Sonos Arc Ultra users claim Trueplay is "broken"

Sonos fans who’ve recently upgraded to the Arc Ultra soundbar are facing a frustrating issue. The popular Trueplay tuning feature appears to be malfunctioning, leaving users underwhelmed by the sound quality. Trueplay, a software feature meant to optimize sound based on a room’s acoustics, has been a Sonos staple for years. But now, owners are claiming it’s doing the opposite — dampening bass and muddying sound.

Many users who invested in the Arc Ultra report that, when Trueplay is enabled, the bass almost disappears. For instance, one Redditor shared that the bass was “non-existent” after using Trueplay. They even compared it unfavorably to their older Arc Gen 1 and Sub Mini setup, which produced more powerful bass even in a smaller room. They said that turning Trueplay off brought back the bass but at the expense of clarity and soundstage.

Another user reported similar issues with sub-bass, noting it was “almost non-existent” despite cranking the settings up. Some have suggested it could be a software bug rather than a hardware problem since these issues didn’t occur with older Arc models.

It’s not just the bass issues! Some users report being unable to get Trueplay to work at all. “Can’t get it to work on my iPhone 16 Pro running iOS 18.1,” noted one user, unsure if the problem stemmed from Sonos or a recent iOS update. Others have also claimed that they faced failed attempts and hours of setup frustration, only to see Trueplay remain inactive.

However, some noted that they were able to get Trueplay working after multiple attempts. One user said they reset their Sonos devices and readded them to their system. They also installed the latest firmware update after which Trueplay was working.

Luckily, it’s not all downhill. A few users who shared their thoughts on the new Arc Ultra mentioned that it brought improvements, particularly in dialogue clarity and surround sound, especially when paired with Sonos’s Era 300 surround speakers. They also agree that when Trueplay is turned off, the Arc Ultra still shines with its impressive Atmos performance and front soundstage. However, for those who expected to use Trueplay for a fully optimized experience, the situation is disappointing.

Furthermore, a Sonos employee responded to frustrated users saying they’re looking into the matter. As more users report their experiences, it’s clear the Arc Ultra’s potential is impressive but not fully realized due to Trueplay issues. 

For Sonos fans, the good news is that this could indeed be a fixable software glitch, not a hardware flaw. And if Trueplay issues are resolved, the Arc Ultra could finally deliver on its promise of optimized, powerful sound. Until then, those who’ve invested in the Arc Ultra will have to wait and see if Sonos delivers an update. As usual, we’ll keep track of the situation and will update the article if there’s any official word on the matter.