Soundbar+ - No sound with Netflix or Amazon Prime
Answered
Hello,
I recently bought the new Soundbar+ including two Puls Flex 2i as rear speakers and the Pulse Sub+. I have installed everything and configured the speakers as a Home Cinema set.
The Soundbar+ is connected with my TV (Philips 55Oled804) through HDMI Arc. In the TV settings I have set the audio output through HDMI and as multiple channel bypass.
Unfortunately when I start a movie or serie episode on Netflix or Amazon Prime I don't hear any sound!
After that I tried a Youtube Video and now there was sound. I then discovered that in Netflix when I chose another audio track (stereo) I also had sound.
To get some more information about the problem I run some other tests. I downloaded a few sample files (free movie trailer samples) with different audio codecs and discovered the following:
- Dolby AC3 5.1 - Sound
- Dolby True HD 7.1 - No Sound
- Dolby True HD 5.1 - Sound
- Dolby True HD 7.1 Atmos - No Sound
- Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 Atmos - No Sound
- DTS:X DTS 5.1 - Sound
- DTS-HD 7.1 - Sound
So I got some mixed results with sound codecs working and not working. All in all I am very surprised that in some cases there is no sound at all and especially with Netflix and Amazon Prime that is very disappointing.
Previously My TV was connected with an Onkyo TX-NR 686 Receiver and I never had any problems with the sound.
I hope the cause of this problem can be found and of course get corrected. If more information is needed please ask.
Regards,
Roene
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Official comment
Your results appear to line up - a Bluesound Home Theatre Group is a 5 channel group, so it would not be able to play 7.1 audio (though I'm surprised DTS-HD 7.1 worked? I don't think it should have) and ATMOS support has not quite yet been released to the SB+.
I don't use Netflix myself but there should be an option to manually set the audio output codec to Dolby Surround 5.1, same should go for Amazon Prime Video.
Alternatively, like the 7.2 channel AVR Onkyo receiver you linked, you could check out our friends NAD down the hall have a range of AVRs with 7-channel support.
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Ok, let me get this clear: this really is an official statement and my experiences in hearing no sound at all are to be expected? So I have a soundbar that is not able to do it's one job: producing sound?
And after spending € 2500,- in a soundbar, rear speakers and a sub I just have to by an extra receiver so that I can hear sound when I want to play a movie or serie on Netflix?
The Bluesound Soundbar+ is advertised and sold as a Dolby Atmos capable soundbar! How can this not be supported and released yet?
How is it possible that it cannot process some of the most standard audio codecs used in movies and series? It shouldn't matter that it is only a 5 channel group. I had only 4 speakers (no center) attached to my Onlyo receiver. It just translated the input sound to those 4 channels. Nothing fancy, even my TV can translate the sound from any input to stereo.
I honestly can't tell if you are serious or joking ...
If you are serious then I probably have to return everything to the shop, because this is not acceptable.1 -
Allow me to explain in more detail: your Onkyo is capable of 7.2. It does not matter how many speakers you connect to the Onkyo, the Onkyo receiver itself is capable of decoding 7.2 channel audio. Your TV may also be equipped to recognise and then downsample/remix Dolby 7.1 audio as Stereo PCM.
The BLS Home Theatre Group is capable of 5.1, and it does not downsample any incoming audio (as to preserve the quality); so when sending audio that the HTG cannot recognise (i.e. 7.1 or another codec), no decoding can be done and you will not receive audio. Alternatively, when sending a signal the HTG can recognise (ie 5.1), it will play audio.
That being said, there are variables we haven't accounted for. Depending on devices, the source device might be correctly identifying the lack of support and converts to a supported format. ie PCM, which is why you're seeing DTS 7.1 working.
I hope this clears things up better. The details are nitty-gritty but it might help to Help > Send Support Request and include your source device (the device where the Netflix and Amazon Video content is coming out of firstly) so they can more explain in better detail.
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Thansk for the clarification, although you can doubt if 'preserving quality and outputing no sound' is better than downsampling to stereo. In the latter case you at least hear something ...
That still doesn't explain why I hear no sound with Netlix and Amazom, because they output a 5.1 sound which shouldn't be a problem. By the way: you can add Disney on the list of streaming services with no audio.
And I really can't understand how you can sell a Dolby Atmos soundbar and then say that 'ATMOS support has not quite yet been released'. That is just false advertising, it is one the reasons I chose this soundbar in the first place!
And which Help > Send Support Request do you mean? I thought I was already asking for support here?
As I explained in my first post I use Netflix and other streaming apps on my Smart TV (Philips 55OLED804) as source device and output through HDMI Arc (multiple channel bypass).
All in all, if it's not possible with this soundbar to have sound with Netlflix/Amazon Prime/Disney while that shouldn't be a problem, I will have to return it.
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Hi Roene
To me it seems like a ARC problem. ARC is as far as I know not capable to handle lossless audio formats this is reserved to eARC. All non working except the last mentioned, is in "lossless" format so it seems wierd that it was able to playback the last testet file.
It could however also be the TV itself. My LG CX OLED cannot process DTS sound format.
You could try and have your TV decoding the signal instead of the soundbar so untick the box that lets the TV passthrough the audio signal.0 -
Hi Steffan,
Thanks for your answer. I understand that ARC instead of eARC is not capable of handling losless audio formats. I don't have something like a 4K BluRay-player so for now I also don't really need that. The sound testing I did was via Plex (server on my PC and Plex client app on my TV).
90% of the time I watch TV is because I watch a serie or movie through one of the streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime or Disney. As I understand they use the lossy Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 (and also sometimes a lossy from of Atmos). This can be handled via HDMI ARC and (to me) shouldn't be a problem with the Bluesound Soundbar.
I did some extra tests via Plex and played some Dolby Digital Plus files, 5.1 and even 7.1. They played flawlessly with sound that was clearly surround sound. The only one that did'nt play with sound (but should!) is the Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 Atmos.
So I still don't know why I don't have sound with any of the streaming platforms (if that indeed is Dolby Digital Plus 5.1) and I do expect some help with that from Bluesound, which up till now is really dissapointing!
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I feel with you, I really do. It is a great sounding soundbar however just to bad that it really struggles with exactly that, playing sound.
I hope bluesound will resolve this however it is quite a struggle to get anything through to Sam, trust me I have tried several times. It always falls back to me or my equipment being the problem even though it isn't! Got to a tier 3 engineer once and he could replicate my issue on their setup, so the fixed it.
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Thanks for your support! It is true about the great sound. The times when I dit get sound when testing I was really happy with what I heard. But why does the soundbar have so much trouble with something ordinary as Netflix?
Too bad to hear you have also had a difficult time getting help from Bluesound, but good that it was fixed eventually! I don't know why my topic has the status 'answered' as my problem isn't solved at all.
It would be nice if some engineer could help me with this. I have no problem in assisting someone to replicate the issue or providing more information if that is necessary. Not being told to buy a NAD receiver or that it is normal not to have sound would already be a step in the good direction ...
May I ask: do you watch Netflix or another streaming service in combination with the soundbar and does that work for you?
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Hi Roene
At the momen I'm not using a soundbar but a NAD M32 stereo amplifier connected to my TV via a tosslink (optical) cable. That way the TV does all the decoding and thus convering it to a 2 channel soundprofile. I have no problem with sound except DTS as the LG OLED CX can't decode that format. It is not surround sound but it has a damn good stereo perspective. I am powering B&W 804D3 speakers with a DB1D subwoofer to handle the lowest frequencies.
However my parents has a LG soundbar for their CX OLED and that works perfectly with all Netflix and Disney plus sound codexs' ATMOS included.
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Ah ok, clear. I had a surround sound receiver connected with speakers and a subwoofer before. Never had a problem with Netflix and others (I still have the same TV) Due to moving to another house I preferred to switch to a soundbar.
Never imagined that getting sound would be a problem, as Bluesound is supposed to be a premium brand. And there is nothing wrong with the sound per se (when you do get sound), but the audio codec problems and not caple of handling Atmos while it is sold as a Dolby Atmos soundbar is really a let down.
And if the customer support would be helpful and willing to solve the problem it would be forgivable, but I got no response from them in almost a week!
I am glad that your parents have a good experience with the LG soundbar, sounds like a better choice!
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In all honesty, forget about that thing. I've been waiting for a solution for my Soundbar + for over 3 months. Can also be found here in the forum under Sounbar + very quiet. You can throw support in the bin. I've been swapping my soundbar for weeks, but I'm slowly running out of retailers 😤.There hasn't been an update for months.
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Hi Null Daten,
That doesn't sound very positive! I will have a look at your topic, curious if there is any relation to the problems I have. And not getting any support in 3 months is really ridiculous.
Very frustrating being ignored when you have spent thousands of euro's on their products!
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Give the soundbar back, I'm stuck on this garbage, have the Flex 2i and the Sub + and they don't do me any good on their own.
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Rohen
Taken into consideration that they only payed 530 euros for the soundbar with a subwoofer included it was really really good value for money, however it can't compete soundwise with the bluesound. However even though I have a 20.000 euro setup with b&w 804 D3s and a DB1D subwoofer I am really impressed with what the LG does for what they payed for it.0 -
Same problems here. I bought the Soundbar+ on may aprox. I choosed it because it supposed to have Atmos. I still haven't news about the update....
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Hi Null Daten,
I have read the topic you mentioned. Really shocking when seeing all the problems and total lack off support! Not what you expect from a brand that claims to be premium. It's almost funny when they mention they are looking for a long-term solution, I am curious what year that solution is ready ...
So yes, returning it is an option I most definitely consider now. Problem is, I also have the Sub and Flex2 in combination with the Soundbar in a surround setup.
Giving some negative reviews to prevent other customers from this disaster is probably a good thing.1 -
Doing the same. I didn't expect this terrible customer support.
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Can't believe that SONOS just launched the second generation with Atmos and we still waiting for the update for Soundbar+.
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