Latest software update adds height audio control to Sonos Arc soundbar

Sonos is releasing a software update that includes improvements for owners of its Arc soundbar and ROM portable Bluetooth speakers.

Arc owners can now adjust the volume levels of channel drivers at different heights from other channels’ levels, which have not been modified before.

Drivers firing into the Dolby Atmos-enabled soundbar rely on an overhead roof to bounce the sound from the soundbar to the viewer. But many variables such as the height of the ceiling, the size of the ceiling, and the distance from the soundbar to the viewer affect how reliable those height channel sounds are.

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If the strength of these channels can be adjusted manually, the Sonos troupe room-tuning system should help those who find that they do not achieve the kind of immersive sound they hoped for, or conversely, the height channel effects are too powerful for them.

To access the new settings, Arc owners need to:

• Open the Sonos S2 app, tap on the Settings tab and then select System.
• Select the room where the Arc soundbar is located.
• Under Sound tap Height Audio.
• Use the slider to increase or decrease the volume of the eight audio channels.

For ROM owners, the software update fixes the battery drain issue that those who have Google Assistant installed on portable speakers see. Doing so can drain the battery faster, allocating less than 10 hours to ROM owners.

Sonos did not specify how much the update will affect the ROM’s battery life. A Sonos spokesman said in an email to reporters that “today’s update will ensure that users can get the most out of their battery life while enjoying Google voice control.”