FlatpanelsHD recently reported a solution to the disruptive popping noises affecting Sonos Arc and Sonos Beam (Gen 2) soundbars. If you’ve encountered this issue, here’s a positive update: the fix, released a few days ago, effectively addresses the problem.
Users reported loud popping and cracking noises, particularly when streaming from an Apple TV 4K or Xbox Series X. Although the problem persisted since late 2020, Sonos acknowledged it only in August of this year, offering a less-than-ideal solution. Now, the resolution is accessible. Ensure your Sonos app is current, and then proceed to download the software update for your sub.
Sonos Addresses Apology and Bug Resolution
Sonos acknowledges and apologizes for an unusual bug affecting audio data from Xbox Series X and Apple TV 4K. Despite the devices transmitting Dolby Atmos in an uncompressed PCM with metadata, a glitch in Sonos’s Dolby decoder caused audible errors on specific home theater setups.
According to Sonos’s explanation to The Verge, the bug allowed the Dolby decoder to play these errors instead of concealing them, disrupting the premium audio experience. Users resorted to ineffective workarounds, such as disabling CEC device control or switching from Atmos to Dolby Digital 5.1.
Expressing regret for the delay, Sonos apologizes for the disruption caused by the bug and appreciates users’ patience during the fix development. The significant concern is not merely the existence of the problem but the prolonged denial of its existence by Sonos for almost three years.
