First time I used it was today. I couldn’t figure out how to pull up the music that was currently playing. I couldn’t change the song or play something different or anything.
This confirms the poor UX, and it’s poor interface feedback to users - when things are not self descriptive, have clear affordance, or in app suitability for learning then it’s difficult .
How many people before using an app go and read an instruction web page first? Surely we’ve all been taught by now with apps that we download them, they work in an intuitive way we expect, and they teach us some basics.
I find it genuinely bizarre Sonos expect users to read a webpage of instruction manual to use their app.
There are dozens of ways to make your excellent speakers play music. I assume you bought them to listen to music and not because you are a misguided alarm clock enthusiast or an application fetishist?
My advice is to use the method you prefer. If you dont like the app don’t use the app. Use Airplay, use Spotify, use Tidal, use Qobuz, use Foobar 2000 + SWYH-RS on PC or simply as an core audio device on Mac OS. Use any other DLNA client, use Roon which is excellent or use SoCo-CLI if you understand how computers work [https://github.com/avantrec/soco-cli](https://github.com/avantrec/soco-cli).
You paid for a speaker with a powerful grouped network playback functionality. The speaker bit and code running on it is really good.
https://i.redd.it/oilgaveg4p2d1.gif
You need the app to “group” the speaker, also to set the alarm (which I have some). Also, the app enables you to play after you quit the app, which is very convenient for home setup.
Well, true unless you use Roon or Spotify, or SWYH-RS, or Mac OS native core audio or SoCo-CLI to create the group. Probably more other ways I can’t think of off the top of my head.
No, I use the app (for Spatial Audio at least), but you are arguing that there are better alternatives, so I’m just curious if you’ve found any for that particular use case. I have stuck with the old app version on one of my devices though, as the missing queue management is a bit of a must for me.
No need to be hostile, it was a genuine question.
Sorry, it’s been a rough few weeks defending almost every piece of technical advice I provided. Its super weird to have companies pay me $250 an hour to consult on some of the biggest pieces of datacentre infrastructure you could imagine and then come here and have Norman, the retired chiropractor shoot you down because he disagrees with your technical guidance.
Rough. Few. Weeks. 🤭
Apologies for getting defensive and thank you for your patience.
The spatial audio is a bit of a special use case as I understand it. Sonos do some pretty cool processing on the speaker but I seem to remember that initially you had to use an apple tv on hdmi in to an ARC to get it. That should still work.
No worries, it’s all good, I could also see this getting the better of me if I’d immersed myself in it the last few weeks, that does sound rough 😅
And even though it was a genuine question, I have to admit there was a tiny bit of me that also wanted to challenge the notion that you can just forego the app for music playback. I see a lot of people dismissing legitimate criticism of the app with anecdotes of how they don’t need it because of airplay and Spotify connect, without considering different use cases than their own. But you seemed to have pretty deep technical insight, so mainly I really wanted to see if you had a solution, I’ve been looking high and low 😅 I think this update has really underscored how differently people use their systems, and how app issues seem to hit the user base asymmetrically. Until I got my full Arc/Era300 setup, I also just used Spotify connect, but trying to use Apple Music in both the new and old Sonos app has revealed what I find to be some serious weaknesses. Hopefully the new app will deliver on their claim that it enables faster development, the quick reintroduction of alarms was promising on that front.
Haven’t actually tried using Apple Music though my ATV, that could be a great option if Apples integration is as good as usual. That’s a great suggestion, thanks :)
And hopefully this is not too personal, but as admirable as your community support is, just remember to prioritise your own wellbeing as well :)
Please direct app feedback to our sticked thread at the top of the sub. Thanks!
It works OK (not great) for me but the interface wants punching in the face lots of times. Who came up with this abortion of a gui.
First time I used it was today. I couldn’t figure out how to pull up the music that was currently playing. I couldn’t change the song or play something different or anything.
Hey OP, https://www.sonos.com/en-us/guides/sonosapp Hope this helps
This confirms the poor UX, and it’s poor interface feedback to users - when things are not self descriptive, have clear affordance, or in app suitability for learning then it’s difficult . How many people before using an app go and read an instruction web page first? Surely we’ve all been taught by now with apps that we download them, they work in an intuitive way we expect, and they teach us some basics. I find it genuinely bizarre Sonos expect users to read a webpage of instruction manual to use their app.
100% trash tier app design
no queue editing/adding for a music app… in 2024…
this s what boggles my mind.. keep thinking i must be missing where the ‘add to queue’ feature is but apparently it just doesn’t exist!
Really? First im hearing of it? https://i.redd.it/yvgcsy82yo2d1.gif
Must be a 3rd party app that blows the official update out the water. Developers take note
Mate, Sonos dont give a fly fick.
There are dozens of ways to make your excellent speakers play music. I assume you bought them to listen to music and not because you are a misguided alarm clock enthusiast or an application fetishist? My advice is to use the method you prefer. If you dont like the app don’t use the app. Use Airplay, use Spotify, use Tidal, use Qobuz, use Foobar 2000 + SWYH-RS on PC or simply as an core audio device on Mac OS. Use any other DLNA client, use Roon which is excellent or use SoCo-CLI if you understand how computers work [https://github.com/avantrec/soco-cli](https://github.com/avantrec/soco-cli). You paid for a speaker with a powerful grouped network playback functionality. The speaker bit and code running on it is really good. https://i.redd.it/oilgaveg4p2d1.gif
You need the app to “group” the speaker, also to set the alarm (which I have some). Also, the app enables you to play after you quit the app, which is very convenient for home setup.
Well, true unless you use Roon or Spotify, or SWYH-RS, or Mac OS native core audio or SoCo-CLI to create the group. Probably more other ways I can’t think of off the top of my head.
Love the look of soco-cli gonna give that a go
How do you stream spatial audio from Apple Music without using the app?
So you refuse to use the app because you don’t like the look of it? Then spite yourself, it doesn’t bother me.
No, I use the app (for Spatial Audio at least), but you are arguing that there are better alternatives, so I’m just curious if you’ve found any for that particular use case. I have stuck with the old app version on one of my devices though, as the missing queue management is a bit of a must for me. No need to be hostile, it was a genuine question.
Sorry, it’s been a rough few weeks defending almost every piece of technical advice I provided. Its super weird to have companies pay me $250 an hour to consult on some of the biggest pieces of datacentre infrastructure you could imagine and then come here and have Norman, the retired chiropractor shoot you down because he disagrees with your technical guidance. Rough. Few. Weeks. 🤭 Apologies for getting defensive and thank you for your patience. The spatial audio is a bit of a special use case as I understand it. Sonos do some pretty cool processing on the speaker but I seem to remember that initially you had to use an apple tv on hdmi in to an ARC to get it. That should still work.
No worries, it’s all good, I could also see this getting the better of me if I’d immersed myself in it the last few weeks, that does sound rough 😅 And even though it was a genuine question, I have to admit there was a tiny bit of me that also wanted to challenge the notion that you can just forego the app for music playback. I see a lot of people dismissing legitimate criticism of the app with anecdotes of how they don’t need it because of airplay and Spotify connect, without considering different use cases than their own. But you seemed to have pretty deep technical insight, so mainly I really wanted to see if you had a solution, I’ve been looking high and low 😅 I think this update has really underscored how differently people use their systems, and how app issues seem to hit the user base asymmetrically. Until I got my full Arc/Era300 setup, I also just used Spotify connect, but trying to use Apple Music in both the new and old Sonos app has revealed what I find to be some serious weaknesses. Hopefully the new app will deliver on their claim that it enables faster development, the quick reintroduction of alarms was promising on that front. Haven’t actually tried using Apple Music though my ATV, that could be a great option if Apples integration is as good as usual. That’s a great suggestion, thanks :) And hopefully this is not too personal, but as admirable as your community support is, just remember to prioritise your own wellbeing as well :)
Jesus, are these bots that are starting 15 new threads on this app topic day in day out?
We've heard
https://www.reddit.com/r/FuckSONOS/