Public service announcement: Do not buy Sonos!

Forums › Gadgets, robotics, home automation, electronics (including wearables) › Public service announcement: Do not buy Sonos!

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#3321699 17-Dec-2024 20:00

eracode:

I sympathize with the OP but it appears there’s something wrong that’s particular to his set-up - his experience isn’t replicated here.

An update. After re-booting all speakers, changing wifi network and restarting router, we can now access Sonos again, however …

lachlanw:

I'd add one to the App hatred, it's been a horror show for me since the new one rolled out. Not saying it isn't fixable at my end, but I had 5+ years of solid performance from my setup, and now units frequently don't show up, trying the in app search returns an error, and adjusting volume is a sometimes works sometimes doesn't proposition. There are workarounds but sometimes you just want sh!t to work :D

This!

Ok, for the last few days we have been unable to access the Sonos, now sorted. However, for the last few months … exactly this!

This is not a portable speaker we are talking about, we have paid thousands for our kit. We deserve better.

Ragnor

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#3322050 18-Dec-2024 16:27

The declining quality of the product/service is a feature not a bug

dafman

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#3324265 24-Dec-2024 18:10

Update. Listening to Xmas music on Google Play music. Changed volume and total system just died. Silence, even though app showed it was still playing. Tried switching speakers and readjusted volume numerous times, silence.

Swapped over to Radio NZ and, bingo, sound reappeared. Swapped back to Google Play Music and all we are all good again.

Merry Xmas.

eracode

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#3324288 24-Dec-2024 21:07

@dafman. Have you called Sonos Support as suggested earlier?

Sometimes I just sit and think. Other times I just sit.

farcus

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#3324298 24-Dec-2024 22:19

dafman:

Update. Listening to Xmas music on Google Play music. Changed volume and total system just died. Silence, even though app showed it was still playing. Tried switching speakers and readjusted volume numerous times, silence.

Swapped over to Radio NZ and, bingo, sound reappeared. Swapped back to Google Play Music and all we are all good again.

Merry Xmas.

Pretty sure my Sonos speaker would explode if I tried listening to Xmas music on it . . . or maybe that is just my brain!!

edit: hang about . . . Didn't Google Play Music shut down a year or two back?

dafman

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#3324351 25-Dec-2024 09:38

farcus:

Pretty sure my Sonos speaker would explode if I tried listening to Xmas music on it . . . or maybe that is just my brain!!

edit: hang about . . . Didn't Google Play Music shut down a year or two back?

Ha, showing my age. YouTube music. And Fairytale of New York … Xmas wouldn’t be the same without it.

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dafman

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#3324354 25-Dec-2024 09:56

eracode:

@dafman. Have you called Sonos Support as suggested earlier?

No. The issue is clearly app-related. My frustrations are shared online by many users - have a look at the Sonos community on Reddit. So little point calling them, there is only one app.

The Sonos contact page does offer you to email the CEO directly, so I did email him a link to this thread. So, if you are reading this Patrick, please give users a choice in apps. Keep the new app for those that like it (@eracode), but re-release the old rock solid app that just worked for those that are constantly being failed by the new app.

gehenna

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#3324389 25-Dec-2024 13:03

What you just described as an issue is not clearly app related. Just as your earlier issues being resolved with an environment restart also weren't app related.

If you want to complain about Sonos there is a healthy echo chamber on Reddit. Have at it.

If you want to get and follow advice from other forum members about your issues, then keep this thread going.

Figure out what you want, though, you can't have your cake and eat it too, even if it's Christmas.

eracode

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#3324407 25-Dec-2024 15:30

@dafman I was sympathetic but now I’m not. Seems you don’t want to listen to advice or help yourself to try and resolve your issues. You would rather suffer as a martyr and keep repeating your complaints with little endorsement from other users here - almost all of whom have no issues at all.

Sometimes I just sit and think. Other times I just sit.

dafman

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#3324418 25-Dec-2024 16:31

Not here to convince @gehenna & @eracode, they are obviously happy. But many are not.

My posting on this thread is for readers considering an expensive Sonos purchase.

I am simply telling my experience out of sheer frustration having invested close to $3k across six Sonos speakers. It used to be great, rock solid in fact, but has degraded significantly over recent months following release of an all new app. Despite numerous fixes, the app remains buggy for me and many other users. And a buggy app means a frustrating time with our speakers.

Sonos could fix it today, if they wanted, by simply giving affected users the option to use the old app as an alternative. But no, they keep us locked into an app that continues to frustrate.

My experience is not unique, have a look at any number of the online forums or articles on the issue, you won’t have to look far.

My last post on this issue, Xmas lamb is calling.

Merry Xmas all.

gehenna

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#3324421 25-Dec-2024 16:45

I'm not happy or unhappy with the app. As I said originally, I had issues with it and now I don't.

Any response from me has been addressing the fact that the issues you describe, as evidenced by following advice and resolving your first issue, aren't obviously app related at all, and could well be network or other environment problem. This doesn't eliminate the app issues completely, but what's described is not obviously app related and so should be treated as a process of elimination to resolve.

Any other concern or comment from me has been about addressing that your responses have been rooted in the app being the cause, which makes providing further advice a waste of time for most responders because you're unwilling to accept the alternatives. You've taken a combative stance at the suggestion that any of your issues may not be app related, so where does that leave us?

I'm out.

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#3324515 25-Dec-2024 23:41

What I often realise when I hear something like this is that the real problem with WiFi speakers often lies somewhere else entirely. Either the ISP router is now busy with so many clients that it hangs around at its limits and sometimes it works and sometimes not. Another very popular error is that the devices are in different VLANs or radio bands (2.4/5GHz) during setup, or an AD blocker torpedoes the installation. Sometimes bad WiFi reception or repeater are culprits as well.

Qui nihil scit, omnia credere debet.
Firewalls do NOT stop dragons.
In effect we have everything to hide from someone, and no idea who someone is.

Goosey

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#3324741 26-Dec-2024 16:00

What sort of internet set up do you have?

looking at your thread history, it seems you might still be on coax cable network (old Telstra Clear / VF ) and running an Ultra Hub.

Q: are you still on this set up ?

if so, do you think the problems might be caused by hitting the device max for the ultra hub and potentially wifi coverage of said ultrahub being shady?

Lightbulb

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#3324743 26-Dec-2024 16:29

There's been numerous issues in the recent past - mostly as a result of the lauch of a new app.

Many have been solved, but bugs still exist.

A quick google will demonstrate that there has been widespread dissatisfaction with Sonos recently.

dafman

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#3324755 26-Dec-2024 18:39

Goosey:

What sort of internet set up do you have?

looking at your thread history, it seems you might still be on coax cable network (old Telstra Clear / VF ) and running an Ultra Hub.

Q: are you still on this set up ?

if so, do you think the problems might be caused by hitting the device max for the ultra hub and potentially wifi coverage of said ultrahub being shady?

Yes, still running Ultra Hub. However, all Sonos devices ran flawlessly on Ultra Hub for years prior the arrival of the new app. And the majority of our issues relate directly to use of the new app, eg, slow to load, not picking up system, volume control laggy or totally non-responsive, or killing sound when adjusting volume.

However - it is interesting to learns that Ultra Hub has limitations? We have fibre installed, but have never bothered to swap over as the advertised speeds of the coax match fibre, so I didn’t see any point. But sounds like the Ultra Hub itself may have limitations?

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