplay tuning results in an additional bass lift at certain frequencies I guess it's conceivable that clipping could be occurring somewhere.
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Hi Ratty yes I was aware, I pretty much run the eq flat anyway so like I say should sound as it did before. I think Sonos have done it this way so that trueplay sounds even better once it's tuned.

I think that your spot on, it's a dsp thing that could be causing clipping. It does sound like clipping, it does it at low volumes too!
Userlevel 5
Badge +7
pretty much run the eq flat anyway so like I say should sound as it did before.

With Trueplay off it probably (/almost certainly) does sound as it did before. Only, you've become habituated to the Trueplay effect and therefore now find the earlier non-Trueplay sound unsatisfactory, even to the extent of not quite believing that's how it used to sound...

It's like when people "run in" speakers for a 100 hours, and think the speakers sound different at the end of it; they won't: rather, their ears (/their brains) have just become accustomed to the sound but instead conclude erroneously that the speakers sound materially different (better) than prior to the "running in" period.
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RDog. I don't agree with any of what you just said. But thanks for your input
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I have exactly this too. It's since updating the software to Trueplay. The low drum notes distort, sound bloated and overpowered and then get pulled back a little. It's also like a low popping noise.

It's not dissimilar from poor quality streams or low digital sources, but my sources are lossless and any case sounded fine before. Turning off trueplay just makes the sound overall bad, so I really want this sorted!

Hello Detailme, this is very odd. The update will not change in any way the sound unless you use TruePlay. Also, when TruePlay is turned off the Sonos speaker should be returned back to the way it was.
I would like more information about your Sonos device and the device in question. Mind submitting a diagnostic and replying with the confirmation number? Here's an article explaining how: How to Submit Diagnostic


Hello Max p, thank you for your reply. Ok I have two Play 1's, one is worse that the other. This is the diagnostic number for the worst one:5273094

Couple of things to note, I have tried to retune trueplay several times but it is still the same.
As I mentioned above, with trueplay off, the sound is very flat. The sound was great on the last software (pre trueplay). Many thanks

Chris
Userlevel 3
Badge +2
I have exactly this too. It's since updating the software to Trueplay. The low drum notes distort, sound bloated and overpowered and then get pulled back a little. It's also like a low popping noise.

It's not dissimilar from poor quality streams or low digital sources, but my sources are lossless and any case sounded fine before. Turning off trueplay just makes the sound overall bad, so I really want this sorted!

Hello Detailme, this is very odd. The update will not change in any way the sound unless you use TruePlay. Also, when TruePlay is turned off the Sonos speaker should be returned back to the way it was.
I would like more information about your Sonos device and the device in question. Mind submitting a diagnostic and replying with the confirmation number? Here's an article explaining how: How to Submit Diagnostic


Hello Max p, thank you for your reply. Ok I have two Play 1's, one is worse that the other. This is the diagnostic number for the worst one:5273094

Couple of things to note, I have tried to retune trueplay several times but it is still the same.
As I mentioned above, with trueplay off, the sound is very flat. The sound was great on the last software (pre trueplay). Many thanks

Chris


Thanks for the info, from the diagnostics I can see that the Bass on one of the players has been increased and on the other player it is set to 0 (normal setting), could you try and play around with the equalizer settings on the players to see if you get any Bass changes.
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Hi there ive just updated with trueplay now noticing what can only be described as too much Base at times giving distortion sounding like its too much for the speakers which I doubt but thats how it sounds, also had loads of locking up of my comtroller after initial trueplay set up diagnostic number is 5323302 be great if you can help on this thanks.
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Ive had to turn the Base down a fair bit from standard now as I feel im going to damage the speakers never had to do that before
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Ive disabled true play now not prepared to risk damaging my speakers Base is very distorted re tuned trueplay again no better diagnostic number 5323549
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Froze up again after trying true play again diag 5323643
Userlevel 7
Badge +26
Hi Ben, Thanks for all the details. It'd be best to take a look at this live with a technician, so I've created a ticket for you under reference number 160111-002580. When you have a little time, can you give us a call on our support line and speak with a technician live? You can find our contact information here.
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Ok great thanks for getting in touch I have hard reset the speakers and not used trueplay should I set it back up with trueplay before ringing tech support?
Userlevel 7
Badge +26
Ok great thanks for getting in touch I have hard reset the speakers and not used trueplay should I set it back up with trueplay before ringing tech support?

It'd be great if you could test out running Trueplay on at least one of those rooms. If you find that the audio on that PLAY:1 is altered even with Trueplay off we'd love to take a closer look. The audio for any unit should be exactly the same with Trueplay off as it was before you ran Trueplay at all. If you don't find that to be the case, please do give us a call so we can look into it.
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Rang the support line yesterday not really got anywhere other than been advised not to run trueplay on my kitchen speakers which im not really pleased about. I was advised to try moving speakers and re run trueplay which made no difference.
Userlevel 7
Badge +26
Thanks for the update Ben. There are just a few basics to check to begin with which can sometimes be a little tedious. It's good to know that there wasn't anything damaged with that unit, at least anything that appeared to the technician. Thanks for working with us, and feel free to update that ticket when you have more information. I've added a note in there as well.
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Im going to try swapping to another room and re run to see how they sound at the weekend
Userlevel 3
Badge +1
I have also noticed this with TruePlay with my Play 1 speaker in the kitchen. Bass can sound over-driven despite the volume being low. I wouldn't dare to crank up the volume for fear of damaging the speaker. I have since turned off TruePlay and this has improved the situation.

I also have a pair of Play 1's and Sub in my living room and I've not experienced the problems with theses, or my Play 3.