Sonos just released an update to the Sonos S2 app that, among other improvements, finally adds DTS support to the manufacturer’s line of soundbars, including the Sonos Arc and Beam.
Available today, version 13.4 of the Sonos app allows Sonos’ various soundbars to decode DTS audio signals on their own, rather than having to offload the chore to another device, such as a Blu-ray player or a gaming console.
The update also adds a new battery saver mode for the portable Sonos Move and Roam speakers, along with easier access to EQ settings for iOS users and a new icon that lets listeners know when they’re streaming “higher quality” audio.
With the arrival of the Sonos S2 app update, most of Sonos’s S2-compatible soundbars now support DTS decoding, including the Sonos Arc, the first- and second-generation Beam, the Playbar, and the Playbase. The Sonos Amp is also getting DTS decoding support.
Sonos soundbar users have long had to do without DTS support, which meant if they wanted to listen to a source (such as a Blu-ray disc) with DTS audio, they had to set the playback device to output PCM audio so the playback device would perform decode DTS information.
Once updated, however, Sonos’s soundbars can now receive bitstream audio from a playback device (passed through from a TV) and do the DTS decoding on their own.
While the Sonos Arc, Beam, and other Sonos soundbars now support DTS, they still don’t support DTS:X, a competing object-based audio format to Dolby Atmos.
Meanwhile, the new battery-saver feature for the Sonos Roam and Move will (if enabled) completely turn off those portable speakers after 30 minutes of inactivity, rather than putting them into standby mode. When completely powered off, the Move’s battery will last for up to 30 days, while the Roam will keep its battery life for up to 70 days.
Also new with the Sonos S2 13.4 update is a shortcut for equalizer settings on the iOS version of the app. From the Now Playing screen, you can simply tap the volume slider to reveal an EQ button. Tap the button, and you’ll get sliders for Treble, Bass, and Loudness. Sonos said Android users will get the EQ shortcuts in the “coming months.”
Finally, a new “HD” badge will appear on the Now Playing screen when streaming a lossless 16-bit or 24-bit stream from Sonos Radio HD or Amazon Music Unlimited, according to a Sonos rep.
Updated shortly after publication with more details on the HD badge on the “Now Playing” screen.